Life Lessons.... From a Rooster

Lesson #1:

In September of last year, we purchased two new little chicks to add to our small flock of chickens. And like with the proverbial box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. So as these two adorable little chicks began to grow, it became more and more clear that we may have a rooster on our hands. This is a problem because we are not allowed to have roosters within the city limits. As time went on, we thought for sure he was a rooster, even though he wasn't crowing yet. We wondered what to do once he started crowing. Now the obvious answer to most would be to have a bit of rooster stew, right? But, oh no. Not in this family. A certain daughter of ours loves her chickens and decided that if we were to eat "Jazz Man" (name changed from Jasmine for obvious reasons) she would never eat chicken again. A little dramatic, I know, but you get the idea.

So as the months wore on, we would joke about eating him, letting him out in the vineyard to fend for himself (he would have made a delightful supper for some coyote, I'm sure), or perhaps building him his own little cage outside our fence which happens to be the city limit. We more seriously wondered about friends who might take him. I even put him up for grabs on Face Book. All to no avail.

And then it happened. He crowed. Nice and loud. Over and over. All. Day. Long. Uh oh. So we prayed. And we asked if anyone would take him. And then I casually mentioned it to a friend from church who lives on a farm. Guess what? Her mom is the chicken whisperer. :) They have lots of chickens. They have a few roosters, too. And she breeds her chickens and sells them. They just happened to have sold a rooster and just happened to be desirous of adding a new, young rooster to their flock. And YES! They would love to take him! And they wouldn't eat him! And they wouldn't sell him - at least not anytime soon! And the kids can go and see him anytime they want! And she gave us a new hen in exchange! Her name is Jasmine. :) And of course you must realize the significance of the timing here. Had we asked them sooner, they would not have had a place for Jazz Man, and he very well could have become... gulp... rooster stew.

Isn't God great? He cares about these little seemingly silly things in our lives and in the lives of our children. He is faithful. Over and over I am blessed by how He answers the simple prayers of my children for seemingly little things. But these answered little childlike prayers are the building blocks of faith for them. When God answers their little kid prayers, they are learning to trust Him, and as they grow, they will trust Him with bigger and bigger things. And the little things too.