My Sheep Thoughts of the Day...

Sheep are stupid. They like to wander wherever they please. They go places not considering the ramifications. They will blindly follow: one another, their shepherd(dess) or even dogs. And when they are in the company of dogs they even settle for eating dog food (disturbing though it may be) instead of the beautiful grass. They persistently return to places (or company or food) they ought not to. Ever wonder why we are often pictured as sheep in the Bible? (now you know =)

Sheep are not all bad, however. I love my sheep. Often because of their stupidity and need for me.  

Who couldn't love them when they all appear over the hill to see what I am doing ("Oh she's taking pictures again").

When herding sheep you have to forget about how you would herd cattle. Sheep are much more unpredictable. And they think they know better where they ought to be. Often, after numerous failed attempts at getting them to go somewhere (I am not exactly skilled at this), I look at them in frustration and shout, "You are so stupid! Do you know that? Fine stay out here and freeze!" My love for them is obviously imperfect. I am not a very good shepherdess. I am always reminded though, that the Lord is the Good Shepherd and his love is perfect.

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them form all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness…. I will seek the lost and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak…” ~Ezekiel 34: 11, 12 and 16a

 Can't you picture it? I will paint you a my imagined painting: A day of clouds... I guess I see the below landscape of our backyard with the biggest darkest clouds. Thick darkness envelops the landscape. The storm is coming and the sheep are scattered most are lost. There seems to be little hope in such an image. But Lo! just over the hidden ridge comes the shepherd. A weak lamb slung across his shoulders. Behind him tread the once scattered and lost sheep.

One day I want to paint the very image I have in my head for these verses....
I think for one of my vet paintings though, I will use the "and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak…” part. I love that....
Any way those were my sheep thoughts of the day...