Here's a sad story out of Oklahoma
by Hal Swift

On May 21, a popular Oklahoma rodeo announcer and vocational/agriculture teacher was killed in a freak accident. 47-year-old Mark McGee was driving a power mower, cutting weeds along the road in front of his place, when a young man, believed to have been drinking, lost control of his pickup truck, overturned and fatally crushed Mr. McGee.

Mr. McGee announced the International Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, and for 16 years was the announcer for the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

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Now...here's the "rest of the story."

Mark's family said he had been trying to find a copy of Rod's poem, "Bible in the Wind," for several days before his death.

A few days after Mark's death, I received a request from his family, asking that, if I had a copy of Rod's poem, would I please send it to them. They said he had been looking for the poem for several days before he was killed, and they wanted to read it at his funeral. Of course, I sent it immediately.

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Bible in the Wind
From Rod's book, "Drover Diaries"
by Rod Nichols

He�d open up his Bible, so,
let the wind just have its way,
and when it stopped, he'd read a while,
then close the book, and pray.

They'd seen him do this many times
and never questioned, "Why?"
Perhaps it didn't matter much,
but a young cowboy would try.

"Say, pard," the cowboy asked of him,
"Now, I don't mean to pry,
but why, in heavens name, do you
just let them pages fly?"

The old hand paused and smiled a bit,
then answered, thoughtfully,
"Who better knows what I should read,
the Lord above, or me?"

"I know you have a Bible, son,
the same Good Book as me,
but like the Lord you'll find it speaks
to each man, differently."

"And I ain't one to second guess
my Maker's Will on Earth.
So I just let His own good breeze
select my daily verse.

"It's just my way of showin' faith;
I hope you understand.
I trust the Lord to lead me, son,
and hold me in His hand."

The young cowboy now thought on this,
"Who better? Lord indeed.
What man could be your follower
unless he let You lead?"

He opened up his Bible, then,
let the wind just have its way,
and when it stopped, he read a while,
then closed the book, to pray."

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