STAY AWAY FROM THE MANURE PILE

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Today I sat on a bale of hay in the calving shed as my heart broke and silent tears filled my eyes and slowly made their way down my face. "God, why?" I whispered.

The things I had just learned about and the things I had just seen made me wonder how in the world we have fallen so far!! It's absolutely No wonder that we have kids losing hope. No wonder there are mass shootings. No wonder kids are so high on drugs they can't function. No wonder 'family' is non existent. No wonder kids don't have real friends and kids are bullied.

...Because the "good kids" are also giving in..

As I got up and made my way to check the heifers, I walked past the manure pile that I had just piled up with the tractor earlier this morning. It stunk. Really bad. Dirty brown water drained away from it and ran down towards the draw. Had I tried to climb to the top I would have sank to the bottom and never gotten out on my own.

To the kids I know who have been apart of my life and spent summers at our ranch, Kids and friends that I love so very much...

My message is this.

STAY AWAY FROM THE MANURE PILE.

You want to play "King on the Mountain". You want to be cool. You want everyone to look up to you and to like you! But as soon as you set foot... you will start to sink. You will be pulled in by others and by the devil himself and as soon as you get a little too far you will never get out on your own. You will drown yourself in your own mistakes and misery and the mud and junk will slowly close in around you. Oh there's plenty of others in there and they are calling you to join them. Run away. And also know that You can't save them... you will only bury yourself as you try to reach out to them.

If you do make it and somehow you get in and are able to turn around and work your way out..the mud and smell will be with you forever. The scars you get as you scramble will never wash off or fade away. The only way we could become clean is to be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. The Lamb of God.

Fight apathy. Fight the ways of the world. Fight with the Armor of God! You. Must. Fight.

I've only lived 24 short years on this earth, but the things I have seen and the people I have watched waste away their lives and potential, has been overwhelming and has made me cry on more occasions than I can count. Don't give in. Don't give in to the muck and the mire of this old world. Leave the trash talk in the trash.

You. Were. Made. For. So. Much. More.

Build each other up! Quit tearing each other down and for goodness sake quit hanging out with the people that do. Reach for greatness! Resist the devil! Strive for victory. Quit settling for defeat!

Pray. Pray like you have never prayed before. Persevere. Persevere when your peers give in and call for you to join them! And Stand. Stand tall.

For you. Are different.

And different... Makes a difference in a world that has given up and given in and is falling asleep at the sound of the trumpet.

It is time for YOU to STAND UP and make a DIFFERENCE that only YOU can make.

You. Must. Fight.

{ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— Ephesians 6:10-18}

Snow Angel

SNOW ANGEL"
I went outside tonight while Caleb, Julia and Kiersten were playing in the snow. Took a picture when Caleb threw some snow up into the air. You can use your imagination if you want, but when I looked at it tonight the first thing I saw was an Angel... Or what we imagine an Angel might look like! I think that maybe God was just giving me a reminder about the fact that He is always with us. He cares about us each and every moment. The Bible even says “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11) If He commands His angels to guard us then He must love us dearly!
I am not here to say that tonight “I saw an Angel” But I am here tonight to tell you that God loves you and cares about you very much. No matter the scars. And if you have never made the decision to trust Him completely and to turn your life over to Him I pray that tonight would be the night that you would do just that!
We are one day closer to His return then we have ever been before! What a thought! Are you ready?
If you died tonight do you know where you would spend eternity? Eternity is a long time and you have two choices. I pray that you choose Jesus.

You may never have “another chance”.
Just my thoughts of the night! Oh and Merry Christmas!

AND TRY AGAIN

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Today I walked into the house and found my little sister, Kiersten, writing in her little calving record book. She has faithfully been copying from mine which cows calve when and what they had! I was so proud! The other day she designated a special page for her cats! And so today she was writing down what cat had just had kittens and how many she had! She was pretty excited! “At’ta Girl” I told her! She smiled pretty big as she has been waiting for these kittens for quite awhile now!

Well later this afternoon I found Kirsten digging a hole up by “The Tree” and with a few carefully hidden tears she was burying 2 of the new kittens. Something had happened and 2 were dead and the other 2 were no where to be found. I knelt down and said “I’m sorry, Kiersten”, and helped to dig a hole. I knew that her tender heart was hurting and I understood. We buried the kittens and Kiersten carefully laid rocks over the little grave. “Thank You" she said and then picked up her bucket and shovel and we walked away.

Something that a ranch kid learns early on in life...If you’re going to have, you are also going to lose. We can do all that we can to help our animals, but life still happens and with life comes death. And no matter how many times we have to go through this lesson…it still hurts. Every time. Whether it is a new baby calf that just wasn’t ok from the start, or an old cow that should have gone to the sale barn a few years ago…that weathered many storms and droughts and faithfully raised a big calf every year, but she can no longer get up on her own… and someone has to go and do what no one wants to do. A goat that dies in your arms or that best saddle horse that taught you so much about life. It hurts every time. And sometimes we cry. Because we love what we do and we want to do it to the best of our ability. We love our animals and want them to live the best life that they can. Its okay. It’s the life we are blessed to live and we wouldn’t want to do anything else. Kittens or Cows. Horses or Chickens. A lesson from when we are young…that we are still learning each day. Life. Death. Try. And Try Again.

May Day

Sunset is a good time to recall memories...

May Day has not always meant impending danger... My mother would relate each May 1st of growing up in Avon, South Dakota of the May Basket mysteriously appearing on the front step. These baskets were small and usually filled with flowers or treats and left at the doorstep. The basket giver would ring the bell and run away. The person receiving the basket would try to catch the fleeing giver. Mom would tell of one little boy that "caught" her and she always chuckled when she would tell of him saying, "Now you are my girl "Reta". (Mom's real name was Voreta)

Thanks Mom for telling us stories.

NIGHT CHECK WITH DAD

Ever since I was little there has been something about the 'night check' that has intrigued me! Dad would put on his boots and coat and gloves and head out into the dark of night to check the cows. When I got a little older I got to sometimes go along on the 10:00 check! It was scary and exciting as dad would carry the big flashlight and the spooky things were always just outside the beam of that light. But as long as we were with dad. Everything was fine.
Once in awhile when after helping something or while waiting on a cold night for a new life to arrive we would sit inside and eat crackers and milk before heading back out to check again. And oh how cool on those nights when dad would wake us up so we could go along on the 2:00 check! It was on these night walks that I learned about the stars and snowflakes in the yard light!
Then we grew up some more. And the 10:00 check became our check! Oh remember when "Browneyes" was calving and after 1/2 hour we were just sure she was having trouble! We told dad and he reassured us to give her a little more time. "Are the feet up?" He would ask "I think so" was our reply... and sure enough... a few minutes later there she was. A beautiful little calf!
Now the night check is 'my check' and tonight as I felt my way downstairs through the dark there was my dad..."I been waiting for you!" He said, "I'll go with you!" And even though tonight I was the one that carried the flashlight on that walk through the cows... everything was ok... Because Dad was there.

Thanks Dad