Lessons from the chickens

I have some sad news. Friday night our dog ate one of our chickens. I freaked out! It was getting dark and I was putting the kids to bed when I glanced outside and saw Lola, our dog, eating something (I will not go into details, you do not need to have the same images I have in my mind...too disturbing). I panicked. Paul was on a scout campout with Brad. I ran over to my next door neighbor and told him that something bad happened and I needed his help. I knew I couldn't go in the backyard and see it for myself or clean it up. I started to get really emotional. My nice neighbor cleaned it up for me and told me that he only counted 7 (we have 9). We believed Lola only ate one which means one of the chickens was out wandering alone, scared and without any hope for survival. I started to cry again. Now we have a lost chicken?! I know it's not the same as a lost lamb but I felt so horrible. I called Paul and told him the news. Of course, my emotions got the best of me and I couldn't control them. After I got off the phone, I just laid on the floor and cried. I had feelings of guilt, sorrow, disappointment, disguist and failure. As a caretaker, we were suppose to care for and protect these chickens. They relied on us for survival and safety. I let them down. I finally had the courage to go out to the chicken coop to tell them I was sorry and cried some more. I tried to find the lost chicken in our backyard but it was too dark. After I composed myself and prayed that I would have these feelings subside, Paul showed up (I did not tell him to come home but he was close enough and felt he should come home which I am very grateful, it would have been a long night). He went out with a flashlight and FOUND the lost chicken. It had fallen in our window well. Hooray!! That really lifted my spirits.
Lessons I learned from the experience:
1. Just like these chickens, our children rely on us for safety, protection, and even survival. They are safe within the walls of our home but the world is dangerous, scary, and can be deadly.
2. I realized we were being a little too comfortable and too lackadaisical with these chickens, letting them roam more and not locking up the coop. The kids had friends over on Friday and wanted to show them so they opened up the coop door to let them out. I did not know and Lola was not put away. We, too, can be alittle lackadaisical in our church activity. We don't think that reading the scriptures, or going to church, or saying our prayers is that important or making that much of a difference. But, in reality, if we stop, it could be detrimental. As soon as you stop doing what is right, Satan's "fiery darts" can spiritual kill us. You can not be casual in life because you never know when danger will strike.
3. Just like the lost lamb, it was such a relief to find the lost chicken and bring it back to safety. We have the responsiblity to bring others back to safety (to the gospel). In the D&C 18 verse 15 we read about "crying repentance unto the people, and bring, save it be one soul unto him, how great shall be you joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!"
4. I am NOT a farmer's wife. Too attached, too emotional.

After I got the chickens, I heard about the pecking order. Chickens tend to peck at one chicken, taking their food and excluding them. They get their feather plucked out from others. I think it is cruel and very disturbing. But, we do this as humans as well. There is always someone who is picked on (bullied) and they lose their self-worth. They don't feel apart of any group and tend to be recluse and alone. Even innocent bystanders contribute to the pecking (or those being picked on), by not standing up. So many things I need to teach my children.

Things we have done to prevent this in the future:
Paul has now put up a fence around the chicken coop.
We now have a screw in the door latch and it can not be removed unless it is removed by Mom or Dad.
A FHE lesson on Monday.
Never let Mom be left alone to be responsible for the chickens.