The Cowboy

I have been recently thinking about The American Cowboy. Cowboys are not anything new to me, I have been around them my entire life, however the definition of a good cowboy is different to many people. The men in my family, and the men I consider to be good cowboys are some of the most amazing guys you will ever meet. A good cowboy is as tough as the crossbred cow grazing the Nevada desserts. Whether thrown from a bucking horse or gone days without sleep, they get the job done with dedication and determination. Good cowboys aren't afraid to get back on when things get rough, or to ride through the storm for just one calf. They've never lived a day in town that they enjoyed, yet when the time is right, they will dress to impress. Although, a true cowboy never seems to "fit in" in town, a girl (with a trained eye of course) can spot him a mile away. Girls I'm not talking about the guys with under slung rubber soled boots and a curled up hat. I'm talking about the true blue, rough handed, hard headed, stubbornly sweet and handy roping guys. The kind that are worth bringing home. A cowboy is a "little bit of outlaw and a little bit of Jesus, He gets a little rowdy a little out of hand, but when he's around your mamma he says Yes Ma'am." Trisha Yearwood. Long sleeved shirts, a good looking hat and he probably could sit a saddle before he could walk. They value their freedom and appreciate soldiers. Cowboys may not be as much a part of popular culture as they once were, but they still exist. Day in and day out feeding cows and checking calves. Caring for their animals and supplying us with the safest protein source in the meat case. I am reminded of the song where Chris Le Doux says, "As long as there's a sunset, he'll keep riding for the brand, you just cant see him from the road."
This morning when I was in the Word I was reminded of cowboys when I read "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" Colossians 3:2. You see good cowboys don't care for money or material things. They care about their families, their relationships and they love the Lord. There is nothing quite as sweet as a little baby happy in a cowboy's rough hands. We ought to have the spirit of cowboys, knowing that things in this life aren't the important things, instead... we should focus our efforts on serving the Lord, helping our families and treating animals as well as loved ones with utmost respect and affection. Hebrews fittingly tells us to "spur on one another in good works" Hebrews 10:24. Just as a cowboy encourages his trusting horse to work hard, so we too should encourage one another to serve the Lord in all we do not clinging to things of this earth but anticipating the things that truly matter on the other side.

By His Grace..... Q or C annalisa.giannini@gmail.com