Good Sunday to you!
I don’t usually post on Sunday, but today I must. As you know, we have a new dairy goat named Oreo. While she is lovely, she has been pretty stressed and very difficult to milk. Her milk production has gone down to about 1/2 of what she gave before she came. She will NOT get on the milking stand.
Not getting on the stand will not seem like that big of a deal to those of you who don’t have farm critters, it wouldn’t have meant much to me a few months ago. But try to imagine a child who has soiled it’s pants and needs to be changed….now. For whatever reason, you cannot get that child up on your changing table. You only have so much time to get this taken care of and the child needs to be cared for, yet you can’t get it done. Meanwhile, all of your other children are calling out for you and your attention. That’s something like how it feels.
Day before yesterday in the evening, my neighbor friend brought her granddaughter out to see the goats while I was doing my chores. She has a great deal of experience with farm animals. I told her of the trouble I was having and she recommended that I turn my milking stand around. It faces the corner but she thought that Oreo might feel a bit claustrophobic. So I did. I’ll do just about anything for a breakthrough here, I can’t be out at the barn for an hour at a time fooling around with this goat.
I got some major validation from Wardeh the other day and realized that other ladies struggle with this as well.
The next morning came and Oreo looked as though she had no intention of getting on that stand, even though we turned it around.
I lost it. I was angry…angry that this is sooooo hard. Angry that my dream is much more challenging that I thought it would be. Angry that my forearms and biceps were still burning from the previous day’s wrestling match with this caprine. Ticked.
I cried out to God. Yelling, I said something like “God, heavenly Father, YOUR word says that if I cry out to you that you will help me. I am crying out right now. You made me and You made this goat and You know us both very well. I need help! I thank you for these goats and right now, I cry out to You to instruct this goat to get on that milking stand!”
I stood there waiting for something, anything to happen. Oreo looked at me, I looked at her. Once again, I offered her some food in my hand, aiming towards the feeding tray on the stand.
She hopped up on the stand!
She stuck her head through the trough and started to eat. Stunned, I yelled again (like God can’t hear me or something!) thank you, God! Thank you, God!!!! I will praise Your name all day!
That was yesterday morning. Last night, same thing. She jumped right up and ate. This morning? Jumped right up and ate and she gave another cup of milk today. That’s 5 cups, up from 4 (for one milking) yesterday. She stepped in it twice, so I dumped it, but not before measuring it. Yeah, it’s always something.
Anyway, I want to encourage you to cry out to God with your problems. God isn’t our magic wand that we can order around. Yet, I know that I know that God cares deeply about all that concerns us. I didn’t grow up with this perspective of my heavenly Father. I thought I could only take my big problems to Him, like anything is BIG to Him anyway.
I’ve seen Him bless a mom with nursing bras that the budget wouldn’t allow for, I’ve seen Him bless an older woman with a great little car (better than ours!) for free, why wouldn’t He be willing to make this goat obey? He will! He loves me. He loves you. And while everything doesn’t always go the way we want, He knows our hearts and what’s best for us.
Morning, noon, and night I am troubled and upset,
but He will listen to me. Psalm 55:17
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I cry out to God Most High,
to the God who does everything for me. Psalm 57:2
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He will help the poor when tehy cry out
and will save the needy when no one else will help. Psalm 72:12
I just had to share this, I hope you find it to be an encouragement today!
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wonderful! thanks for sharing!
Christi,
Thanks for reading and commenting!!
AWESOME! God answers our prayers in so many ways. I’m so delighted that this battle has been won. Consistently rewarding her will make her a sweetly trained goat that is easy to milk.
Once you feel confident in that daily task of getting her up on the stall to milk, you can check out some ways to increase her milk supply back up to what it was previously. We feed a good goat food in the stall while we milk, and I’ve read of some galactagogue ideas at Fiasco farm I believe.
KelliSue
KelliSue,
Thank you for the encouragement!
I just ordered “MoMilk” from Fiasco, so I’m hoping to restore soon!
Even in the little things, He is able and willing.
Hey DebbieB!
Yes, He is! Thanks for commenting!
What a gracious God we serve! Thank you for sharing, Kelly.
I often say “God is good – even in the “little” things”!! (When He invites us to cast our cares on Him, He does not limit it to the big things!)
Hey Aimee,
Thanks for commenting.
Is anything BIG to God anyway?? It’s all in His hands, all the time.
We don’t know each other, and I am not a homesteader. I read your blogs a couple of times a week and they feel devotional. I read this one aloud to my husband. We thank God for the little things too. May you be blessed in your goals.
Hi Jennifer,
I’m so glad that you commented! Thanks for the times when you read, I appreciate it.
Blessings to you too!
Glad that there has been some progress with Oreo.
I can’t go into detail, but what I can tell you is that your post has helped me to continue in the struggle I am having. Thank you for posting on a day you don’t normally post on.
Julie,
You are welcome. We all share silent struggles, I’m glad that it ministered to you.
Oh Kelly…so happy for you to have a break through. Did you cry? I can only imagine the tears of relief that would have started if this was me.
Jennifer,
I didn’t cry but I couldn’t stop verbally praising God during the entire milking. I kept praising Oreo for her beautiful milk and thanking God for breakthrough.
You know what? She has been getting on that stand ever since.
Might be time for a subsequent video!
Wonderful! God is a God of great things….but He’s also the God of ‘tiny’ things – things we see as almost insignificant. What a Heavenly Father we have… to *care* the way He cares, but also to be *able* the way He is able to command the goat on the stand. He clothes the lilies; He counts the hairs on our head; He sees every sparrow that falls to the ground; and He graciously lead Oreo yesterday when you were at the end of your tether.
Praise to Him! x
Hey Homeschool on the Croft,
The older I get, the more personal I realize that God is. Not only does He know the hairs on my head, but everything else that crosses my puny little mind each day.
Thanks for the comment and praise to God!