An Amazing Day

Here on the homestead, it's often forgotten that I am indeed a princess.  When a goat gets ornery, there's no respect displayed for my loyalty.  When a critter thinks I'm running late, you can tell by the sound of their "voice" and I get a little cartoon visual of them looking at their watch and stamping their foot.  Mr. B doesn't even treat me like a woman, much less a princess, so Abba surprised me the other day when I went to town.

The trip to town, last Thursday felt as if a red carpet had been rolled out for my arrival.  My gait has been a bit troublesome as of late, so I took my walking stick with me.  It's been a busy summer and I'm working hard to get the details in place.  I truly believe Abba has other things planned for me, while I'm not gardening, plus I want the place in order, my lamp filled with oil and my wick trimmed . . . by Yom Teruah!

The most amazing things kept happening in town the other day.  It was as if I had a sign of royalty above me.  On my way to the auction, I stopped in town for a few things.  I didn't take my walking stick into the market, because the buggies serve as a great balancing tool.  I decided to take a stroll down the deli aisle since I'd be getting home late from the auction and a gentleman stopped right in the middle of his order and said, "Go ahead and help her, I've got a pretty long list . . ."  I told him that was unnecessary, but he insisted.  So I gave my single item order, and as I picked it up I thanked him for his kindness and we shared a short dialogue as his order continued to be filled.

Again, I left my walking stick in the vehicle, when I purchased dog food in two different places and it was actually carried to my vehicle, both times!  I pulled into the farm store, planning to see when the fish truck was coming, when the guys at the loading dock simply took up chatting while I was in the vehicle.  We discussed weather, a bit of small talk, and when I mentioned why I'd come, one simply said, "sit tight, I'll go see."  Rather than going to the information counter, I got curb service!  All this before I even got to the auction.

I do tend to get special treatment at the auction, usually.  I don't really know why that is, but I'll admit, I like it!  This time they actually presented a check at the time I went to pay . . . I refused the check, but anyway, the auction truly feels like a debutante ball or cotillion in my honor.  I can't explain it further, but I feel it is a gift from Abba every time I attend.  It's such a special time, I am very selective and protective as to when I attend, because I have to work the chores of the homestead around that evening auction.

Imagine my surprise when friends walked in to the auction.  These were not just acquaintances, but genuine friends.  The man who came in search of goat milk for orphaned fawns and the man who invited me to speak to his congregation about using our talents.  What an amazing blessing . . . plus, the auctioneer was keeping a close eye on my bidding.  I was blessed to bring home a couple of young beauties and I truly thought they were yearlings, but I was mistaken . . .

Let me tell you about Abba's gift.  We simply cannot out give Him!  According to Torah, the offspring of a first time mama belongs to YHWH.  Sometimes I give the firstlings to other homesteaders in His Name, and sometimes they are the main entree' for Holy Day Feast or gathering.  So when I bought these two girls, I bought them with the idea that the kids next spring, were not mine.  A wonderfully polite young man loaded them for me, so I didn't get the overall view of them, until I was unloading them.  They are young, but they're two year olds, and it's obvious that they've already kidded.  I had no idea when I purchased them, what a gift Abba had in store for me.



Often I pray to be used as a blessing to others, but this time I was the one being blessed, everywhere, all day long!

I Got to Help!

Once in a while being a princess gets even more special, if you can imagine that!  A couple of months ago a friend called and asked me if I had any goat milk.  When it comes to goat milk, my reputation is spanning a fair radius by now.  A gentleman drove over 40 miles for goat's milk for a litter of pups.  My Daddy always brings a cooler to take some home to NE Kansas with him, and now my goat's milk has been taken into Oklahoma for a very special project.

When my friend came to pick up the milk, he shared what had happened.  He said he was brush hoggin' along the road, when a mama deer came out of the edge of the timber.  He said, he could tell by the way she looked back, she had young.  He stopped and shut off the tractor.  Apparently, she was trying to divert and lure something away from her young.  My friend said he just sat silently watching, as she ran and looked back, then darted in front of his stopped tractor and into the road.  Sadly a car came around the corner and the mama deer was killed instantly.  So, my friend fired his tractor back up and went to check to see if his instinct was correct.  It was correct and then some.

There in a little “nest” was snuggled not one, but two brand new fawns.  They were so new, their hooves were still soft.  He called his wife to bring him a box, but wouldn't tell her why until she got there.
He already had the fawns up in the cab of his tractor, but the box made for a cozy afternoon for the three of them . . . 

When I heard how new they were, I suggested he also take some colostrum.  I always try to have colostrum on hand for emergencies and this certainly qualified.  He thanked me and asked if I had a goat I wanted to sell.  I told him no, but I'd be happy to keep him in milk for this project, even loan him one.

He called the Conservation agent for his county to report a couple of baby deer, explaining the circumstances.  He proceeded to tell the agent, he'd called a friend and the deer had received goat colostrum as well as taking to the bottle of goat's milk quite well.  The agent was quick to offer encouragement, saying, "You had to do what you believed G-d wanted you to do.  Take care of them until they are weaned then offer them their freedom.”  The agent then added, “If they were less than two days old, they will probably not leave your goat herd, until the buck “hears the call of the wild.”  The doe will probably just stay with the goats.”  My friend assured the agent the deer were less than 24 hours old when their mama was killed.

I was truly honored when he mentioned he had called a woman, who had just what those babies needed.  I've since gotten to see them.  They are beautiful and just about old enough to be weaned.   How thankful I am that Abba allowed me to play a small part of this “rescue operation.”