Dad likes to read books sometimes while we watch TV, especially on commercials. Last night he said, "Oh, you'll want to hear this..." I muted the TV, and he read a passage out of his book titled, "The Roll Away Saloon - Cowboy Talks of the Arizona Strip"
I'll see if I can relate most of it: The man relating the story had been up on the Kaibab with an assignment to "ride the forest and bring in all the cattle they could find." Apparently this was quite an undertaking, as the cattle scrambled through the brush and timber. The horses and men were trained for the task and pushed the cattle hard and fast, and even more so when they happened upon a cougar feeding on a newly killed deer. At one point, the men were shouting loudly, the horses were riding fast, and the cattle were moving even faster when they passed a group of horsemen and packs, caring even less who the people were.
By evening the cowboys had the animals corralled where they needed them, and the men went on to their camp, laughing and kidding each other about how they must have scared that group of men they came across. When the two came to their camp, the cook told them there was a group camped several hundred yards away, and it included President Theodore Roosevelt!
"The next morning I thought it would be in order to go to President Roosevelt's camp and apologize for the fright we had given him and his party the previous day." Which he did. He then offered to put on a rodeo with some of his friends for the President. President Roosevelt's responded kindly with:
"Today is Sunday. I prefer to honor the Sabbath Day. And, if you will forgive me< I appreciate this offer, but I'd rather you didn't today."
The men apologized for not knowing it was Sunday (they worked everyday of the week) and offered to put on the rodeo the following day, which they did.
Even though this took place in 1913, I'm grateful for a President of this country who wasn't afraid to keep the Sabbath day holy, and encouraged others to do the same.
It may seem like a "little thing," but it is a "little thing" that has great power to bless our lives!!
Love,
Mom
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