From the Home Place

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  • Priorities!

    January 23, 2026

    Good morning! I’m sorry about not writing yesterday. Our day was consumed with being too busy baking and making yesterday. This morning, the ground is completely white outside, with more of that fun stuff coming before today is over and then 8 degrees below zero for a low tonight.

    Oh ya, let’s don’t forget the 40 plus mph wind that is supposed to show up today as well! Tomorrow may be a tough day for travel, but we will if we can. When the wind gets to cooking, our many errands around town could become difficult as well, but it is winter. With all of the warm weather we have had up to this point, we are that much closer to Spring!

    Remember when you were a short-legged person, the days, months and years seemed to drag on and on. Now most days have a jet engine tied to them. Usually, our day is completed way before the work is.

    My favorite Uncle used to remind me that “we’ll get done today what we get done today, the rest will still be there waiting for us tomorrow.” The mathematical approach to that equation would suggest that if we get more tasks completed today, we will have fewer to do tomorrow, but we all know that real life doesn’t work that way. It would appear that no matter how much we get done in a day, there is always way more to do the next day, and the next days after that.

    I sometimes wonder if keeping us “too busy” isn’t Satan’s main tool against evangelism? Just think about it, we all have bigger, better and faster than American’s have ever known, yet we spend less time living life with friends and family. When I was a kid, we worked hard all day long, but then when evening came, we didn’t watch TV, we did something as a family, or someone would stop by and we would play cards until it was time for everyone to consider “calling it a day.” When that time came, we would all go to bed and go to sleep, satisfied with the day.

    Now days, we all work all day long, and then we attend meetings or watch the idiot box until it’s time to go to bed. and then we stew about all of the things we didn’t get done today and tomorrow is going to be even busier. Yet, we spend less time sharing life with those around us.

    You see my friends; our time is going faster than ever before, and it seems that we are all busier than ever before. Yet there is less time spent building into the lives of those around us. I’m not sure that is the way our Lord has this thing called life planned out. Either Satan is keeping us too busy, or perhaps I have trouble keeping my priorities of life straight?

    The same Lord who stated, “each day has enough troubles of its own,” also taught us to pray, “give us this day our daily bread.” The Lord still provides today, but for some reason we think we have to work harder to get the bread? For years I have said that “I’m so busy trying to make a living that I don’t have any time to live.” Yet for each of us, we will live until we die. Perhaps we need to define “living” as time spent with others instead of defining it as making money?

    We will never get all of our work done; however, we may only get one more opportunity to visit with someone we will cross paths with today. Perhaps we should make people the priority and get what work we can get done, going to bed satisfied with one more day of life!

    Keeping priorities straight with you, Neal

  • Another Day!

    1/21/2026

    Cold and windy with a skift of snow. Looks and feels like winter.

    I turn the furnace down each evening before calling it a day, so it was a bit chilly in this ‘ol shack at 3:30 this morning when the Lord nudged me in the ribs. As such, I pulled the covers up tight and decided to “visit” with the Lord for a bit before I crawled out of bed. We talked about the events before us this weekend: an adult Sunday School class at one church, preaching at a different church on Sunday, and then speaking at a funeral on Monday. As the Holy Spirit gave clarity for each of these events, He also mentioned a few other personal things I need to work on before then.

    Yesterday, Miss Deb and I, and Coffee, went to Douglas for an appointment and then on to Casper. A few bags of groceries in the back seat of the car cost a couple hundred dollars, but many of the groceries will be used to make cookies for a funeral, a special snack for friends and a meal for another group of friends. On the way home, we stopped in Douglas for another appointment, and then we dealt with wind and snow all the way home. Yet, it was a very enjoyable day with my girls, and we gave our Heavenly Father our praise for watching over us during another busy day.

    Today, we both have plenty of studying to do so we are ready for this weekend’s events. Oh ya, I failed to mention that Miss Deb is leading two women’s Bible studies, subbing at the local grade school and busily sewing gifts, as well as keeping this outfit operating. On top of the other events, I get to start leading a study with a group of young men! Throw in a card party or two, a trip to Rapid City, more teaching and preaching next week, along with all of the renovation projects around here, and you have a glance at our boring lives. This thing called retirement sure is fun!

    So, if I miss a daily post here and there, I pray that you will understand. You see, that’s why I’m usually up at 3:30 or 4 to study and write. But you know what? We are both so very grateful for where and when we are getting to live our lives. It is absolutely amazing to see what God is doing with our old carcasses. Each day that He gives the energy and opportunities, we do our best to follow His lead.

    You see my friends, for all of us, we go, go, go and then we die. With all of the business of life today, it’s extremely important that we take time to sit quietly before the Lord; or lay quietly in bed with the covers pulled up tight. The Bible tells us that God speaks with a still, quiet voice. It seems that the only time God shouts loudly is when we fail to spend time with Him, so He has to get our attention with a difficulty of some kind.

    So today, please take a few minutes to visit with your Heavenly Father, just as if He were sitting in the chair next to you. Let Him know how precious your relationship with Him really is. Remind yourself of how amazing it is to call almighty God, “Father”! Talk with Him about everything that is heavy on your heart and then sit quietly and listen. After your “Amen,” watch the circumstances that come into your life over the rest of the day, that is most likely the things He wants you to do today. Remember, “trust and obey, for there is no other way.”

    When this thing called life is over, only that which is done for the good of others as service to the King, is of any real value. Be sure to invest your life, don’t just spend it. I have the feeling that after we are gone from this life, folks won’t remember much about what we had, but hopefully they will remember who we were.

    God our Father gives us one run at this thing called life, what we do with it is how we will be remembered. Just look at the life of Jesus Christ, 2,000+ years later we still remember Him for what He did for us! It seems to make sense that we should follow His example.

    Living each day to its fullest with you, Neal

  • Because it’s Important!

    January 20, 2026

    When I got up at 4 a.m. the outside temperature was 20 degrees, after an hour of study, I’m now writing this note at 5 a.m. with a temp of 15 degrees. It always gets colder before daylight!

    This morning’s study started in Ephesians 2:1-3, stop and give it a good read.

    We don’t have space to do a detailed study of all of the words mentioned within these three verses, so please allow me to summarize: Every person who has ever lived, or ever will live, has sinned against other humans and ultimately has sinned against GOD (Romans 3:23). Sinning is the result of living in the environment we live in, a world under the jurisdiction of Satan. As sinners we are spiritually dead and as such, we need a Savior, Verse 4 – “But GOD!”

    Because of God’s “mercy”, His not giving us the damnation we deserve, but instead showing us His “great love.” A love that sent His Son, Jeus Christ, to the cross as the sinless One who paid the price for our “trespasses and sins.” Now you can go to the Gospel of John, Chapter 3. To keep John 3:16 within its proper context, one must begin reading in verse 1. Here we find a man we shall call Nick, asking Jesus how he can get into heaven, to which Jesus responds in verse 3, “I assure you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

    Why “born again”? Because the moment we sin, we die spiritually (now read Genesis 2:12). Because we have all sinned (Ephesians 2:1-3), we are all spiritually dead, thus the need to be re-reborn spiritually.

    Just as your physical birth has an exact date, so should your spiritual birth. You see my friends, I fear that we have mistaken knowing about God, as knowing God. Let me state that a different way: In today’s culture, a person can know a great deal about God and yet not have been “born again.” Information does not equal transformation. Look at Luke 7:21-23, knowing about Jesus, and even doing the works of Jesus. does not mean that a person knows Jesus, or even more importantly that Jesus knows that person.

    To be “born again” is to humbly, with a repentant attitude, request entrance into heaven through faith (not works; Eph. 2:8-9) in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the complete payment for an individual’s sin.

    When a person is “born again” they are declared righteous by God Himself! As such, said person now has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, much like the relationship between a child and its mother. It becomes a relationship of dependence, based upon love. Here, it is the love of God that overflows upon the spiritual babe, and now John 3:16 becomes way more than a poster at a football game.

    If I have caused you to grind your teeth with this writing, please note, I’ve attempted to be true to Scripture by keeping all Scripture within its original context. Remember, it always gets colder just before daylight. I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will light up our lives spiritually with His word!

    Conclusion, do you know Jesus through a personal relationship with Him (being born again) or do you just know about Him (information)? It’s kind of the difference between knowing about having a baby and actually having a baby. One is a dream based upon information, while the other is a reality based upon love.

    By the way, March 17, 1982, is when Miss Deb and I were both “born again.”

    Rejoicing in Christ with you, Neal

  • “Last Chance”

    January 19, 2026

    Good morning all. A cool 15 degrees here at 4 a.m., headed for a high of 38 with wind gusts to match the high.

    This morning, I visited with the Lord for an hour or so and then came to this computer, continuing to pray that the Holy Spirit would let me know what I was to write about. I checked our emails and noticed that we had no less than five messages that started with the words, “Last Chance!” Each ad was promoting that today would be my last opportunity to get in on their biggest and best sale of the year.

    After praying with a family that their husband, dad, grandfather and great grandfather could pass from this world into the arms of Jesus, the words “Last Chance” really struck me this morning. The man we prayed for at 5:30 Saturday afternoon, walked into the presence of Jesus at 11:30 that evening. A couple of months earlier, I had prayed with that man as he committed the remainder of his life to Jesus. He was ready to exit this world and enter into the next through accepting the amazing grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. I had to stop and praise God that I had taken the opportunity to share salvation in Jesus with that man before he passed

    However, I must confess that way too often I have not been obedient to tell others about Jesus, not knowing that my last visit with them was my “Last Chance” to do so. Very early this morning the Spirit of the Living God and I began our visit with me confessing my slothfulness in not telling others about Jesus when I had the opportunity. I very much appreciate His reminder that I need to not let any more opportunities pass by, for we never know when that “Last Chance” will be.

    Hopefully, we all realize that today might be our last chance to tell someone, “I love you.” Today might be our “Last Chance” to tell someone of their great value within our life. Today might be the “Last Chance” we have to be a blessing to someone else. Today might be our “Last Chance” to tell someone about the need of salvation in Christ Jesus. Today might be our “Last Chance” to live here on earth.

    You see my friends, none of us know when our last chances will come but come they will. And 99.9% of the time those last chances will come as a total surprise to us and those around us. So, may we each take the “First Chance” we get to really live, give and tell. If any of us knew that today would be our “Last Chance” to do any of the things mentioned above, we would probably go for it! Well, it just may be, so how about we live today to its full potential? Seize every moment! Grasp every opportunity! As the old country-western song said, may we each “Live life like you are dying.”

    Because the simple truth is, we are all in the dying process. None of us who are alive today, will ever be as young as we were yesterday. Unless we make serious changes, today will probably pass by as just another day; yet this could very well be our last day.

    If you have never committed your life to living for and with Jesus Christ, do so before your “Last Chance” comes to you. Admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and that Jesus is the only person able to provide forgiveness and eternal life in the presence of God, John 14:6. And if you know Jesus as Savior, if the Holy Spirit has been prompting you to tell someone about salvation in Christ Jesus, do so today. This could possibly be your “Last Chance” to do so. Pray for boldness, for the softening of a heart and walk obediently through this day!

    Seizing the opportunity with you, Neal

  • Helping the Helpless

    January 18, 2026

    Yep, more wind. Years ago, the old timers told me that this is how the Dirty Thirties started. I’m sure enough praying this wind to stop, and for moisture to start soon.

    Take a gander at the photo at the bottom of this post and tell me how difficult your life is. It seems that there are folks who live around us that struggle for every inch of progress they make. It’s easy for us to look at their life and ask, “What did they do wrong that they should have such a struggle?” You see my friends, it is easy to blame someone for their difficulties, yet we don’t want anyone judging our lives when things get difficult.

    I know, there is the old saying that states, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” But you see, it seems as if sometimes life happens to some folks. It’s not the path they chose; it’s not the decisions they have made; it just often seems that life picks on some folks more than it picks on others. Oh, for sure, we have all had enough trials during our days on this ‘ol ball of dirt, but there are some folks that are left with a burden no matter what they attempt to do. Why is that?

    I will begin my answer to that question with a very simple “I don’t know.” Yet I trust in a very sovereign God who allows each of us to go through difficult times, and then He allows some folks to live in those situations most all of their lives. But you know, maybe He’s really trying to teach the rest of us to show compassion, instead of voicing complaints.

    In John 9 we find the first disciples of Jesus asking a question about a blind man who had been brough to Jesus, “And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?’” You see, things really haven’t changed much, have they? We still tend to look at a person who is struggling and asking similar questions. We often assume that someone had to do something wrong, or this person would not have to live within their difficult circumstances.

    John 9:3 continues, “Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” Just like those first disciples, we tend to judge what’s wrong, instead of asking what God is trying to show us.

    In John 9, God allowed the man to be born blind so that the disciples of Jesus could witness the amazing power of God working through Jesus Christ. Now, I wonder, the next time any of us see a person trying to pull a heavy load, could it be that God is attempting to show us His amazing power of Jesus working through our lives?

    I must confess, it is way easier to judge and walk on, than it is to show compassion. I would take a look at the feller in this picture and say, “What an idiot, he can’t pull those logs with that bicycle!” Most likely, it would never occur to me to hook my four-wheel-drive pickup onto the wagon and help him move those logs. But perhaps, just perhaps, God is wanting to show me how powerful it can be when I help someone else pull their burden? Maybe it never was about the other person, the whole situation was presented by God so that He could get me to put my faith into action?

    Pulling together with you, Neal

  • Good choices!

    January 17, 2026

    It’s a whopping 4 degrees with a 15-mph breeze, making it plumb cold out there. Today’s high of 17 is warm for most Januarys, but I’m comfortable with the 50’s we’ve been having. Yet it looks like He has given us another day, it’s our job to do something good with it.

    Let me begin by saying that I’m going to make some of you crabby this morning, and I’m fine with that, your opinion is your opinion, and you are welcome to it. As such, so am I.

    Last evening we were blessed to entertain two very special families, who also brought two very beautiful little ones with them. As we ate supper and then played cards. Our evening was constantly filled with watching our two smallest guests. Their beautiful little lives were such a blessing to everyone present. They gave each of us much to smile about!

    That’s what little ones do, they bring joy into a home. Oh, for sure, they may be a tad bit more work and need someone to keep a consistent eye upon them, but they provide so many smiles, giggles and just plain joy that those short legs are way more of a blessing than a burden. Miss Deb and I love having little ones in our home!

    I am very disappointed in my home state’s recent decision to legalize abortion! Now hold on, I’m in full agreement that all women should get to decide what they do with their body. I’m not arguing against that position at all. However, I am suggesting once she decided what to do with her body, she needs to deal with the consequences. There are two very simple facts here, 1) No sex, no baby. Less than 2% of pregnancies are the result of rape of incest. That means that the very large majority of pregnancies are the result of a woman choosing to have sex, often leading to getting pregnant. Which brings about fact number 2) If it isn’t a baby, then she is not pregnant.

    You see, the remedy is quite easy, don’t have sex until you are ready to have a baby. That remedy goes for both male and female of our species. Gentlemen, if you stand for a woman’s right to choose, then help her make a wise choice, and that does not include going to bed with you.

    I once had an old cowboy share a bit of wisdom with me when he said, “Your God made one serious error when he created the male of the species.” To which I responded, “Oh?” He continued, “Yep, your God has given all men enough blood supply to operate their brain or their penis, but not enough to operate both at the same time.” I couldn’t help but agree with the ‘ol cowboy’s statement for the most part. God’s creation was a perfect design, it’s just that His men tend to make poor choices. It’s not a matter of blood supply; it’s a matter of considerate choices.

    If more of our young men were raised with a proper respect for women, and a proper understanding of healthy human sexuality, including keeping oneself pure for the lady who will become his wife, then we wouldn’t be legalizing the murder of innocent children. You see my friends, most unwanted pregnancies are the result of two people making poor choices, a choice that no baby gets to have a say in.

    Here’s another fact, there are way more people wanting to adopt a little one than there are babies available for adoption. Instead of legalizing abortion, why don’t our “concerned” state leaders develop an affordable means for families wanting to adopt, to be connected with the ladies who would choose to not keep their baby? Leaders of the state of Wyoming, it is time for you to be an active part of the solution rather than adding to the problem. Killing an innocent person is still considered murder in Wyoming, and you don’t get any more innocent than a baby!

    We use the internet for everything under the sun, why not create a privately managed site where families who are willing to adopt a baby can register, so instead of abortions we can have affordable adoptions? Have you ever noticed that there are only two letters difference between the words abortion and adoption? As a state, we need to work on bringing this matter of unwanted pregnancies and adopting parents closer as well.

    Well, that’s my two cents worth. Men and women of Wyoming, it’s time that we all make wise choices. Sex is a choice; sex is the number one cause of unwanted pregnancy. Stop one, you stop the other. Perhaps it’s time for all of us to grow up and act like responsible adults?

    Now I know that writing this post will cause some of you to want to “unsubscribe” from receiving my blogs, and that’s fine. But may I ask you to do me one favor, go find a little one to hug and pay attention to how your heart rejoices while feeling those little arms warped around your neck. For me, I want more people to get to experience the amazing joy of being around our short-legged people!

    As Joshua said, “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.” As for me and my household, we have decided to serve the Savior, not self. Self-serving people usually make choices that have negative impact upon others.

    Choosing life with you, Neal

  • Trouble by the pair!

    January 16, 2026

    Well, Mr. Weatherman says it feels like 2 degrees out there, but the bigger danger is that a person could blow away, 36 mph sustained winds with 75 mph gusts. I knew that extra weight would come in handy at some time!

    With all of this tough winter weather today, let’s take a look at a summer situation. I was right around junior high age. I had saddled a colt that I had a dozen rides on because it was going to be a long day for both of us. The bay gelding that I was hitching a ride on was a four-year-old half breed. He was half quarter horse and half thoroughbred. His breeding made him kind of long and lanky with the ability and stamina to travel all day long, while he also had plenty of cow savey. He needed another thirty-days of riding, but he sure enough was going to be a good one.

    We headed out at the first glimpse of daylight. It wasn’t very long before I set the cruise control at a long swinging trot, we were covering some country. After riding through the gate at the first pasture we were to check, we were soon greeted by a couple of doe antelope, with their new babies. It was mid-June and the little fellers were plum full of energy. It didn’t take any of them very long to increase the distance between me and Chance.

    We spent a hour looking at cattle, windmills and salt, before we rode into the next pasture, where we found all in good condition there as well. By the time we were at the third pasture I rode on a regular basis, we were in the timbered hills east of our place. Here we found doe Mule deer with their super cute, spotted babies. I remember smiling and tipping my hat at one ‘ol gal feeding her young’in’ as we rode by.

    Here Chance and I found most critters in good shape. One bull was a tad soft on a front leg, either from covering lots of ground looking for a girlfriend or perhaps coming out on the short end of the battle with one of the older, bigger bulls. I decided to give him a week and we would check on him again.

    As we rode to the middle windmill of this pasture, located on a big sagebrush flat, we found our excitement for the day, a pair of big ‘ol prairie rattlers all wrapped up and on the fight. When these ‘ol fellers get to doing their dance, they lift their head and about ten inches of their body above the ground and wrap themselves around each other. During this dance, they tend to be terribly unsocial.

    Perhaps I should state right here that I have a heap of dislike for snakes, and this pair were just too close to the stock tank that would be covered with cattle looking for a cool drink on what was already getting to be a hot day.

    Usually when I would encounter a rattler, I would use the knot end of my nylon rope to bid such a critter farewell. But beings we had twice the opponents and they were already crabby; I tied my left spur into the end of my rope. Keeping a firm grip onto Chance’s reins, I advanced with caution.

    When we were within 6-8 feet of the pair, I wound up and gave a mighty sidearm throw of rope and spur; perfect throw! My ‘ol Crocket spur caught both heads with a clean thud! Unwinding, both snakes took great offense to my gesture, and separated themselves by a few feet before coiling, ready for a fight! A few more passes with Mr. Crocket sent both of them to snake… well it wasn’t heaven.

    Spur back on, rope recoiled and tied to my saddle, Chance I decided we needed to get back to work. We rode up to the barn just before dark, and I handed Dad a half-dozen sets of rattle snake rattles. A pretty normal day’s bounty after covering close to thirty miles of pastures.

    As Chance ate his grain, I brushed him dry and thanked him for taking good care of me during another day of life on the Wyoming prairie.

    Just like rattle snakes, trouble often comes in pairs, and when it does, you have to be creative how you deal with it. But please remember, Jesus promised that He is always with us, and as such, we have plenty of wisdom and strength to draw upon. And let me assure you, it is plumb satisfying when you can put a pair of big rattles in your pocket and ride on to the next pasture.

    Depending upon Christ when dealing with difficulties, with you, Neal

    Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) mating at the Montana de Oro State Park, California.

  • “Better or Bitter?”

    January 15, 2026

    Tie down and hang on. It’s 40 degrees at 5 a.m., headed for 51. By this time tomorrow it’s supposed to be 16 degrees, headed for 27 with 74 mph wind gusts! If a feller needs to get something done outside today, he best get after it, the wind gust are only 55 mph today. I wonder if this wind ever will die down again?

    For the past two days we have visited about responding to pressure in a proper way. As the adage goes, “Trials will make you either better or bitter.” Remember, we have often talked about that which God intends for good, Satan will use for evil. When God allows a trial (pressure) to come into our life, His desire is that we will become better, but of course, Satan is right there trying to convince us that God is punishing us, or that the circumstances are against us, and that the proper response would be to become bitter.

    Two influences, one decision – a decision that each individual gets to make. Better and bitter are direct opposites but walk so closely together that it is really easy to choose one and walk the other. Here’s what I mean: When a trial shows up, as a Christian I desire to use the trial as a way to make me better, yet as this thing plays out, I can so easily become bitter and difficult to be around.

    May I suggest that perhaps when the Holy Spirit allows a situation to apply pressure against us, perhaps we should stop and pray for wisdom. Remember, James states that we will receive wisdom from on high if we just ask for it. (Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge.) Before praying for wisdom, ask for proper understanding of the situation, to see it from God’s perspective, not mine.

    Once the Holy Spirit has given us understanding of the situation and wisdom of how to proceed, then we need to ask for strength to stand firm with His leading. Observation: Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is our “Helper” not our doer. That is to say, the Holy Spirit will help us understand the situation, He will give us heavenly wisdom and strength, but He will not do that which we need to do. The doing is when better comes in, if our focus is upon becoming better.

    We need to properly respond to the pressure situation, much as Jesus would respond to it, because by this time we know that this is a “what” situation and not at “why” situation. That means that if we take the proper steps to dealing with a difficult circumstance (pressure), then we will ask “God what are you wanting me to learn about myself and Yourself? What is it that I need to do to respond to this situation correctly? -Our way of saying, “Thy will be done.”

    I guarantee, if we respond to our pressure situations following these simple steps, we will begin to see God’s hand at work within our lives, even in very difficult situations. And when we know that God is in it, we will respond with the better.

    Praying with you to always be better, Neal

  • “Fight or Flight!”

    January 14, 2026

    Well, it’s 30 degrees here in Lusk right now, headed for a high of 53, with only 30 mph wind gusts. But for the next three days the wind is supposed to blow. Sounds like more dust and dry.

    Allow me to work with this pressure idea for one more day, please. You see, I strongly believe that God created horses and people to both use pressure in a positive way. First, let’s just take a look at horses: I’ve never ridden two with the exact same personality. Every horse, and every person, have their own personality and characteristics. You are you, with a different set of fingerprints, a different mind-set and a different response to life than those around you.

    You see, it isn’t what happens to us that makes us different, it how we respond to that which happens to us that makes us different. Some folks feel the need to be in control with everything planned out, while another person within the same house, same community, same era of life, will be easy going, taking things as they come. Two people in the exact same time and circumstance, yet two individual people with two different responses to pressure.

    I’ve seen a batch of colts, born to the same stallion, and out of mares with the same bloodline, and every colt will be different than the rest of their siblings when you start applying pressure in their training process.

    I once broke a pair of black mares, full sisters, one year apart in age. I worked with the first one for thirty days and she was ready to go back to her home ranch, where she became the best friend of the rancher’s eight-year-old daughter. That mare’s full sister, was a bucking, fighting, renegade. It didn’t matter how I tried to work with her, she fought it hard. I rode her all summer long and finally sent her home. The oldest son of the outfit was sure enough cowboy and he and that mare made a pile of money team roping around the country. She fit his personality and the two of them sure enough were a great team, yet no one else could get along with her.

    For me, I want a horse that learns to respond to leg pressure. I prefer to ride a horse way more with me legs and feet, than with my hands. Like when I’m roping in the branding pen, I want my horse to respond to my leg pressure to move sideways to give me that correct shot at a calf’s legs.

    Not only are horses and humans very similar in that each one is an individual, we both have the same way of responding to pressure: either flight or fight. Remember the black mares mentioned above? One went with flight, in that she quickly learned to move away from pressure, while her full sister used the “fight” method of responding to pressure. And guess what, each of us will use our natural response method as well!

    Think of Jacob and Essau, two brothers growing up with the same parents, in the same home, at the same time, with two different responses to life. Essau used “flight” as his way of learning. He moved away to become the man God wanted him to be. Jacob, well he was the “fight” man. Jacob’s early years were filled with constant conflict. He even tried to “fight” with God.

    Let’s bring this parade to a close: every person in your life is an individual. As such, you have to work with each one differently because each one responds to pressure differently. Let’s say you go to church on Sunday and while there, you meet someone for the first time. You visit with them for twenty minutes, each one of you applying pressure to the relationship with simple comments – usually questions – and body language. Depending upon how each of your respond to those questions and comments, you will either walk away feeling like you have just made a friendship that you are now willing to fight for, or you will walk away from that other person before there is an argument – “fight.” We all respond to pressure differently with different people.

    So, how do you respond to the pressure of Romans 5:3-5? Do you, like that good rope horse, respond quickly and favorably, or do you fight against the pressure that God is attempting to use to refine your character?

    Your choice, but remember that you and those around you get to live with your choice!

    Responding well to pressure with you, Neal

  • Licking your lips!

    January 13, 2026

    It’s 4 a.m. with 34 degrees outside, headed for 54. The weather man is saying, “Very windy, rather cloudy with a little rain.” It sounds like a great day to work on Sunday School lesson and sermon.

    Yesterday, we talked how Frank responded to pressure in a negative way. All horses, and all people, respond to pressure in one of two ways. Today, let’s look at pressure from a positive standpoint. We have probably all watched Amy on “Heartland,” chase a horse around a round pen, using the tail end of a nylon rope to apply pressure on a horse. She will allow the horse to run around and around until it begins to tire of the process, usually indicated by the horse licking its lips and dropping their head.

    At that point, pressure is released by turning one’s back to the horse and walking away from them. If the horse is ready to step toward pressure, the horse will follow the person and “join up.” connecting through the release of pressure. If the horse isn’t quite there, more pressure, until the horse decides that being near their human is better than running away from their human.

    The same is true with people who are being asked to “join up” with God. At first most all people will run away from the pressure the Holy Spirit exerts upon them through pressure situations. The Apostle Paul speaks of such situations in Romans 5:3-5, “And not only this, but we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

    Here, the word “tribulation” is how the Holy Spirit lovingly applies pressure to a person’s life, so that said person will choose to “join up” and work with the Holy Spirit to become all that God created that person for.

    You see, when a horse trainer pressures a horse in a round pen, the trainer is not intending to be mean to the horse, they are simply wanting the horse to connect with the trainer so that the trainer can help the horse become all that they were created to be. Please note, proper training is always based upon a relationship. The same is true with the military, sports, horses and a person’s spiritual journey.

    For sure, a Drill Sargent may not be a recruit’s best friend, but it all works better when the solder understands his/her role in the relationship. Once again, the same is true in sports with the relationship between coach and athlete. And again true when a person is first learning to walk with God. In each of these situations, there must be a relationship, based upon respect. Respect does not mean that there is mutual closeness between Drill Sargent, nor between the coach and the athlete, but there does need to be an understanding that one is in authority over the other, and the sooner they learn to work together, the better.

    In a similar fashion, the sooner that a Christian allows God to have authority over their life, the better for the Christian. God is by no means a dictator, for His relationship with a person is based upon love; “because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts.”(Rms. 5:5) Fact, God first loves us so that we will learn to love Him, thus developing a loving relationship flowing out of proper respect.

    Like it or not, God is the absolute authority over every human life. The sooner a person learns to yield to God’s authority, the sooner a stronger relationship will develop. I fear we have for too long portrayed God only as a person’s “best friend,” without teaching a healthy respect for His authority. That is why Romans 5:5 mentions that God pours His love into our hearts “through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Note, we usually think only of the Holy Spirit as our “Helper.” Someone who is in my life just for my benefit.

    However, a biblical understanding of the working of the Holy Spirit is that He exists to help me learn how to live under the authority of God. Which in turn, makes my life much more pleasurable. However, if I’m not learning a biblical lesson that the Holy Spirit wants me to learn, He takes me to the round pen and chases me around with the tail end of a nylon rope called pressure.

    The sooner I yield to His authority, the sooner He can teach me what I need to learn to become all that God created me for! In a loving relationship, both the horse and the trainer, both the Holy Spirit and the Christian, get a great blessing by working together.

    But just the moment a Christian refuses to grow, the Holy Spirit has an amazing way of applying pressure through “tribulations.”

    So, may we each learn from the horse and trainer, the moment we begin to lick our lips(submit) and walk toward the Trainer, the sooner He can begin to “train” us up “in the way” we should go – sound familiar? Read Proverbs 22:6.

    Joining up with God with you, Neal