Goosey Goosey Gander

During Lockdown, one of the most unexpected changes we had as a family, was a new addition to the household. It most definitely wasn’t planned and it had never crossed our minds! Most people might think we are a bit mad, 6 children, a dog, 2 guinea pigs and a goldfish! We definitely didn’t need any more. The kids ask for various other pets all the time or even try and plan the next dog we will get when poor Bella dies, but Calum is always insistent ‘there will be no more pets in this house’! Calum isn’t much of an animal lover. It shows quite regularly, much to our amusement. He once sent one of the kids into the porch to chase away a bird that had came in. He watched safely from behind our back door! All the pets we have are either mine or the kids responsibility, although he does tolerate cleaning out the goldfish! Unfortunately for Calum he married me, and well, I was one of those kids that wanted to be a vet and work with all sorts of animals. I was going to have my own horse, four different breeds of dogs and marry a farmer, God had a different plan. Calum's plan was to get a nice job, buy his own house and then, maybe when he was about 26, he’d start to look for a wife. Obviously that wasn’t God's plan either, by the time he was 26 he’d been married 6 yrs, had 3 kids and another was on the way 😅

Near the start of lockdown Calum and I were dropping some essential items off to a guy that is shielding, Roddy. I sat in the van as Calum went to give Roddy the bags. They chatted for a while, then I heard Roddy ask Calum if he fancied some Goslings for his garden? I smiled, wondering what excuse he was going to give? I looked up to see if he needed some help in finding a reason not too, (usually he tries to catch my eye and I can see ‘Ruth help’ written all over his face). However, to my absolute amazement, I heard him agree to Roddy. Wait, what?? Arrangements were made to collect the goslings and then he jumped in the van. Feeling rather amused, I started driving home and quizzed Calum on what he had just agreed to! As I questioned him it was entertaining to watch as the penny dropped that, a gosling was NOT a nice shrub for the garden.

A few days later we collected an adorable little ball of yellow fluff. The kids couldn't believe their dad had agreed to this, after all he’d been telling them for months ‘there will be no more pets in this house’! We were absolutely besotted with it. I would even go as far to say Calum was quite taken with it to! Remi, the kids decided to call it. It followed the kids everywhere. It even walked around under the dinner table during meal times pecking at all our feet, much to the annoyance of our teenagers. In the evenings it drove us crazy as it cried for about an hour every night when we put it in its bed at the heat lamp. It hated being away from the kids.

After a week or so I decided I needed to get a companion for Remi. It got so distressed when the kids left, that it was causing me to get really stressed out. It was like trying to teach a crying baby to self soothe all over again!! The thought of a lonesome goose out in the garden in winter was depressing and so Rita arrived at three weeks old. Our family was complete lol. After a few makeshift pens they are now settled in a corner in the garden with our old wendy house as their bed. (we had planned on just letting them roam the whole garden, but they are very very messy. Did you know an adult goose poos on average, every 12mins?? Yeah, we didn’t know that either!) I think Calum is quite impressed with them, he is actually considering getting a couple of hens to go in with them. I’d quite fancy some ducklings too but I think I’m pushing it! It’s certainly been a great experience for the kids during lockdown.

They are now three months old and are already beautiful big birds. Honestly, you have no idea how fast they grown. The thing that amazes me the most, is their wings. They are huge. Every time they stand up tall and stretch their wings out to give them a flap I am honestly so impressed. Each time I see this I cannot help but think of the time that the Lord Jesus looked down on the city of Jerusalem and said;

‘How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me’ Luke 13:34.

I see those huge wings that can offer warmth, safety and protection and it moves me as I

think of the warmth, safety and protection that the Lord has to offer me. I remember well, how hard it used to be when my children were all little, trying to keep them close beside me and stopping them from running off. Just like the city of Jerusalem the Lord wants to keep us all close to Him to, sadly I find it so easy to wander away from the safety He offers.

"He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armour and protection". Psalm 91:4

When Calum and I got married we had this promise printed on the front of our order of service;

"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed" Deuteronomy 31:8.

We can both honestly say we have found this promise to be the case. No matter what we have faced over the last 17 yrs we have proved this verse to be true. As I see that God has gone before me throughout my life, watching over me, never leaving me, I see that image of those huge wings that can be wrapped around its young, sheltering and protecting them. The choir that I have the privilege of singing in, sang this song last year. It has been a firm favourite of every member in the choir as we can all relate to it in some way or another. I hope you enjoy it too, The first verse begins with the words, Hide Me Now, Under Your Wings;