Phil,
That's great you are wearing a cowboy hat now.
Don't worry about what others think. The Lord told you to do it, that's cool!
Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson
----- 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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