Sometimes...
the Lord has to remind me that He is sovereign in all things
even in the form of the tiny creatures of our farm
we decided to enlarge our egg-laying population of hens to offset the frequency...
of our brooding hens to sit
so, my husband brought home a half dozen sweet little puffballs of the Rhode Island...
or maybe they are New Hampshire breed
we aren't really sure which
but, no matter, they are egg layers that do not care to brood
Pippi certainly took an interest in them...
and watched them curiously...
through the "peep" holes in the chicks' temporary home
on their third day on the farm...
I introduced the chicks to the outside world with Pippi who by now...
has become familiar with the green grass and finding out the joy of dust baths
but, I began to notice the one little redheaded chick in the photo below...
who didn't seem quite as active as the other chicks
she seemed so delicate and a bit lethargic...
and more interested in keeping physical contact as if to keep warm...
even though it was quite warm outside
as the others grew during the next couple of days, the little redhead did not
in fact, she didn't seem to grow at all
I would see her eat and drink, but not with the appetite the other chicks had
yesterday morning, she ate a wee bit and drank a wee bit...
and through the morning, I watched her carefully
but, before noon, she seemed weakened and uninterested
I kept her warm and tried to help her eat to see if she would gain some strength...
to no avail
I finally had to acknowledge that she was dying and felt so helpless to help her...
I cried
she died shortly while I held her and she was buried under my favorite rose bush
we have no idea what was wrong with her except that she came to us a bit frail...
and smaller than the other chicks...
it is not my way to return an animal for a defect or illness
she would not have fared any better taken back to where we got her
if anyone has an idea of what might have been wrong, I'm all ears
in the scheme of what is happening in the whole world...
does a tiny chick dying really matter?
she was put into my hand by God...
for whatever reason He had and then He took her away so very soon
perhaps, the Lord was teaching me something
I remembered what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 10:29-31 and Luke 12: 6,7
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear ye not therefore,
ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings,
and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore:
ye are of more value than many sparrows.
the little hen that never became...
became a reminder to me of how my sovereign Saviour, Jesus Christ...
cares for His creatures, both great and small...
and how valuable I am to Him through His great work of salvation
May your day or night find blessing in the Lord's grace.
