Praise the Lord for our riches!

Before I can count one bovine, my phone is buzzing — I see it is my close relative trying to tell me something important. I can trust her to call me only if absolutely necessary as I saddle up and start the morning.

The call had come in from the bus station in a very big town a couple of hundred miles away, and all the message said was, “A package from Georgia with your name and address is ready for pickup.”

I just rode on and said noncommittal things to her on the phone, thinking and trying to remember any contact with anyone in Georgia and count calves. Jack was wanting to move on, the cattle were checking me out in case I had snuck a sack of feed along as a surprise and I was in the other world, thinking! Just counting calves that are weaning age is a job for a grown man!

I decided to put other things out of my mind and think only of the purpose of being here. A slight motion of the reins makes Jack obey, sometimes when I don’t mean to. Therefore I counted heifers twice and both totals were different. The third time, many minutes wasted by my mistakes, I finally came up with the correct total. All that was left were dry cows and they would ignore me, I hoped!

I made it back to headquarters as the boys, my offspring that are sometimes just adopted, made it to the well house to check out the well that was not producing enough water. I put the horse up and made fast tracks to the house. The boys watched and hoped I was coming to help them but I wasn’t! I could not imagine the package with my name and address on it.

She could not help much, trying to think of someone she had come in contact with or something the farm might have needed from Georgia. I peeled off my shirt and work boots, shaved and got a big drink of water and said for her to get in the car because we were gonna go! We were out of there in 35 minutes but spent half an hour telling the boys where we were headed. No, we did not need them along. Yes, keep working on the problem at hand; and no, don’t turn any cattle out!

The bus station was sorta seedy looking, and I thought about going in there unarmed and alone but the thought seemed rather silly after the long drive. I stumbled over a drunk man and quickly moved away from a drugimbibed woman, got to the window and asked for the package. Wrong depot, and so we were on the move again, thankfully! I followed GPS instructions and discovered a very nice station on the south side of town.

I helped her, my close relative, into the restroom and waited there but there weren’t scary folks and I was glad! We both went to the window and asked for the package and it was delivered. The box was very small and the attached address and phone number were held tight with a rawhide strap! Not a cotton string but rawhide, rawhide like Pappy always used! Needless to say, we were really surprised. The clerk informed me we were to pay on delivery and that would include insurance.

The delivery cost was substantial. Seems as though the package was insured for a very large amount of money and the trip from Georgia was pretty expensive! I had a pain as I fumbled around for the cash and finally asked my close relative to contribute. Together we managed to pay the required amount! It was shocking to me, the cost was not expected and we were sure wondering if it was a joke or a scam by the time we got to the car!

The diamond ring was huge! I never in my life would have trusted its arrival to a bus! We couldn’t or didn’t say a word as we looked in awe at the sparkles and shine! I finally was able to read a note that was included.

“This belonged to your great grandmother, removed four generations; we were instructed to send it upon the death of your cousin, Rose Marie Ella Smiddel Gostenhoew. Enjoy it and wear it in good health.” No return address or anything!

We had it appraised in the big mall before leaving town. Wow, it was sure big and it was sure pretty, and it was going to the safety deposit box in our little bank! I think it might be worth more than the bank!

Lessons learned were still floating around in my head 12 hours later as I tried to sleep. We had searched for a name, anything close to it in the state, and still nothing. I thought and thought but was helpless to thank anyone or ask questions, so we were stumped and wealthy! But not with money.

I know how rich we are, but I can only praise the Lord for that. Maybe that is the logical place to go with this praise and worship. Thanks again!

Remember, our opinions are manmade and His are gold. Give your Lord all your praise and worship — and Remember the Alamo!