Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Salvation Even For Those Who Can’t Sing

It sure would be nice to be able to sing.

Our talents are scare in all areas, but the worst would have to be our inability to sing.

We don’t sing in the bath tub, or when we ride because our horse bucked us off the time we did. Occasionally, without a thought when others open their hymnals, we start to join in the spirit, but one sound from our lips, and all heads turn our way, so we quickly stop.

Now, we realize it’s in our genes because Mom (Hope she forgives us for this.) couldn’t sing even though she took lessons one summer during Normal Training, according to her dairy. Yet, she’d do her best to join in during public singing, and we’d just look straight forward as if to become invisible.

Dad never sang a note that we can ever remember. But, in contrast, our wife and her family all sing beautifully. Our son was lead singer of an entertainment group, and our grandson first sang the National Anthem at our horse sale as a kindergartener. However, our daughter (We didn’t say this.) has similar talents of her Old Man.

Seems as though we are in the majority, because most of the population can sing bearably, at least compared to us. Even those with only limited abilities get by just fine in church, and others are such pleasant music to our ears that we listen instead of joining in.

Cowboy singers are among our heroes, but for some reason it wasn’t because of their singing. It was for their horse, saddle, hat and boots. However, all of them became famous, because they could really sing, not because they were true cowboys. They got guitars before their horse.

By the same token, there are a few cowboys, besides us, who can’t sing. We always appreciated Monte Montana’s comments about his fans assuming that he could sing because of his horse and fancy outfits. Monte couldn’t carry a tune either, but he was the best trick roper in the world. Those singing cowboys couldn’t even rope the bucket.

Still, we like to listen to others who can sing. We will even sometimes lip the words to our self, but there’s never any sound accompaniment.

The Good Lord made all cowboys, but evidently He really prefers those who can sing. We somehow can’t appreciate Exodus 15:1: “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”

Yet, we “get off our high horse,” and are pacified by the next verse, Exodus 15:2: “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

+++ALLELUIA+++

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