Away from the mire . . .

Moving cows to the back pasture is part of grandson Isaac's weekday routine.  When he cranks up the four-wheeler and heads to the big gate, the cows and calves immediately move toward him.  They've learned to follow him - no prodding, no driving.  As you can see, it's sometimes a messy job, but it's a part of his day that he really enjoys.  The ground gets boggy and muddy and mucky in places.  But he and the cows don't let that stop them from going through the mud then the gate to greener pastures.  Later in the day, he leads them back to the pasture close to the house.

I know all of this because he asked me to go with him one chilly morning while we were visiting, and I cherish those moments together . . . our conversation . . .  the cold wind in our faces . . . speeding through the pasture and all the "stuff" that one finds in a cow pasture!  I wouldn't trade those few minutes for anything - in spite of my outlandish attire and the fact that the four-wheeler was .  . . well, let's just say it had been through the muck and mire and "stuff" a few times!

Away from the mire and away from the clay, God leads His dear children along.  These words from an old hymn have played in my mind this week, and I can really relate to those words.  Life leads us to some messy, mucky places.  We can choose to get bogged down there in the mire, or we can follow our Leader through the muddy mess, then through the gate He opens and move into greener pastures.  He chooses not to drive us but goes ahead of us.  As we learn to identify His voice and learn that He can be trusted, following Him becomes the pattern of our daily lives.  And at the end of the day - whenever that might be - we can trust Him to lead us Home.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

Some through the fire, but all through the blood.

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song

In the night season and all the day long. 

~God Leads Us Along lyrics - G. A. Young, 19th century~