Christmas Is Packed Away… and Lessons from the Coop

 


Christmas has come and gone, and now it’s time to pack everything up again for another year. Life settles back into its normal rhythm—but around here, normal still includes feathers, clucking, and a whole lot of personality in our backyard.


The chickens are flourishing, even though egg production is down a bit. Winter will do that. One thing I’ve learned recently: if I let them out to free-range before they’ve laid their eggs, they’ll still make their way back into the coop to use the nesting boxes. I had wondered if maybe they were laying eggs somewhere random in the yard, but nope—they know exactly where to go. It’s fascinating to watch how resilient they are. As long as there’s no draft, they handle the cold surprisingly well. And when the sun comes out? Oh, they absolutely love it. They dig big craters in the dirt just so they can stretch out and soak in that warmth like little fluffy sunbathers.


As I was talking about the chickens with some friends, I said something that stuck with me: “They know what to do… they just don’t think.” And honestly, how true that is for people too. So many times, we know what’s expected of us. We know what’s right. But instead of pausing, praying, and thinking things through, we rush ahead with our words, our choices, and our reactions. We jump onto a path without considering whether it’s the one God wants us on.


God’s Word reminds us:


“Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:6

As we head into this new year, I want to be intentional about the decisions I make—not just the big life-changing ones, but the everyday choices too. The small attitudes, the quiet responses, the unseen decisions… they matter. I want to slow down, seek the Lord, and ask for wisdom, trusting that He will guide each step.


If my chickens can instinctively find their way back to the right place, surely I can trust God to lead me to mine.


Here’s to a new year of purpose, prayer, and staying on the right path


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