Working Ranch Blog
Hope Springs by Brett Haas
Mar. 10 2010, 9:28 PM
Mar. 10 2010, 9:28 PM
"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth." Psalm 104:14
There was a time in this world where certain cultures did not understand the seasons. Winter was a time of worry and filled with superstitious fears because it seemed that the earth had begun to die. The days grew shorter. Cold, cloudy days replaced warm sunny ones. Hope, it seemed, was a lost commodity. Then it happend. The sun reappeared. The days warmed and grew longer. The hills became green to, once again, nourish mankind and the animal kingdom.
During these last few weeks there have been, in the words of Thomas Paine, "times that try men's souls". Yes, the days have been long, the mud deep, the winds cold, and the snow plentiful, but the elements and long hours have been the least of my trials. When you care for animals you become attached. You invest part of your soul in them. Everyday, you try to fulfill your God-given duty of caring for those who cannot care for themselves. The temptation is to fall into hoplessness and give into fear, and focus on only the clouds, cold, and darkness. But just when you are ready to give in, you remember that God uses trials and temptaions not to break you, but build you. All you have to do is wait.
This last week, the cold had gone. The sun even came out for a few days in a row. And shoot, even the hills have begun to green up again. You remember UO26? He was one of the two calves I pulled down at Kirk's. He hip locked and therefore lost the use of his back end. Well, today I went down to Kirk's to catch up on calving records, and I asked about him. Kirk said he was doing good. He even walked out to mom in the middle of the pen, got some lunch, and went back for a nap. You remember that prolapse? Well, here they are munching on some fresh hay I laid out this morning.
Yes, even though the winter seems dark, cold, and neverending, we must always remember that there is always hope if you are willing to wait for it to spring forth just like those first blades of grass that you (and the cattle) have been waiting for since that first, seemingly, life-killing freeze. What you have to remember though is, that just like the grass, if we look deep enough, down in our roots, we will find the life sustaining nourishment that will not just keep us alive through the cold and dark days, but will spring forth into new life when the God-given time comes.Have you got green grass yet? Tell me about it at thekansascowboy36@gmail.com, or look me up on Facebook or Twitter.
