Ageing has brought me a tendency to tune out everything around me in the farm and concentrate on my own thoughts. At times when my wife Mary Ann notices the distant look in my eyes while she is talking to me about something, I feel she’s frustrated. But she was not.

One of my morning farm drills is feeding our pets. While doing the customary feeding call to chickens, I noticed that one is missing. I found the chicken sitting on her newly laid egg inside a carton box beneath the sink of the dirty kitchen at the rear side of the house.

Two days ago this chick is full of life flying & running to me along with other chickens when I made the “feeding time call.” In my 9 years in the farm (10 years exactly on 28 March 2017) I’d formulated different feeding time sounds for each particular pet we have in the farm. Their presence is quick whenever I make the call.

For the cat: “meeyaw”
For the ducks, “quake quake”
For the goats successive short “meeh, meeh”
For the chickens, “crook, crook, crook”
For the fish in the pond: a one-time short thud of my feet on the ground

I realize that listening is an important part of any relationship – with my dear wife, our family and our pets
(John 10:4 “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice”).

Listening attentively creates value and worth. Attentiveness to God’s voice became the pattern of Samuel’s life (1 Sam 3:1-10 “And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision....Then Samuel answered, speak for thy servant heareth”).

Lastly, paying attention to the “voice” of our Lord God through His Bible can make us feel His voice, and will lead us to righteousness. Join me in practicing to listen attentively; it will be one of our inspiring activities daily.