News you can use
News you can use
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Matthew 13:22 "The ground of trusting in the riches of this world is sinking sand" Out our way, the upper pastures can be a bit treacherous. The thorn trees and thick clumps of trees in the arroyos can hide unexpected surprises. Being a greenhorn, I did not know that some creek beds get covered in dirt and while they may look dry and solid are actually deep mud holes that, quicksand-like, will grab hold of the unwary and not let go. I have shared this tale a few times before,...
A circuit rider pastor has a lot of "windshield time" to pray and to ponder ... pondering can take some mighty strange directions at times. While driving down the highway, I wondered, " How many mile markers there are in Montana?" I googled the Montana Transportation webpage ... there are 13,271-mile markers in our state ... Now, that's a lot of highway! We don't pay much attention to the mile markers unless we need roadside assistance. But in that moment of describing the nea...
You know, Lord, it was special listening to several teens talk about their visit to a rest home, visiting a woman named Violet on Mother's Day. They said she smiled as they stopped in to visit with her. The hot, sticky, midday air came into her little group home unabated, but she didn't complain. Instead, she began wracking her mind for a song to sing. Then a huge smile appeared and she sang, "I am running, skipping, jumping, praising the Lord!" As she sang, she swung her arms...
As Christians, we are considered to be "people of the book." Our identity is formed by one particular book, the Bible. This book is actually many books, of course, written by many people over many years. Together, the books of the Bible reveal to us the nature of God, the person of Jesus, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. We are shaped by Scripture. I, as a Lutheran woman living in Montana, have something deeply in common with the Pentecostal bus driver in Brazil and...
Hosea 14:1-9 "Return,O Israel, come back to the Lord your God ..." Out our way, spring can be a busy season, especially with all the newborn calves jumping sound. Naturally some are a bit curious and tend to wander and sometimes get lost, which is why Charlie and I ride the arroyos and tree stands as well as going up ridges to get an eagle's view of the whole layout. A young calf still needs mama's milk and guidance. She can show it where to find water and where the best...
You know, Lord, sometimes one comes across some very interesting reading. Author unknown, but mentioned that Craig and Lizzy had a regular'Joke Night with their four school-age children. Each child brought several jokes they'd read or heard (or made up themselves!) during the week to tell at the dinner table. This tradition created joyful memories of fun shared around the table. Craig and Lizzy noticed that laughter was healthy for their children, lifting their spirits on...
We're born to die, the "Good Book" says, those left behind are sad. A new-born girl, just 2 days old, left weeping Mom and Dad. Away down South, 'Jil' dined with Mom, then hurried back to work. She shared NO troubles with her Mom, she worked as a Sales Clerk. Some time had passed, - 'Jill' wasn't found 'till Boss found her plumb dead! They saw that she had overdosed, dropped down and cracked her head. Across the state a grandpa lived, he was there all alone. He'd just turned...
You know, Lord, some of us were chatting about our life when we were kids. One friend shared that when she was about 4 years old, her mom's friend stopped by to visit. She said, "Even at my young age, I was chatty. That is, until Mom's friend turned to me and said, 'You have diarrhea of the mouth.' "She might have said it with a smile on her face, as I don't think she really meant to insult me, but her words felt like a gut punch - even way back then. I thought to myself, 'I...
(John 13:1-17) So far in this important election year, I am not seeing any Servant Humility. How about you? Jesus washed the disciple's feet in order to demonstrate the humility with which his disciples are to continue as messengers of his Word and his Way. Jesus told the disciples that they must be willing to do as he had done (see John 13:14-17), and that they would be blessed as they became stewards of what he was teaching them. It was a lesson in the deep humility they...
Romans 18:17 "Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you learned." Out our way, there are often more than one "leader" in the herd whom the other cattle will follow without question. The "herd" mentality dominates and if for whatever reason this cow or that appeals to others, they will follow without thought. But what happens when two different leaders going on different trails arise and call the herd to follow?...
Isaiah 30:21 This is the way, walk in it. I have shared this text many times before because it is a message I need to heed, and most likely, so do you. Out our way, the Tiger Ridge is not a flat plateau, but an area with many ridges, old trails, arroyos, thorn bushes and deep gullies. Like it or not, Charlie and I found many a calf lost and apart from their mama and the herd because they wandered down the wrong trail and ended up in a gully. Unlike the cattle - and especially...
You know, Lord, friend, Ce De, asked if she and her neighbor could pop on over, so she could "spill her guts" - like what? So, here they came. They settled in for some tea and cookies and off she went. "You know, long ago, Ally was my best friend - she's since died and gone to heaven, but I can't help but now and then, think about her - how great she was. Oh, maybe I'd best start out in the beginning. A casual acquaintance invited a group of gals over, including me. Well,...
Happy Easter! I have not taken the opportunity to post any articles for a few months an so this is a chance to express some Easter greetings to you all. We are celebrating the Fourth Sunday of Easter this weekend and the readings for Sunday are from Acts 4:8-12, Psalm 118:8-9,21-23, 26, 28, 29, 1 John 3:1-2 and the Gospel is John 10:11-18. In our tradition we call this Sunday "Good Shepherd Sunday" based on the Gospel reading. In the Gospel reading Jesus calls himself the...
Matthew 7:15-20 Out our way, actions speak louder than words. That is true in the pasture as well as in business, city hall or the church. Now, Doc was very clear about claiming to be Babe's boyfriend. He stayed near her most of the time in the paddock and out in the pasture. When we took off with Charlie, he whinnied to Babe upon leaving and when coming home. One day, a new resident boarded her horse named Cowboy for a time in the paddock next to Doc and Babe. Well, old...
Last weekend, the mornings were gray and wet - a good weekend to linger in the comforts of one's bed. But as is so often the case for me, nature eventually calls and I have to get up. Besides, the days just refuse to wait around for me. So, per the usual morning routine, I threw on a jacket and tromped outside in my Muck boots. Drops of rain clung to the fresh shoots of grass that the horses eagerly chased once I opened the corral. And as the drumming of their hooves rolled...
You know, Lord, a friend, "R.W.," shared how she loved to pamper herself; on and on she went. Some words were quite interesting. Tee hee. She said she loved to shower, to dry herself, using the nice thick towel Granny had given her, then she'd rub some aloe-oil on herself - oh my! She enjoyed that feeling. She said that then she just might get some "routine work" done, wearing a mask, sometimes. She giggled, said that sometimes her "work" made her feel energized and...
John 20; 28-29 Out our way, we meet a few tourists along the way and sometimes even celebrities. You may remember the Kevin Costner movie "Dances with Wolves," and a few years back one of the bit players - a kid who went by the moniker "Smiley" because he had been in the movie and smiled a lot in the one scene he was in - well, he came to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to talk with the kids at a school program. Impressive - but I got him beat. When pastoring in South Dako...
Welcome to the Season of Eastertide! As I write, there is renewal of life on the prairies and in the mountains. We hear the robins and the meadow larks each morning. We look for the arrival of loons in Beaver Creek Park and snow geese flocking in wheat stubble and a tiny yellow prairie flower are signs of life. (No, I don't mean the dandelion!) For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, Easter's resurrection story is reflected in Nature as winter gives way to...
You know, Lord, April has arrived! Since farming is in our background, it's delightful to hear farmers talk about this new season. It's also great to hear them talk about those new baby animals, cute baby bullocks being born. Oh! Listen! It sounds like the birdies have come back. Next, we'll see the trees are about to bud and those lovely tulips are starting to peek up through the ground, oh, and the daffodils also. When we're close to the prairie, we'll see what we call...
It's Springtime, Lord and we grow old; we don't know what to do. Our helpers left, they were so good, but they flew off to You! At Church last week, three empty seats, one ill, two flew above. We're born to die, You'll call us home, we'll go "back home" in love. Birthdays fly by, plus special days, dear ones sometimes leave gifts, Given by friends to share their love, then they took off - "airlift"! One Tuesday noon, we met for lunch, there was an empty seat. A friend joined u...
Luke 24:13-35 Out our way, that final trip back to the table and the fresh hay, grain and water is an amazing journey. After hours of heat, and often cold, being baked dry - or soaking wet - both horse and rider are worn out. Doc and I both tended to droop a good deal as we finished checking the fence, herd, and pushing some stray youngsters back towards mama. I have shared before that sensation that comes when, barely able to keep moving, we crossed that last ridge and saw...
In John 19:30, Jesus declared: "It is finished." This was a declaration of a mighty, mighty victory. From that day forward, these final words from the cross would serve to change history. First of all: A mission was accomplished In John 17:4, Jesus states to God, His Father, that He was "finishing the work that you gave me to do." Obviously, there was much more to Jesus' time on earth than what meets the eye. The statement "It is finished" means that Jesus accomplished His...
You know, Lord, a while back, a Sunday School teacher smiled as kids came in; she asked, "What Day is today?" All raised their hands, she nodded, all said, "Easter Sunday!" "How did it happen?" she asked. Jake spoke: "My Grandma's visiting us, she said that word comes from another language, means spring time or maybe dawn." Judy spoke: "Our family knows that Day One was crucifixion, Day Two was burial and Day Three was when Jesus rose from the dead." Joe: "I can't even...
You can read three versions of this story in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8. As the rumors and the rumblings of the Pharisees and the religious leaders hinted at Jesus' death, the dark clouds of fear and sadness gathered over Jesus' disciples. One woman, not wanting to wait until he died to express her love, anointed him at Bethany with expensive perfume [see the parallel passage in John 12:1-8, where the woman is identified as Mary, sister of Martha and...
You know, Lord, Palm Sunday years ago was a bit different then it is today. Several of us were together, Susie smiled and shared: "When I was just a little kid, I remember one Palm Sunday when the Pastor mentioned there were some palms 'twigs' by the back door; that each one of us should each go get one. As we did, someone pushed the piano toward the backwall and a door opened. Helen kept playing lovely music. One young guy took the lead of us with palms, we followed out the f...
