The Old Timers Prayer

On The Back Porch                                                                           by Ol’ Jim Cathey  

Resolutions made or not, 2021 is here and we say, “Good riddance!” to 2020. 

I don’t know about you, but I stayed up until midnight on New Year’s Eve, not to see the New Year in, but to make sure 2020 left! 

However, there is a claim to fame for that dastardly year. At midnight, we found that this is the only time in history where we could say hindsight was 2020!  Hope that gave you a chuckle. 

So, let’s look forward to a grand and promising new year in 2021. No, I don’t think it will be a cakewalk, but we have learned so many things about this coronavirus and I believe America will deal with, cope with, and overcome the hardships imposed by our past actions. 

We still have some leaders that have the grit and stamina to face our situation head on and with the knowledge and skill that it takes to guide our Nation along the right trail and allow a semblance of normalcy to return.

 I’m not a preacher, but I have been exposed to a lot of them and I can safely say that 100% of them believe in the power of prayer. 

Right now, our Nation needs a multitude of prayers. I believe in the power of prayer and the Bible has many passages about prayer that will teach you what, when, why, where, and how if you read closely and listen to the words.

My young bride Stella and I try to pray daily for a lot of needs, and we have learned to expect answered prayer. We also realize that our desires often get revised a bit, but it is always for the best.

Sometimes, we must get still and quiet to be able to listen and see the blessings that God gives. If each of us would just look back on the blessings that we have already received, we would realize that we have had more prayers answered than we thought possible! Daily prayers will ease your mind, calm your spirit, and smooth the trail you chose to ride this day!

The Old Timers Prayer

The old timer stood at the Tack Room’s doorway,

As daylight began to show,

Shed his trail worn hat and quietly began to pray,

His Mom had taught him long ago.

But as a young man, he did not have the time,

Just always too much to do,

He rode for the brand and he would earn his dime,

The “cowboy way” through and through!

But time had wrought a change in his ol’ heart,

He saw life in a new light,

You see, God had given him a fresh start,

And he meant to get it right!

He always tried to show how thankful he was,

Today, he prayed the Lord’s Prayer,

This scripture found in Matthew (6:9-13) gave him pause,

To ponder satan’s evil snare.

He praised the Creator for blessings untold,

And vowed to follow His will,

He thanked Him for the day as it would unfold,

With all blessings to fulfill.

Yes, he was thankful that God would meet his needs,

And forgive him of his sins,

As he in turn forgave others of their deeds,

Knowing this was how one begins.

He prayed that temptation would be pushed aside,

As he lived out his story,

Then he thanked God for the reason Jesus had died,

For God’s Kingdom, Power and Glory!

Then the old timer breathed a sigh of relief,

As his prayer came to its end,

And he knew that others shared his belief,

In Jesus, they could depend.

Then he saddled his pony, as day’s work began,

A cowboy’s life was his to do,

Yes, he knew that he was part of God’s plan,

Jesus love would see him through!

© Ol’ Jim Cathey

My Ol’ Daddy always said, “A feller that asks God for direction and then follows that lead, will find his trail smooth and not chock full of snares an’ pitfalls!”