natasha

Early this morning I had an encounter with Natasha. Before you get any wild ideas, Natasha is a 2 year old, mostly black, Holstein dairy cow. She is owned by a friend of mine for whom I do some work. In the life of a dairy cow, the first two years she is primarily a "taker". She eats, drinks, and lounges all day. However somewhere around 2 years of age, she transforms from being a taker to being a productive member of the herd. She has a calf and begins to produce milk. Every part of her life becomes more structured in a manner that enhances her health and productivity. Most cows make the transition to a productive life rather easily.

Natasha on the other hand, has not made the transition well. To make matters worse, she has an infection in her udder that needs attention. This morning she cooperated fairly well until I was almost done treating the infection. Suddenly she decided that she wanted to put a hoof imprint on my body. Fortunately for me, I saw it coming and jumped out of the way. Immediately she lashed out again, this time catching her foot in the stall divider. She went berserk, bellowing and hopping up and down in an effort to get her foot loose. I watch her in amusement because I knew that as soon as she quit hopping, her foot would be free. Eventually she managed to free her foot after a great deal of commotion.

Natasha is at a crossroads in her life. If she doesn't soon learn to cooperate with our effort to help her, she may very well find herself at the golden arches in a sesame seed bun right under the lettuce. On the other hand, if she quits resisting the parameters that help her become fruitful, she can expect to live a long and productive life.

As I finished up the morning milking and feeding the cows, I allowed my mind to travel back over the years. I realized that I have seen people just like Natasha. When God invited them to a place of fruitfulness they responded with joy. However, when the discipline necessary for fruitfulness began, they began to lash out. They get their foot caught, increasing their discomfort. They hop, bellow, and blame. In the end, because they never submit to the hand and ways of God, they choose the way of misery and barrenness instead of life and fruitfulness.

What is going to happen to Natasha? Whether she finds herself nestled in cheese and special sauce or whether she will find herself enjoying lush pastures and a comfortable barn will most likely be largely up to her.