Brian came whipping up the driveway, he was supposed to be at work. He didn’t say much just that he had to go to Dawson.
I asked “why” but got no answer to any of the times I asked. He would simply grin. I was puzzled but now getting nervous at the same time.
We women eventually get to thinking “oh how sweet, he’s going to get me a present…” especially when they get all secreative. Well he did, but I had never asked or mentioned that I ever wanted these!
When he came home, he was holding a little cardboard box. Very similar to a Timbits box, but a bit bigger. I watched out the window as he walked grinning the entire way to the house. I, on the other hand walked cautiously to the door and peeked out.
I heard the box before I could look inside it.
Peep, peep noises were emanating from the box.
Chickens!
Land sakes alive! He got more chickens!
This was not a happy surprise to me as we already had many baby chickens growing up in the pen.
“They are Easter Eggers,” he said excitedly.
“They are what?” asked the non-farm girl.
“Easter Egg chickens, they lay coloured eggs. You know blue, green, pink ones.”
I had never heard of such a thing and here I was being presented with 8 baby Easter Egg chicks.
They were really little and it was going to be a while until they could lay eggs for me to witness this event.
But I have to tell you- they are the prettiest chickens I’ve ever seen. Multi coloured or butterscotch swirled they are lovely to look at.
I was talking to my friend Faith. We have been friends since like forever and she got to giggling last weekend. She said, “did you ever think you would hear either of us talking about our beautiful chickens and cows (she has cows ).”
I could have bet you, if I was a betting woman, that more than 4 years ago and before that, those kind of thoughts or words would not have ever escaped my lips. There was no way, like never, that those words or even having any animals except dogs was ever going to happen. Yet there we were, she describing their new beautiful cow mom and new calf and me my Easter Eggers.
Life has a sense of humour at times. You can either laugh through it or be miserable, and for me it depends on the day and hour to know which reaction will come through.
A little bit about our little chickens, they are beautiful, but that does not make up for it when they escape out of their little holding coop and get into the big chicken area. Oh my goodness, I will walk over to check on them and see them out and a bigger chicken eye balling it and think, I have to catch it before she does cause she’s not looking friendly.
What a hoot that is for anybody watching. I imagine the bigger chickens simply sit back and watch the farm girl circle around and around and around the smaller chicken coop chasing those birds! I almost get dizzy chasing those little chicks. It really is a 2 person job so you can corner them together.
Now I am not above saying that there has been a couple nights where a couple of those little chickens have had to sleep under the chicken coop because they refused to be caught. Pretty or not, if you will not go back into your pen, it's you against the night animals my friend! See then if your pretty colors tame the coyotes! Brian has even given up a couple times with those ones. So far no small chickens have been hurt in this process, but I do take a rake with me trying to move them along and I get really close to wanting to throw it at them.... just saying.
Sunday at church Pastor Amy gave an amazing sermon and in it, one line stopped me.
It was not the “line” of the theme or anything major - just one line in many. She said, “The kingdom of God is people.”
My brain seemed to shudder and stop at that, I had to sit there and analyze it.
The kingdom of God is people? Hmmmmmm...
Many people are waiting for the Kingdom of God to come, but is it already here?
I know it is inside us, I know there is a supernatural kingdom of God, but it was not about “people”. You know my first thought was “but people wreck things!” So how could people be the Kingdom of God?
Much like the chickens, we simply wander about and want to do our own thing, not really content to stay in their coop and like them we think we need to get out there and explore more options.
Finally I got it. It is not that I didn’t know this but I was feeling like by accepting Amy’s statement all my hope was in people, not God.
However we are called to be Gods hands and feet, His voice in the world, and to represent Him well. That would be God's Kingdom.
Then there is the Lords Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven….
We have been waiting for God's kingdom but God's Kingdom is here and now and it’s made up of you and me.
Just like the Easter Eggers that bring shine and pizzazz to the chicken run, each of us is beautiful and bring our talents and gifts to the world, to the kingdom.
While we might not lay colored eggs, our abilities, our kindness, our compassion for each other brings a different dimension and colour to the world in which we live.
I am thinking by mid-summer these little ladies should be laying some pretty eggs and I cannot wait to see what colors we will be getting. Stay tuned.....
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