"Whatever Happened"

Whatever happened,

To old Sidney Joe,

Billy Carter and Hollis,

Ones I used to know.

They were all cowboys,

Worked for Dad, don’t you see,

All were my mentors,

The ones who showed me.

There was old R.C. Holten,

We called “Uncle Sweet,”

A deputy sheriff,

Nicer guy you won’t meet.

I remember their faces,

And the way that they rode,

I watched ‘em and studied,

Cowboy ways that they showed.

And they were the ones,

Old Dean Parkman, too,

Been so many years,

Since those hands I once knew.

I ran into Dean,

Back home when a friend,

Crossed over to glory,

The old cowboy walked in.

Then my old friend, Bruce Brannen,

Who also was there,

We had a few moments,

To laugh and to share.

I remember the ropin’,

Wild cattle and brush,

Times when we chased ‘em,

All in a rush.

And doctorin’ yearlins’,

And puttin’ out hay,

And ridin’ those pastures,

Makin’ sure they’re okay.

I remember good stories,

And horses we knew,

The dark, early mornings,

And long evenings, too.

All but a couple,

Have passed from this world,

But I’ll always remember,

Their lariats twirled.

With split reins all gathered,

And a horse at full speed,

Travelin’ the country,

Because there was need,

To gather the wild ones,

That once got away,

And when it all worked out,

At the end of the day,

If I made a good catch,

They’d laugh and then say,

You’ll need a size bigger,

For your hat and we’ll pay.

And, no, they weren’t perfect,

They sure had their faults,

But encouraged and helped me,

Far from the asphalt.

Guess since it’s Christmas,

My mind will go back,

To those good old cowboys,

Who took up the slack,

And gave to me something,

That everyone needs,

And that’s simply friendship,

They planted those seeds.

“Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me…” (John 15:15, NLT)

We are blessed if, along the way, we have a few good friends. But the biggest blessing is when we become friends with Jesus. Jesus says this is about obeying Him and receiving what He has to say. When Jesus spoke of it, He said a master doesn’t confide in a slave. But the disciples had become His friends because He told them all about the Father. The intimacy of friendship is about the ability to receive what the others shares, and then sharing back with them. Value every good friend God gives you. But, above all, value the friendship of Jesus.

Lord, thank You for being the Friend of friends, in Jesus’ name.

Photo by J.L. Grief. Used by permission. Thanks, John, and God bless you.