In addition to owning chickens, my husband and I also own three goats. They’re Nigerian Dwarf goats, and they are incredibly entertaining! We adopted them last summer from friends of ours.
As often as possible, we let them graze on our property in the warmer months when there is enough growing for them to chomp on. Our property is not fully fenced, so we choose to not allow them total freedom without one or both of us being with them to supervise. I can’t imagine the damage our garden and other landscaping would suffer let alone if they wandered off into our neighbors’ properties as well!
And so, we stand out in our yard while the goats (and chickens!) mill around finding tasty things to eat. While I was out shepherding the other day, it occurred to me how much time I spend out there with our farm animals. There was a temptation to view it as “wasteful.” I wasn’t doing anything other than standing outside while goats and chickens made their way through the yard deciding which bits of grass and weeds were tasty and leaving behind those that weren’t. It’s not what most people would view as a time of being productive. Other than supervising the animals, I get nothing accomplished.
But I thoroughly enjoy it!
Being out there brings me immense joy, and so I feel it is time well spent. It is an hour or so spent being in nature, watching animals be themselves, and nothing is expected of me. It feels like such an extravagant way to spend an hour!
And then it struck me…why does spending an hour being “not productive” feel extravagant? We’re so conditioned to be productive, to be busy, to accomplish tasks. And there are times where we do need to be productive, and we do need to accomplish tasks. I’m sure you can tell by the way I’m describing my time spent shepherding that this farm is a hobby farm and not our main source of income. Otherwise, shepherding would be far more time intensive! So, for me, goat herding is wildly extravagant because it’s time I choose to spend simply being. I’m not doing much at all while I’m out there. I keep the goats out of the landscaping (and I try my best to keep the barn cat from chasing the chickens), but that’s about it as far as task accomplishment goes.
And when I finish shepherding and come back inside my house, I feel so refreshed. I feel recharged. I feel restored. Taking time to find the things that bring restoration in our lives is absolutely worth it. They are just as valuable as being productive and accomplishing tasks. I’ll go one step further and say the things that bring us restoration are more valuable.
The things we need to accomplish on a daily or weekly basis are necessary and valuable (or at least, most of them are), but taking care of yourself, finding moments of joy, and seeking restoration are also necessary. Often they feel more difficult to choose, but the key is to begin. Start small. Begin by choosing one thing that brings you joy. Carve out a few moments in the day to spend on that one thing. Eventually, you’ll spend a few more moments on that one thing. And then, you’ll spend a few moments more…until it becomes part of the daily or weekly things that get accomplished. But I think you may be surprised to find that it doesn’t feel like it adds to the “to-do list.” Instead, you’ll feel refreshed and restored, and the “to-do list” will feel far more manageable.
Take some time to think about what things feel refreshing to you. What does restoration look like for you? It may not be chicken or goat herding! Invite God into that conversation. He has great ideas!
Do you struggle with feeling like you always have to be productive? Not quite sure how to start a conversation with God about this or any other topic? Please feel free to send me an email or schedule some one-on-one time with me. And consider subscribing to my blog, where I post lots of helpful suggestions on how you can begin (and continue) this journey of recovering your blueprint!
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