We have a season ticket for Jimmy’s farm, just south of Ipswich where we live, and it is some of the best money I have ever spent, we get our money’s worth out of our ticket and visit the farm frequently. Over the last few years we have got to know some of the staff members and most of the animals and we particularly enjoy visiting at this time of year when there are new born animals. I Love seeing the little lambs springing in the fields and the tiny goats are beautiful, I find it fascinating watching the wallabies with their Joey’s in their pouches, they are so cute. Last time we visited we saw a days old baby reindeer and was reminded once again of the whole cycle of life, before long all those sweet little animals will grow up and they won’t be babies for long.
One of our favourite sheep (everybody should have one) is Barbara, she has a black face and long ears and if you shout her name, she will run down the field with her ears flapping in an endearing way. I am under no illusions that she thinks “ah, Derek’s in today, I must pop and see him” in honesty, I think she runs down on the off chance that I might just have been generous enough to have bought some animal feed that day. Sadly, she is normally bitterly disappointed, because I am far too mean. The little chap pictured above is Barbara’s offspring this year and because our Daughter and son I law are on social media with some of the staff, this picture was taken only minutes after he was born.
I Love watching Springtime on the farm on channel 5 and I am reminded of the important role farmers play in the early minutes of the lives of young animals as they start out in the first moments of their new life.
Christians often refer to Jesus as “The Good Shepherd” and much as the sheep depend on the shepherd, not only in their early days, but throughout their lives, we depend on him.