This winter has been one of great blessing and at the same time one of great trial and perseverance. When the snow is mentioned peoples first response that is so incredibly true, is, “Just think of all that great moisture!” They are so right, and at the same time it is a day to day struggle to deal with the abundance of it all!
Unless you do it on a daily basis you don’t understand the work that it takes to plow through it day after day. There is no complaining, it is just the adventure of being a rancher in the winter, while at the same time lifting up a prayer of praise for moisture that will produce grass for us this spring.
The day starts with making your way through the drifts to the shop to get the pickup. During the coldest of the cold, you walked praying that your pickup or tractor would start as they are the tools that bring feed to the cattle. Getting to the cattle is quite the adventure! There are days when all the work you did to get to them has been undone and you start all over again. Greg learned during this period not to put the butt of his net wrap cutting knife in his mouth while pulling the net wrap off as it freezes to your tongue!
Next comes the chopping of the ice so everything can get a drink. The ice is anywhere from several inches thick to just a skim on top depending on the temperature. With the latest snow, the drifts around the tanks are impressive and it is an acrobatic feat to try to stay on your feet while chopping ice. While leaving the tank one day Greg slipped with his axe over his shoulder causing it to nick the top of his head. You know how a head wound bleeds! If the weather is cold enough the ice is broken again a few hours later to ensure that the cows got a drink as it froze over so quickly. We aren’t calving yet, but many are starting, and that brings a whole new level of hard. The rest of the day is spent moving snow to hopefully make the next day easier.
Gates drifted in, hay snowed in, roads blocked tight are the reality, and underneath it all are the diamonds that you quickly learn to find. They might look like a day without wind, a neighbor going by with a big loader to clean out the top of the hill, warmer temps to keep the water open longer, and the list goes on and on.
Maybe you aren’t affected by the “hard” of snow, but we are affected by the “hard” of life. It could be one of many things, financial, marital, kids, jobs, health, life, all bring their own adventures. They can be hard, and blessing filled at the same time. God understands when we say it is hard, thank Him for the lessons learned during the hard, and praise Him for the diamonds that are uncovered during the adventure!
In Wyoming we are taught to “Cowboy up”! There is great merit in that, however, remember that cowboys get tired.
Spring will come on the ranch as well as in our lives. Praise the Lord that no season lasts forever!
Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
