The Adventurous Cows
All had been quiet in Four Holes. Summer around the swamp will do that. Life moves slower in horsefly heat. Well wouldn’t you know it, when everything seemed routine, Johnny Campbell’s cows got out of their pasture. A passerby driving down the road saw them and called the law. I don’t think the cows were in trouble, but this concerned citizen didn’t want anyone to get hurt, and surely Johnny wanted his cows back.
No one knew how long they had been gone, but a search commenced. Cows aren’t stealth animals, but somehow these three knew how to avoid capture. Days went by and neither Johnny nor the law could find them. Reports kept coming in from people who had sightings, but every time the search led somewhere, the cows just weren’t there.
On Monday, they were near the Thompson’s field. Tuesday they were seen down by Wannamaker pond. Wednesday, Aunt Sukey saw one but not the other two. Come Thursday, one had meandered onto the golf course, and Rex, a golf course employee, tried to wrestle it to the ground, which created quite a scene and a lot of laughter. The cow won. Stoppage on a golf course is never conducive to good rhythm in a golf swing. Anyway, afterward, the boys had a story to tell in the 19th hole.
Then, the weekend came and no sightings occurred. The mystery deepened. Besides, Johnny wasn’t too worried because he knew they would eventually come to their senses, that is, if cows have sense. There was a big community fish fry on the weekend anyway, so everyone forgot about the cows and got ready to eat and socialize.
Funny thing, their wandering went on for a few weeks more. The happening created quite a lot of buzz in the community because even though a cow or two had loosed themselves before, nothing like three for this length of time had ever wandered off. The local paper printed the story. The headline read, “The Adventures of the Three Cows.”
Johnny began to think he had lost his cows. However, he did not give up on them. Then, driving home from church, he noticed the herd in his pasture. At first, he thought something was different. He decided to stop and take a closer look. He began to count. Lo and behold, the entire herd was there including the three wandering cows. Though he didn’t understand the mystery, delighted described his countenance. He went straight to the hay barn to get them fresh hay.
Isn’t this the way it is with us and God? We like to wander, go our own way, and try to avoid being seen. Sometimes we’re gone for a while, sometimes just for a short time. Then, there are those that go and come, and go again. But God is always there at the old home place waiting patiently for us to return. And just like Johnny, He is glad we’re home, ready to feed us.
“Those who have ears to hear, let them hear” (Matthew 11:15, NKJV).
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