Would I dare???

You should have heard Mike singing those cowboy songs to you, Phil!  We
then imagined you coming over to our church dressed that way . . ..
Well, that would be an eye opener for some, believe me!

I'll have to see you again soon to take a look at those shoes!  I never
did when I was there because I didn't know about them.  (A few things
you kept quiet, Hey!)


--
Carol
[log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----
From: Echurch-USA The Electronic Church
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lelia Struve
Sent: 26 August 2004 21:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: My New Cowboy Hat


I'm not laughing smiling but not laughing because those who laugh
usually end up getting laughed at later


Lelia Struve email [log in to unmask] msn [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 2:11 PM
Subject: My New Cowboy Hat


> Maybe God Wears A Cowboy Hat
>
>
> By Phil Scovell
>
>
>
>
>      I rode horses a great deal as a kid growing up in Iowa. Most
> summer weekends I spent Saturdays at a friend's home just outside of
> Des Moines and we spent most of the day either fishing in the creek or

> on the back of a horse.  Additionally, my father was a country
> preacher.  He often drove 50 and 60 miles into farming communities on
> Sundays and ministered in churches too small to afford a full time
> pastor.  His family, of course, generally went along and since these
> were mostly farming communities, there were lots of horses to ride.  I

> didn't care if there was a saddle or I rode bareback; I just loved
> being on a horse.  In light of all of this horseback riding, I never
> considered myself a cowboy.  I especially hated wearing hats and
> never did wear them.
>
>      When I moved to Colorado, my first job was standing on my feet
> all day.  By evening, I could hardly walk.  My employer kept telling
> me, "Buy cowboy boots."  I had no interest in cowboy boots whatsoever
> and I told him so.  He said, "So, then, let your feet hurt."
>
>      One day, in total agony, I said to my boss, "Would you please go
> with me after work and help me pick out boots?  I know nothing about
> them."  He did so.  I wore my new boots for a couple of days and then
> went back to shoes.  I couldn't even walk down a flight of stairs with

> my boots on without tripping and falling half way down the steps.  I
> was never going to get used to wearing boots and I knew it.
>
>      Two weeks later, I was complaining to my boss one day about how
> terrible my feet hurt.  He told me it was my own fault for not wearing

> the cowboy boots.  I explained I couldn't even walk in them and didn't

> think I could get used to them.  He said, "Look. Put the boots on and
> wear them until you get over the psychological hang up you have about
> wearing them.  Don't give up."  I took his advice simply due to the
> pain my feet were suffering.  Two weeks went by and I was 100 percent
> sold on wearing cowboy boots.  It is all I have worn for well over
> thirty years now.
>
>      Recently, I was in need of some new clothes.  I had been putting
> off buying new cowboy boots for over three years because boots aren't
> cheap even if they do last many years beyond any type of shoes.  So, I

> was going to buy some new clothes and new boots and my mind was made
> up.
>
>      The day before my purchase, I was thinking about going out and
> buying the clothes.  I hate shopping and especially for clothes but it

> had to be done.  As I considered what I needed and what I was going to

> buy and how much I would spend on boots, I heard a small voice say,
> "Buy a hat."
>
>      I immediately said, "What?  I hate all hats," and waited for the
> Holy Spirit to continue.  He said nothing.  I still waited. He still
> didn't continue.
>
>      Unfortunately, I knew He was referring to a cowboy hat. Finally I

> said, "Lord, why do you want me to buy a hat?"  I was almost in tears
> at the thought of wearing a stupid cowboy hat.  As a blind person,
> hats always bothered my ability to hear well omnidirectionally and I
> just didn't like hats.  I didn't even like them, nor did I wear them,
> when I could see.
>
>      Finally, as I waited, the Lord said, "Because you are different
> now."
>
>      "Hold the phone there, Lord!  What in the world does that have to

> do with buying, and wearing I might add, a dumb cowboy hat?  I'm not
> even a cowboy.  I don't own a horse.  The last time I rode a horse, my

> bottom hurt for a week.  I'm not a cowboy!  I couldn't toss a rope if
> my life depended upon it."
>
>      All these things could have easily come to mind and I was tempted

> to let them come tumbling out in rebuttal but due to prior experience
> with such arguments with God, I refrained.  Why? Because I am learning

> to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. I knew exactly what He
> meant when He said, "Because you are different now."  The hat isn't
> important; my obedience to His Word is.  In other words, it was a test

> to see if I would obey.
>
>      You should have seen my youngest son and my wife when I said,
> after picking out the black cowboy boots I wanted, "Now I want to go
> look at the hats."  They nearly left me standing alone in the store.
> My wife even said more than once, "Why are you buying a cowboy hat?"
> I kept saying the same thing; "I don't know."  That wasn't true, of
> course, because I knew exactly why I was buying a hundred dollar
> cowboy hat; because Jesus told me to.  Admitting that publicly,
> however, was a little difficult.
>
>      So now, every time I leave my house, I am wearing a nice black
> cowboy hat.  People laugh and say, "I can't believe what I am seeing."

> I just smile and climb in their car just like I have always worn a
> cowboy hat and boots.  No, I tell very few people why I wear a cowboy
> hat because, like you, they wouldn't believe me if I told them.  So I
> just wear my hat and every time I do, it puts a smile on my face, joy
> in my heart, and praise to my God for caring about me so much, He even

> tells me what to wear.  It is like a rancher friend of mind has always

> said, "God makes a pretty good cowboy."  I'm beginning to believe, God

> might also wear a cowboy hat.  Go ahead and laugh all you want but
> wait until it happens to you some day.  Then it will be my turn to
> chuckle.
>
>
> I Flew Kites With Jesus
> www.SafePlaceFellowship.com
>
>

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