"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." A.Holmes

Monday, February 8, 2010

Delilah Has A Little Lamb

I am so happy with my newest lamb, she is sooooo cute! I am so thankful for her too. Last year Delilah's lamb died. I believe it was my fault, I should have been home. I had noticed her showing all the signs of lambing but as usual we had obligations away from home and in spite of my reservations , I went away for the day and came home to find a beautiful, full term lamb, dead on the ground with Delilah guarding it. She had not cleaned the birth sac off from around the lamb's face. Had I been home I could have easily done this and also made sure the lungs were clear of fluid, and the little lamb would most likely have lived. This was one of those times I got frustrated with so many aspects of my life conflicting with one another. Friends and family are important, but to me, my flocks are too. I cannot do a good job shepherding my sheep if I take them no more seriously than a casual hobby...to drop it when it is inconvenient and then pick it back up when I FEEL like it and it fits into my busy schedule. The little lambs are the fruition of months of planning, waiting, feeding and caring for the ewes when they are pregnant...joy when the lambs are born and then the new year of watching the lambs grow and deciding which lambs I might keep. Lambing time comes for a brief time every year, what kind of a shepherdess am I if I take this too casually , and what does this say about my stewardship of the flocks God has blessed me with? I am thankful and comforted my Shepherd, THE Shepherd, is not at all conflicted about His care for me and you ; "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom. He will gently lead the nursing ewes." Isaiah 40:11
And look, my husband made fudge this weekend, it is delicious! Don't you just want to reach into the screen and help yourself to a piece of this?A very nice weekend, a new lamb , lots of yummy food to eat while we watched the Super Bowl, and fudge!

19 comments:

Farmgirl Cyn said...

How wonderful for Delilah to have a baby to take care of! No name yet?

LindaSue said...

I know exactly how you feel - we have had similar moments with our herd of goats. Very glad Delilah has given you another lovely girl lamb and it will be a source of good lambs in the future. Your lambing season came on strong once it started! Oh Kathy - you temptress - that fudge looks delish!

Anonymous said...

What a sweet baby! Sounds like you had a very good weekend. That fudge looks sooooo good! One of my favorites. Hope you all have a good week also.

I posted "Compassion" re John's latest diagnosis - Stiff Person Syndrome. (2 posts back if you get the chance to read it.)

We are Camping in the basement due to the furnace for the main floor having to have a part ordered. The cats are most unhappy!!!

Susie said...

Oh that new lamb is so sweet. Delilah looks so proud with her new baby.

Wobegon Cottage said...

Looks like you will be busy with your sheep for awhile, does this mean it is spring? We are having yet another snowstorm 2 inches last night 2 inches today and 2 inches tomorrow with wind. At first look I thought it was brownies the pieces seemed a bit large and then I remembered my brother made it...that explains it all. love you both .

Deanna said...

Hello Kathy!
What a sweet lamb you have here. Your post is excellent and touched my heart.

We have a Delilah as well, but our little lady is an airedale terrier dog and we have a Samson also!

The fudge does look fantastic and I have had fudge on the mind. Hum...

God Bless,
d

Joanna Kristina said...

Your new little lamb is so precious! What a joy to have around!

Timi said...

This lamb is really cute!! You are a good sheperdess :o)!
And the fudge looks yummyyyy!!!!

Connie said...

What a sweet new little lamb, Kathy! I'm sorry to hear about the little one that didn't make it last year, but I think you are being too hard on yourself. You can't be everywhere at once. I do believe that you are a very good shepherdess for your flock.

The fudge looks delicious! Yes, I'd love to reach right out and take a piece.

Julie Harward said...

Oh yes...the fudge..looks YUMMY! And what a sweet little lamb..such cute markings too and mom is beautiful too! You are a good shepherd too..bless you! Come say hi :D

noble pig said...

Fudge and baby lambs, oh my goodness what could be better!!!

Mary said...

I have a buckling in the house right now. I almost hate to admit to it because if I lose him, I have to tell about it. He was born this morning, single digit temperatures, and something told me (even though he was completely dry) to bring him up to the house. I didn't. I beat myself up, and I bet you do too (for things like not being home). We simply love our animals.

Deliah's lamb is beautiful. I love to hear and see a hovering momma.

We are to receive a new snow storm too. With nearly 8 inches on the ground now, they are suggesting wind and up to 8" again (beginning tomorrow).

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Beautiful lamb and you've done well. It's all to easy for me/us to lament over what might have been or should have done. Another Jesus lesson in divine forgiveness and beginning anew. It's a lesson He /has to???/ teaches me time and time and time again.

A. Joy said...

First it was your own kids, then years of puppies, now lambs ... I think you just enjoy having things to take care of! Definitely keeps you moving and young! Glad this new one didn't have to be bottle fed afterall!

Carol............. said...

I just adore those baby pictures!

KathyB. said...

FarmGirl Cyn, no name for the little ewe yet, I'll think of a name starting with 'D' though, Diana is a strong contender for her name though.

LindaSue,I'm sorry about the temptation...we have a huge pan of it just taunting us in the kitchen. Don't think that is going to be a problem dealing with though, except the pounds gained afterwords.

Mildred,I have time to get back to reading blogs now, the weekends seem to just fly by with so much to do and so many places we have to be, Mondays through Thursdays are my "get stuff done and take a break" days.

Susie, thank-you!

Alice, ha ha! Of course your brother would cut the fudge that big!But he is practicing self-control we still have almost 2/3 of the pan of fudge left, and it was shared....he has not eaten it himself. And yes, it is spring here, warm, sunny, muddy, lambs and baby chicks and mosquitoes~

Deanna, now if it were a boy lamb Samson would be a perfect name...Samantha? You have to make fudge for Valentine's Day!

Joanna, thank-you! I LOVE the little lambs, they are so much fun to watch.

Timi, thank-you very much! Do you ever make fudge?

Anonymous said...

Absolutely adorable :) I'm glad Delilah has a lamb to care for this year.

KathyB. said...

Daisy,thank-you! I have been enjoying the new lambs, and more to come!

Julie, she has started out basically black, I am hoping she stays that way, her mom has lightened every year giving me a lt. brown wool, which is nice, but solid and nice texture black is a good one to have too.

Noble Pig, More fudge and baby lambs!

Mary, I hope your buckling makes it. Wow, your winter weather isn't stopping...

Sandra, thanks. I am very pleased Delilah got it right and all I had to do was stay near and make sure. however, I have two ewes who will have their first lambs this year so I plan on sticking close to home til they are born.

A.Joy, you might be right. I hope it keeps me young and moving, because sometimes after I'm done caring for them I feel older and need a nap!

Kenleigh Acres ( Shannon)Thanks, Delilah provides me with the consistent dark wool I use for saddle pads. Delilah is half Jacob, and her little one is 3/4 Jacob, so I am very pleased with them!

Paula said...

Such a beautiful post, Kathy.... being new at this "lambing stuff", I felt kinda silly and like we were going overboard about our ewes, but after reading this, I'm glad we were. I know we were blessed that everyhting turned out as good as it did, but I would have been so upset if we'd taken this lightly and something went wrong. Thanks for sharing the beautiful scripture this morning- what a wonderful reminder that we are HIS.
And thanks for sharing the fudge, even if it was only a picture... *LOL*