I confess I have acquiesced to something I never thought I would. Yes, Donq stands alone in the barnyard today accompanied only by two red hens.
For several months, since we had placed the chicken house inside the barnyard to protect my two red hens, I have had to protect myself from the ire of one of the other occupants, Goatie Oatie.
When I shut the chickens in the hen house one evening, Goatie seemed to think that I was giving them special attention and he wanted his share. With a little jump and a toss of his head, he warned me that he wasn’t happy.
As the days went by, his threats became more physical, and I had to carry a stick or a whip to remind him to keep his distance.
Finally, one morning, he had cornered me in the donkey stall, ramming, butting, and threatening. The stick in my hand was breaking into pieces, and he was showing no signs of backing off. My legs were throbbing from where his horn had contacted its target. Thankfully, Dan, returning from his morning prayer walk, saw my predicament. Climbing the fence, he managed to grab Goatie’s horn, allowing me to slip out of the pen.
Years ago, the creature-lover that I am, would have found a way to accommodate his naughty behavior. However, in this somewhat fragile, old-aged body, I could find no alternative. To give him away would not be kind. I would never be able to justify the harm he might bring to others.
And so, Goatie Oatie went to his doom.
Alas, in my retirement years I am finding that hard decisions must be made. May I remember the good years and find grace and determination when decisions must be made.
I confess: I ordered the end of Goatie Oatie’s life.
I also confess: this stage of life has given me pause to think of the bigger decisions that must be made in the backyard of our community and world.
Must we acquiesce to the badgering and “ramming” of our society? Are we allowed to say “enough” when our rights have been trampled? Must we stay silent or be accused as bigots, racists, homophobes, xenophobes if we take positions that are truthful and loving?
I loved Goatie Oatie. I fed him, talked to him, got him his necessary shots, even took him for an occasional walk; however, his aggressive behavior I could not tolerate. It had become oppressive and dangerous.
Perhaps, righteous indignation has overcome my sense of tolerance in greater areas of my life. May God give me the grace to find the necessary words and actions to defend my rights as an evangelical Christian today.
