Yesterday was a day for which I had long awaited and it was such a win that I smiled all the way home. Did my rabbit win Best in Show? No. Reserve in Show? No. Best of Breed? No. Best Opposite Sex of Breed? Yes, in one of the two shows, she won BOSB under a judge I look forward to showing under because I highly respect his picks. However, I was quite happy before that win.
I had a kindle develop bloat a year ago in the spring. While treating them, I was praying and I heard God tell me, "I saved one for you." The next day, I noticed I had a doe that did not seem as ill as her siblings that I was later unable to save. Yet, I was concerned about the doe because she was not eating well and it could stunt her growth. But, standing on God's promise to me, I named her Shaya, Hebrew for "worthy," because I believe God found her worthy of being saved, so I expected that there was something special about her. As she developed, I saw that she looked exactly like her mother, GC Funck's Zinfandel, but she was firmer in the muscle like her father, GC High Rock's Starry Knight. Shaya had the combination I was hoping for, and in her very first show as a junior, she took all three Best of Breed awards.
However, as she developed into a senior, she was hanging around the minimum weight. Worse, she was sensitive to being moved. Whenever I moved her to another cage, she would not eat much for a day or two and lose those precious few ounces I needed her to keep, so whenever I took her to a show, she would lose just enough weight during the day to keep her from being registered. She has a lovely type and really nice medium, nose-to-toes even silvering with long, thick fur, but I believe her size also was not providing that "wow" factor on the judge's table against larger senior does as well.
Nearly every day, I would talk to Shaya to remind myself that God found her worthy to save (it is in her name), and she was pretty amazing in every way but her size, even a wonderful mother. All of which was pleasing enough for me, but I felt that one day she would mature enough to keep eating when moved to another cage or carrier, so I could get her registered and she would be a Grand Champion.
Yesterday, I did not wait but had the registrar weigh her first thing when we got to the show. The difference between scales can be a thing, so I knew the 1½ ounces over the minimum on my scale could be too optimistic, but the travel was only two hours so it was less likely she would drop much weight. I placed her on the scale and was so happy to see Shaya weigh 10 pounds and 1 ounce! It was like winning a show, but in a way more meaningful because getting her registration makes her offspring eligible for red or even maybe red and white seal registrations and Grand Champion is a lasting title. Shaya was registered yesterday and won two more senior legs, so she has six legs in total. She will be granded...finally!
When God gives a promise, He fulfills it abundantly even in the least likely of circumstances. No, I did not have that big win that everyone else would see, but it was a huge win for my rabbitry and my worthy little doe, Shaya.
Thank you, Abba, for saving her for me!