You Have Plans? God Sometimes Has Different Ones!

Very recently Alan and I were trying to finish chores so that we could change to go to an MFA dinner.  When we went to feed the yearling heifers, one of them was missing.  Alan started walking to look for her while I was doing stuff at the barn.  A few minutes later, I hear him yell at me.  The conversation went as follows.  Mind you most of it was yelled across a field.

Alan, "You need to come here."

Me, "Do I need anything (such as a halter)?"

Alan, "No."

I say, "Why is it too late (meaning she is already dead)?"

Alan, "No, everyone is alright."

I am thinking to myself 'everyone?'  there is only one heifer. As I am fast walking across the field he tells me that I can slow down.  I can't because in my mind with all of my experience I can not figure out what is going on over that ridge.  Finally, I get there and look over the fence.  To my amazement there is a newborn calf at the feet of the yearling heifer.  I know this is not her calf because we feed her twice a day and she has not exhibited any signs of pregnancy besides she is too young.

Now we have a real problem.  We have a new born calf in a field where there are no cows or heifers that are due to calve and the nearest fence is at least 100 feet down a hill and across a creek from the baby.  As Alan and I are looking around formulating a plan on what to do because the calf is shivering from cold and where he is the four wheeler will not go, a two year old heifer starts pacing the fence and bawling.  One problem solved.  We know who mom is!  Alan went to the closest gate between these two fields to let his mom in while I got the baby up and tried to get him walking so his blood would circulate more.  This will help him warm up some while we are waiting on his mom.  As soon as she sees the open gate, she runs straight for the calf and me.  Alan and I decide the calf will probably not be able to walk all of the way to the barn so he goes to get the four wheeler while I start walking the calf and cow out until we can meet up with Alan.  The calf and cow walked right along the fence until we reached a spot to where Alan could get to the calf with the four wheeler.  I handed him the calf onto the four wheeler with him and let mom smell the calf, Alan and four wheeler.  After this, Alan started to the barn with the calf.  The cow would not follow so I told him to get the calf in the barn under a heat lamp and then come help me with mom if I don't have her up there, yet.  I tried driving the cow up there and several times she turned around in the very same spot.  I decided this was ridiculous and headed to the barn to get some feed to see if she would follow that to the barn.  As I walked away, I turned around to see where she was and she was right behind me following me!  Some things we make things way too hard!  she followed me to and inside of the barn to her calf.  The calf nursed and all is well with both of them.

If you are wondering, no we did not make the MFA dinner that night.  We did however save a life!  My husband and father showed up to assist just as the cow was going in the barn.  They were on their way here, but I was not going to just stand and wait when I could try and get this done.  Working together and communicating helped us to be efficient in saving this calf.  An awesome first calf heifer whom immediately accepted her calf again (which dies not always happen) was also a HUGE help.

Yes, that yearling heifer not being up to eat was an inconvenience, but if she had been up to eat we may not have found the baby and he would have died from hypothermia or starvation.  We may have thought we had plans, but God a plan for us to care for his creatures in the way that was best for them.