Even the goats were clapping for my efforts...

I looked out my window and the cloud was sweeping away. It seemed my prayer partner, the angel that wakes me to pray in the morning was flying far away with a harp on her back. She was asking me what tune could comfort those grieving people in the Netherlands, who have lots of grievous work to do. I don't know, but I will pray about that hard and grievous process, this morning. The world is full of griefs and the angels don't know how to comfort the grieving mothers and neither do I. I know what scents and sights comforted me in my deepest valleys. Hyacinths and thoughts of a future where these griefs will be a past of another time and place, thoughts of the sweet by and by, where reconciliation with my dearly departed may give some solace, but the sting of death is sin and the grief of loss cannot be comforted with a bandaid. I am always close to tears when war and plane crashes fill the news. The morning gilded sky seemed crafted to carry my thoughts to the grieving ones in my heart during their difficult initial grief strickenness.

I am grateful that my baby came back safely and the goats were encouraging my cleaning efforts to celebrate my baby's safe return. Even the turtledoves were on separate wires for their moment of silence with the grief-stricken.

I think goats get a bad rap sometimes. They seem to praise the Lord, just like the rest of creation. I saw them, even though they are stubborn.

When we passed the little goats at the farm, on the way to the dump to drop off some of the junk we had gathered, there were 2 of them on top of their little house and they were clapping for me.

You did great mommy, they yelled as we passed. That porch was an eyesore. I knew it was and I was determined that Ezra would come home to a new porch, with real flowers and real seats. I got a small portion of it completed and it was remarkable that the goats had heard about it from the bird as quickly as they did. The grapevine around this place is very swift and the wildlife is so in touch with the people in their possession.

The cows always let me know that they have heard this or that gossip, but I thought that the goats were unconcerned about human goings on. They are not. They are very concerned about stuff like that. Where the trash goes is their arena. They really let me know that. Hoooray for you, mommy, one down, a hundred or so to go!