Molting Season
"This is the greatest gift that spring offers our hearts and minds - it reminds us that we can begin again. Because every Spring is an original story, an invitation to nurture all the good that has already taken root.” – Joanna Gaines
I have a few chickens; they are very entertaining to watch and learn from. One of my feathered ladies I had noticed had no feathers on her rear. At first I thought that the others had picked off her feathers as they will do if they get bored or to show dominance. This was not the case. It looked so very painful, red, bumpy and bare. I felt sorry for her, so I would give her extra treats and for over two years I did research to see what could be the trouble with this poor, featherless, red-bottomed girl, but to no avail.
Chickens molt yearly during the Fall, losing older, dull and spent feathers. It’s similar to how reptiles shed their skin. The natural process of shedding feathers allows the growth of new and healthy feathers before cold winter days arrive. Old, dirty and broken feathers do a terrible job of providing insulation and protection. So, the chickens shed the old ones and grow new feathers to better protect themselves in cold weather. Your old worn sweatshirt won’t keep you as warm as a new one that hasn’t been through the wash 100 times, right? It’s the same for chickens’ feathers.
My ladies had been no different until this year. They did their yearly molt, but to my surprise, little bare bottom had feathers coming in this year! Her painful looking rear was full with tiny, healthy, beautiful black feathers. I was so proud for her, no longer will people ask, “Ooh, what’s wrong with that chicken?”
She taught me another lesson, or I should say God taught me yet another lesson through her. We have to go through shedding our old selves to be new again, ever growing and renewing in His spirit, which may take more than one “molting” season. So, this Lenten season I’m shedding my old, dull and spent “feathers” so that I can welcome more of the insulation, protection, and nurturing that only our Heavenly Father can offer.
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Julie Battle, College Grove UMC
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