This has been a terrible horrible no good weekend. Starting on Wednesday I have been working to file a measly quarterly payroll tax. This has involved over 20 hours now of sitting at my computer googling, texting, remote access explaining and cleaning and most of my nails bitten off, lots of chocolate consumer and leave me alone comments to my children. And I am still working on this craziness. I seriously HATE taxes!
But the hens title is more what I wanted to think about. I most sincerely thank God for Sunday. To take a break to leave the problems where they lay and to think about better things. More hopeful, worthwhile, important things. Which brings me to my hens thoughts.
As I've mentioned we have two batches of chicks this year on the farm. The purchased hen-less cooped up, prone to die or trample then eat each other chicks. Who are doing pretty well I think they are locked in the chicken house so I just hear reports from Reed and Mark. On the other hand I observe with fascination and wonder the 5 little chicks who roam freely, learning daily from their mother hen. A most unlikely mother figure. No arms to hold or coral no feeding mechanics on her body and she's not particularly loud in her communication. The constantly crowing Rooster is much more noticeable. Yet her babies learn and are healthier, wiser, and much easier to house. She is a master teacher and protector.
After bearing my testimony on my heightened understanding of Christ through his scripture "How oft would I have gathered you as a Hen gathers her chicks but ye would not hearken to my voice..." This hit me like a ton of bricks. It was a true ah-ha moment. I've watched the hen gather and teach and protect her chicks. As I gave Afton the water cup during the sacrament and likewise watched and assisted my other children also partake I thought I am a Hen taking my children to church showing them this is good. Establishing this habit and routine that will bring them peace and joy and eternal life. So many of my habits as a mother are to share joys I have and to warn them from dangerous delays that set them back or could make them sad.
I realized that if I listen to that soft call of Christ I too am lead to happier safer places. I am safe if I heed and come running when He calls me because He senses danger. And in the wide free world cats, dogs, hawks etc are real dangers. Yet the hen is very good at teaching her children how to aviod danger and protecting them when it is around.
We further expounded the difference of freedom and skill development on those that obey the hens call and those that are hen-less. Raised in a coop unsure of what to do if let out and completely lacking Agency. There are plenty who profess there is no God and there is nothing more to mortality I believe in a pre-mortal, now, and after life. I am teaching my children that truth. The little chicks are less than a month old and fly already! They don't have wings but their mother taught them how to get over the rough spots in their daily rotation and they have developed muscles to accomplish crossing a ditch!
Always amazing to me how the scriptures relate to life and how much there is to learn from all different experiences. How thankful I am for the scriptures and more importantly for a better understanding of Christ and his mighty atonement and concern for me and my family. Now back to taxes I have about 8 more hours till I will be late. Oh joy.
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