Consider the Lilies

I apologize for not having the time to create any updates for two months. It has been a busy time away from the farm and, for a period, it seemed as if nothing of note was happening here. As I sat in fast and testimony meeting yesterday, I contemplated getting up to speak, but didn't really know what I would say. The MoTab song, Consider the Lilies, came to my mind as I often think of it when I see the chickens wandering outside. As I thought of the meaning behind the words, I turned to the scripture that it references:

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:25-34

I am humbled by nature and its complexities and its delicacies that almost seem to contradict one another. Tonight is no exception. I went out to the chicken coop to close the lights for the night and I noticed an egg in one of the nesting boxes. It looked eerily translucent. I blinked, thinking that I was seeing things. I reached in and gently picked up the strange egg. It's shell was simply a thick membrane, nothing more. It is quite beautiful and delicate to the touch, yet peculiar to the extreme. If you hold it to the light, you can see the yolk inside. An egg is something that most do not think twice about, however, we have been enthralled with the various shapes, sizes, and properties of the eggs that our chickens have produced.

On a side note, earlier this year a bird made a nest in a wreath on our front door. We watched for two weeks as the baby birds hatched, grew, and flew away. Two weeks! I could not believe it.

I love to watch the chickens as they fill the measure of their creation. They dig in the flower beds, leaving behind tilled and fertilized soil. They nest and lay their eggs. They bustle around talking in a quiet chicken language. The roosters proudly defend and protect their flock from predators great and small. An example of this occurred a few weeks ago. I was in the kitchen and I heard the roosters making a racket outside. They were not crowing as one would expect, but almost shrieking. I went to the door to see what was going on and all of the hens were hiding under the large pine tree. The 5 roosters were in the yard running around and yelling. I looked up and saw two large hawks circling overhead. How amazing to see nature in action. That Heavenly Father created these beautiful creatures with all the instincts and knowledge they need to survive here. They are a source of pure joy in my life.

Equally as amazing to me, our horses have grown a winter coat. Not being much of a horse expert, this year has been full of experiences that are new for me. I had no idea that horses hair changed at all! But ours have grown into a thick, ruglike coat to keep them warm through the harsh winter months. I have been grateful for the warmer days this new year has brought. The horses have been able to stay outside in the pasture more often and I imagine it must be a thrill for them after being cooped up in the barn so much.

Everything else on the farm has gone into a state of hibernation. The lush greenery of the summer gave way to the decay of autumn and the stark nakedness of the winter. We are currently mourning the loss of a large tree that was toppled by an ice storm around Christmas. I look forward to the spring, when all will be renewed again.