"Cowboy Days"

Days of chasin’ cattle,

Horseback times back when,

With lifted rein ‘cross open plain,

I thought they’d never end.

Y’all ride through all those yearlings,

Make sure that none are sick,

Get a count, the right amount,

And trot back here real quick.

A load comes in this afternoon,

And one goes out tonight,

Pens three and four, bills on the door,

Y’all try to get it right.

There’s a set of first calf heifers,

That are ready to give birth,

We’ll sell as pairs, so take good care,

No tellin’ what they’re worth.

Moments, conversations then,

Sometimes jokes and fun,

The cowboy way, day after day,

And seasons in the sun.

I wouldn’t trade it for a thing,

Raised with the horseback men,

Glad to be, my mentors, see,

Shaped my whole life since then.

I’d love to see old Sidney Joe,

Plumb nothin’ past his reach,

Uncle Sweet, his tack so neat,

The work they tried to teach.

Dean and Billy, all were there,

And all a horse astride,

And when time came to get it done,

Man, those boys could ride.

And now most all of them are gone,

And I’m no longer young,

I cowboy now, and still somehow,

Their ropes toward me are strung.

I’m thankful to the Lord above,

For all His love and grace,

And truly glad for all I’ve had,

Throughout this cowboy’s race.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NAS)

We do well to appreciate those who went before us and mentored us into the lives we have now. From a spiritual point of view, many of these have already crossed over into heaven and become part of what is described as a “cloud of witnesses.” It is as if they are cheering us on from the heavenly grandstands as we now carry the baton. Learn from them, and from every experience, but don’t let anything slow you down. Run!

Lord, help us lay aside every weight, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Clark Kelley Price, used by permission. Thanks, Clark, and God bless you.