"Cussworthy"

 I was pullin’ a load, of cattle that rode,

In that gooseneck all patched up with wire,

I was going uphill, I could suddenly feel,

The blow out of that old slick back tire.

Got off to the side, in you I’ll confide,

I was cussin’ the day that went mean,

But then it got worse, I got too mad to curse,

The back cut had got away clean.

That old trailer gate, was not fastened great,

And somehow because of that tire,

The cows hit it hard, and I’ll admit, pard,

Busted loose all that rusted hay wire.

I called Buster, my friend, to bring horses and then,

Turned loose his dogs, a whole pack,

Twelve head were gone, but before long,

Those old curs were bringin’ ‘em back.

We made us a trap with an old corner gap,

And herded ‘em where they should be,

Only had to rope two, you do what you have to,

And loaded all twelve that broke free.

The moral I guess, though a cussworthy test,

Don’t panic but just get to work,

But keep your gate tight, and your tires aired up right,

So wild cattle won’t go plumb berserk.

“For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil…” (1 Peter 3:10, NIV)

Don’t you love good days when everything goes right? Me, too! But all too often that’s just not how things work out. Like the poem says, there are cussworthy days. (I made up that word.) No matter what we’re doing life has its frustrations. That’s when what’s in our hearts comes out of our mouths, and it can either make things better or not. In fact talking right helps to make things go right, if I’m reading this verse correctly. I don’t trivialize the challenges you might be facing. But part of the solution is taking positive action accompanied by positive speech, with God’s help.

Lord, help us keep our tongues from evil, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Dane, dondane.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.