Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

That Number Deserves Awareness; Not Overly A Concern

If it weren’t for bad luck, we’d have no luck at all.

We make that comment on occasion when things don’t go the way we’d prefer. Yet, it is typically being made tongue-in-cheek, because our luck, or should we say life’s activities, go fairly well, in general. Considering our limited talents, they go quite nicely.


Yet, we are still, as wrong as it is from a faith point of view, very superstitious. Maybe we inherited it from one of our aunts, but certainly there are times we’ll go out of our way in an act of prevention frightened that something bad might occur.

Seems as though the number 13 is what bothers us most, followed closely by those black cats, and there are more, but that generous baker’s number is bad enough by itself.

Can’t recall as 13 bothered us that much in our early years, but after we started riding horses for leading Quarter Horse breeder Russell Klotz, we became cautious of the number. Mr. Klotz never had a Lot 13 horse in his production sales. Thus, when we rode horses in his sales, we hoped we never had Lot 14 either, and fortunately we never did.

Likewise, when we started having our own horse production sales 25 years ago, we never had a Lot 13 horse either, and we made certain Lot 14 wasn’t a personal favorite, nor one we had to ride and show. Seldom did buyers ever notice the missing number.

Because we were grudgingly downsizing in last year’s sale, we decided what-the-heck, we’ll just have a Lot 13. We did, and it showed and sold  fine.

Friday the 13thalways seems to make us cringe, and we are more careful than ever as we crawl on, and in everything we do, during that day. Those have to be some of our most devout times. Even if not Friday, we’re still very cautious on the 13thof each month.

With modern-day digital clocks, there’s a 13 twenty-four times a day, and we are aware when we see the number. One of our quirks is counting attendance at sessions we’re  attending, and if that count comes to the “unlucky one,” our awareness is  enhanced.

It’s not that 13 has ever brought us any terribly bad occurrences, that we’re certain about, but we just don’t want it to, either. Yet, there may be reason for concern if one   studies history of the number of ill-omen. First reference is in Genesis 14:4:  “Twelve years they served the king, and the 13th year they rebelled.”

Hence every occurrence of the number 13, and likewise of every multiple of it, stamps that with which it stands in connection with rebellion, apostasy, defection,  corruption, disintegration, revolution or some kindred idea.

Yet, warning not to worry about it comes in Zephaniah 1:7”: “And I’ll punish all who import pagan superstitions.” Soundest advice is from Acts 14:14: “Abandon these silly  god-superstitions and embrace God himself, the living God.”

+++ALLELUIA+++

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