So many emotions running through all of us. We are sad, angry, frustrated, disheartened, but most of all we are just really bummed! '
Predators are part of the life up here. We plan for them, work to protect from them. But neighbor dogs did not enter our minds as the predators we would be fighting. In a lot of ways, had our whole flock been taken out by a pack of coyotes or a cougar I would feel more at peace with it all. It would still be hard and it would still be sad. But in some ways it would seem more just. The fact that they are being killed off just for play by a couple of dogs that are supposed to be pets is really hard. Not to mention that humans are involved.
We desire very strongly to be gospel minded in all that we do. How will we handle this in a way that honors the Lord and shows Jesus to everyone, including the owner of the dogs?
We have entered into a neighborhood with it's own set of history and each home is filled with it's own family with their own unique stories. We are just opening this chapter into the story of life on Fellows Road. How we handle all of this shows everyone around us who we are and what we bring to this neighborhood. We want to bring a sense of community and we want all of our neighbors to know that we love them, even the owner of these dogs, more than we love ourselves and with a sacrificial love. I just didn't know it was going to mean sacrificing my chickens...
Ben and I believe that we are missionaries right where we are at and that God places us into our own little mission field. How many times has a missionary given up their life so that someone might understand what it means that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. So whoever would believe in Him, they should not perish but have eternal life." Well in our situation we haven't been asked to give up our physical lives, but we are being asked to give up ourselves in order to love on these people around us! Super hard, but in the end totally worth it... I won't compare the loss of a physical life with the loss of my chickens. But the idea of giving up something that means a lot to me for the sake of the gospel is what I am after. Will I sacrifice so that Jesus is known? Will I give myself up?
For today I mourn the loss of our flock, of those helpless little chicks who had no chance. I acknowledge the frustration and anger that those dogs make me feel over a senseless massacre, and I hurt for the owner who is fighting their own battles!
We have police involved, I am praying for a resolution that doesn't involve us killing anything. I am praying that God is honored in the way we speak, act, and love those around us. I am praying for another opportunity when there are no more neighbor dogs, to have another flock on our property. I am praying for the brokeness that I am acutely aware of and that Jesus would be the restoration.
Would you join me in praying over this situation. Would you pray for me and for Ben? For Laura and for Ian? That our words and our actions would be a sweet smell to the Lord and to all that come into contact with us. Would you pray that the Lord would make Himself known through this all and that we would come out better for it? Would you pray for our one little chick who survived the traumatic event? We have named her, Unsinkable Molly Brown!! Pray that we would know how to care for her and that her wounds heal quickly and without issue.
We are excited to see how the Spirit unites us and uses us on Fellows Rd. We are excited to build relationships with our new community and to dig in, despite all of the hard that comes our way. We know that God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good! So we trust in that and we rest in that tonight!
How can we be praying for you?? Please share and I promise that I will be praying for you as I bring these petitions before the Lord.
Good Night from HillCreek Farms
So So sorry Lacey-- Just heartbreaking all around!
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