Christmas Sermon

This Christmas Eve night was cold. Bitterly cold. An old cowboy was hunkered down in his line cabin on the far back side of the Lightning Ranch in West Texas. The snow had started just a little after lunch and had not let up since forming a white blanket as far as the eye could see. There was a good fire going in the old stove and the little single room cabin was gonna make it through another winter just fine. He was satisfied.

Just before dark there was a knock at the door that startled him. He seldom got visitors so his heart skipped a beat as he opened the door while his mind raced wondering who, or what, it was that would be out at this time of evening, especially in this weather.

As the door slowly opened and the dim light of the cabin flooded the person standing there, he immediately recognized the Preacher. "Evenin', would it be possible for me to warm up a bit before trying to make it to town? It's plenty cold and I'd be very grateful," asked the Preacher.

"By all means Preacher, please come in. Don't just warm up, heck spend the night and go on to town in the mornin'." Offered the cowboy as the Preacher stepped in the cabin shaking off the chill. After a few minutes of pleasantries and idle conversation a quiet fell over the little cabin with nothing but the sound of crackling fire from the stove. A few minutes passed and the Preacher made a proposition.

"Since it is Christmas Eve and we seem to have run out of things to talk about, I was wondering if it would be ok if I gave my Christmas Morning sermon? I have it all worked out and it would do me some good to practice it one more time plus I bet you are working tomorrow morning and won't have to hear it twice..."

"Of course Preacher, I think that's a great idea. I have no doubt it would do me some good to listen." Said the cowboy. With that the Preacher started in.

At about the 45 minute mark he was really rollin'.

After about an hour, he had really hit his stride and was startin' to bring it home.

The cowboy sat and listened intently, never moving. When all the fire a brimstone had been laid down, the Preacher tapered off and finished then slowly closed his Bible and silence once again filled the little cabin for a few minutes. Neither man said a word. After a few more minutes of silence the Preacher turned to the cowboy and asked him what he thought of his Christmas Sermon.

Never one to not tell it like it is, the Cowboy answered.

"Well Preacher, it was really good. There were several parts I really liked and you touched on some things I didn't know so I guess I learned something too...", the cowboy paused hoping to find the right words.

"Well, what did you not like about it son?" quizzed the Preacher.

"Well Preacher, I'll tell you like this. When I call up these cows and go to feed them a sack of feed, if just one cow shows up......I don't pour out the whole sack!"

Merry Belated Christmas,

Walker

(I had the chance to visit the Lightning Ranch, Central Texas Division, this week and I got this story there. I can't take credit for something that ain't mine. The cowboy in this story, or the Preacher, wouldn't approve of that. Thanks guys.)