Betty’s Lawyer

The hand of the Lord is a mysterious thing to behold. His timing is only understandable many miles down the road when you can turn and look back to see from whence you came, to see the broad expanse that it covers.

One morning in February of ’16 we received a call that our Holstein heifer was in St. Johns. That is forty miles from where she is pastured by road. Around twenty miles as the crow flies, barring the fences don't stop her.

Oh we knew she was missing. This was the third time her and her herd mates had been pushed through the gates onto the neighboring ranch. The first time we were called we were able to find their tracks walking the fence line on the way to water. The tracks stopped at a gate that had not been used for years with truck tracks stopping there also. At the gate all tracks ceased on our side but cattle tracks only continued on the wrong side.

By the third time they were missing we called the neighboring rancher but he hadn't come across them. They were finally reported five miles away. Three watering holes and four fences away. All were accounted for except the two Holsteins, a heifer and a steer. The cattle were headed toward Springerville not St. Johns.

Weeks later we receive a call from a rancher in St. Johns. Seems he found a Holstein heifer on his ranch. He runs cattle on the far side of our neighboring rancher. He said he had had her a couple of weeks trying to get some healthy fat back on her. He doesn't winter over there but he had gone to check on his place and came across the poor thing. The cattle inspector gave him our number from her brand.

We were so happy to have our Betty back. We brought her to the valley to help with her recovery. She put her weight back on and was still her sweet loving self.

 Oh I got to mention here the second time they were missing the small herd had walked to the neighbors head quarters to find water. He didn't bother to bring them in. Just figured we would gather them and push them back. We drove to his ranch to see where they were and he pointed and said “They were just on top of that ridge, must just be on the other side.” I called out loudly “Betty” about two or three times. Within a minute she was peeking over the top of the ridge and soon was running down it towards me. 

Between him and his hired hands I don't know who had the most shocked face.

Skip to 2017, we bought Betty a farm. She had a baby and gave us milk. 2018 another calf and more milk. 

But the story doesn't end there, this is not the happy ever after. There is more. It is almost time to tun around and see the whole picture. The Lords blessing and experience His timing.

The farm has water rights. Those water rights are always being challenged by others down river. Who if, I might add don't use the water, they sell it off to large cities. But that is another drum to beat another day. Our son wanting to protect our water rights and also being hired as the ditch boss goes to a meeting of Greenlee and Hildago counties Gila River water users meeting. They have brought in a lawyer, number one in the state of Arizona on water rights to give a brief lecture and answer questions. He is from Apache County. St. Johns as a matter of fact.

My son after it was over told him in a private conversation that we have land in Apache County and foresee in the future that we will be fighting over water rights. 

He gave our son his number and told him I don't want a retainer fee until the need arises but call my office and leave a list of names so incase I get a call from them I can say I am already retained by you.

Is it not a miracle, a man could rescue my Betty and he have a talent that one day could rescue me. Blessed is the name of our Lord and Savior.