"Countryside"

A-travelin’ slow and don’t you know,

The countryside we see,

Down winding roads find wagon loads,

Of how things used to be.

A faded barn on some old farm,

Where people worked and played,

But old folks died and though they tried,

Nobody ever stayed.

Fences run and they’ve begun,

To exhibit age and wear,

But still you know the boundaries show,

To those who pass by there.

The old windmill is blowing still,

But not so cows can drink,

They once did, till someone’s bid,

Moved faster than you’d think,

Selling cows and farm, no great alarm,

Except for those who know,

That what we need the town can’t feed,

No one has seeds to sow.

But farther out without a doubt,

Some folks dare to live,

Homesteaders new and cowboys, too,

And all they have they give,

To those old ways from those old days,

When life close to the soil,

Was simpler then than later when,

We’re trapped by city’s toil.

Come smell the hay from yesterday,

And plant your garden plot,

Some honey bees and chickens, please,

And calves to fill the lot.

Bring horses, too, and try to do,

Your best to get it right,

Know what I mean, the living’s clean,

We’ll work while there’s still light.

Then bow our heads, kneel by our beds,

And thank the Lord above,

He gave us this, the country’s bliss,

Blessed by the land we love.

“For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken, says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” (Isaiah 54:10, NLT)

Parker County, Texas, is one of those places that is changing rapidly due to the influx of people. The growth has made rural land much more expensive, but the changes seem inevitable. God’s promise through the prophet Isaiah is that though things may change dramatically, His love never does. His faithful mercy is the stabilizing factor of our lives. He will never break His covenant of blessing, and Jesus said He would never leave or forsake us. It’s a good thing to remember.

Lord, help us honor Your faithfulness, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bruce Greene, used by permission. Thanks, Bruce, and God bless you.