Life Down Under

Lots of sheep and no snakes

Many of you reading this may have already heard this story, but I'd bet there are a good number who haven't, so I thought I'd tell it. Every now and then I remember this story, and feel God 'winking' at me as I recall it. It's one of those that shouts the sovereignty of God to me if I'm ever doubting it, which makes me love Him all the more. I was thinking about this yesterday when I was outside with Taylor, and she was asking me if there were any snakes. It's always my delight to tell her no!

When I was a young child (say, 6 or 7), I had this strange obsession with sheep. For some reason, I loved them. They were my favorite animal. I had sheep calendars, stuffed animal sheep toys, little glass sheep on my dresser, sheep, sheep, sheep. And I hated snakes. Still do. So one day, randomly out of the blue, for some reason I say to my mom, "Mom, there should be a place where there are lots of sheep and no snakes. That would just be perfect!" To my complete surprise, she said, "There is a place. There's a island in the Pacific Ocean called New Zealand. And it has more sheep than people, and no snakes." I couldn't believe it. "Really?!" I asked. I couldn't fathom how there was not one snake hidden under one rock somewhere in the middle of the forest that no one knew was there. I thought for a moment. "Mommy?" I asked. "I want to go there someday." I went to the globe and found New Zealand, and was so disappointed, because it was soooo far away. I thought I'd never be able to go there. And from that time on throughout my childhood, I had this 'thing' for New Zealand. We had to buy kiwifruit - 'cuz they were from New Zealand. If the sticker on the apples said they were from New Zealand - we had to buy them. It wasn't a long or lasting obsession, but enough that I remember it.

Who ever would have known back then I would not only go there someday - but live there, too. Out of the mouth of babes.....and the gift of my own mother prophecying my future without even knowing it. Now that's sovereignty.