Broken…

I really need to watch what I say in spiritual perspective. When we were gathered to study in the book of Psalms Sunday morning, I asked “would you still praise God, if things don’t turn out the way you think they should?”. I guess this was taken as a challenge, am I able to set the example? Can I tow the line? Am I just talking the talk?

We come home from church, have lunch and after relaxing for a bit we go out to get the chores done early. We are leaving before dark to watch my grandson play basketball. My nephew and his cousins had just gone out before me to start the watering and haying, when the back door is whipped open with great effort. My nephew proceeds to tell me that one of the doelings has an injured leg. By the time I get my boots, hat and coat on to go out and help with chores, she apparently has several things wrong with her.

Now, let me tell you that this little doe and her sister had been advertised for sale and had an interested 4-H family coming to look at them on Wednesday, of course.

Poor little thing, she broke her leg. No doubt about it. I have my daughter hold her and put a splint on her leg, then traipse back to the house to read up on splinting goat legs.

Way back when, I was a licensed Veterinary technician. Certified in; Radiology, Dentistry, Anesthesia, Bandaging, Lab, Surgical Assistance, Small Animal Nutrition. I worked in this profession for over 10 years, managed several clinics and was employed at the local emergency vet as well.

It is quite a humbling experience to have the training, then have your own real life situation with one of Your animals. I suddenly felt inadequate, ill at ease and not qualified to do what others had paid for me to do for years.

She is eating, drinking, sore because of the antibiotic injections, but no longer lonely. Her sister is not very happy and trying to figure out how to get out of the straw stall we built. I did not realize how difficult it would be to provide right conditions for her recovery and healing. Initially I was thinking of creating a wood pallet stall, then it was pointed out to me that..ya know the Murphy Law thing? Hmmm, she did break her leg in a grassy pasture! Probably not the best idea, we progress to the next idea. No, can’t put her makeshift stall across the aisle way, it was pouring down rain that night and that end of the barn might flood. Arghhh, frustration after what seemed like hours, we thought back to last year when the barn did flood. We kept the Mommas and kids safe in the straw room with straw stalls. So that is what we did.

I don’t know who is in more pain during this experience, the little doeling or myself? Her bones are broken, my spirit is broken. There are so many things going on that I can’t even put into words. I am choosing thankfulness over despair.

I will praise Thee O Lord, amidst the darkness. I will call out to Thee O Lord and I know you will hear my cries.