In ‘The Heart’s Invisible Furies’ Cyril describes his first visit to his Dutch friend Bastiaan’s family home on a farm. As he’s approaching on his bicycle, the farmyard dogs bark, causing him to fall in a huge cow pat.
To him it’s a huge embarrassment; to the farm family it’s of no consequence. Bastiaan’s dad says, ‘‘It happens… We all fall in the sh*t many times in our lives. The trick is pulling ourselves out again.’
I nodded, unsure if he was being philosophical or stating facts.’
In May, TV presenter Matt Baker, who lives with his family in a twelve-acre farmhouse, announced his much-loved dog’s death:
‘Bob was a brilliant dog. He was there for me with his gentle soul as the ultimate companion through some of the greatest chapters of my life…’
The family had fallen together in a large cow pat.
Yesterday there were pictures of Matt with a cute border collie puppy – already much loved. The family’s moving on from the cow pat fall.
Yesterday our church home group was discussing Sunday’s sermon about God’s provision of manna to feed Israel: ‘…Each one gathered as much as he needed.’
We asked, ‘How much do we need?’ Lynn told of a Glasgow friend whose eighteen-year-old daughter came home one cold winter evening without her coat. She’d given it to a man on the street who had no coat – as she had others at home.
She’d seen someone in a cow pat and tried to help him out.
This morning I read Isaiah’s vision of restoration, healing, and everlasting joy…
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
Everybody will come out of their cow pat – clean and sweet-smelling!
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
It will be a cow pat free world!
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