BK's Korner, 8/21/2023

BK’S KORNER
Cattle guards.  I really don’t know what made me think of cattle guards last week, but something did.  Most of you are probably familiar with a cattle guard.  A cattle guard is used instead of a gate to keep cattle from going past a certain point. Cattle guards are in roads.  They are used in place of a gate so that you don’t have to get out of your truck and open and close a gate over and over again. 

A cattle guard is basically a large square hole dug into the ground that covers about a 4 to six foot section of the road.  The hole is probably about 2 – 3 feet deep. Then you cover this hole with pipe. (I’m really struggling to describe a cattle guard.) You basically build a gate out of pipe but then you lay the “gate” flat on the ground to cover the hole.  The pipe is usually 2 – 3 inches in diameter and there is probably 4-6 inches between each pipe.  Again, this guard is placed over the hole in the road.  You see, a pickup truck (or any vehicle) can easily drive over this pipe guard with no problem.  However, a cow cannot walk across it. Their hooves would slip off of the pipe and get caught between the pipe. Therefore, it serves as a gate with the convenience of not having to open and close it. 

We loved playing around cattle guards.  There were some really cool creatures that seemed to hang out in them.  Seems like we used to catch a lot of “Horny Toads” around cattle guards. After a rain the hole beneath the cattle guard would be filled with water. We used to take bacon and tie it on the end of a string and catch crawfish. That was before I knew you could eat crawfish! At that time in my life we baited trot lines with them. 

With all that I’ve said don’t forget that the purpose of a cattle guard was to keep the cows in the pasture. I wonder if God sets up cattle guards in our lives.  He puts things in our way to keep us from going outside of His “pasture.” Instead we play around them.  Also, every once in a while, a cow would figure out how to walk on the pipe and cross the guard.  Sometimes a cow would just jump it. Maybe we learn how to cross over God’s blockades and go where we desire. 

God places those guards on purpose.  He knows where we need to be in order to receive His blessings and watch care.  So stay in God’s pasture. Heed His warnings and don’t try crossing His cattle guards.

Blessings to you all.
Glorify, Go, Gather, Grow

BK ><>