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| Young Brahma Rooster Photo by The Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ |
This is "Rooty"
a fine young Brahma rooster
rescued by The Order of The GOOD SHEPHERD+ from our neighbor's hatchet and stew pot. We ransomed him by offering the neighbors an organic hen in his place, one already prepared for the stew-pot, via the local grocery store.
As I labored to establish a suitable and secure ample chicken yard for our ransomed rooster, my hands soon became scratched and a bit gouged since the work gloves were too much a hindrance to use when tying the fencing together.
But anon, the pen, almost circular, was established and our neighbor gamely caught Rooty and brought him to his new pen... but not without a massive struggle.
Rooty squawked up a fuss! Such sounds as I had never heard coming from a bird ! The entire neighborhood here in the countryside likely heard Rooty's squawkings.
However, our fearless neighbor held Rooty tightly, soothing and talking to the bird and calming him down as she sweetly carried him to his new abode.
Now, this new pen is more-than-ample for one rooster.
He has his own water dish, his own feed, his own bits of apple and fruit and even some cast-offs from our bread-baking. He has mounds of freshly dug dirt to dig around in, a converted dog drum (a large, cleaned out and newly-strawed 55-gallon drum ) for a shelter, and ample bugs for snacks.
There are also some tomato plants still growing there, a few flowers, and some well-trampled weeds.
The chicken yard has a tree or two in its corners and some shrubs that overhang the fence... altogether a comfortable place for a sole chicken.
And, to keep him safe from over-head predators, there are strung lines of twine from high on a post in the middle to the sides of the fencing round about. That way, Rooty will be uncomfortable about flying out and predators will be uncomfortable about flying in and possibly entangling their wings on the twine lines.
When all was completed, we watched how Rooty would adapt to his new home.
THEN, I felt The LORD draw near, and say, "Watch what he does."
So, I watched. Here is what Rooty did:
He ignored his food. He ignored his water. He ignored his protective shelter and new straw. He tromped on the flowers without stopping to gaze and did not even consider the tomato plants.
He spent his time in frantically circling the circumference of the chicken yard ... back and forth, back and forth... at the fence-line, nearly entangling his neck in unfruitful efforts, trying various methods to escape... and go back home.
It was his one, well-established goal in his little chicken mind: to go back to his former coop.
He did not realize that the hatchet and stew-pot awaited him there. He only wanted what was familiar to him.... comfortably familiar.
He did not realize that he had been rescued from certain death in a few days.
He only knew that he had been chosen to be ostracized, separated from his fellows... whom he had been with since a chickling.
He only knew that this was not HIS choice, to be separated from the only coop he knew as "home."
Thus, he paced and paced around and around the chicken yard discontentedly. He did not want to be here at all.
Yet, in separating him from his fellows, he was being saved.
Yet, in NOT remaining in his comfortable, familiar place "that he had always been in", he was put in a situation for his own good.
Yet, in compassion upon his LACK of AWARENESS, he was protected by an intelligence larger than himself.
Can I+ not do with you as you have done with this rooster... to save his life? saith The LORD.
Can you not receive My+ protection more graciously that this rooster has received his? saith The LORD.
Can you not listen to ME+, rather than to the cluckings of your own heart ? saith The LORD.
Can you not be content to live where I+ have called you to live... alone with ME+, without your fellows, for a season, for your own good? saith The LORD.
You will learn to follow ME+ and know MY+ Voice this way, in this separation. That is the only place of safety for you now.
Eat My+ food and drink My+ drink that I+ provide for you. It is the only nourishment that will keep you alive.
The Call of the Monastic at Heart ~ ~ ~
Sr. Judith Hannah + + +
