The most fun adventure by far at the ranch was the time when Thomas and I had to wrangle a cow on our own. The ranch cow, Clementine, had gotten a little too far away from home. She went outside of her pasture and went to other parts of the ranch. We heard moo’ing and heavy walking right outside of the window we were at and knew she was a lot closer than usual. We went outside and there she was, standing by the lake ready to take a swim. Thomas used resources and used ropes to get around her horns and take her back home. This was, of course, after a funny time of chasing and moo’ing after her in communication. He led her back home and now she has been in her pasture since.

I’m just like Clementine. I get outside of my boundaries, I go for my own adventures in dangerous lands and end up somewhere I was never supposed to be. Nor did I ever imagine myself ever being there. 

Yes, she went outside of her boundaries but did that make Clementine any less of a cow? No, of course not. She still was made a cow and will always be one. Sometimes I have to remind myself, although I go out on my own and make silly mistakes that doesn’t make me any less of a child of God. I am still His. 

When clementine ran away was she still branded? Did she still have her collar? Did the ranch still own her? Of course.

When we get outside of the boundaries set, consequences come into action naturally. We find ourselves in trouble, we don’t know where we are, we get lost, etc. This doesn’t mean, for us that have accepted Jesus, we are any less. We were still bought with a price. We are still owned and taken care of by the Lord. He still loves us and is welcoming us back into his pasture to care for us. He wants us back home and will send whoever to go back and wrangle us to safety. Yes, mistakes are made, but remember who you are through those storms and outside of the boundaries. 

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

“Search me, O God, and know my heart and see if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”