July 22, 2020
Growing up on the ranch, spring was my favorite time of year! The irregularity of the weather however, often disappointed me. One day it would be warm and sunny, releasing us to play away from the small, cramped cabin in our short sleeve t-shirts. Without warning, storm clouds rolled over the Tobacco Root mountains and let loose on the Ruby Valley a foot or two of cold, wet snow. It covered the ground and broke tree limbs with its heavy weight of moisture. Once again, we put bread sacks over our tennis shoes to keep the snow at bay and gathered our coats, hats, and gloves. Thankfully, the snow usually disappeared within a day or two and that lent itself to glorious mud! Mud pies were made with pie tins and pans snuck out of kitchen cupboards. Many a toy truck got stuck in our make-believe highway. Often, we had to be hosed down before being allowed in the house! Ranchers and farmers alike welcomed the timely given moisture. The dry, winter earth soaked it up like a sponge. The once barren landscape now came alive with tiny green buds shooting up through the soil. The return of songbirds filling the meadow with their harmonious melodies made my heart happy.
Spring also lent itself to the discovery of newborn calves! This was a particularly exciting time for me as I loved to wake up, look out in the meadow to see new babies. Heifers were watched carefully and when the tale-tale signs of labor began, they were welcomed into the barn to bring forth their offspring. More than once, calves had to be pulled from these first-time mamas. If we were lucky, my cousins and I got a front row seat on top of the fence opposite of the chute. We were witness as chains were put on the tiny front feet of the calves that was sticking out of the heifer. With each rhythmic contraction, my granddad would pull until at last, the calf escaped its’ tight, warm home, slipping onto the cold, frozen ground. If alive, other than clearing its airway, mama and her baby were left alone. As she licked the wetness from her newborn, and gave the first drink of warm, nutrient rich milk, the bonding process began.
My favorite cow was named Blueberry. The freckled face black cow was safe to be around with her calf. She didn’t charge us if we got too close and this endeared her to me. Nothing was more terrifying in my mind than being chased by a big mama cow! Each year, my Granddad let one of us grandkids name her calf. The only catch was it had to have the name “berry” in it. You can image the slew of calves named after fruit. When at last my turn came, I broke tradition! My cousin Karen had just gotten married and low and behold her new last name was Goldsberry! It just seemed like a grand idea to name this cute little fellow after my new cousin Ron! As word got back to them, I later received a letter stating that they had an old cow they named Phyllis… And so it began….. 😊
Unfortunately, calving didn’t always turn out the way it should. Some were stillborn after having been in the birth canal too long, some were deformed, unable to survive outside the womb and some just didn’t live long after birth despite the efforts given. Swinging the calf by its hind legs, pouring cold water on it to shock it to life or beating on its heart to get it started were just some of the ways we tried to save these little ones. We celebrated when it worked and were deeply saddened when it didn’t.
I vividly remember one cold day when an old cow died delivering her baby. In another straw filled corral, a still born calf lay motionless. What seemed barbaric at the time, I watched as my uncle skinned the dead calf and using bailing twine, tied it onto the live, orphaned calf. After a few tense moments wondering if the cow would accept it, the mama began to lick the hide of her dead baby that was tied to the newborn and allowed it to nurse. The cow adopted the impostor as her own.
Before I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior I was headed for certain, spiritual death and the separation from God for all eternity. However, God made a way for us to be saved. He sent His son, Jesus Christ. In His death on the cross, all of mankind have the choice to accept Him and His gift of salvation. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. In accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Like that little orphaned calf, by the covering of Christ’s blood, we have been grafted into God’s family. We have been redeemed, forgiven of sins, lavished with God’s grace and have been given the power of the Holy Spirit.
God will meet you today, right where you are at. You don’t have to clean up first to accept Christ’s forgiveness. It’s free for the taking. #John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
