Merry
Christmas from West Michigan.
A day makes no difference to the farm.
Cows still need to be milked, fed and bedded.
Calves will be born.
Barns will be scraped.
If necessary, snow will be plowed to get the milk truck and
employees in and out.
And it goes without saying - frozen pipes will be thawed,
the broken will be fixed and whatever goes wrong will be righted.
The cows have no clue that today should be a day with
family and friends.
As a farmer, we don't "do" holidays. We don't
always get to punch out on Christmas Eve day and think "It's so nice to be
off for a couple of days."
There will be some parties, concerts and gatherings we will
have to miss because the cows don't milk, feed or take care of themselves.
On the
flip side – we get to watch God at work.
Watching
a calf being born is nothing short of a miracle.
Seeing
him decorate the barnyard and trees with the beautiful snow is awe inspiring.
When I walk
through the farm I am calmed and a feeling of content floods over me.
And, at
this time of year I sit a moment in the maternity pen. A new calf is “toasting”
under the heat lamp, still wet and her hair is curled and swirled. It’s quiet
with muffled sounds of the cows moving about, the sounds of a tractor dumping off
feed in another barn, a chicken struts by.
There’s a group of barn cats huddled
together waiting for something exciting to lure them away from the warmth of
each other. I can see my breath as I breathe but I am warm all the way through
to my soul.
As I am contemplating
life I let my imagination take me back to that first Christmas and what it
might have been like.
For Mary,
no smiling nurses, bright lights, or reassuring words were spoken. A manger
would be her son’s bed. It wasn't a glittered
covered manger. It was smelly, full of animals. Mary shared the straw with mice
and spiders. Lantern light, the sound of animals shuffling in the manure filled
bedding was the ambiance.
No
running water to clean up, no heated blankets to comfort a worn out body. No
baby blue hand knitted cap was placed on the child's head.
Even
though - the hand of God was there. Sacrifice was there. Mercy was there. Grace
was there. Salvation was there.
And I believe Mary was filled with joy.
We, here on the farm, feel blessed to be the caretakers of
the land and critters that God gave us.
I would not trade my spot in this world for anything.
At this time of year I want to wish every single person a
very Merry Christmas filled with joy, family, love, peace and goodness.
My hope is that we spread our blessings as this New Year
begins.
Farmer made this Star of David for me.
