One of my favorite singing groups is Riders In the Sky. For those of you not familiar with them, they're a foursome of multi-talented Western music writers, singers, and musicians. Formed in 1977, the group is still going strong. I used to listen to their radio show every week. I'd still be doing it, but they're not available in my part of Wyoming.

Anyway, one of the group's hallmarks is their amazing sense of humor. They really know how to have fun! I'll never forget one of the great lines they frequently use in their radio routine. It goes something like this: "We never do things the easy way, we do them the cowboy way."

So many of us humans also seem to live our lives "the cowboy way."

Here's Chief Joseph.

CHIEF JOSEPH

We love that phrase -- "the cowboy way." The image many of you have of the American cowboy is of a romantic, carefree, footloose and fancy-free character. But the reality is, as John can tell you since he lives in cowboy country, is far removed from the romantic image.

A cowboy's life is not always easy, although your modern technology makes it easier today than it was during the days of the American frontier.

Nonetheless, most of you are not cowboys. And even if some of you are cowboys, none of you have to live your lives "the cowboy way."

Life was not meant to be hard. It was not meant to be a struggle. You were not meant to wake up in the morning feeling scared, lost, confused. And yet that is exactly the way many of you wake up most mornings -- dreading the dawning of yet another awful day.

Friends, what it comes down to is this: Trust.

The only reason you ever feel fearful, scared, confused -- or any other negative emotion -- is because you do not trust in the wisdom and goodness of the Universe, or of your higher selves.

If you trusted the Universe and your higher selves, you would not be running scared every day of your lives. You would not be wondering if you got it