From the Home Place

April 15, 2026

Good morning! Today is starting at 30 degrees, moving up to 69 with 20-38 mph winds. The weather forecast has upgraded Friday’s snow fall to possibly 4″ for our area. That will make travel difficult and the pastures green!

Well, here it is, the dreaded “Tax Day.” This is the day that most state and Federal income tax payments are due. Around our outfit we also have to pay one other tax, “The Sit Tax.” Any time that Miss Deb or I sit down, Coffee is quickly there to charge us a tax for sitting down. With her head in our lap, and her backside wiggling, she becomes our own IRS agent, collecting the tax every time either of us try to take five.

We gladly pay the tax, scratching her from nose to tail, or at least a quick pat on the head, and then Coffee curls up underneath Miss Deb’s reclined chair. Silly dog! When Coffee was just a few months old, she figured out that her evening meal happens at 4 p.m. each day. So, one day last week, we were both in our recliners studying for upcoming lessons. Miss Deb looked up at the clock and said, “Oh no, it 4 o’clock!”

Coffee flew out from under Miss Deb’s chair and looked straight at Deb, who then asked, “What happens at 4 o’clock?” To which Coffee trotted out into the entryway and stepped on her “Eat!” button. Miss Deb lowered her chair and went and fed the dog.

Monday, Miss Deb was gone to her ladies Bible study, and I was working in the shop. When Deb returned, we both came into the house, where we were quickly greeted by Coffee and as we all walked into the living room, we noticed that Coffee had been busy herding her stuffed toys (see picture). This is what happens when your Border Collie doesn’t have cattle or sheep to work.

The same can be said for Christians. When we are not busy doing the work that we were made for, we quickly find other things to entertain ourselves. In 2 Thessalonians 3:11 we read, “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.” Here an “undisciplined life” is referring to one who’s life is “untrained.”

Such a person, much like our Border Collie Coffee, has an inward drive to do something, but because of their lack of training or discipline, they end up just being busy doing something instead of doing the things they were called to salvation for. Such a people are called “busybodies” according to the Bible.

You see, a “busybody” is a person who isn’t busy about the Lord’s work as they should be, usually because they are too busy examining the lives of others. A true definition of the word “busybody” is, “one who is a meddler.” It would appear that this is the person Jesus was speaking of when He said, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

Yes, I realize that by writing this article, I could easily be classified as such a person, but I hope not. Rather, my heart’s desire is to “spur one another on to good works,” or to say, “come follow me as I follow Christ.” The simple truth is that we all have “good works” to do that do not involve being busybodies.

You see my friends, our salvation in Christ Jesus is not the end of the story. No, in fact, salvation is just the beginning of the story. The Bible makes it very clear that when a person is “born again,” that person is given spiritual gifts to use for the advancement of God’s kingdom. When a Christian uses their spiritual gifts, the people around them are blessed.

So, how about today we all do the “good works” our Heavenly Father has for us to do? Otherwise, we each run the risk of being busybodies and just rearranging our toys.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Working with you to fulfill our salvation, Neal

Some of her creations