Running a Good Race

Next weekend, there is a Summer Solstice race in town.  I signed up for the run to keep me committed to running regularly throughout this Spring.  The trouble is that it is hard to balance, putting in time to run when there are horses to exercise and chores to be done around the farm. Set a goal and prioritize!  Yesterday, I decided I had better slip outside for a 30-40 minute run to test my commitment.  My training has been rather erratic, and I wanted to know if I would be able to manage the distance without long walk breaks. It's important to test yourself!
As I set out on my country road run, it was overcast and cool; a perfect combination for me.  I took my daughter's three Australian shepherds for company and protection should my path intersect with a bear. Company on the journey builds confidence!  I was feeling energetic and eagerly anticipated the sense of accomplishment as I logged another run in my record book.
 It wasn't long before the first little annoyance tripped me up.  Literally! One dog mid-stride decided to have a set to without giving any notice.  My arm was nearly jerked from the socket as she paused for deliberations and snapped the clip off from her leash.  Isn't that how many of our adventures begin in life? Unexpectedly poop happens and we get tripped up, faced with the sudden reality of ourselves.  What I am learning up here in this Northern country is to be more flexible and more capable of improvisation.Expect the unexpected!

I quickly tied the broken leash to the dog's collar and we carried on the quiet country road...it wasn't long after that the quiet country road became busy with lunch break traffic.  With several gas sites in the area, operators/contractors were beginning to make their way back to town for lunch, I decided to jump off the main road and travel up one less travelled.  It was beautiful running up the tree lined road; the grass was green knee deep in the pastures, birds were chirping and cheering us on and a deer curiously watched as we passed by.  In the distance I could see a long up hill climb to the mid point of my run.  What's a run without a bit of a hill climb?  I chanted in my head, "Hills make me strong!" Don't falter when you see a challenge.  Take it in stride one step at a time  In the distance I could see rain clouds forming and knew that I was going to be in a battle against time.  When you see trouble brewing, form a game plan.  Moments later a light rain shower started, which felt ever so awesome as I sweated up the crest of the hill.  I paused a moment as I came across a ditch lined with aromatic wild roses.  The little break refuelled my senses and I was able to pick up the pace again. Rest is good for the soul!  At last at the end of the road, I realized I had missed my turn home, and had connected with the Alaska Hwy.  This meant I had strayed an additional 2k off my intended path and now had to weave my way along ditches filled with grass up to my knees, hidden potholes, litter and thistles. Watch where you set your feet!  Not only was my route now longer and unpleasant, but the heavens had opened up and I was caught in a serious downpour!   The water was bouncing off the pavement and creeks.  Find beauty and humour in the small things!
I was too far into this adventure to turn around and with many vehicles witnessing my straggling lope, I had to just bear down and persevere through this storm. Stay committed!  I knew that a warm home and a cup of tea would be infinitely wonderful at the end of this journey. Keep your eyes on the prize!  My running shoes were sloshing, my shorts and t-shirt soaked through...I looked a mess, I am certain. Who cares what anyone else thinks!  I sprinted the last 400 m and completed my race!  In fact, I had more than conquered; I later drove my running route and discovered I ran 3 K over my set goal!  What a run! What an adrenaline rush!  All the trials and tribulations added challenge and great joy to my accomplishment for the day.

I am reminded in Hebrews, that life is like this:

Discipline in a Long-Distance Race

12 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 

Shepherd Lessons

  It's Spring on the farm!  It's a time of great hope and expectation after  our long hard winter in Northern Canada. As soon as the snow is gone, green grass shoots up quickly, the trees begin to unfurl their neon coloured leaves. It is the season of new babies and new crops!
  We started calving early in March with our new herd of Black Angus.  This year birthing went much better than last year's herd of Welsh Black.  The Black Angus are born more narrow in the shoulders and so we only had to assist two heifers.  We had a very good success rate, only losing 3 calves.  Life on the farm is more colourful than Facebook photos show and the reality is that death is part of the package.  Life is hard and farming is harder!
  The next new life that we were expecting this year was our first crop from our Quarter Horses.  My son owns a handy little stallion that we pasture bred last summer with my daughter's retired barrel racing horse.  Phoenix was a little racy mare, that took my eldest daughter around the province in the sport of rodeo.  Unfortunately, like many big hearted athletes, a knee injury forced this horse into early retirement.  This untimely event, however, gave us the opportunity to try breeding our Quarter Horses.  We expect that these lines of horses will produce a smart athletic progeny.  We look forward to seeing the fruit of that in the future!
  The next crop we were waiting on was our goat kids.  I enjoy raising a small flock of Cashmere goats, bred for their fine fleece and meat.  Also, mixed into this flock we have 2 milk goats, who can keep us in good supply when we need to bottle feed.  Last fall, I put our billy goats in with our does a little late for breeding and so we began kidding just before Mother's Day this year.  The snow was gone (again) and we had a lot of water still on the ground.  The first to kid was Willow a big full bodied white doe, 5 years old.  She always threw twins without any assistance.  This year, again she threw twin bucklings but both were born with assistance.  A leg was stuck back with both.  The next to kid was Doll, another mature Saanen cross.  She threw twins as well, and needed assistance.  One of the twins was not thriving.  And so it continued.  Each birth had complications.  Some goatlings did not survive birth, others, only lasted 48 hours.  One set of twins born hairless neonates.  Another set of twins were born very weak and the other had an underbite and curved spine.  This deformed little one cried like a little baby.  I nursed it for 3 days and eventually it died.  I wept over this little creature.  All I could think about was that Father God had created this for a purpose, it showed me the heart of our heavenly Shepherd, a Father who weeps over his sick and deformed children. Such love and compassion does our Father have for us.  He collects every one of our tears and stores them in a jar.
  I was heart sick for all the goatlings who did not make it.  I only have 2 survivors of this kidding storm.  I am grateful for my healthy does, and for those 2 goatlings that are thriving; but, I had to seriously evaluate what had gone wrong with this kidding season.  Was it environmental?  Was it bacterial? Viral?  What could  so create such a storm and do so much damage?  After much research, prayer and consultation from other breeders.  I have deducted that the problem was a mineral deficiency--primarily iodine.  Our soil in the north lacks salt, selenium and iodine.  In previous years, I would feed a loose mineral supplement which the goats would have free access to in addition to hard salt licks. However, this previous mating season, I had to lodge a pair of sheep with my goats and was afraid to offer this loose supplement due to the sheep's intolerance to copper.  (Sheep and goats have different needs).
  Iodine, will affect the fetus' development of their thyroid and thus metabolism.  This in turn results in weak goatlings, slow development, hairless neonates, deformities and all the infirmities I saw this kidding season.  It was a hard Shepherd lesson.  A little bit of salt with iodine could have made a world of difference!
 Salt is the preserver of life!  The good book (Bible) tells us that we are to be salt to the earth.  How many people in your life are missing out on salt?  We are to add flavor and help preserve the lives of those around us.  Many people are walking around in this life weak and not thriving because they have not had any encouragement or salt!  We need salt to encourage our thirst and we need to thirst for water (Living water).  The good shepherd loves his flock, and provides for our every need.
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” Jn 7:37-39

  I'm so glad that God didn't leave me weak and beguiling in my errors with my flock.  I hope that my story will encourage you.

Enduring winter

I'm looking outside and it's dull grey, the wind is blowing icy cold.  The snow has melted some and the mess of farm dogs is exposed. Daylight took a long time to come and the house is quiet except for the sound of the wind in the windows and the hum of the washing machine.  I'm alone except for the one who is recovering from her travels on mission.  The day feels empty and purposeless.  My floors are washed clean, the laundry is tackled, dusting is done, and the dish rack empty.  I feel troubled in my spirit, like the wind rustling the empty branches of the poplar trees outside. Is there a crack in my frozen heart which knows of something greater than this?

I am pondering the next season of my life with the a cup of strong hot coffee hoping for a much needed jolt.  My children are growing up; embarking on big new adventures and preparing to leave the nest.  For some unknown reason it feels like I am the one standing nervously at the edge of the nest peering at the icy barren ground. But God pulls me back in and says come rest awhile and enjoy a leisurely read.  Tales of adventure and encouragement warm the heart like a wood-stove on a blustery morning. Once again I am reminded that winter will not endure forever.  The sun will warm the earth again and with that fresh new life.  I catch a glimpse of that now, as I watch the birds of the air dart in and out of the barren trees to their nests anticipating Spring and I hear the low melodic bellow of a cow to her newborn calf.

So I light the fire, and settle in my corner with the good book...

Spring will come.  God is good.  His faithfulness endures forever.