Powhatan Mennonite Church

P.O. Box 220, 3540 Old Buckingham Rd. 

  Powhatan, Virginia  23139-0220


 

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A Life Perspective.....

My Bull Story

If you are a farmer who has worked with cows, you probably have a bull story.  Well, now I have mine.

We have this bull Gene has been trying to catch to send to market because he is big, bad, and mean.  He is not an attacker but a runner, and we can’t catch him.  As soon as Gene gets him lured into a pen or enclosed area he goes over the gate or fence.  This week Gene got him!  It was dusk, and Gene had somehow managed to lure the bull into the corral and catch him in the squeeze chute before he could escape.   Even though it was getting dark, we decided to go ahead and load him onto the stock trailer. We finally had him!

The bull was not a happy prisoner.  He bellowed, snorted, stomped his feet, and shook the chute as we carefully backed the trailer up to the head gate.  (A squeeze chute is a very narrow enclosure that tightens against a cow so that you can work on or with the animal.)  Everything had to be done correctly.  We figured we had just one chance to load him on the trailer.  We were standing by the head gate, and I was holding the flashlight while Gene gave me final instructions on what he was going to do and where and how I was to shine the light.  We were two seconds from loading the bull when suddenly the bars on the side of the chute popped loose, and the bull came thundering out.  I ran forward in the same direction the bull was headed in his mad fury.  He lowered his head, and with one swift bellow planted his head against my hip and sent me sprawling to the ground.  It happened in a split second, but it is amazing what you can perceive in so short a time!  I was trying to roll under the stock trailer when I saw the bull with lowered head coming in for the second round of attack.  Instantly, Gene jumped between the bull and me.  He threw up his arms and let out a yell that could only come from a man in defense mode.  The bull stopped, turned away, and ran off into the night, bellowing and snorting his fury.

We were shaken to say the least.  After a few moments Gene said, “Do you feel up to walking back to the house?”  I am not sure why, but we just left the truck and trailer parked in the field and walked the quarter mile back to the house in the dark, listening to the sound of the bull bellowing his victory to the cows in the back pasture.

As I ponder what happened, I see two precious lessons.  I know, without a doubt, that my husband loves me.  I didn’t question it before, but I have now seen him put his life on the line to protect me.  Without any thought about his own safety, he jumped between me and the bull.  Thirty-six years ago he promised to love, protect, and care for me in sickness and in health.  He demonstrated that love to me.

I also saw a picture of what Jesus has done for me.  I am subjected to the attacks of temptation and evil.  Satan is a prowling lion in attack mode1.  Sometimes he attacks with brute force and knocks me to the ground.  But Jesus with arms flung wide has planted Himself between Satan and me.  With a loud cry on the cross He died2, and forever the strongholds of evil were broken for His children.  Satan no longer has power over me because years ago I vowed to be Christ’s3.  This is not just a “story” to which I now have bragging rights.  This is what Jesus did in real life for me.  He left the splendors of heaven, and firmly planted Himself in the midst of the forces of evil, knowing He would die a cruel death4.  And there is only one reason: because He is agape love5.

 

Side note:  I can thankfully say I am okay and have no injuries, just bruising and soreness.  Gene didn’t see any sign of the bull for two days.  Then with a twinkle in his eye he said, “I found your bull; he is limping!”  MY bull!!!!  It’s funny in a marriage what makes something mine or thine!  And limping — ah, sweet revenge!

Pat Hertzler

April 13, 2008

Epilogue:

The end to “my” bull (also nicknamed Fernando) finally came two weeks later.   He allowed himself in a moment of weakness to be lured into the sweep pen area.  This time we successfully loaded him on the cattle trailer along with several of his fellow herd mates.  The process left me weak-kneed and quivering like a bowl of jelly on the inside.  I discovered this bull really does not like me, and I do not like him!  Maybe hate better describes his passion.  The sight of me made him furious.  After he was loaded, I decided I needed a picture of this fearsome creature for my story.  When I walked over to his prison, he lowered his head and rammed the front of the gooseneck trailer so hard I was afraid it was going to come loose from the truck.  It was as if I was somehow to blame for his predicament.  I quickly snapped a picture and fled, trembling.

1I Peter 5:8, 2 Mark 15:37, 3Romans 5:8-9, 4Philippians 2:6-8, 5 John 3:16, 36

 

For questions or comments you may email the pastor at timbev2@yahoo.com or the webmaster at hffinc@i-c.net