Sheep or Stones? – Europe Journal Part 7

Monday, June 19

The fields on the hillside look like patchwork quilts. Trees and shrubs mark off the land like thick, fuzzy seams.

We play a game Emily made up called “Sheep or Stones?” where you look at the white/gray lumps in the distance to guess if they’re sheep or large rocks dotting the landscape.

Sometimes it’s really hard to tell, although there’s an abundance of both.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Ireland, and I don’t want to leave. I don’t feel like I’ve soaked it all in yet – I so badly want to just be here, present and slow for a while. But life doesn’t pause, and there’s more world to see.

Wednesday, June 21

Monday we went to Dingle Peninsula – the Westernmost point of Europe. It took a few hours to drive out there, but was so very worth it.

There is actually, according to the guidebook, a larger sheep population that people population. I believe it, too. I’ve never seen so many sheep! I love them! My favorites are the super wooly ones that haven’t been sheared (shorn?) yet and that have the black faces.

So. cute.

While driving with pastures of sheep on either side of us, we recited the 23 Psalm. That was way cool.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

I was also reminded of the verse in Isaiah 40:11:

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

We also talked about how sheep are dumb. But then, I thought of how the Shepherd knows how dumb they are, yet He loves them anyway. I was blown away at how much my Good Shepherd loves me, even though I’m a dumb, simple-minded sheep in comparison to all that He is. He is the Good Shepherd.