Maude's Pages

April 2001

(Webmaster's note: Maude has insisted we keep her first page up, so if you miss some of her references, you can check what she said earlier: Just go to "Maude's First Page!" above at the left. When you click on any of the small pictures Maude puts here, you will get to the full-sized one. To get back to this page, click on your back browser button.)

It's taken me awhile to convince my shepherd that we're overdue for a new page.  She's been really busy with us out in the barn, and distracted.  You see, it's baby season.  I don't think there is anyone of the new lambs who is as much of a "looker" as I was at that age, but this one may come close.

Remember Stinky's date with Wally?  Well you should see the result! Even I have to admit those babies are cute!

I've decided I should set the record straight.  It seems some people think I may be pretty, but I'm not really all that special.  Have they got that wrong!   I'm willing to go where no sheep has ever gone before!  We have another set of servants who have a special door that only they are supposed to know how to use.

But I've watched carefully, and learned how to use it myself.  None of my companions ever follow me, but that's fine with me.  I always get to our food first!

Then Jewels, our oldest goat, decided she wasn't too old to add to her family, either.  We saw her beautiful twin does before our shepherd decided it was too cold for them in the barn (they were extra small and Jewels, being old, really feels the cold!) Trouble is, she's so old she needs help raising her babies, too, so that's one more thing that's keeping our servants distracted.

All of our servants, even the ones who don't come out here except to look at the new babies, seem a bit distracted right now, though. They seem to be spending a lot more time in the far room of their barn. We've tried to get in to see what they do there, but they always come out with some excuse to take us back to our house. (Webmaster's note: To see Maude and her friends trying to visit the chapel, visit "Maude's First Page.")

So I finally asked my shepherd about it and she said they need to be reminded about Our Shepherd in Heaven, and so they fill that room with all sorts of pictures of Him and His other servants. She also said (and this came as a bit of a shock, I must admit) that we really aren't her main work. The reason they moved here is that Our Shepherd in Heaven wants them to spend lots of time every day singing songs to Him and praying for all of His people. She also said they are getting ready for a special celebration when they all take part in Our Shepherd in Heaven's death and new life, only she used some fancy words like Lent and Crucifixion, Pascha and Resurrection.

Well, I always knew they weren't as advanced as we are. We don't need to be reminded to worship Our Shepherd in Heaven (they even got a fancy new set of bells to help them out in that department) and we're born knowing that He's our only reason for existence, so EVERYTHING we do is for Him! We face death and new life out here every day!

Still, I'd like to see that special room. They always seem to be in a better mood when they've been in there for awhile.

It seems as if they've had a lot more visitors this winter, too.  Of course, in all humility, I realize some of them come just to meet me!  But then we do have two other four-legged servants who have been hired to help keep us safe from the coyotes and other dangerous things that roam our countryside, and some people almost seem to think they are as cute as I am!

One last thing -- I really thought it would be appropriate for you all to see me decked out with the spring flowers that we love to eat and told my shepherd she had to be sure to take a new picture of me for my April page.

The only trouble is, we don't have any of those tasty spring flowers yet! It's not cold enough for me to keep my snow jewels on like I did for Christmas, so my spring snow picture really isn't nearly as charming, but I guess I have to let people see me as I am right now.  This is true humility.

So to all of you who are spending extra time like our servants in those rooms you build for some of your barns, reminding yourselves that the only reason you exist is Our Shepherd in Heaven, I extend greetings from the rest of us who live in the real world. Someday you two-legged creatures will catch up with us, and not waste so much time and energy making your lives so complicated!

As I hear my shepherd saying to our guests, "HAPPY PASCHA!”