"Whoop and Spur"

 Workin’ cattle quiet and slowly,

Is always your best bet,

Less stress on the livestock,

And good results you’ll get.

But sometimes they get crazy,

When you’re gatherin’ them in,

And sometimes wild as any deer,

And gettin’ it done then,

Means you spur up and move faster,

And quick as quick can be,

Not big loop pasture ropin’,

But in the brush, you see.

Limb poppin’ and blood lettin’,

And keepin’ them in sight,

A dodgin’ and a jumpin’,

Pursuing those in flight.

Then ropin’ very quickly,

When a clearing comes in view,

And just as quick your dally,

Or tied on take a cue,

That you don’t let that monster,

Drag you through a tree,

‘Cause things can get real western,

Just ‘tween you and me.

Holler for your partner,

Call off all the curs,

Get ‘em to the trailer,

Pick off thorns and burs.

Go back to slow and quiet,

As often as you can,

But a whoopin’ and a spurrin’,

Is sometimes the only plan.

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives…” (Galatians 5:16, NLT)

Letting the Holy Spirit guide our lives means that we let the Lord set the pace. Sometimes we are called to wait before we act. This is not always easy to do, but is an important lesson to learn. Sometimes the Lord wants us to move very slowly and carefully, so that we are sensitive to His leadership and timing. But there are times when we need to throw caution aside and go for it! The theme of this poem describes how proactive we must be in some situations. If not, the opportunity escapes us. Wait on the Lord, but make sure He’s not waiting on you.

Lord, help us to let You set the pace of our lives, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt, used by permission. Thanks, Robert, and God bless you.