Brahman Bulls…

You may have seen a Brahman bull or cow grazing in a pasture.  They are usually red or gray, with a large hump behind their heads.  Originating in India, this sub-species is noted for its tolerance of heat, its exceptional ability to thrive in tough environments, its strong maternal instincts, and a willingness to stand their ground.   Brahman cattle were brought to the United States in the late 1800’s, and a few years later, were introduced to Florida.  Crossbred to English cattle, they produce great calves for the feedlots. 

The biggest challenge with Brahman cattle is they can be temperamental.  If raised with a lot of human interaction, they can be very gentle.  My cousin Marcus Shackelford is Brahman pure-blood breeder, and he has bulls that are so gentle you can walk right up to them and pet them. 

On the other hand, a Brahman cow with a calf out in an open pasture can be very protective.  She will charge you if she thinks you are a threat.  Having run from these cows more than once, I can tell you they will charge in the blink of an eye, and they are faster than you. 

Brahman bulls can be very aggressive.  If you are in a pen with a Brahman bull, the best counsel is to move slowly and keep one hand on the fence.  My Uncle Bedford turned his back on a Brahman bull once, and in a flash, it charged him.  Before Uncle Bedford could react, the bull lowered his head and knocked Uncle Bedford down, face first, in a muddy puddle of water.  I can still see him, just raising his head out of the mud, then saying, “Load him on the trailer boys.  He needs to go.” 

I had a Brahman bull chase me across a pen once.  I ran for my life, grabbed the top board on the fence, and IT CAME OFF IN MY HAND (Pop would always rather fix something than replace it).  I swirled around just as the bull got to me and swung the board down on his nose.  He stopped, shook his head, and trotted off through the gate.   

Down at the ranch, we had a Brahman bull we could not pen.  He was old and not really doing his job.  It was time he and we parted ways.  But how do you load a bull who won’t cooperate?  When we worked cows, the crew went down into the bull pasture, and there at the edge of a thick tangle of woods we call Monkey Island was the bull.  Sid got a rope on him, and we decided rather than drag him to the trailer, we would bring the trailer to him. 

John hauled the trailer down to the pasture, and I followed in my truck.  After a couple of tries, Tim got a second rope on him.  We had to turn him around.  Rather than wear out the horses, we decided to untie one of the ropes from the horse and put it around the trailer hitch of my truck.  I backed my truck into position.  Tim threaded the rope up through the back end of the trailer, through the side panel, and tied it off to my hitch.  Sid got him in position, and I eased up my truck to put some tension on the rope.  Then I heard Tim yell, “Go Clay, go!”  I eased forward, and Tim yelled again, “Go Clay, go!!”  I went faster.  Tim kept yelling, and I kept going.  After what seemed like 50 yards (more like 30 feet), I heard, “Stop Clay, stop.”  I hit the brakes and heard the back gate crash.  The Brahman bull was loaded onto the trailer, ready for his next location: the livestock market.  Even the baddest Brahman Bull is no match for the power of a V-8.   

Everyone needs to remember there is someone bigger than you who will put you in your place.  I thought about Vladimir Putin.  I do not know how the war in Ukraine will turn out, but I sense that even now, Mr. Putin is learning he does not have unlimited power.  I thought about other despots in history.  They think they control their lives, but death still comes for them, as it comes for us all. 

Then I think about myself.  How often do I think I control my own destiny?  How often do I make decisions without thinking about others?  God usually sends me a message that I am not in control; He is.  Things do not work out according to my plans.  People do not react the way I thought.  My thoughtlessness catches up with me.  I know there have been times in my life when God has tied me off to his hitch and said, “You are going to go where I want you to be.”   

Here's the difference.  Unlike the Brahman bull who was going to the market, when I get where God wants me to be, it is better than where I was.  I should have gone willingly instead of making God drag me.   

Are you where God wants you to be?