Moo Cow

Growing up, my family’s homestead was on the outskirts of the city where there was enough land for my father to raise a few head of cattle. He raised cattle because he enjoyed it and because it supplied meat and milk for the family, all eight of us.

As I young boy I would sometimes follow him to the barn to watch him milk the cow. I yearned for the day that I could milk the cow. Around 9 yrs old, I began nagging. Daddy, Daddy, when can I start milking the cow?  His reply, “Son, when you are ten years old.” I could not understand why I had to wait. I was quite confident since I was able to get our milk cow in and out of the stall,…Not so much knowing that the momma cow knew the routine all by herself. She was always waiting at the barn door to be fed.

As my tenth birthday approached – my nagging intensified, “Daddy, Daddy, I am almost 10, can I start now?” His reply was constant, “Son, when you are ten years old.”

On the afternoon of my tenth birthday, I could not wait. I grabbed the milk bucket and headed to the barn. As usual, our old gentle milk cow, Braus, was waiting. I managed to get her in the stall, wash her and began milking. After milking Braus, her uncooperative baby calf had to suck and after be separated – which was not so easy to manage. From that moment, it only took about three days for the fun and excitement of this new responsibility to completely disappear.

I told Dad, that I really did not want to milk the cow anymore. He said, “Son, you are now ten years old. It’s now your chore. Go milk the cow.”  I had cross the threshold of innocence into daily chores. This barnyard drudgery lasted for the next five years.

I’ve always credited my father with teaching me a valuable lesson – early in life. Be patient for what lies ahead in life. It will come. And once I make a promise to someone, do all that I can to live up to my commitments,…Even if it no longer brings personal advantage, pleasure, and happiness.

This is the path of our maturity and I believe this lesson transcends;

“When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not be slack to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin in you. (DT 23:21)

To do less is to dishonor oneself, and the God to whom you pray. It is harmful to those others who have put their trust in you.

You shall be careful to perform what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth (DT 23:23)

God is the essence of truth and this quality should be reflected in the character of his children.

To live as a Christian, is to be faithful in keeping promises made to others and to God, because we have been called to live in integrity and truth. False or broken promises are considered as sin. There are consequence of sin that damage us and those around us in this life. We may ignore this but there is no getting around it, so:

…, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phillipians 4:8)

The featured image was taken ten years ago, the day after my father’s funeral. We were collecting all his cattle for sale.

I do not miss the cows, but I sure miss my Dad.