reputation

*Isn't this picture tranquil?

I read a sign once regarding a good reputation - hard to earn, easy to lose. I don't know who said it, but it stuck with me. It's one of those things you just cannot argue with, like fact. Which leads me to what I'm thankful for tonight, I'm thankful for the reputation I have and by that I mean all of it. The good the bad and the ugly. I've got a reputation for being a straight shooter, not one who dances around and sugar coats things, impulsive, a hard worker, quick tempered, good in crisis situations, not always patient, refined, somebody who flies by the seat of my pants, a lover of animals and orphans, and others I may or may not know about. The reputation I'm talking about tonight is the animal lover part of me. Since September I've been asked to take in 5 alpacas, 1 horse, 3 ducks, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 5 goats and a Beta fish. Some might see this as having a reputation of being a sucker, I look at it as a blessing. (Did you hear that? Ron's head just exploded!) Lots of the animals here at From the Country Farm have come here as rescues of some sort or at one time or another. I consider it a blessing for two reasons; one being that I'm seen as a good steward or caretaker of Creation and two because most of the animals that I've been blessed with have something I can use to help pay to take care of them. (Garlic does not nor do I expect him to pay his own way, it is not possible to put a price on what he gives me.) I love working with textiles and natural fibers and creating things and what have I been blessed with, a milking goat to make soap, cheese, butter, ice cream and milk. Two fiber producing goats to make yarn with, a llama and 5 alpacas that have such wonderful fleece to make into even more yarn which I can sell to help with the cost of their care!

I am thankful for all of it, the reputation I have and the blessings I've received because of it.