Cowboy Church

-




My Buddy Tommy Cheatham pastors a small church for Cowboys in Love Valley NC. You've probably never heard of it. Its a little out of the way place in the foothills. The neat thing about Love Valley is that it is for Cowboys. Now don't go thinking its a tourist place it isn't. There are real cowboys there. There are no cars allowed in downtown Love Valley. Only horses! There are hitching posts, a saloon and a general store. There used to be a jail, but now the jail is the church where Tommy pastors. He asked me to come preach today and I did. And people rode their horses to church. I met Willie there. He's the bearded guy pictured above. He's about 5' tall but as you can see he wears a .45 revolver on his side. He takes it off before coming into worship. Its loaded too. He wears a Bowie knife thats about a foot and half long. He has a .444 lever action in a scabbard strapped to his horse. I had lunch with Tommy and Willie today. I asked Willie where he lived. He said "Oh about an hour and a half north of here." I replied, "Up above Wilksboro?" He looked at me kind of funny, "No about an hour and a half north." Then it dawned on me that he meant an hour and a half by horseback. He doesn't have a car! He just rides everywhere. I realized at that point there are lot of things in this world that people get worried about, you know bills and money and schedules. I ride by Wal-Marts and our cookie cutter shopping complexes and Willie rides by the river and up the mountain. He shoes horses. He loves Jesus. And guess what, he's just fine with that. Willie invited me to come back to church, to take my kids horseback riding and to spend a quiet Sunday with him. I'm going to do that.

By the way notice the rule board at the entrance to Love Valley. No discharging of firearms in the city limits, didn't say anything about just outside. Tommy told me the rule board used to read: NO UNLOADED FIREARMS ALLOWED! How about that. If you want to go to love Valley its pretty easy. Just go to Statesville NC, take the HWY 115n exit off of I-40. Go about 15 miles and follow the sign on your left. You can't miss it. And you won't want to.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Neat Story, and definatley a neat town.
7:08 PM
Anonymous said…
Brad, that place looks awesome. One more reason I miss my good old home state while I'm stuck over here for round two of Iraq traveling.

P.s. Can't wait to see what Butch Davis is gonna do with the Heels!

James Corbin
6:05 AM
Anonymous said…
That is so great! There is a big Cowboy Church conference that they hold here outside of Truett every year- lots of tents, and horses and horse manure:)!
Hey is was great to see you at Crossroads- Tell your family hello for me!
11:08 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Serendipity

-
Encarta's dictionary defines serendipity as this: a natural gift for making useful discoveries by accident. I sort of disagree with that definition but to that in a moment. We just never know what each day holds. I was at my desk working away and at trying organize my messy world when a gentleman appeared at my door. He asked, "Is there a Chaplain around?" I said, "Right in front of you!" He asked if I had a moment and I agreed. He sat down on my couch and immediately began to cry. He was in his late 40's I suspect. Turns out he was retired from the Army and on this day had no where else to go. He's a carpenter and just drove onto Ft Jackson looking for some help. He looked me square in the eye and said, "I'm feeling like killing myself" He shared his story with me, one of betrayal and pain and loss. Turns out he tried to kill himself three years ago and was in a coma for 10 days, but lived. His story was heartbreaking. I prayed to God, ...
Read more

A soldier dispenses his views!

-
I get to meet and make friends with some hilarious people in the Army. Many could have sob stories that are truly legitimate then others just seem to make the best of things and their situations. My friend Mark was out of the Army in the Individual Ready Reserve for over 12 years. That means he was out, like not ever putting on a uniform. He had a great job, a great wife and a gaggle of kids. But in December he gets a letter in the mail saying, "Welcome back! And oh by the way its involuntary, you are going to Iraq" (my paraphrase). Instead of ducking the mission, instead of griping and complaining, Mark chooses to laugh and make others laugh. I thank God for him and others like him in these trying times. I hope you will as well! Enjoy....by the way, its really hot in Kuwait in case you were wondering!
Read more