We lost two cows yesterday.
When life is hard we still need give Thanks.
The sun peeked over the mountain.
The snow melted.
Warmth permeated the air; almost Spring like.
The seasons confused.
The day turned out to be beautiful.
Sunshine and warm air.
There’s still so many outside projects to get done.
The weather is predicted to be nice all week.
In the morning my farmer found one of the cows dead.
Out of the blue.
Another was not feeling well.
The vet was called.
And the beautiful day took a turn.
We purposefully began to give thanks to God.
We named thanks for the sunshine and warmth.
The vet could have had to travel in a storm.
We could be dealing with sick cows in the freezing, biting snow.
But it was beautiful out and the sunshine was warming all around us.
We tried to make the cow as comfortable as we could.
It didn’t look good.
The vet tried to make her as comfortable as possible.
But she succumbed to her illness.
And no matter how long we have been doing this I still struggle with the loss.
Two in one day is even harder.
One was a really good cow too.
We never know.
We’re doing all we can.
Feeding, loving, caring.
And for no apparent reason, they take a turn for the worse.
When life is hard we still need to give thanks.
I skip a beat in the thankfulness.
I want to be mad.
I want to be frustrated.
It is hard enough doing all the work that needs to be done.
My farmer is tired and hasn’t had a day off in over a year.
And I wonder what we’re doing here.
What is the purpose of the work we do.
Our purpose is not our own.
We work to bring glory to God.
We work to keep open land that we’ve been given to steward.
God will make a way.
He has been faithful in the past.
He is faithful now.
He will continue to be faithful as he has.
The day is just beginning.
The pause between darkness and first light is upon us.
This day is not mine.
It belongs to the Lord.
We will do the work we were created to do.
We will give thanks in all circumstances.
I Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
We know that when we give thanks something changes in us.
Our focus shifts and anxiety and worry dissipate.
We trust.
We hope.
We believe.
The hard times grow us.
They changes us.
As you go about your day may you give thanks, in the hard, and good and the moments when words are hard to find.
30 Days of Thankfulness
Autumn
I am thankful for:
Hot coffee
Coffee around the farmhouse table
warm breezes in November
sunshine on my face
feeding calves
baking pumpkins
pumpkin bars
Large Animal Vets
My farmer
The farm boy and his helper
Bible study outside on the back porch
bed time
the hard times
