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It’s been a week since Nellie, my daughter’s seven-year-old Border Collie, made a nearly fatal mistake of swallowing pieces of a rubber bungee strap.  Her brief moment of canine chewing pleasure had resulted in an emergency surgery to remove the blockage in her small intestine.  Fortunately for her, the operation was a success and she is now on the fast track to full recovery.  Her biggest challenge is resting and having the patience to heal. That is not as easy as it may seem, for dogs or people.

I keep looking at the calendar where we are checking off ten days of twice-daily antibiotic treatment and a special dietary regimen to ensure Nellie’s well-being.  Keeping her from romping with her Border Collie siblings has necessitated that she remain isolated from her playmates.  They naturally miss her participation in the daily yard games of the “pack.”

Her absence has altered the pecking order temporarily, and some sparring for the alpha spot has occurred.  But only a few more days of recuperation are on the veterinarian’s prescription for Nellie’s post-surgery recovery plan and that will be a relief for her pent-up energy, the other dogs’ dominance struggles, and my sanity!  While the past seven days have moved along swiftly, I will be glad when all of our lives return to a more normal routine.

My eager anticipation for the end of this canine crisis reminds me, however, how quickly time passes by when life is filled to the brim with chores and challenges.  Like Nellie, most of us forget to find time or patience for the important factors in life --- the things that bring healing and happiness to our daily routines.  It seems like it was only yesterday that I left the state Capitol Building in Harrisburg to return to the farm and its fulltime workload.  How quickly 365 days have sped by.  While much has been accomplished during that time, a lot remains on my to-do list at home.

My family and I took the time to celebrate my one-year departure from the legislature by going to a local, quiet family restaurant for dinner on November 30^th.  It was a special treat to be able to slow down for a few hours, share time with each other and take a break from the demands of farm life.  We walked out of the restaurant satiated with good food and conversation.  It was a great way to mark the year’s passage and life’s transitions.

Of course, my fulltime on the farm has been interrupted by a new task in life.  Coordinating agriculture for the county of Berks has been filling my weeks since the beginning of October.  Days and weeks are flying by as I dive into the never-ending needs of keeping the farm community moving forward in a favorable direction.  The job is both challenging and rewarding.  It is giving me the opportunity to assist the agricultural industry in a new role.  There is no shortage of work to do.

Even though this unanticipated diversion of my attention away from my farms is fulfilling, I am working to stay connected to the daily operations here at home.  I realize that my personal goals can include both off-farm improvements for the agricultural community as well as a renewed focus on my family farms.  Time management will be the key to success once again.

As I prepare to close this week’s blog, I am receiving a nudge from Nellie as she attempts to gain my attention and shift my focus from the computer screen to her dark brown eyes.  Her head is resting on my lap as she pushes my arm away from the keyboard, signaling that it is time for her morning meal of special dog food.  I am thankful that there is life in her eyes again.  She reminds me how much we should appreciate every day of our existence.  It is a gift from God and another opportunity to serve.

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