cowboys funeral

Jerry Smith’s Order of Service

Welcome Pastor Bill Ivey

Scripture Pastor Bill Ivey

Opening Prayer Pastor Bill Ivey

Old Rugged Cross

Cowboy’s Last Request Pastor Roger Miller

COWBOYS LAST REQUEST"
By Terry Ike Clanton 6-15-00 copyright 2000

Let me tell you folks
Who have gathered here today
That I'm a proud and thankful cowboy
Who has just passed away
I know it's hard
But, please don't cry
Fer I'm now ridin' Gods trails
High up in the sky
The hoss I'm ridin' now
Don't spook, buck or kick
Fer God stables perfect horses
And now I have my pick
Lord, please forgive me of all my sins
Fer I haven't been perfect
But I know that he who believes in You
Forever wins!
I have lived a good life
A cowboys dream come true
Thank You Lord,
Fer I'm now ready to ride into eternity
Me, my horse, and You.

Obituary
Gerald Wilber Smith, 73, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died November 30, 2010 in
Gothenburg, NE. He was born November 29, 1937 in Ontario, Oregon, son of
J. Elton and Edith (Rettig) Smith. He grew up in Eastern Oregon and attended
schools in Durkee and Brogan and graduated from Ontario High.

Jerry served his country in the Army from Dec. 1960 to Nov. 1962.

Jerry married Judith Miller, March 1964 in Reno NV. Jerry and Judy lived and
worked on a ranch in Oregon. They moved to Nebraska in 1972 where Jerry
operated a Well Service for almost 25 years. Jerry enjoyed hunting, fishing,
and horses. Surviving are wife, Judy Smith of Gothenburg, NE; son, Brad
Smith of Citrus Heights, CA; son, Rick (Julie) Smith of Kearney, NE; daughter
-in-law Bev Smith of Hampton, NE; grandson, Ethan, granddaughter,
Courtney, brother, Jim Smith of Anchorage, AK, brother, Rod (Bobbi) Smith
of Eugene, OR; and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews. Gerald was
preceded in death by son, David Smith, his parents and grandparents.

Message
One of the things about Jerry was his ability to tell stories and to laugh about it
-so I thought he might appreciate the following. . .
Cowboy Joe was telling his fellow cowboys back on the ranch about his
first visit to a big-city church.
"When I got there, they had me park my old truck in the corral," Joe
began.
"You mean the parking lot," interrupted Charlie, a worldly fellow.
"I walked up the trail to the door," Joe continued.
"The sidewalk to the door," Charlie corrected him.
"Inside the door, I was met by this dude," Joe went on.
"That would be the usher," Charlie explained.
"Well, the usher led me down the chute," Joe said.
"You mean the aisle," Charlie said.
"Then, he led me to a stall and told me to sit there," Joe continued.
"Pew," Charlie retorted.
"Yeah," recalled Joe. "That’s what that pretty lady said when I sat down
beside her."’

For those who love to hunt, fish, and the outdoors as Jerry did the reality of
God is unmistakable. I have been a pastor for awhile-where I connect with
God most often is in my creators creation. Catch a mess of fish and you notice
they are each uniquely designed for a purpose. Ever spent time around horses
or livestock you will discover each is unique as well. Every sunrise and sunset
is a unique masterpiece of our heavenly Father.

Maybe, that’s why when a person that worked with Jerry on the ranch always
insisted on discussing politics and religion, he kept after Jerry and kept after
Jerry for his opinions on the subject. . .finally exasperated Jerry says I am not
crooked enough to be a politician, and I do not go to church often enough to
discuss religion.

Thats the hang up for most of us. . .we know there is a creator-we are sure
there is a designer who is bigger and smarter than we are. . . we just can’t
stand the Pew of life. We see crooked politicians and Christians living like the
devil and it confuses us! But it’s also our own stench we have a hard time with,
our own sins our own failings, our own dreams that no matter how much work
and prayer that never came true. The son or daughter that died before their
time. The innocent baby that suffers for no apparent reason. The stench,
cruelty and hardness of life can either make us bitter or better in our walk
with God. The reality of God in a broken world either blinds us to his goodness
or breaks open the possibility of something better!

A bit of trivia for you this morning. . .who is the first hunter or trapper
mentioned in the good book? Genesis 3:21 The LORD God made garments of
skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. It is our heavenly father who was
the first sportsman. After man and women chose the stench of sin-he sacrificed
one of his beautiful creations to clothe man! Thousands of years later, our
heavenly father would sacrifice an even more precious gift to redeem man-his
only begotten son Jesus Christ was given on the Cross to pay for the stench of
sin,he was buried as all men are, but he rose from the dead to prove to all he
was the God Man!

Listen to John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and
only Son,[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in
him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned
already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only
Son.

One of the ways we know for certain that God loves us is the unique gift of
JerrySmith’s life. Yes we are sad he is gone-but we should see that when
our heavenlyfather created Jerry he broke the mold. Jerry’s life was full
he grew up in a uniqueway in a unique place eastern Oregon. He loved salty
stories and also loved to listen to old time gospel. He was a rodeo cowboy,
served in the army, drove truck everywhere, loved Judy and the boys, and
worked hard! He was as honestas the day is long! As you remember Jerry
every twinkle in your eye, every chuckle, and every tear is reminder that
God loved you so much he put Jerry in your life.

The memories of a person are reminders by the Holy Spirit-that one day
there will be no stench-there will be no death or suffering-that one day
there will be peace in the valley!

Jerry’s logic was sometimes hard to follow, but it was always consistent!
Several years ago Michael Martin Murphy wrote a song called Cowboy
Logic let me share a few verses from it. . .

There's a great American hero, we all look up to

When the times are hard and the chips are down,

he knows just what to do

Now a cowboy's got a set of rules that he lives by day to day

If you ask for his advice, he'll more than likely say

If it's a fence, mend it. If it's a dollar bill, spend it

Before if burns a hole down in them jeans

It it's a load, truck it. If it's a punch, duck it.

If she's a lady, treat her like a queen

That's cowboy logic, every cowboy's got it

It's in the way he lives his life and the songs he sings

That's cowboy logic, every cowboy's got it

He's got a simple solution to just about anything

If it's a job, do it. Put your back in to it.

'Cause a little bit of dirt's gonna wash off in the rain

If it's a horse, ride it. If it hurts, hide it.

Dust yourself off and get back on again.

That's cowboy logic, every cowboy's got it

It's in the way he lives his life and the songs he sings

Over the years there has been hundreds of snippit’s written about
a Cowboy’s logic. Let me give you five that fit Jerry

If it’s broke, fix it. A cowboy understands that when things aren’t going
right it is time to sit back, take a hard look at the situation, and to take
corrective action when needed. Sometimes it isn’t the strategy or tactic
that is wrong it is just unfortunate circumstances, when that’s the case
a cowboy understands to buckle down and work your way through it.
Standing at the sink yesterday Julie made the mistake of leaning against
the faucet and Rick playfully slapped the back of her head-I made that
mistake around dad once in a rental house-he said to me that’s how those
things get busted do you want to fix it?

Every man deserves respect. That includes others as well as yourself. What
cowboy hasn’t made mistakes, when a man rides into camp he is treated with
respect till he proves otherwise. In his well business that is how Jerry always
operated-Some one that had lots’ of money was treated exactly as the widow
who had nothing! He would be up in the middle of the night if your cattle had
no water or leave a family dinner to make sure the well was fixed-exactly
because he respected everyone-no not like everyone but respected everyone.

Be creative. One cowboy said; Sure if you’re ten miles from home and all you
have is a piece of wire and a stick then if you are going to get it fixed all you
have is your wits. At the Nursing home they were found of calling Jerry
MacGyver- because he could fix anything!

Act. Contemplation is a good thing when riding drag or at the campfire at
night, but a cowboy is a man of action. To “cowboy up” means to give it
your all. When Jerry took on anything that is how he did it!

Believe. Believe in God. Who can ride across a pasture on a good horse
on a spring day and not know there is a Maker? Believe in yourself. A
cowboy who doesn’t have faith in his abilities isn’t worth spit. A cowboy
who doesn’t have faith in something bigger than himself is worth even
ess. Now God did not give us many trails to get to heaven only one-but
one is enough-that trail is not a religion it is a personal relationship with
Jesus Christ. Listen to the first excerpt of the first sermon that was probably
preached outdoors. . . Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has
ade this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said
to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and
for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted
his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their
number that day.

Tim Mcgraw recorded the Cowboy in us, one portion of the lyrics is We
Ride and Don’t worry about the Fall! If you want to know how a cowboy
can ride a rank horse or bull there it is- we ride and do not worry about
the fall!

The truth about life is -it is both soo good and sometime soo hard we
get on it and ride through it without ever thinking of the fall!

Judy’s story about the dialysis

One of my favorite Old testament prophets was Amos Amos was
a shepherd under the reigns of Uzziah and Jeroboam II Amos, good
man he was. Good shepherd man. Good herdsman. I prefer to think
of him as a cowboy preacher. Amos preached about God’s justice
and righteousness. He condemned all people who made themselves
powerful or rich at the expense of others. And his main message
to the people of Israel was this: Amos 4:12 “Prepare to meet your
God, O Israel.”

And, of course, everyone needs to prepare to meet God in person.
This is a big part of what life is about. We start life with God
(even though we don’t realize this), we continue our lives with God
(even though many people stubbornly refuse to admit this. He is
our sustainer in life). And we end life with Him even though many
people deny this. BUT WE OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD RECOGNIZE
THIS FACT AND BE HUMBLED BY IT! Life is a preparation to meet
God in person!

Peace in the Valley

Benediction
When I see a windmill, I see the Holy Spirit at work in the life of a believer. First, pneuma is the same Greek word for both wind and Spirit. "The winds
are yourmessengers; flames of fire are your servants" (Psalms 104:4). The
windmill adjuststo the direction of the wind in order to work, just as the
Christian must adjust to the divine Wind in order for life to work. Jesus said, "The wind blows wherever itwants. Just as you can hear the wind but
can't tell where it comes from or where itis going, so you can't explain
how people are born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). The windmill brings forth
life-giving water to a dry and thirsty land, just as Christians are to
overflow with the Living Water of His Spirit! "Whoever believes in me, as
the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.
By this hemeant the Spirit. . ." (John 7:38,39). So, the next time you pass
one of the prairie's whirligigs may you be amazed at the works of God.
Roger Miller

Scripture
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear it’s sound, but you cannot
tellwhere it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born
of the Spirit.” John 3:8 NIV


Turning to Face the Wind
I hear the windmills creek and squeak,
As Wheels turned toward the wind.
Those mills pumped water for the stock
On which our hopes were pinned
The sucker rods moved up and down
While wheels spun round and round
They sucked the fossil water up
For use above ground.
The windmills made life possible
On flat and dry terrain.
They kept the stock tanks well-supplied
Despite infrequent rain.
To us those wooden windmills were
The pyramids of the plains,
More monumental than the ones
Built during pharaoh’s reigns.
My family, too, faced winds head on-
The winds of chance and change
The winds that blew with Blizzard force
And howled across the range.
And like the windmill derricks,
We anchored to that place,
And Turned as did the Windmill Wheels
To face what we must face
Cowboy Poetry (turning to face the Wind) Jane Ambrose Morton

Sentence Prayer
Father
There is neither Sail or windsock that can capture your gust. We all are being
driven home by your mighty gusts. Jerry is at home with you -so Help us adjust
Holy Spirit to the direction you are blowing today. Help us see in your wind
there is no chance or change, that you cannot use for your glory. Help
us anchor enough to this life that we are able to serve you, but may we be free
enough to adjust to your will. Amen

Rom 14:7-8
For none us lives to himself alone
and none of us dies to himself alone.
If we live, we live to the Lord;
and if we die, we die to the Lord.
So whether we live or die we belong to the Lord.

Message
We may have come here to committ Gerald Smith To the
Lord our God Father, Son and Holy Spirit But this is not
the end We who are Christians know,we know that we will
be with Jerry again. Because of the risen savior, our Lord
Jesus Christ Because he lives We shall live also We are a
people full of hope. We are a people who are not Grieved
but full of hope for we know Jerry is at peace with Christ

Committal
In sure and certain hope
of the resurrection to eternal life,
through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Jerry - we commend you to almighty God
and we commit your body to its final resting place,
ashes to ashes, dust to dust

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord,
they will rest from their labor,
for their deeds will follow them.

Prayer
Lord,
Thank you for blessing us with the life of
Jerry
Instill in our hearts,
the knowledge of the hope that we have in you.
Fill us with your love,
and grant us your peace.
Amen

The Cowboy's Prayer" by Badger Clark
O Lord, I've never lived where churches grow;

I love creation better as it stood

That day You finished it so long ago

And looked upon Your work and called it good.

Just let me live my life as I've begun,

And give me work that's open to the sky;

Make me a pardner of the wind and sun,

And I won't ask for a life that's soft or high.

Make me as wide and open as the plains,

As honest as the horse between my knees,

Clean as the wind that blows behind the rains,

Free as the hawk that circles down the breeze.

Just keep an eye on all that's done and said,

Just right me sometimes when I turn aside,

And guide me on the long, dim trail ahead,

That stretches upwards toward the Great Divide

Benediction
May the Lord hold you and keep you
May the Lord give you comfort
May the Lord shine his face upon you
and give you peace.
Amen