Lamenting

 Wrote this in March 2016: Feeling very sad this morning...another attack...another chicken lost...our favorite...she survived multiple attacks in the past...we nursed her back to relatively good health and enjoyed her for a few months...we could pet her...she cared for our two youngsters...and now she is gone. Charlie built a fortress with much thought and time and energy spent. "there is NO WAY a predator can get in" we said. Yesterday morning, while I was out working in the back a larger animal with much strength pulled up the bottom of the fence. Last night we saw the evidence of its strength. Didn't sleep well last night...first thought for me this morning was "why didn't I go down and check on them yesterday morning when I heard them making noise?" False security..."there is NO WAY a predator can get in" They are just chasing each other. So, this morning during my quiet time, which I begin with writing in my gratitude book, I said, "I don't feel any gratitude this morning...I need to read from the Psalms"...and this is what I read "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy doings; I muse on the work of Thy hands. I stretch out my hands to Thee; My soul longs for Thee as a parched land." Next to it some time this past year, I had written in pen the word "gratitude". Hmmm Even my sweet chicken is teaching me...but I am still struggling with this.