Preferences

I enjoy shooting cowboy. It is something Prissy and I share. When we mention cowboy action shooting to the uninitiated the first thing that comes to their mind is shooting the guns. There is so much more to this activity. First, for us it is a ministry. Our being committed to cowboy to the extent we are was a God thing from the beginning. The real motive behind our participation is the opportunity to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ into this group containing more than its share of the walking wounded. We had noticed that preachers didn’t last long around cowboy action shooting events. They would parade around with the largest Bible you ever saw inviting everyone they could find to attend cowboy church. After a few times of low attendance they just stopped showing up for the match. Their absence belies their commitment to their “gospel.” The truth is the cowboys would be courteous but they wanted to know the measure of the man before they would give him their time. That measure is found on the firing line not in easy talk.

I enjoy all the tasks associated with reloading the ammo needed for us to compete. The brass must be cleaned, sized and primed. The lead is cast into bullets and the bullets sized and lubricated. Then the primed brass is charged with powder and the bullet seated and crimped into place. And this only accounts for the cowboy ammo. Loading shotgun is an entirely different animal, with plastic hulls, power piston wads, shot and powder to be combined into a 12 gage shell that doesn’t feel like a Missouri mule every time you pull the trigger.

Then there are the guns that must be cared for. They must be cleaned, checked and maintained in good repair. Each of us has two pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun plus extras just in case Murphy rares his ugly head and something breaks. In cowboy action, Murphy is alive and well. I’m really surprised someone hasn’t shot him with all the mischief he causes!

There is pleasure found in each task and there is a great deal of satisfaction when we complete a match with a minimum of difficulty. It makes it all worth while. The pleasure is found on Sunday morning when cowboys show up for cowboy church. I guess they found the measure to their liking.

As much as I enjoy shooting cowboy, I dearly love shooting long range rifle. Where cowboy action is an action sport, full of activity with lots of laughter and camaraderie; long range is a discipline. Oh, we enjoy the company of others who also relish in the discipline of the effort, but in the sport itself there is you, your rifle, and the target. Do it right and you are rewarded with the satisfying sound of lead striking the steel target. Do it wrong and all you get is a little dirt kicking up.

Seems to me there is a parallel between all this effort put into shooting and Scripture. In shooting, you have to do it right to find the reward. In Scripture, you have to reach beyond the cross to get to the crown.

Thank 'ya kindly!

I held the timer close but was being very aware of where I was in relation to the shooter. I didn’t want to interfere with him in any way if it could be avoided. I attempted to predict what he would do with the buzzer sounded and remain within arms reach of the guns should the need arrive. This was a good shooter and very competitive and I wanted him to have a good run. I couldn’t help but notice the look on his face as he shot through the stage. He looked as though he was in pain. His face was drawn, eyes fixed, with a slacked jaw, breathing hard. He was working on it and working hard.

After he completed his run, I turned and gave the score keeper the time then looked at the counters and polled them. 22.8 seconds and clean – a very good run for this stage. In my peripheral vision I could see the shooter. He had paused with rifle in one hand, shotgun in the other and he was listening to what everyone was saying. Of course he was interested, it was his score. I pointed to him and he looked at me puzzled. I gave him a “thumbs up” and said two words, “Good run!” The reaction was visible and almost exaggerated. He visibly relaxed, flashed a big smile, nodded a yes and headed for the unloading table. On his way to the table I could hear others congratulating him on a job well done.

Many years ago I took part in a study in human behavior. We parked a car on the shoulder of the road, raised the hood like there was a problem, and had a woman stand at the front of the car looking worried and very concerned. Over the period of one hour, we counted the cars that passed waiting to see how long it would take for some to stop and offer assistance to a “lady in distress.”

Later in the same location we again conducted the experiment in a somewhat different manner. We had two cars about a half mile apart parked with the hood up. Again, the lady stood in front of the first car with a raised hood acting for all she could as though she was in distress. However, this time we had a man parked in front of her with flashers going and he was talking to her with her pointing to here engine. The second car was also a “lady in distress” in the same manner as the first, however this time there was no help. She was looking about as though to say, “Will someone help me?” The difference in the two experiments was dramatic. In the first experiment there were only two men who stopped and offered to help the lady in distress. In the second experiment there were nine men who stopped to help the second distressed car.

We are all so centered on ourselves that sometimes we need to be reminded that a kind word to someone else brings tremendous results. When I congratulated the shooter for a job well done it was like a fresh breeze had blown through the posse. Not only did the shooter receive well deserved praise for a job well done, the others on the posse were reminded to encourage and were rewarded with strengthened bonds of friendship. Even those who watch in silence responded to this simple act of kindness, “Good run!” Encouragement pays huge dividends.