The Good Shepherd

 

"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."  Isaiah 40:11

 

Jesus, Our Good Shepherd

 

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."  John 10:11

 

 

The following is an excerpt from a book I'm reading to the boys in the morning.  It is called The Tanglewoods' Secret and if you haven't read it to your children, could I please encourage you to?  Be sure to have a box of tissues within arms length though.  We just got to chapter 9 this week and this is where the story begins to get good.  Little Ruth, in a fiery temper runs away and spends the night in a church in a small village.  The next morning, the Vicar of the church finds her and brings her to his study.  He leaves Ruth in his study while he goes to telephone her aunt.  It is here that Ruth has her first life changing encounter with Christ, although she doesn't yet know it or understand it. 

 

"I wandered around the room looking at the pictures.  They were mostly photographs and not very interesting, but there was one I liked so much that I moved my chair over in front of it so that I could gaze at it. 

 

It was the picture of a sheep lost on a rocky mountainside.  Overhead hovered a fierce bird, waiting for it to die, and the sheep looked up and cried to be rescued.  Someone had heard its cry, for the shepherd with his crook was leaning over the edge.  In another moment he would pick it up and carry it safe home in his arms."

Oh how I want to go on and share it all with you but I fear I would ruin it for you.  Ruth and the Vicar have a very serious talk about the little lamb and the Shepherd...  He asks Ruth some very thought provoking questions and shares Jesus Christ with her. 

Quick - add it to your list books to read or better yet, order it now so you don't forget.  Amazon currently has paperback version for $4.42.  It is also available on Kindle!  ☺

We read the story two years but my youngest only remembers a very little bit of it so I'm glad we can re-visit again.  After the first reading I took the above image and printed out a copy onto cardstock and then laminated it for a bookmark for each of us.  I still have mine in my Bible. 

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." 
Psalm 23

 

Tuesday Tidbits

Our second week of school, like our first, is not off to a good start.  Three of us are dealing with a yucky flu although Jonathan is two days ahead of us and functioning better than Andrew and I.   Since the teacher is achey, feverish, stuffy, watery eyed and has a whopper of a headache we've delayed starting this week.  I'm hopeful that we can resume tomorrow.  Christopher, who is the only one feeling well, has been working on his independent work inbetween taking care of the house, meals and his sickly family.  

A darling new book arrived yesterday and I've read all the way to chapter 9 already.  Lessons at Blackberry Inn by Karen Andreola is the story of Michael and Carol and their family in the 1930's and their journey into home education using the Charlotte Mason method and a sequel to the book Pocketfull of Pinecones.  Being 9 chapters in, I would say that Lessons at Blackberry Inn has less of a home education focus than Pocketfull of Pinecones did and more of a focus on home life and contentment but I am enjoying the book nonetheless. The slow and gentle writing style of Karen Andreola is a welcoming balm to my busy, weary and at the moment ill body.  

In other news... I am a new Auntie!  Brennan Dean was born last evening.  He weighed 8lbs 6oz and has a head full of black hair like his older brother Kessler did.  We wont get to visit the wee one until the weekend or even later, depending on how we are all feeling.  I don't want to be passing any of these germs onto my brother's family.  

The delay is visiting will allow me time to finish up his baby blanket.  I ran out of yarn yesterday and still have about a 1/4 of the blanket to finish.  I might be sending Jonathan to buy yarn today. I'm thankful I have a son who isn't embarrassed to buy such a purchase.  *smile*