"Once Upon a Pasture"
Once upon a pasture,
Dad cleared away the brush,
Some he did with his own hands,
And always in a rush.
Set the posts and strung the wire,
And got the stumps pulled out,
Plowed the land and planted grass,
Was what it was about.
Turned out cattle, mowed the weeds,
In the summer baled the hay,
And even in the worst of times,
He always found a way.
But times will change and people die,
And with them go their dreams,
I traveled home not long ago,
So much had changed it seems.
The pasture where I horseback went,
And worked for all those years,
Holds a brand new Burger King,
And busy it appears.
How ‘bout that, was all I thought,
As I drove away,
The memories came like a flood,
I did not want to stay.
Now here in good old Texas’ heart,
I clear away the land,
Set the posts and pull the wire,
With dreams I think are grand.
But in the end I have to think,
That one day I’ll be through,
And later someone might decide,
It’s something else they’ll do,
With this place where I have spent,
My labor and my sweat,
But that’s okay ‘cause God above,
Knows the blessing that I get,
When like my Dad before me,
I rest at each day’s end,
And I think about the pasture,
Right here in Horseshoe Bend.
Once upon a pasture,
Beyond this life, you see,
Green grass and clear, still water,
Is where God says I’ll be.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul…” (Psalm 23:1-3, NIV)
Being shepherded by God is the best way to live. He is the great provider for every need. He gives us rest and restoration. The picture is intentionally peaceful, because the psalmist had experienced the quiet place with God. In our frenetic world, this is exactly what we need. It is also what we look forward to eternally. Both here and now, and there and then, God’s pastures are the best. Jesus, our shepherd, is Lord.
Lord, restore our souls, in Jesus’ name.
Art by Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt, used by permission. Thanks, Robert, and God bless you.