Tag Archives: Goats

Problem~Day 25~Write 28 Days Challenge

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Day 25: Problem
Singing My Way Through Write 28 Days
http://www.anitaojeda.com

“When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD, he brought me into a spacious place.” Psalm 118:5 (NIV)

The Problem With Goats

“No, you can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometime you’ll find
You get what you need
~The Rolling Stones~

We often have summertime residents who move into the field next to our house. Oh, they’re cute, keep the weeds trimmed down, and spend most of their time quietly soaking up the sun, but they also can be a big problem.

Our goat neighbors are very susceptible to “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” mentality. They stare longingly at our lawn and hosta plants that are just slightly out of reach on the opposite side of the wire that hems them in. Guess what? Knowing they’re not supposed to cross over doesn’t stop a goat with a desire for what he wants. And so, with twists and turns they somehow get their heads, horns and all, through the square openings, push with all their might until they can just reach the forbidden blades of grass or lush leaves and all is right in their world…or so they think.

This is where the problem comes in to play. At sometime, most days I’m startled by loud, and I mean “help, I’m dying” loud, bleating that can stand your hair on end and make your heart beat like a drum. There’s no need to look out the window because I know exactly what’s wrong, the horns that went out the fence can’t go back in. The head-first pursuit of “greener grass” has left a goat friend stuck in a tight spot.

Ever been a goat? Yep, me too. See something we want that looks better than what we already have, ignore the boundaries, dive right in to get a taste of what we desire. Maybe we’ve spent too much money, gone a step too far, compromised, given in, taken too much, whatever it is, we eventually find ourselves trapped, tangled up, and stuck in a tight spot. That’s when we need to cry out for help.

“When I was desperate, I called out,
and GOD got me out of a tight spot.
GOD’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-
how good GOD is.
Blessed are you who run to him.”
Psalm 34:6-8 (MSG)

When the goats wail, I go to them and attempt to help free them from the trap of their own making. That can be a problem again. It isn’t always easy. They are stubborn and often fight me even though it’s exactly what they need. Ever been a goat? Yep, me too.

It’s hard for us to acknowledge that sometimes following our desires for what we want leaves us in a tangled, desperate mess of our own making, too. We’re “goat-headed” that way. But it is often those very desperate-feeling times that we learn it is God we really need to satisfy our longing. Grass is greener over there? There’s something better, taste God. Have to have that shiny, new thing? Look again, see God. 

The Rolling Stones were right.  We don’t always get what we want (and we shouldn’t always try to), but when we call out, pray, and run to our good God, we will find exactly what we need.

Countdown to Retirement~Day 4~A Goat Story

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On a normal school day I get up, have my cup of coffee, get dressed, eat breakfast, pack my lunch, and head off to school.  I have done the same thing for more mornings than I can count.  This morning however, had just a little more excitement!  After I had gotten dressed but before I packed my lunch I heard an unusual noise.  I looked out my front door and found that one of our neighbor’s goats was wedged between a building and the fence AND he had his head, horns and all, stuck through the fence.  Now, I was raised a city girl but I’ve learned a few things in 32 years of country living. Unfortunately, being a “goat whisperer” is not one of them.  I frantically worked for 20 minutes to try and free that crazy animal’s head from what I thought was sure death!  After having my fingers pinched between goat horns and fence wire several times, I came to the conclusion that I was not going to be able to save the poor thing so decided to call around the neighborhood to find someone stronger to help me.  Promising the goat I would return I quickly ran inside to use the phone.  Would you believe that as the phone was ringing on the other end I looked out the window and that dumb goat was gone!!!! He had freed himself and was back on the top of the hill with the herd!!! ( now you decide who was the dumb one…him or me!)

Sometimes, being a teacher is a little bit like my goat friend this morning.  Decisions that are out of our control are made and the results wedge us into places we don’t want to be.  What we know and believe to be true about children is overlooked and expectations are placed upon us that are cumbersome and unrealistic.  Of course, most of us do all we can to try and accomplish what is asked of us, all the while working to help our students be the best they can be.  And just about the time we start to figure it all out, the expectations change again and there we are stuck just like the goat with someone who doesn’t have the skills to help, trying to push us in a direction we don’t want to go.  I truly believe that if the powers that be would offer teachers the time and opportunity to find their own way, they would be surprised at how quickly it would free us to practice what we know to be right and allow us to lead our students to the top of the hill, right where every “kid” should be!