Carried Away

I don't take my whiskey to extremes
Don't believe in chasing crazy dreams
My feet are planted firmly on the ground
But darlin' when you come around

... I get carried away

Thirteen years ago today I married my soul mate and best friend, and It's been a remarkable journey. Through the years we have had our share of struggles, but always supported each other. We have laughed and cried together. We have taken some wonderful trips, and have raised a loving and caring child. She brings out the best in me and when I think about her I still get carried away.

Too many times we forget to appreciate the relationship we have with our spouses. Several years back when my wife was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis it shattered me. Each new day is a gift and a new adventure with her. Her faith has stayed strong, and she builds my faith when I get weak. I thank God everyday for her, and cannot imagine my life without her. Even after thirteen years, I still get carried away.

I get carried away by the look by the light in your eyes
Before I even realize the ride I'm on
Baby I'm long gone
I get carried away nothing matters but being with you
Like a feather flying high up in the sky
On a windy day
I get carried away

Growing old with my beautiful wife is... on this cowboys mind


I love you Alanna...

(George Strait: Carried Away)

Wave On Wave

Mile upon mile got no direction,
We're all playing the same game.
We're all looking for redemption,
Just afraid to say the name.

Do you ever feel lost, or feel like your life is going nowhere and you have no direction? Sometimes we think we have our whole lives figured out and then things go crazy. We lose control of the situation that we created, and become lost. We can't understand why things didn't work out. Once we get lost, it's hard to get back on the right path. Or maybe, we don't know how... But we should know.

Proverbs 3:5-7
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 7Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

I wondered out into the water,
And I thought that I might drown.
I don't know what I was after,
I just know I was going down.

We need to give full control of our lives to God. Too often, we rely on our own idea of how things should turn out. Put your trust in God, resist evil, live your life for Him, and everything else will fall into place. He will show you which path to take. It may not always be easy, but you won't be going it alone.

Remember, anything is possible for God, even things that don't make sense to us.

You came upon me wave on wave
You're the reason I'm still here.
Am I the one you were sent to save?
You came upon me wave on wave.

Guidance for the right path is... on this cowboys mind


(Wave On Wave: Pat Green)

Forgiving You Was Easy

Forgiving you was easy,
But forgetting seems to take the longest time

I have to admit, this is my weakness. I am usually very quick to forgive, but it takes a long time for me to forget. If I completely forget, what did I learn from the situation? My struggle is that after I forgive, I don't want to put myself in a position to get hurt again. I guess this is where I am supposed to turn the other cheek.

Matthew 6:14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Plus, once you forgive, you can't hold a grudge. You truly have to forgive in your heart. Sometimes, you may even have to distance yourself to heal. Everything we go through in life is a lesson. It is important that we learn from these and use that knowledge. Forgive and we will also be forgiven, but learn from the experience. I have learned in life that people will let you down, but God never will. People will disappoint you, but God never will.

The bitter fruit of anger growing from the seeds of jealousy
Oh what a heartache, but I forgive the things you said to me
For I believe forgiving, is the only way that I'll find peace of mind
Forgiving you was easy, but forgetting seems to take the longest time.

Finding peace of mind is... on this cowboys mind.



(Forgiving You Was Easy: Willie Nelson)

Enough Rope

I have heard the saying, money is the root of all evil. This saying is incorrect though. The Bible does not say this, but rather, the LOVE of money is the root to all kinds of evil. Money is a tool, and it's not a sin to have money or to make money. However, if your ambition is fueled by greed, you have a problem. When this happens, another saying comes to mind. "Give them just enough rope and they will hang themselves."

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall

People do prosper from greed, but it is usually short lived. Mainly because with greed comes pride and arrogance. It's just a matter of time till they get just enough rope to hang themselves.

1 Timothy 6:7-10
7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Too often, we don't realize the blessings we have because we are too busy wanting more. I have to say, it is unbelievable how less stressful life is when you live a life of contentment. We can't take it with us when we are gone. Instead of accumulating... give.

I'm thankful for the things I have,
And all the things I don't.
And I've got dreams that will come true,
And I've got some that won't.
Most the time I just walk the line wherever it goes.
'Cuz you can't hang yourself if you ain't got enough rope.

Living a life of contentment and not of greed is... on this cowboys mind.



(Enough Rope: Chris Knight)

Everyday Angel

Go be an everyday angel
The kind without wings
Walking round in this world
Just like you and me
Angel, living out love
The kind of people
We could use a lot more of

He didn't look like an angel. He didn't have wings or a halo, but rather an old straw cowboy hat. He wore cutoff blue jean shorts and tennis shoes and had a long white Santa Claus beard. In fact, it wasn't his looks at all but rather his actions that made me realize he was an angel. As he passed each table in the restaurant, he would hand a small paper rose that he made to each female, young or old. In return, he received a smile from each recipient.

What you do means a whole lot more
Than anything you have to say.

Funny thing is, it was just a simple paper rose made from a piece of napkin, but with each smile you would have thought it were a dozen long stem roses. My daughter still has her paper rose sitting on top of her vanity in her bedroom. I have often thought how I would love to have enough money to help some organization, or buy this for that person etc. But I learned the other day that help doesn't have to come in the form of money. I saw someone bring joy with just a simple paper rose. That day, I saw an angel.

He was an everyday angel
Earning his wings
Trying to save people
Who are just like you and me
Angel, living out love
The kind of people
We could use a lot more of
He was an everyday angel.

An angel in cutoff jeans and a cowboy hat are... on this cowboys mind


(Everyday Angel: Randey Foster)

A Pirate Looks At Forty

Mother, mother ocean
I've heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters
Since I was three feet tall
You've seen it all
You've seen it all

I use to have that pirate mentality. I saw something and I went for it. Not pillage and plunder, but more of a drive. I would go against any odds and never give up. I was a fighter, and I stood strong for my beliefs. But times have changed. The closer I get to 40, the harder it all is.

Yes, I am a pirate two hundred years to late
The cannons don't thunder there's nothing to plunder
I'm an over forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

I am thinking it's time for a full life audit. It's time to look at every aspect of my life and make some decisions. I have been reading the Bible book Proverbs lately and have really been enlightened. Over the years I have dealt with anxiety, stress, and depression. Those are occupational hazards of life that I refuse to deal with again.

Mother, mother ocean
After all the years I've found
My occupational hazard being
My occupations just not around
Feel like I've drowned, gonna head uptown
Feel like I've drowned

Treading water is... on this cowboys mind


(Jimmy Buffett: A Pirate Looks At Forty)

I Found Jesus On The Jailhouse floor

Now, he broke the chains that bound me
And now I'm free
Today I'm right where momma
Prayed I'd be
I'm down on my knees
Now I believe
What momma knew for sure
He's King of kings
Lord of lords
I found Jesus on the jailhouse floor.

I like this song, and see the jailhouse floor as a metaphor. A jail is a form of prison, and we all have issues in our lives that can imprison us. Debt, pain, disease and temptation can all bind our lives. And many times we have to hit rock bottom before we find or remember Jesus. Sadly too, we tend to only go to Jesus when we are in need, on the jailhouse floor. Jesus wants to be in our lives always, not just when we need something.

We all have that friend or family member that only calls when they need something. If we only go to Jesus in our times of need, are we any better? Along with your concerns, share your joys with Jesus. Shoot up little "Thank you" prayers when things go your way. Pray humbly when in need and pray joyfully when you have a praise.

It makes no difference what you've done
You've a friend in the One that I adore
The King of kings
Lord of lords
I found Jesus on the jailhouse floor.

Remembering that Jesus is my friend and not just a "get out of jail free card" is... on this cowboys mind.



(George Strait: I Found Jesus On The Jailhouse Floor)

Troubadour

Well, the truth about a mirror
Is that a damned old mirror
Don't really tell the whole truth.
It don't show whats deep inside
oh, read between the lines
And it's really no reflection of my youth.

I was looking in the bathroom mirror the other day and just stared for a while. This time though, I looked past the gray in my hair and the age showing around my eyes. I peered deep inside my own eyes and wondered where the years had gone. Where was that young shy kid that I once was? Where was that car crazy young adult whose only worry was gas money? Where was that young man who was so excited the day he got married? Where was that young father who was so proud the day his daughter was born?

After my interrogation, I couldn't help but crack a smile. I realized nothing had changed. I was still that same person, I just looked different. I have aged, but I haven't changed. I pride myself on that integrity.

Sometimes I feel like Jesse James
Still trying to make a name
Knowing nothing's gonna change what I am.
I was a young troubadour, when I rode in on a song
And I'll be an old troubadour, when I'm gone.

Mirrors can be deceiving. They only show what's on the outside of us. My body may change with age, but what's inside will not.

Living a life of integrity is... on this cowboys mind



(George Strait: Troubadour)

Where The Green Grass Grows

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence... maybe not.

I have been spending a lot of time on my front yard lately. I put in new flower beds, installed landscaping rocks around the beds, trimmed limbs so that more sunlight would come in, and have been actually watering my grass daily. From the street, my yard has always looked green and fine. However on closer inspection, you would have found that some of the green was actually weeds and there were quite a few bare spots. Now just rain alone several times a month does my yard just fine, but I have learned that watering it daily really brings out the growth. My grass is now overtaking the bare spots and the weeds. My yard looks healthy and my neighbors have taken notice of the change.

It's kind of funny, but my life has been the same way. I am sure that I seemed fine, but I too was full of weeds and bare spots. I got my spiritual watering each Sunday at church, but after a few days into the week I was drying up again. Then it hit me. Why not water myself daily with the Word. I am amazed at the change. I am overpowering my weeds and filling in my bare spots, and people have taken notice of my change.

I have decided that I want to live where the green grass grows.

I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watchin' my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs toward the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Where the green grass grows

Steady growth is... on this cowboys mind.


(Tim McGraw: Where The Green Grass Grows)

God Must Be A Cowboy

Night life and big cities is alright for a while
Sure makes you feel good when you're there
But the country's so pretty it goes on and on for miles.
Takes away my troubles and my cares.

I read an article about Jimmy Buffett a few years back about his career. He started out singing country music, but after his first visit to Key West, he changed. He fell in love with the area, and it changed his whole outlook on life. This new outlook permeated his career and made him the success that he is today.

I recently had a similar experience when I visited Fredericksburg. The Texas hill country is definitely God's country. I can't remember the last time that I had felt so at peace. It changed something inside of me, and has caused me to start making some changes to simplify my life again.

I think God must be a cowboy at heart
He made wide open spaces from the start.
He made grass and trees and mountains and a horse to be a friend
And trails to lead old cowboys home again.

New ideas, new goals, and a new simple plan are... on this cowboys mind.



(Dan Seals: God Must Be A Cowboy)

Authority

Oh, they like to get you in a compromising position.
They like to get you there and smile in your face.
Well, they think they're so cute when they got you in that condition.
Well, I think it's a total disgrace.

One Bible story that has always seemed a little odd to me is the book of Jonah. The thought of being swallowed by a whale then regurgitated three days later is just... odd. But our God is the authority of the land and sea, so why not. Jonah fought the authority of God, much like we still do today.

A whale is not only a big fish, but it also means to strike or hit repeatedly or forcefully. The secular society we live in today will strike and hit us repeatedly, and if we are not careful, it will swallow us. Society loves to temp us and then whale on us when we are down. When we don't follow the authority of God, we are nothing more than fish out of water.

Jonah 2:10
And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah unto the dry land.

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I've been doing it since I was a young kid
I come out grinning
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins.

If the authority of the Lord can release us from the belly of the beast, why fight it?

Deciding whether to fish or cut bait is... on this cowboys mind.



(Authority Song: John Cougar Mellencamp)

Casual Christian

This life is filled with strong distractions
With pulls from the left or from the right
I've already made up my mind
Gonna leave this world behind
Gonna live my life a living sacrifice

With the U.S. economy still in a slump, and the government printing and spending money like it's going out of style, our dollar doesn't seem to be worth much anymore. And since it's just a matter of time before inflation hits, investors are pushing gold. Gold is a commodity that all countries seem to still acknowledge. Gold has been around for many years as a means of monetary value. Not all gold is the same though. I just recently learned the difference between 10 karat and 24 karat gold, which are commonly used in jewelry. To me they both look the same, but are very different in the quality of their make up. Fire is put to gold to pull out the impurities. Only then do you have a higher karat value. The 24 karat is a purer gold, therefore it has a higher value. Although the 10 karat may look just as nice, it's not near as valuable. It's still gold, but just an ordinary example compared to what it could be.

Revelation 3:15-16
15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot: I wish that you were cold or hot.
16So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth.

It's easy to be a 10 karat Christian. Every day, Christian values are persecuted, even right here in the United States. There are many distractions, and it's easy to fall prey to them. It's important to withstand the fires of this world, and to become that higher value. Sometimes the only Jesus people will see is the Jesus in us. As a representative of His, we need to be a valued asset.

Reminds me of a song we use to sing at church camp...

I don't want to be, I don't want to be a casual Christian
I don't want to live, I don't want to live a lukewarm life.
But I wanna light up the night
With an everlasting light
I don't want to live a casual Christian life.

Not wanting to waste my life in chains of sin is... on this cowboys mind.


(Casual Christian: Degarmo and Key)

Centerfield

Well, beat the drum and hold the phone
The sun came out today.
We're born again, there's new grass on the field.
A-roundin' third, and headed for home,
It's a brown eyed handsome man.
Anyone can understand the way I feel.

My daughter recently started volleyball. Though only eleven years old, she is pretty good. In fact, I decided to erect a volleyball net up in the back yard for her to practice on. I am not sure where her athletic ability comes from, it is sure not from me. That is something she must get from her mother. The only sport I ever played was little league baseball back in elementary school. I would just stand there at the plate like a statue as each pitch flew by. My parents even tried to bribe me just to swing at the ball. I didn't just want to swing though, I was waiting for that perfect pitch. This was another life lesson.

Life doesn't always throw us a perfect pitch. If we spend our lives waiting for it, we will be disappointed. I have learned that you just have to swing at what life throws at you and try to hit it, no matter how far out it seems. In little league, we are too young to realize it. But if you watch the major leaguer players, sometimes it's the worst pitches that get hit out of the park.

We have to put aside the little league mentality and move up to the majors. If we can't prove our maturity and ability, the 'Coach' is not going to put us in the game.

Oh, put me in coach - I'm ready to play, today
Put me in coach - I'm ready to play, today.
Look at me, I can be centerfield.

The game is still in play. How the next inning comes out is up to us. Proving to my Heavenly 'Coach' that I am worthy to stay in the game is... on this cowboy's mind.



(Centerfield: Dan Fogerty)

Still Is Still Moving To Me

Still is still moving to me
And I swim like a fish in the sea all the time
But if that's what it takes to be free I don't mind
Still is still moving to me.

Years ago when I was younger, single, and better looking, I was a member of a health club up in Carson City, NV. I was in great shape because I worked out every day. One of the machines I used was a cross country treadmill. Now this was similar to an ordinary treadmill, but would start to incline as you were walking on it. My legs would burn with pain as I would do the uphill climb. From time to time it would level out on a plateau, which would give me a little relief even though I was still walking. I think a steady uphill climb would have been too difficult had it not been for those plateaus where the treadmill leveled back out.

Still is still moving to me.

I learned a lesson about life from that treadmill. Life is an uphill climb and a struggle. We battle with work, relationships, finances, and aging. Sometimes in our uphill climbs, we reach that plateau where we should be relaxing. However, we tend to look at those plateaus as setbacks, failures or stagnation and get discouraged with ourselves and life. We should be using that time to catch our breath and prepare for the next incline that life is going to put in front of us.

Still is still moving to me

Life is a journey not a destination. It is great to set goals, but don't forget to live along the way. Be still a little more. It's when we are still that we hear God speaking to us. Still is still moving to me.

I can be moving or I can be still
But still is still moving to me
Still is still moving to me

Remembering to be still is... on this cowboys mind.



(Willie Nelson: Still Is Still Moving To Me)

State Of Mind

Walkin' down a lonely highway
Not feeling alone
Thinkin' back when things went my way
And not the road I'm on
Well, I've been down a time or two,
But it never lasts long
I can always make it through
On a wing and a prayer and a song

I had a friend ask me how I got the idea to post a song lyric with my blogs. Well, for me it was a simple answer. I believe music can be a very powerful form of therapy. Now I am no doctor, but I can speak from my own experiences. I spend a lot of time in my truck during the day and I always have the radio on. For some reason, I am able to relate a song to something on my mind or something going on in my life or in the world. I might listen to a news clip and then a particular song comes into my head. Or I might hear a song that makes me think back to a event in my past.

I don't know if it's a gift or a curse, but I can quote song lyrics like a preacher quotes the Bible. My wife teases me because I can hear a song one time and just about recite the whole thing. The music therapy works for me though. I love a well written song lyric that doesn't just entertain, but speaks to me. Music can bring back a memory. It can take you to another place in time. It can change your state of mind.

Ain't it funny how a melody
Can bring back a memory
Take you to another place in time
Completely change your state of mind

Making it through on a wing and a prayer and a song is... on this cowboys mind



(Clint Black: State Of Mind)

Proud Souls

I believe in ghosts and democracy
And that each man should leave his legacy
That mans work be great or be it small

Recently, and with much prayer, my wife and I have decided to look for a new church home. I didn't realize how difficult of a decision this would be. The thing that kept us at our old church was our Sunday School class. It finally got to the point where we would go to Sunday School then leave and go home without going to church. Wanting to raise our daughter actively in church, we decided it was time to make a change.

I knew that we would find another church, but my fear was losing my Sunday School friends. We have become very close to several other families in the class, and I didn't want to lose those friends over church politics. I believe in standing up and fighting for what you believe in, but I also know that sometimes, in order to keep peace, you just have to walk away from a situation. Sometimes that walking away can save friendships.

Church has always been my recharge for the next week. When I don't go, I don't get my recharge, and it shows in my week. I can't be passionate about something that is not recharging me spiritually.

Although my faith is strong, it has taken a beating over the past few years. I am hoping that a new home will not only recharge my passion, but also heal the bruises in my faith. After all, we all have the same goal right?

If everyone should be together
Then no one would be alone
Life's a lot of trade offs in the end
Somewhere in the fields of Heaven
Proud souls laugh and love together
Somewhere between passion and losing friends

Becoming a proud soul again is... on this cowboys mind.


(Proud Souls: Cross Canadian Ragweed)

Rollin' With The Flow

Once was a thought inside my head
Fore I'd reach thirty I'd be dead.
But somehow on and on I go
I keep on rollin' with the flow.

For about the last month I have been really bummed out. When I get down, my mind starts playing back other low moments in my life to make me feel worse. I have to remember to "forget" the past and put it behind me so that I can keep on rollin' with the flow of life.

My daughter was born with pneumonia and in ICU for 3 weeks back in 1999. I didn't know if she was going to live or not, but I keep on rollin with the flow.

I have had several business ventures go bad that have cost me dearly financially, but I keep on rollin' with the flow.

My wife was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a couple of years back. I live with the fear that one day she may be crippled and in a wheelchair, but I keep on rollin' with the flow.

I have watched disease and drugs take the lives of close friends and relatives, but I keep on rollin' with the flow.

I have been betrayed by people close to me, but I keep on rollin' with the flow.

Some may wonder what it is that keeps me going. Well first of all, it is my strong religious beliefs. My daughter that nearly died at birth teaches me faith, patients, and forgiveness everyday. I have learned more from her than she could ever learn from me. Those business ventures have taught me life long lessons in work ethics and that it is not just about making money, but also giving back. My wife, even with RA, sees and brings out the good in me, even when I don't see it myself. She is a prime example that disease does not have to rule your life. Those friends and family that suffered have taught me the value of life and to live each day to its fullest. Those that betrayed me just reminded me that my faith is in God and not man. That's how I keep on rollin' with the flow.

I've got a lot of crazy friends
And they forgive me of my sins
Some might be calling me a bum
But I'm still out there having fun
And Jesus loves me yes I know
So I keep on rollin' with the flow

The only constant in life is constant change. Adjusting and rollin' with the flow is... on this cowboys mind.


(Rollin' With The Flow: Charlie Rich)

Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends

This could be our last good night together
We may never pass this way again
Just let me enjoy 'till it's over or forever
Please don't tell me how the story ends.

Though I am ashamed to admit, I sometimes watch the soap opera General Hospital. Soap operas really know how to reel you in by slow moving plots and cliff hangers with each episode. Soaps have been on for many years and characters come and go. You never really know how the story will end.

However, with sitcoms today, the story is very predictable. A situation occurs, there is a plot and a climax, then the show ends either with the problem solved or with comic relief. Either way, you pretty much know how the story will end.

Life is more like a soap opera than a sitcom. Characters come in and out of our lives every day. Some stay and some just pass through. Our issues and problems take more than 30 minutes to solve, and each day, month, and year are a cliff hanger. We don't know how our story will end.

"I just want to live happily ever after, every now and then." Jimmy Buffett

Trials and tribulation build character. Without the bad in our lives, we would not fully appreciate the good. We all have dreams. Some of them will come true and some wont, but we must keep believing. If my life was predictable, it would be boring. For me, each day is an adventure that ends with a cliff hanger. I don't want to know how my story ends.

Never's just the echo of forever
Lonesome as the love that might have been
Just let me go on loving and believing 'till it's over
Please don't tell me how the story end.

Glad that my life is not filmed before a live studio audience is ... on this cowboys mind.



(Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: Ronnie Milsap)

Toes

I got my toes in the water,
Ass in the sand,
Not a worry in the world,
A cold beer in my hand,
Life is good today.
Life is good today.

I just love that song. When I hear it, I think about those Corona beer commercials where the couple are sitting on the white sandy beach drinking a cold beer and watching the waves roll in. The sky is clear and water is so blue that you cant tell where it ends and the sky begins.

The other day my daughter asked me, "Dad, what does Heaven look like?" I had to think about it for a while, but then said, "Think of the most beautiful place you have ever seen on earth. If God created that for all of us to enjoy, even the non believers, you know He saved the best for Heaven."

Now I realize that is not a theological answer, but she understood it. Funny thing is, I have wondered the same thing myself, and that is the answer that I came up with. Therefore, it works for me too.

Without running the risk of sounding irreverent or being accused of blasphemy, I have to say that those Corona commercials look like Heaven to me. I could easily spend an eternity on that beach.

I got my toes in the water,
Ass in the sand,
Not a worry in the world,
A cold beer in my hand,
Life is good today.
Life is good today.

Praying that there will be a lounge chair waiting for me on that beach in Heaven is... on this cowboys mind


(Zach Brown Band: Toes)