We've had several calves born on the farm lately. A little heifer calf was born yesterday right after we got home from church.
Mom noticed that one of the cows was in labor and seemed to be having a hard time so she trudged out into the field in her Sunday best to assist. A few minutes later, out came the calf! This isn't the first time Mom has been called to play the midwife to a cow (and it's usually in her Sunday clothes too! Go figure.) She says she's lost several of her good heels that way, but it was worth it.
-Morgan
Last Saturday one thing on the agenda for the day happened to be farm clean up. Not exactly everyone's favorite job, but one that needed to be done. It's the sort of feeling you get from putting off cleaning your room for too long and things begin to accumulate...
At any rate, we headed out to tackle the job. Dad drove the tractor and trailer and the rest of us walked or rode along beside to pick up old feed bags, string, stray wire, etc., which had blown around to the far ends of the property during one of the recent windy days. The weather was so very nice that day that the job lost its chore feeling in the joy of being outside on that warm sunny day. We laughed and poked fun at each other’s "pale" complexion as we rolled up our sleeves in the growing warmth. There was talk of getting a new family picture since the current one on the website is very old. (It seems we get around to changing the picture every five years or so.) But we all voted for delaying the picture until we had been out in the sun a little more. (Vain, I know. But true.)
We walked along practicing our sparring skills by spearing old bits of paper and trash with fencing stakes. We tested our muscles pulling up old hoses that had "grown" into the ground. We braved briers by careful maneuvering to pull out bits of paper and the like that had blown into them.
After we were finished, the farm looked heaps better and we enjoyed and also soaked up some Vitamin D, naturally.
Though it doesn't feel like it today, it certainly did a few days ago. We were out doing chores a few evenings ago and one of my sisters was out rounding up the cows to be milked. She stopped for a moment in the field and inhaled deeply. There was something; some tantalizing, invigorating smell. Another sister was in the field checking on the calves, she too paused to take in a deep breath. In an instant it hit them. They turned towards each other and noticed that each was doing the same thing.
"It's Spring! Can't you smell it?" They said at the same instant, laughing with joy.
Yes. Spring is coming. The leaves are starting to bud with new growth. The pastures are greening up ever so slightly. Spring is a time for new life and growth. It fills you with such hopefulness. New beginnings. Fresh starts. The old life shed and the new beginning.
So it is with our Spiritual life. Life in Christ provides a fresh start. New beginnings. New life.
“ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
This is the reason we (our family) is happy. This is why we are joyful and have close knit relationships. Christ in our hearts. He makes us happy and fulfilled in Him. He gives us a hope for eternity. And anyone can have this peace and joy! He says,
“ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
-Morgan
