"As for me and my barn, we will serve the Lord"

In the 1950’s, my grandpa started to show livestock at the National Western Stock Show. Now, almost 60 years later at the 110th anniversary of the event, my sister showed a home grown 1218 pound crossbred steer that we got to see from the pasture to the show ring. I was feeling antsy as I walked from the parking lot, through the yards, and up the hill because I was excited and nervous for the day.

There is an indescribable feeling about being at Denver. The past, present, and future of the livestock industry meet in Colorado from all over the nation. Passion, dedication and hard work went into each and every animal being presented in front of judges, spectators and participants. The train tracks always make me think of how the carloads of cattle used to come in just over a hundred years ago. So much has changed, yet the tradition has not. The Rocky Mountains and the Denver skyline look over the pens in the yards just like the children on the catwalk do who feel like they are on top of the world.

As I walked into the barn, the smell of pink oil, kleen sheen, and wood shavings filled my nose and a smile crept across my face. Molly’s steer was in the chute getting fitted on by her, my dad and uncle. Time flew by and soon enough it was time to head to Stadium Arena. I perched on the fence and watched Class 2 of the Crossbred steers.

Earlier in the week, my mom had asked me to pray that Wasabi would act well in the show ring and that Molly would do well. I asked God that no matter what happened the day of the show, that as a family we would give all the glory to Him. We didn’t expect much. We had confidence in this calf, but we knew the fat steer show at Stock Show has the best of the best. When the panel of judges pulled Molly out for second place, we were ecstatic. I was shaking and Molly looked at us with the biggest smile I had ever seen.

This summer, Wasabi was too light to take to any of the fairs. It seemed discouraging at the time, but God had a bigger plan for him and us. The 2016 National Western Stock Show was one that I will never forget. “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31