I don't believe in coincidences. I believe that every thing happens to God's plan. I believe that He knows the desires of our heart and is oh so faithful to those that love Him. He certainly has been, and continues to be, so good to me.
In Devine Intervention I told the story about a colt that I raised and then sold as a yearling. It has been ten months since that experience and I am still in awe of His faithfulness. I remember a good friend of mine asking me what I thought the colt would bring. Of course I had no idea, but I said at that time that God knew how hard I had worked, how important my little horsey business was to me, and He knew what I needed. My friend agreed that I had worked hard but also said that that didn't mean the colt would sell well, it didn't mean that the right buyers would be there. I think he was trying to prepare me for the worse case but I was sure that the colt would bring a price that I could be happy with. Faith
Fast forward six months. The same mare is in foal again and once again she is a month past her projected due date. If you remember, the average mare carries her foal an average of 340 days. We were once again knocking on 365 days. I double checked, and triple checked, her last cover date thinking that perhaps I made a mistake. No...... I was correct in my calculation. I was getting pretty weary from working a full time job (trying to keep all my work caught up so that if I needed to take an emergency vacation day my coworkers would not suffer too badly) along with sleeping on the couch with the TV/camera monitor going - one eye and one ear open all night. All three mares had spent the winter together and being herd animals they don't like being alone so I always had two inside when Corki needed to be inside. That meant two stalls to clean. If you stay on top of them every day it isn't such a hard job, it is just another job that has to be done. What a labor of love!
Work. The current management where I work is pretty rigid. I had made it known that I might have to call in some morning and take an unplanned vacation day..... I watch my mares pretty darn close and I have a very good idea of what's going on with them but I have not found a way yet to "will" the foaling into happening when it is convenient. Time kept ticking.....
Our company takes a physical inventory every month of all the work-in-process (WIP) and you are expected to be there unless you have something so pressing (like maybe death) that keeps you away. It is usually done on a day during the normal work week unless we are behind on our financial forecast. Guess what? At the end of April we were behind so management decided to do inventory on Saturday! Great.... I have a certain role that I perform and while it is not "critical" it IS necessary to ensure a successful inventory. During the normal work week I have a co-worker (that is also a good friend) that I could ask to fill in for me. He is a "corporate" employee and not required to participate in the "plant" inventory and I was NOT going to ask him to give up his Saturday (I don't think it is right for any of us to be asked to do that, especially when we don't get compensated for it). Once again I voiced my concern about my mare foaling and me not being available to work on Saturday - no sympathy - and the chance of me not being there for this Blessed event was becoming very concerning. I knew I was running out of time. She had to eventually foal and every day she got closer and closer.
:My father-in-law, bless his heart, has been my day watchman for several years. Most of the larger thoroughbred farms have a night watchman. I have a DAY watchman - I am the night watchman I would usually check with him around lunch time to see what Corki was up to. He was my eyes while I was at work.
Friday, April 27, 2012, I called at noon to see how Corkie was acting. His report was that she was walking the stall and seemed very nervous. That's all I needed to send me flying for home! It was inevitable that she would eventually foal. WOW!! I couldn't get home quick enough! When I got here it was clear to me that she was close. She had a wild look in her eye, her udder was fuller than it had been, and she was very uncomfortable. I took her out in the pasture on a lead rope thinking that it might help her to relax. No.... she wanted back in her stall - that was her safe place. I watched and waited.
When a person is watching for a mare to foal they always watch for wax on the ends of the teats (nipples). So far Corkie had not had any wax but as I was watching her I noticed white milk on the ends of her teats. Yay! When the milk is white foaling is CLOSE! She continued to walk the stall and there were several times when her belly moved a bunch and she kicked violently at it. Oh yes.... we are getting really, really close!
John was mowing the grass and was up close to the barn. Mowers being what they are .....it was making some noise and I really wanted things to be quiet for Corkie. She was nervous enough..... so I motioned for him to shut it off which he did so he could talk to me and see what I needed. I told him that Corkie was having her foal so he joined me in watching her. It went quick and uneventfull! YAY again! John was there and was a part of this wonderous miracle from God. Every time I experience I am in awe!
I don't think it was a coincidence that Corki had her foal that Friday evening. I think God knew that I was going to have to work and be unavailable on Saturday, and I think He knows how important it is to me to be with my mares when they foal - He knows the joy I get from it! I was a little sleep deprived on Saturday and pretty gitty with excitement..... but I was there for our monthly inventory. Praise be to God! He is so very good to me!
