Hello God. It's me, Mara

February

You know, Lord, February is Winter Losing Heart. Is this month sitting down for a breathing spell? As winter seems to relent, surely our area ranchers are pleased to have better weather for calving and lambing. We’re all in high spirits to see sleet melt and snow turn to slush. Even creeks are beginning to swell in some areas and are becoming noisy.

At our place, black ground begins to show in patches. From our kitchen window we see cattle huddle around the friendly haystack. We know they are chewing their cud and in a mild way they might also be saying, “We knew your weather would moderate.”

As kids on the ranch long ago, we knew that the cattle were the genuine philosophers. They never fuss. They take what comes. They hump up when snow falls and the wind is piercing; but they never used any bad words like some folks do. That’s a cow for you, Lord. Something else we noticed, cattle sleep out in the snow without covers, uncomplaining, just as a soldier trained to hard campaigns.

When February comes with its temporary geniality, cattle seem to kick up and frisk as if to say, “Bully for The weather! We are tickled!” They‘ve a frisky disposition when there is anything to frisk at, and an indisposition to kick when there’s something to kick at. People might learn from critters if they would only take them as schoolmasters, and chew their cud more and their grievances less.

February thaw says “Winter is getting ready to quit.” Can’t we just imagine a country boy/girl whoop it up, thinking that soon a fellows fingers won’t get so cold watering the stock.

Solomon 2: l: [NIV] “Wlnter ls past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooling of doves is heard in our land.”

Love, Mara