Merry Christmas!!!!

CLUCK, CLUCK, CLUCK, CLUCK!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from all of us from the Shawhan farm. I really wanted to send you all the carol the chickens sang for everyone, but this isn't letting me upload my video... so I'm sorry for that.

Last night was a very special night. I went back out to the barn as I do every night to let Jimmy and Charlie back out. I usually keep a barn light on until I do this. Last night was Christmas Eve, a very clear night with all the stars out. I walked into the barn and all the chickens were in and roosting, the horses were there and so were the steers. It was the most peaceful scene and experience I've had in a long time.

This year I was very busy with Christmas. Between all the shopping, parties, baking and eating, I wasn't enjoying myself at all. At one point I said I was ready for Christmas to be over. Maybe some of it is the dissappointment of not being a little girl anymore and feeling the excitment that Christmas and Santa bring with it. This year it all felt more like work than something that was enjoyable.

I was glad last night that I had to go back outside, one more time in the darkness and stillness of the night. Into a lighted barn full of animals and the scent of hay. To be with animals who have a pureness and honesty about them; who don't care if they have the most expensive and up-to-date I-Phone or gaming system. They didn't mase anyone Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart, or push other shoppers around. They didn't protest at nativity scences outside of churches. In fact, they ARE the navity scene. I thought last night that all I was missing was a man, woman and child in my barn. Or maybe I wasn't missing the child at all because He's always there with us and I think last night I felt Him even more out there in the barn, in the coldness with all my animals. Then and only then did it feel like Christmas and it made up for the previous month and all my harried preparations.

I think it's true when people say we need to celebrate the message of Christmas year-round, and from now on, me personally, I'm going to try harder. Maybe my nightly walks back out to the barn in the darness and coldness to be greeted by sleepy chickens and steers and two expectant horses will be my daily reminder and my daily walks with God.

Merry Christmas and God Bless!!!

Love,
The Chicken Lady

                                                                       .....cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck.....