I just got my Western Horsman magazine in the mail today. An article titled, “Cowboy for Hire: The risks and rewards of day work” caught my attention.
The article began with a “help wanted” ad.
Wanted: Day worker.
Long hours, difficult task, unpredictable schedule.
Pay not always commensurate with experience.
Benefits include freedom, family time, opportunity to be horseback.
One day working cowboy was quoted to say, “It’s the worst way in the world to make a living, but it’s the best way of life.” You have to admire men and women that break away from the mainstream to pursue their passions and values in life.
This article got me to thinking that life is all about choices. I would say that 99.9 percent of the time, we are who we are and where we are in life because of choices. Those choices include what values we adopt, which path we take and how we respond to those uncontrollable events in life.
These cowboys chose to forgo good pay in exchange for freedom, family time and the opportunity to be horseback. I’d say that’s a pretty good exchange as l wants to soar and a hippopotamus that wants to wallow in the mud. The hippo in us is always looking forexcuses to stay in the mud.
Why? Could be because we are scared of heights. Some folks are comfortable living in defeat. Whether that defeat is physical, financial, relational or spiritual that defeat becomes what we are comfortable with. So we make excuses as to why we cannot get out.
“I’m too addicted,” “I’m not smart enough,” “I have no support,” “It’s too hard.” Eventually we convince ourselves and once we convince ourselves we are pretty much stuck as long as we are content in wallowing in the mud.
Bottom line is you can follow Jesus or make excuses but you can’t make excuses and follow Jesus.
Whether God is leading you to be a day work cowboy, a home-schooling parent, an entrepreneur or start a new ministry, just know that it can happen.
It’s your choice.
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Editor’s note: Tim Wallace is pastor of Cross Brand Church. To contact him, e-mail [email protected].
For more of Tim’s articles, go to www.tallinthesaddle.
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Church, Pages 2 on 08/25/2010