I Want To Be the Girl In the Rodeo

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

I want to be the girl who rides around the rodeo ring carrying the American flag. I want to wear the sequined chaps that glisten in the spotlight. I want to ride so fast that my hair floats behind me. I want to sit straight and tall in the saddle while the National Anthem plays. I didn’t know I wanted to be that girl until tonight when I went with husband to the rodeo that his employer is sponsoring. We were there to work, but they had enough help, so we slipped inside the arena to watch the bull riders. That’s when I saw the girl on her carefully groomed horse flying around the ring. She rode holding onto her horse with just her legs, both hands clasping the pole of the flag. It danced beside her glowing red, white and blue. And she looked so free and beautiful. I want to be that girl. But, do I want to ride so fast? Will I be afraid of falling off? Will I be able to hold on so tight while making those sharp turns and circles? Will I drop the flag? Will my horse buck in fear when the indoor fireworks shoot through the arena? Will he stand still through the anthem? Will I dedicate the time to practice? Do I want to do what it takes to be that girl? Maybe not. I want to be the woman who is healthy and thin. Do I want to ride my bike every night, good weather and bad? Do I want to eat only half a sandwich? To substitute fruit for chips? Do I want to stop with only one girl scout cookie? To refrain from sweetened drinks and potatoes? Maybe. Maybe not. I want to be a woman who is a good steward of her money. A woman who has funds to spare for charity. A woman who doesn’t have to count her pennies before helping someone. I want to have money left over at the end of the month to put into savings. But, can I walk through a mall and not buy something? Can I pass up a bargain that I really don’t need? Can I go to a craft show and understand that I don’t need anything there? Can I? Maybe. Maybe not. I want to be a woman who is careful of her tongue. Who only says things that build someone up and not tear them down. I want to be an encourager, a reflection of the God I serve. Can I keep my mouth shut? Maybe. Maybe not. There are so many things I desire to be. But, they all take work. Hard work. Focus and concentration. Sacrifice and self control. How bad do I want them? It remains to be seen. I’d like to be that girl riding freely around the ring. But, even more I want to be a woman glorifying God in everything I do and there’s nothing more beautiful than that.