Eradicating a Livestock Irritation

As a Narnia lover, I felt much like the Pevencie children in C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, when it seemed like some magic was chasing them into the wardrobe. I wanted to write about the World War II Veterans Monument at the Pixley Cemetery here in the Bend but knew more research would make it better. Bouncing around in my mind was recent research about Cherokee ancestors and Moravians in Georgia in the 1700s,coupled with a separate discovery of a Moravian connection in North Carolina with the Gates’ family at about the same time in history. Nevertheless, I found myself feeling almost forced to write about the prickly cocklebur.

The Despised Cocklebur

                I have fought cockleburs on Mother's farm since 2013. During the years we cared for Dad following his stroke, I could hardly wage a war on the cocklebur. Since Dad’s death, the battle became more heated during the past two summers. I have still felt the wicked plant got the upper hand.

                My name has been associated with the term tree hugger. My 93-year-old mother cautiously approves chemical use on her land. So I decided to try another solution first.

                About a month ago, I began looking for the first emergence of the innocuous-appearing green leaves on spindly stems. At least five days a week, I’ve been scrutinizing the region of the pasture where the cockleburs have grown prolifically for the past several years.

                Once I spotted the first tiny nuisance this season, I purposed to work vigorously, usually each morning, to pull each cocklebur plant in sight out by the roots. As I have pulled each despicable weed, I thought of Hebrews 12:16 - 

Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. The Message

                Most of the translations warn of the “root of bitterness” and its destructiveness in a person’s life and all who love and interact with that person. As I pulled one of the young cocklebur plants, I thought of how ineffective the cutting of mature cocklebur plants had been a couple of years ago. I had waited too late to eradicate the cockleburs that summer. Destroying cockleburrs must start early.

                Moses inspired by God warned of turning one’s heart away from God and instead worshiping something else. He cautioned in Deuteronomy 29:18 of “a root bearing bitterness.” Interestingly, in this Old Testament passage, the following verse gave insight into the heart of this individual intimating to one’s self that “I shall have peace” even though I am doing things my own way, ignoring God’s principles.

                Just as I spot and pull the cocklebur in its early growth stages, I must identify the attitude of bitterness as early as possible. If the attitude is pulled out by my confessing its horrible presence in my life, then God will enable me to do what I cannot do alone. Scripture passages can be read, memorized, and most importantly, obeyed to overcome the attitude of bitterness.

                However, if I let the attitude of bitterness toward a person or a situation continue, the noxious attitude will pervade my thoughts, tumble out of my mouth in cutting words, and culminate with spiteful actions.

                We must rid our minds and hearts of the toxic attitudes before they shoot up to infect the very thoughts we think. The thoughts will absorb all our creativity and energy in a negative way and spew hurtful, unkind words indiscriminately on unsuspecting victims. Finally, we alienate most people from us because they fear cruel actions inevitably will come from our bitter attitudes, thoughts, and words.
                 After receiving a quarter inch of rain this week, I recalled Jesus indicating He was "the water of life." God's Word is compared with water, too. After God had sent our refreshing shower, the soil around the hated cockleburs had been softened making it much easier to pull even the larger plant pests. As the rain-moistened soil more easily relented its hold on the useless pasture pests, so the reading, hearing, and obeying God's Word sensitizes our hearts to ridding our lives of destructive habits and tendencies as we seek to strengthen our relationship with Jesus.

One of the still immature, emerging cocklebur plants. Even though a little over
19 inches tall, the previous night's shower made it easy to pull this plant pest. 

                The final thought must be a passage Mother loves to quote. It is the answer, the source for power to “dig out the bitterness” and one of the best sections of scripture to memorize to counter a attitude of bitterness.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, 

and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 
                                          even as God in Christ forgave you. 
                                                             Ephesians 4:31-32

The Graduation Gift That Couldn't Be Wrapped

The Graduation Gift of 75 Years Ago

                The earliest memories of my mother, Bernyce Smith Gates, included her parents raising cattle. An early recollection of her father, Calvin Callcayah Smith, and cattle was written about in Tobacco, Tents, and Thieving in the Thirties. Below is an excerpt and the entire blog posting can be accessed at: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/03/tobacco-tents-and-thieving-in-thirties.html

Mother chuckled as she told of Grandpa outrunning a mean cow across the pasture. This didn’t just occur once. Mother said the pernicious cow would raise her head and charge. She said Grandpa was “picking them up and putting them down” but always outran the cow,

                    When Mother graduated from Burbank High School in 1943, her parents gave her a Hereford heifer for a graduation gift. No need for wrapping paper for that little red heifer. 

The Senior Panel for the Burbank High School Class of 1943.
Top Row - Bennie Kitts, Cecile Smith (sponsor), June Moore, Jimmy Kenneth Martin
2nd Row - Sara Jane Johnson, James Ellis, Lela Lieber 
3rd Row - Harmon Lee Franks, Clarene Brotherton, Reta Martin, Olen Freeman
4th Row - Joyce Artman, Rosemary Hadden, Bernyce Smith (my mother)
Bottom Row - Ida Gilliland, Marjory Cleghorn, Charlene Hindman

             Five years later, when Mother and Dad married, they merged their two herds. Dad chronicled how he acquired his cattle herd in Okie Over Europe, his World War II experiences. He told how he had the military send a monthly allocation of $100 out of his $300 monthly paycheck to his mother. Following Dad’s discharge, his father, Edmund Gates, Sr., gave Dad fifteen head of cattle, valued by Dad at about $100/cow. (Dad was stationed in England for 21 months. The military would have sent $2100 to Grandma. Grandpa used $1500 for Dad’s cows.)

Dad handled all the care of the cattle with assistance from Grandpa, his father-in-law. When Dad began working away from the farm, Grandpa checked diligently heifers during the calving season. Grandpa kept the fence lines cleared, too. He also milked the Jersey cow twice a day. (Upon reflecting about Grandpa’s involvement on the farm, Mother mentioned how Grandpa cared for the flock of 200 to 500 laying hens from feeding and watering them to gathering and storing the eggs daily! Angie and I assumed some of the chicken responsibilities during the summer. When Grandpa died, Angie took over the poultry operation until it ended because they encountered difficulty in getting replacement chicks.)

Angie and I helped Dad and Grandpa with working the cattle. Even though Mother seldom did any hands-on work with the cattle, she knew every aspect of the business side of the cattle operation.

                I recalled Dad intimating that if something happened to him, Mother would immediately contact Pawnee Livestock Sale and have all the cattle rounded up by the next Saturday, loaded, hauled to Pawnee, and sold. Even though they had been married for 67 years, Dad didn’t know her mind about their cow/calf operation and couldn’t predict what she would do. Dad’s stroke occurred 6 years ago. Not only did Mother not sell all their cattle, but in 2012, she kept a heifer for the first time in several years. Dad’s plan for several years prior to his stroke involved selling all heifers and keeping none. His aging cows would eventually have phased him out of the beef cattle industry.

                As of 2018, Mother had only one of the cows Dad tended. She also had Keeper, the first heifer she chose to kept the year Dad had his first stroke. All the rest of her herd have been born since Dad’s stroke.

                Seldom do we know what we will do until we are in the specific situation. With the support of my sister, my brother-in-law, and me, Mother has been able to continue her 75-year endeavor in raising beef cattle. Digital photography keeps Mother in the loop to see the state of her herd. Undoubtedly, there are few 93-year-old women who continue reaping benefits from a high school graduation gift!

These are two verses Mother and Dad applied to their little cattle operation. This Biblical philosophy guided their decisions and time devoted to their herd.

Good people take care of their animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs.

Proverbs 12:10

Know the state of your flocks and put your heart into caring for your herds.

Proverbs 27:23

The Class of 1943 at the Burbank High School Reunion
on June 23, 2007. Seated - Bernyce Smith Gates and Lela
Lieber Stewart. Standing - Kenneth Martin and George Wayman,
the longtime sheriff of Osage County. Sheriff Wayman's photo
is not on the panel since he joined the army during World War II
prior to his senior year.

Note - My aunt, Martha Gates Johnston, is not pictured on the senior panel. Her explanation appeared in a blog posting at: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-missing-photograph-from-panel.html

June Moore Loyd was featured in a blog posting at: 

https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2014/04/oh-no-he-has-corsage.html

The senior class sponsor, Cecile Smith, is featured in a blog post at:

https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/12/memories-of-my-father-from-december-1941.html

Congratulations to the Class of 2018

This devotional article was published initially in the August issue of Mature Living in 2009. My memory was jogged during Ralston Baptist Church’s 120^th anniversary celebration when I reconnected with Arizona Ridgway and her family. Arizona, a 2018 graduate, agreed for me to republish this as a tribute to the class of 2018. The students in the photo below were in my third-grade class. Arizona was a precocious second grader when I wrote this.

The Thread of a Hymn

            Our church has a Sunday afternoon service periodically at the nursing home in our area. We always sing hymns followed by a brief, inspirational message delivered by our pastor. Usually the highlight of the afternoon for the residents is the fellowship with our church members prior to and following the service itself. There is always joy expressed by the residents at seeing our pastor’s children, especially his daughter Arizona.

            Arizona is seven years old. Her father named her “Arizona” after his beloved grandmother. Arizona has such exuberance for life. She also exhibits a love and sensitivity to the Lord seemingly beyond her young age. 

Our pastor has mentioned how often he recalls hearing his grandmother, while doing mundane farm chores, worship by singing her favorite hymns, one of which was In the Garden. It was one of the hymns we were singing that afternoon. As I played the piano in our small, informal worship service, I heard distinctly Arizona’s sweet, lilting voice singing above all the adult voices, “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.” I was struck by the power of the moment.

 The strong thread of the hymn connects a little girl with the great-grandmother for whom she was named but never met. Yet a greater strand of the thread is the message of the hymn that transcends the decades that separates the great-grandmother from her namesake. Little Arizona lives in a vastly different world with more mind-boggling technology than Great-grandmother Arizona could have fathomed, but the timeless truth of a Savior who is ever with us remains the same. How this typifies the latter portion of Deuteronomy 31:6, For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.

What powerful threads connect all believers to those who have gone before! May we ever seek to internalize and rely on these eternal realities of our faith that remains our only hope and stay in an ever-changing world.

              As I looked at the faces of the eager third graders in this photograph by Blunck's Photography, I thought of so many wonderful memories made with these students during 2008 and 2009.
            I recounted many family members, especially grandparents and great-grandparents, of these students that I know or knew. In light of the connection between Arizona and her great-grandmother, so many of these seniors have older family members who set examples worthy of emulating. I have observed grandmothers who exemplified unconditional love and support for several of these students. My mind flooded with names of grandparents and great-grandparents of these graduates as I recalled sacrifices they made for their families.
           Much-loved seniors of 2018, as you turn your tassels and toss your caps, reflect on your older family members who have passed on but desired greatly to see you reach goals that would benefit others and bring honor to your family name. Remember your daily actions and choices not only impact you but reflect on your family. Your success can bring a worthy distinction to your family name. I pray you recall this scripture verse as you go from Woodland High School into the world to reach your dreams and goals:

You should want a good name more than you want great riches.

To be highly respected is better than having silver or gold. 

Proverbs 22:1

Congratulations Woodland Class of 2018!

Another posting focused on Jake Marsh, a WHS 2018 graduate, can be accessed at:

https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2015/05/jakes-indomitable-spirit.html

I Didn't Even Know I Had Lost Them

 This manuscript was written in 2012 just a few months after Dad's first stroke. The similarity to the life of Samson reminded me of the attentiveness needed in our lives. Perhaps I need to post a disclaimer. My rings are  fashion jewelry - nothing of great  worth, other than sentimental  value.

The Lost Rings

                On a Sunday I was selecting a ring to wear that morning.  After searching in several places for my unique, pink iridescent ring, I abandoned the search. Upon arriving home following the morning worship time at our church, I located the tapestry overnight bag on the top shelf of the bedroom close. I used the bag earlier this year during the month of March. 

Pink iridescent ring

               In March, my family’s world had completely changed as my 92-year-old father had a stroke that rendered him much more dependent on my mother, my sister, and me. I had used the tapestry bag during the time I had stayed with my father while he was hospitalized. With my mind so preoccupied with my father’s stroke recovery, along with concern about teaching third graders, I had left the ring in that tapestry overnight bag. How excited I was to glimpse the ring box at the bottom of the overnight bag! To my disappointment, I opened the ring box to find it empty. There beside that empty box was another empty box. That second empty box was supposed to hold a special sterling silver ring that commemorated the second millennium in the year 2000. I was astonished to find this ring was missing, too. I didn’t even realize it was gone until I found the missing ring’s box.
              After looking in several places for many minutes, I located both rings. With a heart of gratitude, I began reflecting on what had happened with the lost being found.
             My father’s recovery had so preoccupied my thoughts that I paid no attention to where I was storing the rings that were valuable to me. How many times do we allow our job, our responsibilities, a hobby, leisure activity, or just our self-centered desires to crowd out the vital daily relationship with the Lord? We do not realize that we have lost and weakened the influence and nurturing interaction with our precious family members while at the same time neglecting our time with the Lord. Sadly, we lose treasured relationships without recognizing and grasping their absences until our hearts ache for what is missing. In the same way, I had lost the irreplaceable millennium commemorative ring but wasn’t even aware of it until I stumbled onto its empty ring box.

Millennium Commemorative Ring

                Afterthought - As I revisited this piece I had written six years ago, the imposing Biblical figure, Samson, came to mind. In Judges, in the Old Testament, Samson was chosen by God before his birth and raised up as a deliverer of the Israelite people from their oppressors, the Philistines. Samson’s parents were given clear parameters for rearing their specially gifted son. Yet at each turn of his life, Samson defied God’s commands and boundaries for his life. Since his strength remained greater than any other Israelite or Philistine, Samson continued glibly resisting his parents’ directives, as well as God’s. How sad when the account of his deception by the Philistine temptress, Delilah, in Judges 16:20 states,

And she (Delilah) said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

Lord, I commit to spend time with You each morning. Then throughout the rest of my day, keep me mindful of Your presence as I seek to obey Your commands from Your Word in my daily actions. May Your godly influence burn brightly in me among my family and my friends.