Grace and and the the Cornfield Cornfield Grace
By:Dr. Dr.Doug, DougPAC, Ford, Animal By: Dr. Doug, PAC,&Production &Dr. Dr.Greg GregQuakenbush, Quakenbush, By: bedofofthe thepickup pickuplooking lookingfor forthe thehandyman handymanjack. jack.Of Ofcourse course bed Consultation, Through theupup agonizing Mark smiled said, Geissler Corp PAC, & Dr. Greg Quakenbush, Geissler Corp thejack jackwas was underthe thesilence toolbox. Hepatiently patientlyand moved the under toolbox. He moved 33 Geissler Corp “Well, guess we better4 4get unstuck”. Heajoyfully hopped shovels, pitchforks, 50# bagsofofsalt, salt, aroll rollofofbarbwire, barbwire, shovels, 2 2pitchforks, 50# bags into the bed of2 the pickup looking for the handyman jack. Lastwinter winterI Iwas wascalled calledbybyone oneofofmy mydearest dearestfriends friendsand and Last thespare spare tire, 2bales bales alfalfa, and recently aborted fetus the tire, ofofalfalfa, and a arecently aborted fetus histeenage teenage son examine slobbering, bloated calf Last winterson I was called abyaslobbering, one of mybloated dearestcalf friends his totoexamine Of course the jack was up under the toolbox. He patiently fromthe thetoolbox toolboxaccess. access.He Hemethodically methodicallyextracted extractedthe the from running ona alarge large pivot withvarious various sourcesof offorage. forage. running pivot with sources InIn rusty and his on teenage son to examine a slobbering, bloated calf moved 3 shovels, 2blood pitchforks, 4the 50# bags ofon salt, aright roll of rustyjack jack drawing bloodfrom fromthe knuckles onhis his right drawing knuckles additiontoon tothe the forage several areas hadabundant abundant piles addition forage several had ofof running a large pivot withareas various sources ofpiles forage. barbwire, spare tire, 2 bales of alfalfa, and a recently hand.My Mythe shame and guilt elevated. hand. shame and guilt elevated. beet tailingsto beet tops.As Asyou youwould would likely guess,the the beet tailings ororthe beet tops. likely guess, In addition forage several areas had abundant piles aborted fetus from the toolbox access. He methodically diagnosis wasbeet beet choke. diagnosis was of beet tailings or choke. beet tops. As you would likely guess, extracted thehe rusty jack drawing blood from thestriking knuckles Stillsmiling smiling hethrew threw the rustyjack jack overboard striking the Still the rusty overboard the ground, theawkward awkward long handle dinging theside sideofofthe the the diagnosis was beet choke. on his right hand. Mylong shame and dinging guilt elevated. ground, the handle the Thenext nextquestion, question,how howdodowe wedeal dealwith withthis thissituation? situation?I I The vesselononimpact. impact.Moving Movingtotothe thefront frontofofthe thestranded stranded vessel feltconfident confident because waswe with trusted friends whoare areI felt because I Iwas with trusted who pickup, tore longbroken broken shroud blackplastic plastic out pickup, hehetore shroud black out The next question, how do deal withfriends this situation? Still smiling hea along threw the rusty jackofof overboard striking quite handywith with livestock. Luckily thesteer steer waswho close quite handy livestock. the was close toto from underthe thebumper bumperthat that broke my mishap. He of from under broke ininmy mishap. felt confident because I wasLuckily with trusted friends are the ground, the awkward long handle dinging theHe side thewater water tank. The planinvolved involved mepulling pulling the 1-ton the tank. The plan me the 1-ton strategically placedthe the jackononto the bumper, still smiling. strategically jack the bumper, quite handy with livestock. Luckily the steer was close the vessel onplaced impact. Moving the front ofstill thesmiling. stranded Dodge dually up to the tank with Mark trapping the steer in Dodge dually up to the tank with Mark trapping the steer in He began to ratchet the long awkward handle up anddown. down. He beganhetotore ratchet thebroken long awkward handle and to the water tank. The plan involved me pulling the 1-ton pickup, a long shroud of blackupplastic out the area between the pickup and the tank. the area between the pickup and the tank. Canititunder getany any worse? Yes, anyone who hashad hadthe the He Can get worse? Yes, anyone has Dodge dually up to the tank with Mark trapping the steer from the bumper that brokewho in my mishap. pleasureofofusing using handy man jack knows,they they usually pleasure a ahandy man in the area between the pickup and the tank. strategically placed the jack onjack the knows, bumper, stillusually smiling. Markprocesses processescattle cattlefor forseveral severallarge largefeedyards feedyardsand and Mark don’t workto the firsttime time and are littledangerous dangerous even don’t work the first are a alittle even He began ratchet theand long awkward handle up and understands position, angle, distance and speed. He understands position, angle, distance and speed. He when you hold your mouth just right. when you hold your mouth just right. down. Can it get any worse? Yes, anyone who has had the Mark processes cattle for several large feedyards and understandspressure pressure and release andthe theworking working zone. understands and release and zone. pleasure of using a handy man jack knows, they usually understands position, angle, distance and speed. He Mark slowly and confidently worked the steer into Mark slowly and confidently worked the steer into position Stillsmiling smiling Mark walked back the driver’s sideofof the Still Mark walked back totoathe driver’s side the don’t work the first time and are little dangerous even understands pressure and release and the working position zone. asI Ideliberately deliberately pulled the pickup into position. It became asMark pulled the pickup into position. It became toolbox for a magical squirt of WD40. You guessed it; toolbox for a magical squirt of WD40. You guessed it; when you hold your mouth just right. slowly and confidently worked the steer into apparentthat that mypart partofofthe the planwasn’t wasn’t coming intoplace. place. “Murphy’s apparent plan coming “Murphy’slaw”. law”.The Thecan canhad hadrolled rolledtotothe theother otherside sideofofthe the position as I my deliberately pulled the pickup intointo position. pickup. I can’t describe the shame and guilt I was feeling. pickup. I can’t describe the shame and guilt I was feeling. Still smiling Mark walked back to the driver’s side of the It became apparent that my part of the plan wasn’t coming Thelarge largeand andpowerful powerfuldually duallywouldn’t wouldn’tmove moveforward. forward. The “Iam amtotally totally worthless”. Still smilingheYou hebounced bounced the “I Still totoit; the toolbox for aworthless”. magical squirt ofsmiling WD40. guessed into place. SystematicallyI Ichecked checkedmy mycockpit; cockpit;4WD 4WDcheck, check,pickup pickup Systematically passenger side of the toolbox retrieving the greasy roadpassenger of The the toolbox theother greasy “Murphy’sside law”. can had retrieving rolled to the sideroadof the gearcheck, check,emergency emergencybrake brakeoff offcheck, check,allallsystems systemsgo. go. iningear weary can. weary can. pickup. I can’t describe the shame and guilt I was feeling. The large and powerful dually wouldn’t move forward. Mustneed needmore moreaccelerator, accelerator,check. check.Still, Still,nonoforward forward Must “I am totally worthless”. Still smiling he bounced to the Systematically I checked my cockpit; 4WD check, pickup momentum.AAglance glanceininthe therear rearview viewmirror mirrorrevealed revealed momentum. aa Withpurpose purpose his heart depressed the button topofof With heart hehedepressed button onon top passenger sideinin ofhis the toolbox retrievingthe the greasy roadin gear check, emergency brake off check, all systems go. cloudofofcorn cornstalks, stalks,mud, mud,and andtwo twowhite whiteeyeballs eyeballsglaring glaring cloud the can. All that came out was a sudden blob of lubricant the can. All that came out was a sudden blob of lubricant weary can. Must need more accelerator, check. Still, no forward outfrom from under mud coveredball ballcap. cap.As AsI Iobserved observed the out under a amud covered the resemblinga afarmer’s farmer’snose noseblow blowinina a3030MPH MPHwind. wind.He He resembling momentum. A glance in the rear view mirror revealed a rearview viewmirror, mirror,Mark Markwas waswiping wipingmud mudfrom fromone oneeye, eye,his his rear depressedthe thebutton buttonagain, again,nothing. nothing.Still Stillsmiling smilinghehepicked picked depressed With purpose in his heart he depressed the button on top of cloud of corn mud, to and two white eyeballs glaring soiledball ball capstalks, wascocked cocked toone one side, and wastrying trying soiled cap was side, and hehewas driedsliver sliverofofcornstalk cornstalkand andspread spreadthe theblob blobofofWD40 WD40 upupa adried the can. All that came out was a sudden blob of lubricant out from under a mud covered ballwith cap. As observed desperately hold tohis hiscatch catch withtwo twoImud mud filledthe desperately totohold ononto filled therusty rustypins. pins.Success, Success,three threeofoffour fourclicks clicksofofthe thejack jack ononthe resembling a farmer’s nose blow in a 30 MPH wind. He rear view mirror, Mark was wiping mud from one eye, his palms. palms. andwe wewere were free. and free. depressed the button again, nothing. Still smiling he soiled ball cap was cocked to one side, and he was trying picked up aweeks dried sliver of cornstalk and spread the blob desperately to hold on to his catch with two mud filled Chadronand andI Ibailed bailedout outofofthe thepickup pickuptotoassist. assist.We We Chadron Forseveral several weeksDr. Dr.Tom, Tom, Dr.QQand and had been talking For Dr. I Ihad been talking of WD40 on the rusty pins. Success, three of four clicks palms. flankedthe thesteer steerand andwhen whenhehehit hitthe theground groundthe thebeet beettop top flanked aboutthe thedefinition definitionofof“Grace”. “Grace”.As AsI Istood stoodbefore beforemy mygood good about offriend the Mark, jack and weFather) were free. shot2020feet feetwith withforward forwardtrajectory. trajectory.We Wereleased releasedthe therope rope friend shot Mark, (the Father) andChadron Chadron(his (hisSon) Son)I Ifelt felt (the and Chadron and I bailed out the pickup toNext assist. We anda ahappy happy steer trotted offof into the sunset. Next question, and steer trotted off into the sunset. question, totallyworthless. worthless.How Howcould couldI Iever everlive livethis thisdown? down?After After totally flanked the steer and when he hit the ground the beet For several weeks Dr. Q and Suddenly I Suddenly had beenitit talking whywas wasthe thetruck truckstuck? stuck?Further Furtherinspection inspectionrevealed revealedthe the why allI’m I’m supposed asmart smart person. occurred all supposed totoDr. bebeaTom, person. occurred top shotAs 20 with forward We released the about the definition of “Grace”. As I “Grace” stood before culprit. AsI feet Idrove drove forward thetank tankI Ihad hadhigh highcentered centered culprit. forward bybytrajectory. the tome… me… wasthe therecipient recipient “Grace”. “Grace” to I Iwas ofof“Grace”. isis my rope andaxle a happy steer trotted off into the sunset. Next good friend Mark, (the Father) and Chadron (his Son) I thefront front axle Crystalix tub. the onona aCrystalix tub. unmerited favor. unmerited favor. question, why was the truck stuck? Further inspection felt totally worthless. How could I ever live this down? revealed the culprit. Asmy Imy drove forward by the tank IHow had After I’m supposed to be aI smart person. Suddenly itask AllI Icould could washang hang head embarrassment. How All dodo was head ininembarrassment. Favorall received forsomething something Ididn’t didn’t deserve. WhenI Iask Favor received for deserve. When high centered the front axle on a Crystalix tub. occurred to me… I was the recipient of “Grace”. “Grace” stupid!I Idon’t don’tdododumb dumbstuff stufflike likethis. this.Expecting Expectinga atart tart stupid! theLord, Lord,hehealways alwaysgives givesme melife lifesituation situationanswers. answers. the isLooking unmerited comment,words wordsofofcriticism, criticism,ororeven evenworse worseMark’s Mark’sspecial special Looking comment, intofavor. Markand andChadron’s Chadron’ssmiling, smiling,loving lovingfaces facesI I into Mark All I could do was hang my head inStunned, embarrassment. How brand cutting, piercing sarcasm. Stunned,hehedidn’t didn’t even got brand ofofcutting, piercing sarcasm. even gotit.it.Unmerited Unmeritedfavor… favor…forgiveness… forgiveness…something somethingI Ididn’t didn’t stupid! don’t do dumbhead stuff this. Expecting apoint tart Favor received for something I didn’t deserve. When I shakehis hisImud-splattered mud-splattered headinlike indisappointment disappointment shake ororpoint deserve. deserve. hismuddy muddyrope-burned rope-burned finger me.worse Chadron theyoung young comment, words of criticism, or even Mark’s special ask the Lord, he always gives me life situation answers. his finger atat me. Chadron the teenwho who Ithink thinkthe the worldof, of, wasspeechless speechless and very teen world was and brand ofI cutting, piercing sarcasm. Stunned, hevery didn’t Looking into Mark and Chadron’s smiling, loving faces ofof Allofofa asudden sudden felt good, feltforgiven, forgiven, and myburden burden All I Ifelt good, I Ifelt and my sober.shake his mud-splattered head in disappointment or sober. even Iworthlessness got it. Unmerited favor… forgiveness… something I wasgone. gone. Butmy mylesson lessonwasn’t wasn’t over.The The worthlessness was But over. point his muddy rope-burned finger at me. Chadron the didn’t deserve. nextthing thing Marksaid saidpierced piercedmy myheart: heart:"You "Youknow, know,Doug, Doug, next Mark Through thewho agonizing silence Mark smiled andsaid, said,“Well, “Well, ififthe Through the agonizing Mark and young teen I thinksilence the world of,smiled was speechless and thehired hiredman manwould wouldhave havedone donethis, this,we’d we’dbebepissed”. pissed”. guess we better get unstuck”. He joyfully hopped into the guess we better get unstuck”. He joyfully hopped into the very sober. All of a sudden I felt good, I felt forgiven, and my burden of worthlessness was gone. But my lesson wasn’t over. 20 2020
