I have a practice pen at my place and we try to practice two or three times a week. If you have people you practice with on a regular basis it works out pretty well. There are those however, that want to know if they can come and rope as well as those that you have invited at other times. I try to only have one or two at a time. When they say they are coming, you count on them.
To prepare to have a good practice requires some work. I try to get home from work at about two in the afternoon. I rush to get the arena drug so that it’s smooth. I then catch two or three horses and get them saddled. I run the water truck to the creek and fill it up. It’s now about three o’clock. I go and round up the cattle and separate out the calves and others that I don’t want to rope that day. I run them up the return lane to the chute and wrap the horns.
I know people are going to show up at four so I get in the water truck and water the arena. Everything is looking ready and as I go to get my horses I hear my phone ring. Glancing at my watch I notice it is now four. The phone call, which is better than text messages I sometimes get, is to let me know that “something came up” and they’re not going to make it.
Have you heard of credibility gap? To say someone is credible means they are “capable of being believed or trustworthy.” Gap on the other hand suggests a “breach or reason for doubt.” We have learned to doubt the words of politicians. Jurors may have reason to doubt the testimony of a witness. Parents may have reason to doubt the word of their children, or vice versa, but to doubt the word of a team roper is a whole new deal!
It’s easy to check your credibility status.
When you say that you will call someone – do you?
When you tell someone they can depend on you to help them out – can they?
When you tell someone you will be there at a certain time – are you?
When you obligate yourself to pay a debt on time – will you?
Granted, no one is perfect, but if you own up to it when you fail or let someone down, without rationalizing around it, you are truly a rare individual. You have true integrity! James 5:12 says “Above all else brothers do not make a promise by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your yes be yes, and your no, no…” There is another One who makes promises. He has never broken one. He has promised to return. There is no credibility gap with Him. He WILL return and He WILL be on time.
Rope great, be a person with credibility in and out of the arena. Thank you for your comments and prayer requests. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.