News you can use
News you can use
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This coming Sunday's gospel reading is the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids found in Matthew 25:1-13. Here's the takeaway: What can one do to avoid being embarrassed like the five bridesmaids whose lamps ran out of oil, or - to use a modern metaphor - whose smartphone batteries were deader than disco? To fully understand the power of this parable, it's necessary to review how Matthew arranges Jesus' red-letter words of the two previous chapters: 23 and 24. Chapter 23 is full of...
You know Lord, 'twas fun listening to kids talk about numbers. Here's a bit of what they said. D. J.: "My grandma's having a hard time trying to remember her cellphone number, but when her phone rings, even in her old age, she's smart enough to answer it." Chuckles. Taylor said, "My dad reminded us that we should remember our house number, P.O. Box number, our area code, probably what size shoe or shirt we wear as well as today's date." Sally laughed about that. Eddie added, "...
Job 19:26-27 - "I know that my redeemer lives!" Out our way, we all know the old saying, "Ain't a horse that can't be rode; ain't a cowboy can be throwed." And that is pretty much true for all walks of life. Everybody gets tossed now and then. But sometimes it seems some end up "sunning their moccasins" more than others. If into each life some rain must fall - some of us end up under a waterfall! I can certainly testify to that! If you regularly read these columns, you know...
The night of fright has passed. Those costumes that were eagerly obtained with high anticipation of being donned around town are now crammed into already forgotten corners of bedroom and closet floors, thrown into the shadows of exile, perhaps never to be worn again. As buckets of candy are consumed, little wrappers fall like autumn leaves - shiny, plastic costumes never to be worn by any other confectionary again. Perhaps not since some holiday on the other side of summer...
As we grow old, our hair turns gray, oh, yeah! We're made of clay. Where's the thrill of yesteryear? We sit alone each day. We miss our dear ones, oh, so much, Lord, help us when we're low! Our bodies healing takes so long ... of this You surely know. Empty, lonely, lower that dirt; our dear ones died, they're gone. Oh, Lord, we ache and still we hurt, why do we linger on? Useless, hopeless, we're like dead trees. Where's hope in our last days? If we have strength to read...
You know, Lord, it might be fun to go back in time (for a short time) when life moved at a slower pace. We'll leave behind: high speed internet, cellphones, telephones, TV, GPS and electricity. Back then, daily chores were milking cows, gathering eggs, cleaning coop and barn, slopping pigs, feeding bucket calves, hoeing garden and plum trees, cooking meals from scratch and, in autumn, making jams, jellies, canning fruits, vegetables and meat, making soap, making some of our...
Acts 7:54-60 - "When they heard these things they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen ..." Out our way, working cattle usually means work! There are times when things go smoothly. You gather the herd who come together without resistance, somene takes point and the herd follows. Yes, there are such times, but not many. Most of the time, Charlie and I had to spend a good deal of saddle time getting the herd together, and then you spend the next hours trying to keep...
Some topics are harder to talk (or write, or read) about than others. This article is about one of those topics. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and while hard, it's not rare. Miscarriage and infant loss affects one in four women. According to the March of Dimes, between 10 to 15% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. (A short primer on terms: "the death of a baby before 28 weeks of pregnancy is typically referred to as a miscarriage; and the death of...
You know, Lord, when company visits, the kids love looking out the west window; amazed to see a sunset, especially since they live "down town" and don't often see sunrise or sunset! They hollered, "Come quick - a golden hour up here is about to happen, 'cause the sun is about to set! Come; see the sun, quick; it's almost resting on the horizon! Come look!" There is a moment when the sunlight shines on housetops in the neighborhood across the valley from us, and onto the hills...
Isaiah 30:21 - "And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears shall hear a Voice behind you saying, 'This is the way! Walk in it!'" Out our way there are few things more fascinating to me than the skills of a good cutting horse. I have attended rodeos, horse shows and even a few brandings where the amazing feats of a quality cutting horse have been demonstrated - and I am impressed. As you know, the cutting horse approaches a herd, a cow or calf is selected, and...
(Read the Book of Jonah) Sin runs rampant in society - daily headlines and overflowing prisons bear dramatic witness to that fact. With child abuse, pornography, serial killers, mass shooters, terrorism, hate groups, racial hatred, extremist groups, corrupt elected leadership, poor leadership, anarchy, and ruthless dictatorships, you add to the list, the world seems to be filled to overflowing with violence, hatred and corruption. Reading, hearing and perhaps even...
You know, Lord, we all know we're born to die, but when that happens to our family, friends or loved ones, sometimes it just takes us by surprise. Just heard that an elderly mom slipped away. Some families were near, others were not yet able to get there. We/they know that You, Lord, will come again, but not to deal with our sins. We also know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love the Lord and are fitting into His plans. Later, friends chatted about...
Psalm 46: 1 God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help at the time of trial. Out our way, we have a few creeks to cross here and there in most pasture lands, but in the old days of the cattle drives when there were no fences many a trail drive included "riding the river." River crossings were always dangerous and tricky, and many a cowhand drowned when his horse stepped into a pit hole or the current proved too strong. But many a cowhand lived because someone...
In the early 1980s a song was released called "People Need the Lord." It was written and composed by Greg Nelson and Phil McHugh, and made popular by the singer Steve Green. The words of the chorus are as follows: "People need the Lord. People need the Lord. "At the end of broken dreams He's the open door. "People need the Lord. People need the Lord. "When will we realize, people need the Lord?" It is one thing to make the statement that "people need the Lord." It is another...
You know Lord, it seems like it's best to do a good deed, right? Three gals were busy gabbing as they cleaned up a kitchen and dining room. "Gayle" was busy chatting when several kids from the other room popped in. "We heard you talking about doing good deeds," Jenny said. "We remember last year when Mrs. K. was our Sunday School teacher. If some of us were fussing, she'd say 'Shh. Do you not "know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?" Maybe made to do a good deed?...
You know Lord, a couple cousins shared what their girls were looking for in boyfriends to make the boys super husbands. The cousins got a kick out of listening to that chatter - sensing that their girls had noticed several neighbors, some as super families, some just so-so. The cousins giggle, wondered if maybe they, as moms, should make a list to give to YOUNG mothers to encourage their little boys. C.Z. and M.C. took a look at their own husbands, making some comments. C.Z.... Full story
Greetings my fellow Hi-Liners, As the first week of October brings in some cooler weather with the changing of the season, we see God working in His creation from the leaves changing color, getting ready to go dormant for the winter to the animals putting on their winter coats. We see the geese starting to fly south for the winter, as the seagulls, terns and pelicans have already moved along. God is preparing His creation for protection from the storms that will come to our... Full story
The sun does rise, then later, sets, we watch the Seasons change. We're born to die - but some folks think, that THAT is all so strange. 'They've' only gone ahead of us - they've NOT left us behind. Although we can't be with them now, they're in our hearts and mind. The day will come, we'll meet again on Heaven's distant shore. We'll walk again, hand holding hand, jointly - forever more. If memories bring us closer, dear, we're never far apart. For you are always in our though...
Matthew 18:21-22 — “Then Peter asked Jesus, ‘How many times should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven but seventy times seven!’” Out our way you hear some amazing stories from time to time. Now it just so happened I met a man from Colorado who ran a horse ranch along the Gunnison River area. Many years ago, John Wayne was shooting the movie “True Grit” and the producers hired this guy as chief wrangler for the stock — and also as an occasional stand-in. Apparently Glen Cam...
Contrary to my heartfelt belief, punctuation does matter - not just for writing, but for life also. The reading for our services this weekend are: Reading I: Ezekiel 18:25-28, Reading 2: Philippians 2:1-11, Gospel reading Matthew 21: 28-32. The first reading, from Ezekiel, calls us to turn away from evil so we might live in a loving relationship with God. Some of us may say that what God is asking of us is not fair because the evil we do might not seem evil to us. It is safe...
You know Lord, teenager "Susie" stopped in last week with an announcement. She opened the door, calling out in her accustomed greeting; "Nana! Are you home? I just heard something I've never heard before - wanna hear about it?" She continued chatting, telling all about T.G.I.F. "You know what that means?" she chuckled. "That means, 'Thank goodness it's Friday' and we've gotten through one more week, headed to the weekend.'" She said her daddy, with his weekend paycheck,...
2 Peter 2:1–2 - "But there were false prophets among the people just as there will be false prophets among you who will introduce heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord, and will bring destruction upon themselves. Many will follow them and bring the faith into disrepute. In their greed they will exploit you, but their condemnation hangs over them." Out our way, although four-wheelers and trucks do a good deal of cow work these days, a good cow pony is still important. C... Full story
I'm not much of a gardener, let me make that clear. But last year I decided to at least give gardening a try. So I started out small and was encouraged by my moderate success. A few peas. A collection of lettuce from a netted garden box (to guard against those ravenous grasshoppers). But, oh, the tomatoes! After a summer's-worth of homegrown salads I had more of those juicy red gems than my family could eat. So my ventures in gardening grew into explorations in canning. And... Full story
You know Lord, You are the Creator - so you know that autumn arrives on Saturday, according to several of the calendars hanging around here. Several friends have mentioned that, to them, it's a yearly relief from those muggy mid-90s that they have had, and now the cool breeze is inviting them, and maybe us, outside because the sun no longer seems so hot and angry. You know that we probably all grow a little weary of each season toward its end, but the beginning of every new... Full story
"If you've been walking the same old road for miles and miles; if you've been hearing the same old voice, tell the same old lies; if you're trying to fill the same old holes inside, there's a better life. There's a better life. If you've got pain, He's a pain taker. If you feel lost, He's a way maker. If you need freedom or saving, He's a prison shaking Savior. If you have chains, He's a chain breaker." Fifth Avenue Christian Church invites every lady and teenage girl on the... Full story
