Musings from the Farm Path 1

[RoyDavid]

What a beautiful New Year's Day! The sun was bright in a near cloudless blue sky. After several weeks of gray overcast days, the brightness beckoned and was warming even though temperature maintained a chill. My German Shepard, Zeke, was already feeling invigorated by the day, and was alternately chewing and then tossing a discarded water bottle into the air. Taking exaggerated bounds, he would pounce on the defenseless container as though it actually had a chance of escape. He would then mangle and shake the bottle with the same intensity as his fore-bearers had brought down game for their daily meal. When he saw me leave the porch for the back path, he quickly forgot the dead bottle and ran expectantly to my side. He wore an electronic collar to control his containment to the near premises of the house and outbuildings. But he remembered that on the occasion of my going on the back path, he often could coax me into the removal of the despised inhibitor. So by the wagging of his tail and the look in his eye, I obliged him. Only momentarily tentative as he approached the invisible but well known boundary, he was soon stretching out into a surging dog gallop. His big smile was spread across his face, his ears laid back and his tail but a jet trail laid behind in his accelerated flight across the field. He covered the alfalfa field effortlessly, taking no notice of the remaining crop aftermath that touched his belly, (on downward bounds), circling wide, coming back towards me and then leaning into his wide turn and then venturing even further into unchartered realms. He stayed within sight or sound of me, but if I walked a mile this afternoon, Zeke did at least ten. And his effortless exuberance ran across my own heart as I watched him.

I have always enjoyed this freedom on display, but today seemed more meaningful. Perhaps it is because my age has limited my own rapid transit. Or maybe it is because I am feeling the confinement by my own rut of routine, more-less self-imposed. Or maybe it is because all across this nation where bells of freedom once tolled, the shrieking sirens of fear are setting men's teeth on edge and sending them to a cowering retreat into a safety cell. What can be produced in prison?..How much less attained?.. Can the jailer's shrill command inspire us to greatness?

Zeke is not visibly harmed by being limited to about an acre and a half of invisible fencing. But he still remembers the joy of no boundaries, and when given the choice his decision is always immediate. Could he be hit on the road by traffic?..Yes. Could he be hit by an errant hunter's bullet?..Yes. Could he wander so far away from home that he could not even find his way home again?..Perhaps. Though possibly safer within confinement, his ability to just be a dog has been limited. Inside the invisible fence he is kept somewhere between a porcelain lawn ornament and a dog that is kind of alive. Beyond the fence he is fully alive and contains the potential to attain the fullness of a GERMAN SHEPARD..and it is so much more fun to be pushing the envelope of complete effort and attainment. With freedom, he becomes all that he was designed to do. All his senses are fully engaged. His mind and body are in tune with the wonderful wildness of his spirit..and he strives rigorously with joy. O Death where is thy sting?..O Depression where have you fled? What can compete with our innermost urging that sets us afire and drives us to achieve our designed purpose? What a waste of magnificence stuck behind a fence! We all have but one life to live, and irregardless of freedom or bondage, only one death to die.

It is for the sake of freedom that Christ gave His life. Stand fast therefore in the liberty that Christ has made us free,
And do not become entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
Fear not for I am with you..I will never leave nor forsake you.

[Baruch]

What an easy read. You have a gift for expression, Roy.

Some things should be put under restraint for expedience's sake. Some should be exercised in liberty for the same reason. Both of these, when observed with wisdom, show some of the excellence and glory of God even to the natural eye.

[Steve Hollander]

Both of you guys could be writers and get paid for it.

[Lou Newton]

What a beautiful New Year's Day! The sun was bright in a near cloudless blue sky. After several weeks of gray overcast days, the brightness beckoned and was warming even though temperature maintained a chill. My German Shepard, Zeke, was already feeling invigorated by the day, and was alternately chewing and then tossing a discarded water bottle into the air. Taking exaggerated bounds, he would pounce on the defenseless container as though it actually had a chance of escape. He would then mangle and shake the bottle with the same intensity as his fore-bearers had brought down game for their daily meal. When he saw me leave the porch for the back path, he quickly forgot the dead bottle and ran expectantly to my side. He wore an electronic collar to control his containment to the near premises of the house and outbuildings. But he remembered that on the occasion of my going on the back path, he often could coax me into the removal of the despised inhibitor. So by the wagging of his tail and the look in his eye, I obliged him. Only momentarily tentative as he approached the invisible but well known boundary, he was soon stretching out into a surging dog gallop. His big smile was spread across his face, his ears laid back and his tail but a jet trail laid behind in his accelerated flight across the field. He covered the alfalfa field effortlessly, taking no notice of the remaining crop aftermath that touched his belly, (on downward bounds), circling wide, coming back towards me and then leaning into his wide turn and then venturing even further into unchartered realms. He stayed within sight or sound of me, but if I walked a mile this afternoon, Zeke did at least ten. And his effortless exuberance ran across my own heart as I watched him.

I have always enjoyed this freedom on display, but today seemed more meaningful. Perhaps it is because my age has limited my own rapid transit. Or maybe it is because I am feeling the confinement by my own rut of routine, more-less self-imposed. Or maybe it is because all across this nation where bells of freedom once tolled, the shrieking sirens of fear are setting men's teeth on edge and sending them to a cowering retreat into a safety cell. What can be produced in prison?..How much less attained?.. Can the jailer's shrill command inspire us to greatness?

Zeke is not visibly harmed by being limited to about an acre and a half of invisible fencing. But he still remembers the joy of no boundaries, and when given the choice his decision is always immediate. Could he be hit on the road by traffic?..Yes. Could he be hit by an errant hunter's bullet?..Yes. Could he wander so far away from home that he could not even find his way home again?..Perhaps. Though possibly safer within confinement, his ability to just be a dog has been limited. Inside the invisible fence he is kept somewhere between a porcelain lawn ornament and a dog that is kind of alive. Beyond the fence he is fully alive and contains the potential to attain the fullness of a GERMAN SHEPARD..and it is so much more fun to be pushing the envelope of complete effort and attainment. With freedom, he becomes all that he was designed to do. All his senses are fully engaged. His mind and body are in tune with the wonderful wildness of his spirit..and he strives rigorously with joy. O Death where is thy sting?..O Depression where have you fled? What can compete with our innermost urging that sets us afire and drives us to achieve our designed purpose? What a waste of magnificence stuck behind a fence! We all have but one life to live, and irregardless of freedom or bondage, only one death to die.

It is for the sake of freedom that Christ gave His life. Stand fast therefore in the liberty that Christ has made us free,
And do not become entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
Fear not for I am with you..I will never leave nor forsake you.

Thank you Roy for posting this on our site. It was a beautiful thing to read.

2 Cor 3

¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³ We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.¹⁸And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory,are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

We who have turned to Christ and are set free, have been given this same freedom to become real men, not dead men walking behind the fence.

We were not real men without Christ. In fact Christ was THE MAN as Pontius Pilate testified when he said by The Holy Spirit, "BEHOLD THE MAN". Jesus was the only one real man to ever walk this earth, BUT we are becoming like Him as we have been released from the law of sin and death and run and leap with the joy of becoming to know The Lord Jesus.

The more we come to know Him, the more we are made to love Him. The more we love Him the more we obey Him. The more we obey the more like Him we become.

As you all can see I have my internet and phone back on.

[Steve Hollander]

Thanks for clarifying that Lou, it makes going through the troubles and disappointments easier. I practice keeping my eye on Jesus.

[Lou Newton]

Thanks for clarifying that Lou, it makes going through the troubles and disappointments easier. I practice keeping my eye on Jesus.

Thanks for the reply Steve. I really enjoyed reading Roy's article. I hope he soon writes more.