(I wrote this about a month ago. Apologies for not posting it in a timely manner. Life isn’t timely! After using numerous methods, the flies are under control. Whew!)
The Fourth Plague: Flies
Exodus 8 20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and wait for Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there; that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. 23 Thus I will put a division[e] between my people and your people. By tomorrow shall this sign be.”’” 24 And the Lord did so; there came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses, and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the flies.
Ugh. Flies.
The rains came. Not an overwhelming amount, but enough to get the crops started, the wildflowers blooming, and the grass for the cattle growing. But it seems in Western Kansas that blessings never arrive without a challenge of some type!
I love Bible quiz books and puzzles and recently had a skill test in one of them which had me memorize the plagues God unleashed on Egypt in order. Well, one of those plagues has arrived with the much-needed moisture. (Realize we are once again in need of rain, but that is the normal way of things here.) The plague of flies is upon us. Not just flies, but biting, awful horn flies.
When you have a cattle operation, horn flies are always present. We have so many ways to control them, from a garlic additive in their mineral tubs, to rubs charged with diesel fuel and fly control chemical. We also put out fly predators which are little wasps that attack the fly eggs in cow manure. Nothing is fazing the plague at this point in time. I went to Big R this morning and they sold out of the fly spray cans which fit into our automatic dispensers. I’ve sprayed the cows, the barn, and our premises so often that I’m sure my body could just be a fly bomb itself!
We are working to get the cows and calves to pasture before wheat harvest begins. It is always the most tiring and difficult 2-3 weeks of our year. They must be sorted into breeding pastures, worked through the chute for vaccinations and worming, then loaded and hauled. I’ve always wished I was Dr. Doolittle who could just tell my mamas that the train to pasture is leaving and they can line up to go immediately. Cows with young babies tend to be uncooperative, even though I have lovely, calm cows.
Keep Going…
We will get through this, but it isn’t pleasant. This circumstance is not in my control. All the normal avenues of controlling these pests are failing and failing badly. I find myself being anxious, but I know I must turn to God for help with that! It makes me think of Paul, who mentioned that he had a “thorn in his side”. We are never told what that affliction was, but we know he asked God three times for it to be removed. God promised only grace and told Paul that His power would be perfected in his weakness. That’s not what I would have wanted to hear!
This too shall pass…and “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” Phil 4:12-13. Right now, I’m just looking forward to having this all behind us. I’m focusing on trying to be thankful for the grass first and cursing the flies last.