The Cowboy Pastor’s Wife: Is that my dog? Or a giant pile of hair in the corner?

No doubt I had been too busy for house work. The broom is propped up in the corner where I left it two weeks ago. I hadn’t even looked it’s direction…wait, that’s a lie…I did retrieve it when I dropped my jar of ice tea on the floor! Dang it! I had just poured it’s amber color goodness and was lifting it to my lips when it made it’s mad escape, crashing on the floor! After I came out unscathed I searched for the broom to sweep up the aftermath. Besides that, it has laid unused..untouched…unloved! But now as I lay here on the couch trying to find an ounce of motivation I spy something in the corner and my sleepy eyes are trying to bring it into focus. Maybe if I raise my head I can get a better view! Is that Jennie…my white with brown spotted Jack Russell in the corner and why is she laying there like that? A little further up I stretch my neck and kick in just a touch of ab work…not to much, this is a non exerting kind of day…and oh my…what to my wondering eyes do appear…but dear Lordy…it’s dog hair!

You see neglect had happened because of cows. Cows that needed gathering and cowboys coming. Cows that had to be moved closer to pens and cows that wanted cubes clicked out of feeders. Perhaps the cows are not to blame at all but it was all the food and drinks I hauled in ice chest and toted and heaved and pulled and unloaded and loaded once again to pick ups that would travel down ranch roads. A food truck of sorts for both cowboy and cow. Maybe it was piles of dirty dishes, and scraping food off of dishes to dogs with wagging tails…they always love this time of year. When spurs jingle from cowboys and cowgirls mounting horses and multiple people rushing about coming in and out of doors. New trucks to bark at when they pull up before the sun has had it’s chance to appear. But most of all dogs that smell bacon, biscuits, and rich gravy and salivate for leftovers!

Back to them and what they’ve left behind in the house while running through and being told to “get out!” Their hair has gathered like the cattle, held up by the crew. The dog hair has congregated where wind and passing people swiftly moves them to their meeting spot.

Now that I have identified it is indeed the largest mound of dog hair I’ve ever seen I should do something about it. Don’t you know this will be the day the neighbor who stops by twice a year decides to make his appearance and he shall glance upon the gigantic hair pile and judge in a single moment that I’m the worse housekeeper ever and I shall be scarred for life. I shall be worse than the cat lady with a million cats whose station wagon is piled with kitty litter, Meow Mix and strays.

So before I knit myself a sweater and allow ranch living to drive me completely over the edge I shall put my hand to broom and collect the contents in my dust pan.

Thus for one more day I have accomplished one thing mounting on my list and have escaped humiliation when I make it into town.

Sometimes when we are in the midst of shipping season we forget the most important lesson of all. Perhaps, like me you get sidetracked at all the things that are neglected, instead keep in mind a clean heart is more valuable than a clean house.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 ESV

Thank you for reading, thecowboypastorswife