“Tag! You’re it!”
Jester tapped Joker with his nose and took off running. Several other lambs joined in, baaing and romping along the pond’s rim. Jester climbed down the ditch and popped up the other side. Annie followed but the rest of the lambs hung back.
“Whatcha afraid of? Come on!”
The other lambs baaed and milled around at the edge of the ditch.
“Make way, coming through!” Remus called, running from the back of the flock to catch up, his little black legs pumping across the grassy berm. Showing no hesitation, he bucked a couple of times and plunged into the ditch after Jester. The rest tumbled through with him.
“Come with me, Jester.” His mother called.
“Aw, shucks, Mom. We were having fun.”
“I saw.”
“And I was leading the whole flock!”
“You’ll grow up to be a good ram. The others follow you already.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes. Leadership is a good thing to nurture.”
“What does nurture mean?”
“It means to take care of something, to treat it special so that it can grow into what it should to be.”
Jester stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Is leadership something that grows? Like wool?”
“Yes and no. You don’t see it like wool, but grows inside you.”
“How?”
“Practice, mostly, like you did playing tag. You started the game. You took the lead and the other lambs followed. Even fun things only happen when someone shows leadership and gets it started.”
“And I did that…didn’t I.” His little chest swelled and he cocked his ears a bit higher.
“Yes, you did.” A smile lurked at the corners of his mother’s mouth.
This post is part of Christian Writers’ May Blog Chain on the topic, “Nurture.” Check out the other Blog Chain posts by clicking the links right.
oh wow what a super illustrated nurture post
ReplyDeletebless you, you sheepish scribe :)
biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig hug
Loved your movie and its little story. Looks like Mama had just been sheared. Reminds me of the little ditty we sang as kids, Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats...
ReplyDeletePeace and Blessings
Pegg, another wonderful tail from the farm, I love how you use your sheep as inspiration. With Mother's day this weekend, I loved how you expressed how Mom's are so good at 'splaining things. Good job. Peace and Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI love how you and other members of the blog chain use our subject as a writing prompt to create a short story. Good job.
ReplyDeleteOh, Pegg, the lambs are adorable! And the story is so sweet! I love how the Ewe encourages the leadership that is budding in the little lamb. She doesn't force him to be someone he is not, but she wisely watches, feeds, and guides the good she finds already growing. Good post! :)
ReplyDeleteSandiGrace
Pegg, Pegg, Pegg! How in the world did you train your lambs to follow the lovely movie script you wrote?
ReplyDeleteThis was wonderful. I will be keeping your blog page open on my computer today so I can re-read and re-watch this again!
You've no idea how many takes were involved. My sheep are not good at direction. Or maybe I'm not a good director? ;)
DeleteInteresting as usual. this lovely story embodies the 'word' for this month perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of nurturing leadership as a skill.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Pegg. Just so you know, when I played the video, my cats went crazy. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to tell my husband that I want one of those critters, or two, or three.
They are a flock animal, so you need at least two... three or four is better. Sheep don't do well by themselves. Oh, what the heck... tell him you need a dozen!
DeleteAnother sweet and charming sheep tale (and adorable video), Pegg. Excellent take on the topic. :)
ReplyDeleteThat was neat, and sweet. I enjoyed your wooly nurture post. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melissa! I try to post a lesson from the flock at least once a month. My sheep are very, very smart. ;)
DeleteWooly jumpers will never be the same again.
ReplyDelete