My son Ryan read this at his Grandpa’s celebration of Life

The Cowboy’s Prayer by Donna McSpadden

Our gracious and heavenly Father, we pause in the midst of this festive occasion, mindful of the many blessings you have bestowed upon us.

As cowboys, Lord, we don’t ask for any special favors. We ask only that you will let us compete in this arena as in the arena of life.

We don’t ask that we never break a barrier, draw around a chute-fighting horse, or draw a steer that just won’t lay. We don’t even ask for all daylight runs.

We only ask that you help us to compete in life as honest as the horses we ride and in a manner as clean and pure as the wind that blows across this great land of ours.

Help us, Lord, to live our lives in such a manner that when we make that last inevitable ride to the country up there, where the grass grows lush, green and stirrup high, and the water runs cool, clear and deep, that you, as our last Judge, will tell us that our entry fees are paid.

Amen.