Life in Christ According to Charlie - Part 2

Last week I wrote about our entertaining experiences of attempting to coerce our uninterested critters into living according to our principles.

Not unlike our farm critters, we all have varying understandings of what life ought to look like and what freedom means.  It isn’t unusual for others to come along and attempt to force us into their “life in Christ” molds.  Rather than seeking to live in unity and bearing with one another, we argue with, criticize and shame one another.  If we can’t convince others to bend to our standards, we resort to directly or indirectly rejecting and discrediting one another.  The end result is living in isolation with our bigheaded conclusions.

It is pride that causes us to believe that we have it all figured out and that another does not.  It is haughtiness that leads us to think that others ought to live the way in which we live.  

Do we not understand that

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall,

(Proverbs 16:18)?

Paul begged the followers of Jesus to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, (Ephesians 4:1-2).

Why can’t we get a grip on this concept which is pressed more than any other in Scriptures? 

While we may be called to live it out differently,

we all have the same hope.

We all have the same faith.

We all have been baptized into Christ.

We all have the Spirit of Jesus dwelling within us!

Until we see much in ourselves which we find difficult to forgive, there will be little demonstration of humility, gentleness, or patience toward others.  Our haughty spirit will continue to separate the family of God.  We have been warned, The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD, (Jeremiah 49:16).

Brethren who will not communicate with one another upon spiritual subjects are as traders who shut up their shops and will not buy or sell.  Too wise to be taught and to idle to teach, they live isolated lives, like the man in the iron mask, without joy to themselves or benefit to others.  We shall all be beggars together if we shut ourselves like hermits and cry every man for himself…  Let us hold mutual discourses upon our experiences, make pleasant exchange of our knowledge and aid each other by our gifts. – CH Spurgeon

Don’t allow anyone to force or coerce you into their mold of what it looks like to “live in Christ”.  Be what Father has created you to be.  Fulfill the role He has given you in His family no matter how different it may look than that of any other.  The rest of us need you even if you‘re a “gangsta” like Charlie!

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

Life in Christ According to Charlie

We were recently given three new turkeys that are adjusting to their new home.  I let them out of their coop into the barnyard a bit too soon and they weren't sure where they were supposed to roost for the night.  Come dusk, one had it figured out, another was in the hay loft and the third was roosting on a barn rafter.  I climbed up to the hay mow hoping to catch the first one.  Much to my surprise, I was able to sneak-up on her and nab her by the leg.  Yes!  #2 was a different story.  We spent at least a half an hour trying to catch her, to no avail.  She inched her way into the corner on top of the chicken coop as far away from me as she could get and my only option was to climb up there.  I feared that if I inched-up any further, the roof would come crashing in, maiming me and killing the chickens and turkeys under me.  At the least, they would all be out free ranging in the dark, vulnerable to any hungry predator.  We prayed that our turkey would be safe through the night.  We were reminded that her days are already numbered, so we went to the house leaving her in the hands of her Creator.  The next morning she was in the barnyard trying to figure out how to get into the locked coop with her friends.

Charlie, our cute little pig is not only getting to be a big pig, he loves to rut!  He’s made several attempts to dig out of his “cell”.  We repeatedly filled-in his holes.  Ignoring our warnings, Charlie kept digging.  Each day… the holes got bigger.  Charlie had gotten so adept at digging that the holes were nearly large enough for him to escape!  Finally the day had come.  Gary, Art & I all joined Charlie in his chamber.  We circled around him and forewarned, “Charlie, one day you’ll be dead meat, but this will be enough for today.”  I held the loaded weapon and the extra ammunition.  Charlie frantically attempted to escape our retaliation, to no avail.  We nabbed him with a nose snare.  Gary held Charlie in place while Art pierced three rings into his nose.  We left him in solitary confinement to consider his behavior.  When someone ignorantly asked why he has rings in his nose, without thinking, I blurted out, “Because Charlie’s a gangsta!”

I’d spent a couple of weeks training a nanny goat to stand on a milking stanchion without resisting.  She was finally at a point where she’d allow me lock her head into the stanchion, pet her and touch her udder while she was peacefully eating.  Anxious to start milking, I was finally ready for her deliver that kid!  Much to our surprise she was either never pregnant or… she became “unpregnant” at some point!  So, we swapped her for a doe at Art’s that is obviously pregnant!  Goats tend to be somewhat stubborn, so we prepared ourselves for a bit of a challenge or so we thought.  Getting Doe #1 to Art’s took some coaxing, but the mission was accomplished without a great deal of resistance.  Doe #2 was a way different story!  She wasn't real excited about leaving her goatie friends.  And… to say the least, she has a bit more independent personality.  We coaxed her out of the pen with some corn and closed the gate behind us.  The path from Art’s place to our barn is …oh… maybe a half of a mile or so.  The corn wasn't working!

We tugged.  We pulled.  We pushed.

          She buckled to her knees.  She dug her hooves into the ground.  She laid down.

We talked nice.  We talked sternly.  We laughed.  We groaned.

She bleated.  She grunted.  She choked.

At one point, I was certain that she was smiling!

I glanced around several times to see if anyone was looking!  I was waiting for someone to say, “Smile!  You’re on Candid Camera!”  There’s got to be a better way!

Stay tuned for next weeks conclusion.

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

LITTLE WONDER

A number of years ago, we began to consider buying a couple of horses. After much research and consideration, last October we took the plunge. We purchased a team of Halflingers, a breed the height of a standard bred horse, but broader and more muscular like Belgians lending them to both pleasure riding and strength to work. Having never been horse-owners, we are on quite a learning curve!



While it is not uncommon for horses to lose a bit of weight in the winter, we were a little concerned that our gelding may have been too thin. I asked a horseman friend and he assured us that our gelding wasn’t unusually thin, but commented that our mare was “just plumb fat!” Over the next few days, however, we noticed that her abdominal veins were bulging, her belly was enlarging daily and her udder was even more noticeable than it was the week before! While I’m a novice, it seemed to me that we had a pregnant mare on our hands! I did some homework and got on the phone with my brother, Art to discuss my findings. His response was, “Sounds like you got more for your money than what you thought!” Within a couple of days our “plumb fat” mare delivered a strong, adorable filly!



Before the foal was born, Art encouraged me, “I’ll tell ya how to make this foal into a good horse, get on-line and learn all you can about “imprinting” the newborn.” I can guarantee you that those few days of anticipation were filled with studying! Our previous experience with horse training was watching burly cowboys on TV breaking wild and strongly resistant older horses. We certainly weren’t ready for that! Instead, breathing into the nose of the newborn, letting it sniff you, massaging its body, etc. creates a bond in those first few hours that will positively impact the foal’s response to humans from that day forward.



It took me a while to muster-up the courage to make my move. Observing her closely, my mind raced; “What if she is stronger than I? What if I do it wrong? What if I hurt her? What if I make her even more afraid? Lord, give me wisdom and a little strength wouldn’t hurt either!” I patiently waited for the perfect moment and will never forget the indescribable experience of wrapping my arms around that powerful bundle of life for the first time and feeling her succumb to my strength. I don’t know whose heart was pounding harder, hers or mine! My legs trembled, my heart melted and I cried as I stroked her little face, rubbed her belly and massaged her wobbly legs. What a precious, unexpected gift from God!



Before the second day was over, I was able to touch nearly every part of her body with little resistance from her. On the third day, my husband, Gary went with me and while he was lightly lying across her, I rubbed and massaged every inch of her body. She was nearly asleep when I began to repeatedly slip a soft little halter on and off her face. Gary quietly commented, “Isn’t she just an amazing little wonder?” By the fourth day, Little Wonder voluntarily left her momma, came to and sniffed me, put her head on my shoulder and allowed me to place a halter on her with no opposition!





With patience, persistence and consistency Little Wonder’s trust in us is growing daily. She is progressively learning that our desire is to help and not harm her. She wants to be near us as much as we want to be near her. She freely comes to us and often stands quietly in her standard position of training as if to say, “Teach me more!”



Working with Little Wonder kindles thoughts of my relationship with my Master. While there are many things that He does which I don’t understand, are uncomfortable and can be down-right frightening, I know that His desire is to help and not harm me. Regardless, I often resist His bidding. As He applies more and more pressure, however I finally succumb to His power and rest quietly in His arms.



“Lord, I’m astounded that you even desire to be in relationship with me! Thank you for loving me enough to not allow me to escape the pressure which causes me to depend upon You! My heart’s desire is to trust you enough to stand quietly saying, “I’m ready to learn more!” Thank you for the gift of this little filly that you are using to teach me more than I could ever teach her. She truly is an amazing Little Wonder!”



Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie



P.S. Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/. You may also contact me at:

Bonnie Jaeckle

In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

Diagonal Progress

505 Jefferson St.

Diagonal, IA 50845