On a foggy, late summer morning, just as the day was beginning to break, we turned out dogs to bay on a set of spoiled rotten, fat, farmer’s cows.
It’s important for you to know the set of cows to appreciate the real pain in the butt they was. The farmer had been trying to pen them for a whole week. First, it was the feed truck and some cubes; then the four wheelers; eventually, several chicken farmers and friends, trying with all their might on back-yard horses just as fat and spoiled as the cows themselves. All only ended up with sore backsides and a level of frustration we have all shared.
As I enjoyed the daybreak, I listened to the dogs work, just barely able to see the cattle through the thick fog, and my son, and a couple friends I’ve been blessed to work with for several years. I thanked the good Lord for them all, and the fact that I was riding a good horse, getting to do what I love.
As I watched the cattle dogs circle the herd of 145 cows with calves, I noticed several cows would come out of the herd and drift off, trying to leave the bunch … never just running as if to escape, just easing off as if to say “I don’t have to.”
Proverbs 18:1-2 He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.
Sure enough, there would be six dogs right in her face and she would slowly circle her way back to the safety of the herd. It took 2 hours to get this set of cattle pushed out of about 45 acres. I have never seen a more spoiled, fat and lazy bunch of cattle. They wasn’t wild. They wasn’t scared. They were simply spoiled. God clearly showed me this is the condition of most Christians. We are no longer wild, or afraid. We, for the most part, are just fat, lazy and spoiled rotten.
It is near impossible to drive cattle up a hill, let alone spoiled cattle. So we made several attempts, each time with the cattle spilling back to one direction or the other, and we would simply put more pressure on them as we turned ‘em back up the hill. I was getting madder and madder with each effort along with my partners, both man and dog. The dogs had went from barking in the face of these spoiled cattle to right up close in their ears, and we had stopped just pushing cattle and was driving these suckers hard. Finally, and just about all at once, they gave it up and started up the hill.
Proverbs 18:14 The Spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but as for a broken spirit who can bear it?
Once these cattle’s spirit had been broken, they was no match for a few good hands and some good dogs.
Lord, I see myself and many days of my life in that set of cattle, Hell bent on doing things my way and when I am ready. Lord, I pray that I stay broken before You and that You move me and use me whenever and wherever You see fit … that I would have a willing spirit and able mind and sound body, and simply obey.
Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Lord, I thank You for my Travelin’ Partners in this life: a good wife I don’t deserve, and a few good friends that I can count on. Most of all, I thank You for being my Friend and riding with me every day along this trail of life.