The Spirit and the Urban Shepherd
Earlier this morning, on our walk, we encountered our urban shepherd, full of joy. Those of you who subscribe to this newsletter may remember we featured his story on April 24 (click here for a link to that episode) As we approached him in the distance, we first noticed his three black and white cows grazing on the vacant lot. He was obviously excited, with his white beard shaking and a big smile on his face. I greeted him ‘how’s it going in the shepherd business?’
To which he excited responded ‘one of my cows gave birth here (pointing to the vacant lot) yesterday’. His fascinating story is - he knew the cow was expecting, he kept her home, so she would not hurt herself. When he awoke early yesterday morning, lo and behold she was not in the shed. He jumped in his van and raced down the hill. There in the vacant lot, next to the school compound, he spotted her. She was licking something in the grass. As he approached her he noticed a young heifer calf. ‘She is now home, and I have a lot of milk’ he added happily.
As we continued on our walk I was in deep reflection. So many things to consider. I had planned to write about ‘The Spirit as the Breath of Life’ and here I was presented with a story of birth. Why did she leave the safety of the shed to precariously walk down the hill, in the wee hours of the morning, to give birth in the vacant lot? What was the Holy Spirit saying to me? What was the message to the community?
Perhaps the cow's instinct to go to the vacant lot to give birth symbolized a deeper message about the environment. She left the safety of the shed, driven by an inner sense that guided her to the small open field.
This unexpected story of birth in an unlikely place seemed to resonate with the theme I wanted to explore in my writing, reinforcing the idea that life, in all its forms, is guided by a breath beyond our understanding.
As we neared the end of our walk, I felt a profound sense of gratitude for the encounter and the story that had unfolded. It was a powerful reminder that life is filled with unexpected moments that can shift our perspectives and deepen our understanding. The cow’s journey to give birth in the vacant lot became a metaphor for trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
With this newfound insight, I felt more connected to my original intent to write about ‘The Spirit as the Breath of Life.’ Sometimes, it takes a simple story to illuminate the path we are meant to follow. As I pondered this, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and clarity for my ministry.
Please do give me your thoughts on the story and what is it’s message to you! I would like to feature them.