There’s a farm just down the road that we pass each time we leave the house. We’ve become very fond of the flock of sheep that roam that pasture. We especially love watching the new lambs follow their mamas around this time of year.

I have found great parental teaching moments by watching these sheep. Like when they stick their heads through the fence, trying to grab the weeds on the other side while they ignore the green pasture they are standing in.

Or when they follow each other blindly along the same worn paths. I recently read that in Turkey in 2005, one sheep leapt off a cliff and the 1,500 sheep following behind leapt off with it!

(Thankfully there are fences and no cliffs nearby for my neighborhood sheep to plunge to their doom.)

Even so, a couple of times I have witnessed a crisis. People stopped on the side of the road, trying to untangle a sheep caught up in the fence who was trying to break free from its boundaries.

I think this is such a great visual. A reminder that the shepherd puts the fence in place because of his love for the sheep and their protection. While also providing everything they need to flourish inside the pasture.

*“Pleasant Boundaries” 18x24” Oil on canvas*

I recently read a little book written by a real life Shepherd. In it, the author describes how much it requires for his sheep to lie down and rest. He details four conditions that have to be met.

1. They have to be free from all surrounding fear.

2. There can’t be any conflict between any of the sheep.

3. They have to be unbothered by any pests or parasites.

4. They need to be well-fed and have their thirst quenched.

(Sounds a lot like me and what I require to find rest as well.)

I love how he said that his greatest delight as a shepherd was watching his sheep rest contentedly under his care.

-A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

*“All Things New II” 16x20” Oil on canvas*

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what contentment looks like in my life and business. I have been finding that old dreams of mine have been shifting. What feels important to me is changing as I get older. This winter I felt the need to withdraw and recenter.

I minimized distractions to quiet my mind and gain clarity. It led to a winter of inner work. I began asking questions about contentment, rest, and finding true joy. I feel this collection became a reflection of the journey I was on.

I like to think of it in three movements (like in music) - the sheep, the trillium, and the meadows. Finding contentment, focusing on what is true, and discovering joy and freedom.

*“Great Awakening” 18x24” Oil on canvas*

I think that becoming who we are intended to be is less about striving. It looks more like a plant growing. It involves seasons, deepening our roots, emerging from the dark, and basking in the light.