At a Hen's Pace-Second Try

I came across this timely blog while on bedrest.  It, of course, hit home with me since I feel like a brooding hen trying to take the time to "grow something sacred"-my baby Elizabeth Grace:

"Those seeking the life of the spirit should be cheerful and free, and not neglect recreation. Married people must act in conformity with their vocation--but their progress will of necessity be but the pace of a hen." --Teresa of Avila

"Some things God can teach us only very slowly, at the pace of walking, the speed of life." --Arthur Paul Boers, The Way Is Made by Walking

At A Hen's Pace

What does a hen do all day? Nothing but walk about in endless circles, pecking at this or that--yet she is one of the most creative and productive of God's creatures. Though my days may take me in circles, I pray for the daily fruitfulness of a hen as I nurture the four boys and two girls God has given us.

See her blog at: http://atahenspace.blogspot.com/

So, I originally posted a meditation/blog on this around ten days ago and my post ended up being one of the "corrupted files" that never got reposted by blogger.  This is a second attempt, but I know that it is not going to be as elegant as the first one was. When I posted this the first time we only had one duck hen nesting.  Now we have two duck hens nesting and Duck Maul is trying to get the third and final hen nesting as well....Jessie calls the mating act "getting married."  She saw Duck Maul and the third hen "getting married" tonight and asked Jason, "Why do they get married more than once?"  His reply, "They just do.":) Well, not only are the nesting duck hens standoffish, but so is Duck Maul!  Jason has had two "alpha encounters" with him just this week-of course Jason won.  I feel for the mama hens though.  One of them is sitting on approximately ten eggs.  This bedrest nesting can get quite tiresome and make one very cranky.  The last three days have been absolutely gorgeous weather wise in our little valley and I would much rather be outside than in....I have sat on my deck each night, but in some ways it makes me crankier.  I want to be up and moving!  I want to be planting flowers and "nesting" my own house for the baby that is due in a month.  We are planning on "flipping" a couple of our rooms around in the house and I was so frustrated today that I could only sit and watch my husband prep for the move.   In my mind I had a timeline that I realized was based on me being able to actively help with the room flipping.  So this mama hen is having to develop even more patience than I ever thought was possible....and learning to let go of all my expectations and plans for God's plans. I have to admit that many times I much prefer working at our business and teaching Creighton Model FertilityCare to being a homeschooling stay-at-home mom....I think maybe it's the "type A" in me that likes the feeling of accomplishment I get from actually finishing a project or client appointment.  One has to have more of a "long term outlook" when it comes to homeschooling and raising kids.  It will now be a relief though (at least for a little while) to be able to provide for my family-to be able to stand and cook meals, to complete laundry, bathe children, school them downstairs instead of in my bedroom....to be able to spend my days pacing around those seemingly endless circles....with all their frustrations and challenges. For all of you who are racing around in circles with all of the end of the school year activities and for those of you who are busy planting your gardens, may you all experience the peace of a hen-know that God is blessing your work with your family in abundance, especially on those days when you can least see it!  May you experience the sweetness of home when you return from all your running around (or at least the sweetness of your bed after a long day of working around your house/garden!) God's blessings to all! Always, Stephanie