Cusi's Memorial

We lost a goat this week. Our first major loss. We are used ot the chickens being eaten. Even the dogs that come and go. We don't like it, but we understand its part of farm life. So is this, I've heard. Lots of people lose goats, or other animals, for various reasons. But I think because we only had three goats, and they are our first, it was just more of a loss than I had thought it'd be. Anyway, I thought I would just do a small memorial piece on Cusi.

He was never a terribly strong goat, kind of a whiner, but he was a nice goat. Looking back and knowing what I know now, I should never have bought him. He was not healthy. But I didn't know, and we did. One day he would be stronger-looking. He would eat and wag his tail and go with the girls to graze, and then another he would just stand there and look pitiful. We tryed hard to save him, but he had a problem up-taking his protein so he waisted away.

Finally on Monday, just wouldn't eat. Then he lay down and wouldn't get up. My daughter, Faith stayed with him most of the morning and tried to coax him to eat. He refused. I knew it was time to put him down.

My wonderful son, Calob and his cousins, took him to the back of our property and shot him. This is hard for me. I don't take it lightly to lose an animal, whether it be one for food or whatever, but I feel really bad whan we have fought so hard and still lost the fight.

We all take solice in the thought that for the first time, he is able to run and jump like the other goats, in heaven. That he was welcomed in by Jesus and led to the happy grazing grounds, where there are heavenly cars and big stacks of rubble for him to jump on and Jesus won't mind if they run around on his car. Now I don't know what is true or untrue about animals and the afterlife, but this makes us feel good so we go with it. I don't think Jesus will mind.