Carry Me!

I sat down with a dear friend, who is also a man of God and a trusted pastor and as we normally do we conversed about what God is and isn't doing in our lives at the moment. When people are cut from the same personality type but decades separate their ages they have a choice - to clash like cymbals or learn from one another and have a beautiful friendship. We often tug the conversations back & forth and love listening to what God is speaking to each other. Of course, our spouses get in on the action... but, well, I'll admit it's hard for them to get a word in edge wise. Especially when it's been a while like our recent dinner~! We all have so much to catch up on.

We sat down and the talk turned to what a good Sheppard looks like. What a good pastor does and doesn't do for his sheep and the difference between Jesus' leadership example and how so many pastors think of themselves. As a former paid pastor my friend knows the heart of Jesus as a Sheppard better than many. He brought up the reality of a Sheppard who can see the rebellious young lamb and chose to break it's leg in order to carry it and keep it safe.  Now, this leads me to why I choose this picture!

No legs were broken in the making of this picture! I love being a mom, but so often I understand the need to keep a child close enough to protect them. I have documented my use of those little toddler leashes. OK - I know this throws so many into a tizzy, but sometimes you have to harness that energy. Mind you, I only ever used it for one of my children and for extreme visitor or touristy places. ANYWAY - I digress. I realize that a mom (good moms) can and MUST recognize the needs for us to emulate a good Sheppard, such as the apprentice sheep herder. We do bear so much of the burden of raising our small people and really showing them the grazing pastures. And as much as I support and pray for those moms who are leading without a father for their child....

I simply LOVE it when the Daddy comes in and saves the day by just picking up said small child and escorting them (in style) to the safe location. I too need this protection and safety (from my Heavenly Father).

Let's be honest: I spend most of my day wrapped up in three children (5 when it's the weekend) and although I can tell you the pulse of this home at any moment of any day I often can not tell you what is happening outside our little bubble. This presents a very dangerous problem except that my husband, the Sheppard of this family is responsible and keeps watch over all the goings on in our community, nation and world. At times I have heard women complain about this issue of being stuck in this nucleus. (I may or may not have been one of those women at some point.) The joy of this nucleus really becomes understanding that my role allows me to watch for unrest, disputes, or even hurt lambs from WITHIN the herd; While my husband watches diligently from a distance to survey for EXTERNAL threats to our family. I should state here that this can often include keeping an eye on the extended families needs, the neighborhood and even the local wolf (in sheep's clothing).  Daddy's lead the sheep & mommy's feed the sheep. (A little simplicity never hurt anybody.)

As in the picture above, the Sheppard over the family sometimes keeps a little lamb closer to him than the herd. While it will be safer and in less trouble this way! The mother Sheppard does this sometimes too... but as a mom we have to know when it's our job to keep the lamb close - or let the lamb leave the herd to hear the heartbeat of their Father. 

I hope I can keep this herd together without them trampling each other and I pray that I listen when my children whisper the heart of THE Father back to me as I feed them. But I hope that if you are a husband, father, mother or wife - you can see the divine ability we all have to work together and sense the simple life of a sheep herder or Sheppard.