From the Home Place

August 25, 2026

Good morning. Wow! What a light show shortly after 10 p.m. last night! As we were getting ready to go to bed, I could see that the sky was light-up to the south of us. One flash after another, lightening was dancing across the dark sky.

I put Coffee outside for her last bathroom break of the day, locked the shop door and stood in amazement, watching the light show; also praying that our Heavenly Father would send enough rain to extinguish the fires that were undoubtly getting started.

Miss Deb and I were both thinking seriously about getting some much-needed rest when the first lightning bolt exploded very near our house! We had our window open for some cool air, and I could immediately smell the burnt air from the strike! I don’t know if you have ever been that close to a lightning strike before or not, but if you have the burnt atmosphere is a smell that you will never forget.

As the strikes continued for the next few minutes, I prayed and waited for the sound of sirens, and then there they were! I prayed for the fire fighters to be safe and that our Lord would help them to quickly extinguish the fires they would respond to as a result of very little rain after way too much lightening. As I lay there praying, sleep soon found me and now here I sit at 3:30 a.m., waiting for daylight so I can see just where that strike landed, hopefully all is well?

I remember getting caught in such a storm when I was a young man. Miss Deb and I and the kids were living on the home ranch, and I was riding a fresh colt, checking pairs a few miles from home. I saw the storm brewing, so I and my compadre hit a long swinging trot as we headed for cover. I knew enough to sit low in the saddle and just focus upon keeping a very skidish kid headed for the barn.

I had to get off and let us through a wire gate about a half mile from the house. It was a really tight gate that usually kept the roping steers in their pasture, so as I was closing the gate I had to really put some grunt into getting it shut. As such, my cheek was very near the gate loop that I was attempting to slide over the gate stick. At that moment, about a quarter mile up the fenceline from us, lightning struck right next to the fence, sending enough electricity down the fence that I received a burn mark across my left cheek, leaving a nasty taste in my mouth.

I tied the reins around the colt’s neck and sent him toward the barn; I knew my odds of surviving another strike were better away from a very well-grounded horse. As I walked into the barn, soaked and still somewhat stunned, I remember the gratitude I felt that God had allowed me to get back to my little family!

You see friends, when God whispers into your ear about how quickly life can change, family is usually the first thing we think of. I pulled the saddle off of a wet and dismayed colt, gave him a scoop of grain and quickly walked to the house to find my crew huddled together in the living room, wandering where Dad was. Needless to say, we were all very grateful to be able to give and to get plenty of hugs after that episode.

So, for today, I hope there isn’t anything that threatens your life, but please take a moment to give and get hugs from those closest to you. For me, I’m going to spend some time on the computer and the phone letting my loved ones know just how grateful I am that our Lord has given us so many years together! May I suggest that you do the same; for in a “flash” it can all change.

Expressing gratitude for every moment He gives us with you, Neal

And by the way, the colt I was riding belonged to our eldest daughter. He was a classy looking brown colt, with a streak of white painted on his belly. We called him “Flash!”