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Ducking into the tarp-over-wire structure at the edge of the pasture, my senses absorb the dusty straw, rich feed, and warm smells of wriggling goat bodies.
"Like this," the goat lady demonstrates the milking motion against my outstretched fingers. Her hands and forearms are the shade of cinnamon, and her body as strong as cedar. Silvery hair that would fall down past her waist is twisted up and secured with a knob of cherry wood whittled for this purpose by her husband.
Leading a long-eared Violet onto the special milking stand, her measured movements exude inner peace and confident contentment. After cleansing the goat's udder, she hands me the bucket and motions for me to begin.
Sitting on the edge of the plywood platform, left shoulder against Violet, I begin to milk. I take a few minutes to catch the rhythm, but the jets of white soon empty her milk into the pail.
Quicker than a blink, Violet tips the bucket over – and almost three pints of hot milk flood off the milking stand into the straw-strewn packed dirt floor, soaking a rather grimy jeans pant leg on the way!
Horrified at my mistake – realizing that I had just allowed the waste of three pints of this woman's livelihood – I immediately begin to apologize. I should have known better, I should have been on guard and more careful.
But then I see her expressive eyes so full of sparkling merriment that her amused joy cascades out into sunny laughter!
"That saying, 'Don't cry over spilt milk' takes on a whole new meaning, doesn't it?!" Her voice as warm as the milk, reassures, "Don't worry, I'm not suffering for milk – we've got plenty!"
God must be like the Goat Lady.
Often, God patiently takes me by the hand to show me something new. He is right by my side and exudes inner peace and confident contentment. Then as I learn, I make all sorts of bumbling blunders – "Lord, how can You not get exasperated, annoyed and disappointed in me?"
In the middle of my mess it is tempting to give in to impatient frustration (insert Caitlin's exasperation sound effects). But then, looking up into His face, I see His expressive eyes so full of sparkling merriment that His amused joy cascades out into sunny laughter!
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholds him with His hands." Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV
See! God delights in our growth! He knows that we are only dust so He is mercifully patient, but He delights to see us learning and growing beside Him. When we are tempted to measure our success by our mess, He chuckles and replies, "Don't worry, I'm not suffering for success – I've got plenty!"
It is the godly wisdom and insight we gain from experiences that counts.
It is the lessons of trust applied that matter.
It is the getting up that keeps us growing.
So I go milk the next goat!
"For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again." Proverbs 24:16 NKJV
May you continue to rise again in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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