From the Home Place

A blog sharing insights, stories, and reflections on life from a Christian perspective.

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  • “It’s just a game.”

    November 14, 2025

    When I got up at 3:42, the temp was 42; I’m sure glad that I didn’t get up at 3:00!

    Today, I pause to pray for all of the young men who will be competing in the Wyoming state football championship games tomorrow. This is the day that the best of the best face-off to see who really is the best.

    During my years of coaching football, I saw many different kinds of athletes. Usually, the most troublesome was the young man who was a natural athlete. Unless he had been coached to keep developing his gift of athleticism, such a young man usually became egotistical and difficult to coach. He could naturally play at a level above everyone else on the team by just showing up, so why sacrifice with hard work to improve? This young man’s motto is, “This team is really lucky to have me!” This young man played so that others could see how great he is.

    I was always way more impressed with the young man who had to work harder than anyone else just to get a spot on the team. This young man was very coachable and was always wanting to learn. He had a work ethic that revealed that good things come to those who are willing to work for it. This young man didn’t care where he played, just so he got to be a part of the team. He played so that others could see how good his team is.

    And then, there was the kid who was out for football because his dad wanted him to play. He tended to be lazy, and really not interested in learning new methods. This young man played so that his dad would notice him.

    Now, take note that these three types of athletes resemble three kinds of Christians. Let’s start with the kind who is a “Christian” because their parent was a Christian. They know the basics, and that is enough. Seldom is this person willing to put in the hard work of improving skills, they too, tend to be lazy about their faith.

    On the other end of the spectrum is the person who finds learning to come naturally. They know all of the right words and use them as if these words really described who this person is when no one is around. Talking the talk comes easy for this person. These folks tend to be big givers on “game day,” but really are not interested in giving of themselves during the week. Their life motto is “God sure is lucky that I decided to become a Christian.”

    It’s the third type of Christian that is really a great blessing to God and mankind. This person realizes where they have come from and how amazing God’s grace really is. They work hard at getting to know their Savior at a deeper level. They too realize that hard work pays off. Their motto is, “I’m so blessed to get to serve God’s kingdom!”

    I would suggest that most all of us fit into one of these categories. For one, “I am the blessing.” For another, “I’m doing this to please someone else.” Yet for others, “Jesus, I give You my life.” So perhaps we all need to ask, “Which person best describes me?”

    Other personal questions might be: “Am I coachable, or am I God’s gift to humanity? Do I go to church so that others will notice, or because I want to be a part of the team, regardless of the position I play? Am I willing to do the difficult things to improve my obedience to my Lord? Am I playing to be noticed, or because of a genuine love for the game?”

    It seems to me that times of solitude are great moments for self-examination. If I’m claiming to be a Christian for any reason other than “I”m a sinner saved by God’s amazing grace and I will do anything He asks of me,” perhaps I’m playing for the wrong team.

    Why? Because we are all playing in the “Championship Game” of faith. Some will win a crown, and others will lose. Faith is never “Just a game!” Which team are you on?

    Playing for the King with you, Neal

  • Let’s Play!

    November 13, 2025

    3:30 a.m. and 28 degrees, headed for 70 today! Well, according to my weather app, today and tomorrow are both right at that 70 mark, and then two days in the 60’s, and then it hits. Sunday is forecast to be the last day of a temperature above 60 until next spring. After this Sunday, 30’s and 40’s will be our high temperatures. Here comes ‘Ol Man Winter!

    As if these long evenings weren’t bad enough, now they will be long-cold evenings. And I can’t say for you, but I don’t plan of sitting in front of a television for hours and hours. All of my younger years, winter was the time of year for company and cards.

    Everyone would work hard keeping critters fed and chores done, but then after supper, we would gather to play cards. It seemed to me that most of the gathering was done at our house. Often, around 6 p.m., there would be headlights coming up the road toward our house. Pinocle was the game of choice back then.

    Though I liked the game, I seldom got to enjoy it. Quite often one of the single ranch hands would show up at our house, as such, I had to be his card partner. I reckon by the time I was in third grade, I could play a fair hand of Pinocle, but I was by no means the expert that most of these ‘ol boys were.

    As we played, they would grumble and gripe at me for playing the wrong card at the wrong time. I always marveled at how most of those ranch hands knew exactly what cards everyone at the table was holding, and that included my hand. If I would mistakenly play the wrong card, boy would I hear about it. Sometimes my dad would have to remind a grumpy neighbor that I was just a kid. But you know what, in time I considered every one of those men a good friend.

    So by the time Miss Deb and I started dating, her right-of-passage into our community was that she had to be able to dance a nice two-step and she had to know how to play Pinocle. She picked both up right quickly, especially the dancing. By the time we were married and living on the home place, the community card game had switched to Canasta; it could be play with less tension and more laughter.

    Today, I couldn’t tell you how to play either game. Why, because very few people get together to play cards anymore, we just sit in front of the television, watching mostly junk, until it’s time to go to bed. Man, you talk about wasting time! And what’s even worse, our circle of friends gets smaller and smaller.

    You see, when I was a kid, playing cards and dancing were the only entertainment we had, and during both there was always plenty of visiting that took place. During such visiting, we became well acquainted with our neighbors, who for the most part, became really good friends. Now, we spend way more time with fake friends on television, rather than making real friends with our neighbors.

    The same can be said for our friendship with the people in the Bible, the more time we spend with them, the better we get to know them, and the better friends they become. Yep, I’m saying that we need to spend more time with the people of the Bible, not just the lessons of the Bible.

    You see, many folks find the Bible “boring.” Could it be because we don’t spend enough time getting to really know the people of the Bible. We treat them as a quick acquaintance rather than life-long friends. The Bible characters were real people who lived real lives, get to know them.

    When you read a narrative with characters in it, put yourself right there with them. See what they see, smell what they smell, join them in their life-journey, be their neighbor. It’s funny how strangers become friends when we walk with each other along the path of life.

    Walk with Abraham as he and Issac go to make an offering. Listen to Jesus as He teaches His disciples, of which you are one. Be there when Jesus is born, feel the warmth of that little barn in Bethlehem. Ask Mary if you could hold the Christ Child in your arms, before He began holding you in His arms.

    Don’t just play the game of reading the Bible, step into the pages of the Bible. Live when and where those folks lived. Be one of them and then you will marvel how the Bible comes alive in your life! Invite a Bible character to go through a day of life with you. Get to know them. Live where they lived, so they can live where you live.

    So, this long-cold winter, let’s get together, play some cards and get to know each other. The best way to do that is to invite and visit. But be careful, you just might become good friends with someone! Also, remember to get into your Bible and get to know the folks who live there as well!

    Getting to know people with you, Neal

  • Wow, Look at that!

    November 12, 2025

    Last night, Miss Deb’s phone literally lit up with post after post of the Northern Lights. But the best part was that we drove out north of town, sat on a county road and Miss Deb was able to see the Northern Lights for the first time in her earthly travel. Me not so much.

    Yesterday we started at 50 degrees, today at 4 a.m. it’s 28. That’s what a clear sky during the night does for us. However, a clear sky impacts more than the temperature.

    You see, the Lord knit my body together with being color blind. All my life, I’ve struggled to distinguish colors. Dark colors are the most difficult to see, especially against a dark background. Last night was no exception. Miss Deb marveled over the beautiful red and green colors in the night sky, all I could see was a dark night sky.

    When we are driving down the road and pass an apple tree in the fall, Miss Deb will say, “Wow, look at all of the apples on that tree!” All I see is a tree. Oh, and don’t worry about your orange vest giving you away when you are hunting in timber, I can’t see you until you move. I know just how those ‘ol bugle cows feel about the whole orange thing.

    Here’s my comparison for today – some folks are spiritually color blind. It is always interesting how two people can look at the same verse of Scripture and only one of them can see the truth of that passage, while the other one says, “I don’t see it.”

    Being physically color blind has allowed me to sympathize with people who are Spiritually color blind. The truth is right there, literally starring them in the face, and they can’t see it. It’s no laughing matter; in fact it is plumb frustrating for the one who can’t “see it!”

    Yes, I know they now have glasses to help with color blindness – but they are expensive, and they do not work for everyone. For me, the real blessing is to have a sweet wife who knows to describe the beauty she is seeing to me. There is a real cure for spiritual color blindness, the Holy Spirit can help a person see that which they can’t see normally.

    For all of us, the way the Holy Spirit describes the beauty of the Bible is a great blessing! That is why we should always ask for His assistance before we start reading our Bible. “Holy Spirit, please help me see the real truth of this passage, and then please help me to rightly apply it to my life.”

    You see, the Holy Spirit can, and will, help us see the beauty of God’s amazing Word if we just ask. But it seems that His revelation comes the clearest to the person who is willing to apply the revealed truth. If all a person desires is to know God’s truth so that said person can act smarter during Sunday School or during small group, don’t expect the Holy Spirit to get involved in that parade. A heart desire to allow Scripture to change who we are is the key to the Holy Spirit’s assistance in “seeing” the beauty of biblical truth.

    In summary, physical color blindness is something a person learns to live with. Spiritual color blindness is something that the Holy Spirit can heal immediately. Please, ask for His assistance every time before you open your Bible. When you do, it’s AMAZING the beautiful picture God has painted in the Bible for us to see!

    Last night, I couldn’t see any difference in the night sky, but when Miss Deb took a picture of that sky, then I could see what she was looking at because I was no longer looking into the darkness of night. Looking at a picture on her phone was illuminating. The same is true when reading the Bible with the assistance of the Holy Spirit’s illumination – beauty abounds!

    Seeing God’s beauty with you, Neal

  • Sweet memories!

    November 11, 2025

    Good morning, dear friends. It’s a whopping 50 degrees at 4 a.m., headed for 60, another beautiful fall day. The way it looks, I will be spending this gorgeous workday in the car. I have to go on another 300-mile road trip and be back home by 4 p.m. to watch one of our “adopted” granddaughters coach a girls basketball game here in Lusk. Prayers appreciated.

    Last night for supper, Miss Deb made, from scratch, a new Asian meal of chicken and rice. She didn’t really have a recipe, she just made it to taste, and man did she nail it! It was really good, with a serious cayenne pepper heat! Man, it was hot, but really good.

    After we finished the main course, I raided my chocolate candy stash for dessert – we had mini BabyRuth candy bars. They really helped to bring the feeling back into our tongues. So, when I got up this morning to start writing, there sat the rest of the bag of candy on the counter. No, I did not have one to start my day, but they did trigger a special memory, which I have shared with you before.

    When I was in grade school, up to the time my dad died, every day when we would take his old pickup, load it with hay and go feed cattle, we would enjoy a slice of a BabyRuth candy bar. After the last batch of critters were fed and we were headed back home, Dad would hand me his pocketknife. I knew that was the signal to open the glovebox and cut us both a 1/2″ slice of candy.

    I can still remember how awesome that one small bite of candy tasted. We would quietly sit in the cab of the pickup, slowly munching on our one bite of candy. Usually, there wasn’t going to be any more candy when we arrived home, but we did enjoy our “bite” after feeding.

    This morning, when I walked out of our bedroom and saw that bag of candy on the counter in 2025, my mind and heart both flew back to a cold winter day in the 1960’s. For a moment I could see my dad’s weathered face smile as I handed him his bit of candy, I sure do miss him.

    Well, anyway, that bite of candy resembles our moments with the Holy Spirit. Often, they are nothing more than a moment – a bite, and if we are not careful, we will miss the blessing of those moments. And often, just like with my dad sharing a bit of candy after a long morning of feeding, we have to look back to really appreciate those moments.

    Quite often the Holy Spirit’s working within our lives is filled with sweetness. A kind of sweetness that we cannot later duplicate, but we can remember how special that moment was. In my opinion, those moments are most often shared with someone else as well. Sure, that bite of candy would have been good, but sharing it with my dad made it great!

    So, now, think back to a moment in your spiritual life when the Holy Spirit gave you a “bite” of one of His blessings – who was the person there with you? If you can, contact that person today and tell them how that moment still lights-up your heart! Let them know now, before it’s too late and you can no longer visit with that person about your special memory.

    You see my friends, warm memories are often meant to be shared. That is why I have shared my “sweet” moment with you folks today. Now, share yours with someone else.

    Sharing memories with you, Neal

  • I love fall!

    November 10, 2025

    Wow, this has been quite a fall. Most often we go from summer to winter with very little fall-like weather in between. Yet this year we have been blessed with so many beautiful days long after summer has bid farewell. The summer to winter cycle is very much like the walk of most Christians. Their walk with God is like either summer, warm and pleasant, or it is like winter, cold and difficult. Yet, I wonder if we are to consistently walk in the “fall” of faith?

    Jesus stated that “each day has enough troubles of its own,” as a result, we tend to see most days as winter kinds of days. However, I’m playing with the idea of a consistent walk with God is more like these fall days, you know a mix of cold and warm weather throughout the day.

    Yep, we have had a couple blasts of winter around here with snow and wind. But then we have had the blessing of days like today, 64 degrees! Life has its chilly moments, even downright cold at times, yet most days around here are a mix of weather. But here is the simple fact, none of us can make the weather be warm nor cold, we just have to deal with whatever it is.

    The same is true of our faith journey, none of us can control what happens to us, but we can walk with the One who sends us the circumstances of life. It seems to me that it doesn’t matter if my day is filled with sunshine, or if it’s cloudy and cold, my responsibility is to walk closely with my Heavenly Father. I’m of the opinion that God often uses the circumstances of life as a means to us teach about ourselves or about Himself.

    You see loved ones, when I get up and realize that today is going to be filled with wind, snow and cold, my tendency is to miss the blessings of the day. Because of the foul weather, I miss the lessons the Holy Spirit is attempting to teach me. It doesn’t matter if today’s circumstances are “cold” or “warm,” the Spirit of the living God is wanting to reveal a truth to me.

    So today, the weather is forecast to be warm and pleasant, will our attitude match it? Or will we put on a cold and windy attitude and miss the blessing of getting to walk with our Lord for another day? Remember, we can no more control our circumstances than we can control the weather, but we can control our attitude about both! With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can make more winter days turn into fall days.

    Dr. Vernon Doerksen used to tell us, “Reading a book is like eating fish, you eat the meat and spit out the bones.” I am suggesting each day is very similar to Dr. D’s method, “eat the meat and spit out the bones.”

    Remember when you were small and Mom would serve fish, someone would help you remove most of the bones from your serving, yet they would still tell you, “eat carefully.” Well, the Holy Spirit is now our adult helper. He will quite often help us remove the “bones” from most days, yet He too, tell us, “now eat carefully.”

    Enjoying another beautiful day with you, Neal

  • To start with.

    November 9, 2025

    Begin by reading Isaiah 6:1-8

    It’s Sunday, and we get to go to church! But before you leave your home, please take a few minutes to pray: Pray for yourself, that your attitude and actions will glorify your Heavenly Father. Pray for your pastoral staff, if that be one or many. Pray for Sunday School organizers and teachers. Pray for musicians and singers. Pray for sound technicians. Pray for all of the electronic equipment to work correctly. Pray for those doing announcements. Pray for nursery and children’s ministry workers. Pray for those in attendance who do not yet know Jesus as Savior, my this be their day of salvation. Pray for custodial workers. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among all in attendance today, because that is why we gather there to start with. (Read 2 Chronicles 6:40)

    Pray that you and others will remember why you are really going to church. For you see, with what Sunday morning worship has evolved into today, it is really easy to overlook why we really go to church to start with.

    From the church that sings their songs au Capella to the church that has a full band or orchestra, may all be done for His glory! Pray that the music is not just entertainment, but that it will help all present to participate in the worship experience. For you see my friends, with all that, our Sunday morning service or services have become, it is very easy to miss why we are there to start with. (Read Psalm 47:6)

    Sunday worship is to be a time of worshiping in public the One we have been worshiping all week long in private. Yes, it is great to see friends and to encourage one-another as Scripture commands us to do, but we really are there to worship God – the real reason we are there to start with. It’s great to enjoy the music but make sure of Whom you are singing to and for. May today’s sermon be biblically based, clear and concise. May today’s sermon challenge your life and the lives of everyone present in your church facility, including the preacher. May today’s sermon change how you will live tomorrow, the real reason that you are there to start with. (Read 1 Corinthians 9:26)

    You see dear friends, getting ready for church involves much more than getting cleaned up on the outside. I must start my Sunday worship by asking, “Is my inside ready to enter into the presence of all mighty God, the reason I go to church to start with.” (Read Romans 12:1-2)

    And with all of the other things that need to take place for a modern-day worship service, may the Holy Spirit give each of us a glimpse of what Heaven will really be like – all eyes upon Jesus, for He is really the reason we go to church to start with!

    Preparing for worship with you, Neal

  • It’s a real “fixer-upper”!

    November 8, 2025

    At 4:30 this morning, Coffee and I rolled out of our beds to be greeted with a fresh coat of snow and 30 mph wind out of the north-west. It sure didn’t take the ‘ol pup long to get finished outside, and I’m not looking forward to going out there either.

    As most of you know, last Spring, Miss Deb and I bought a really old house when we moved to Lusk. The first day we looked at this place, I told Miss Deb, “Yep, it’s a real fixer-upper.” After making the purchase, we immediately went to work on some needed repairs on the inside of the house, and then we moved outside to start on a gigantic task. Not only was the roof in desperate need of being replaced, the rest of the house also needed a huge investment in its “curb appeal.”

    After six-months of daily working on the outside, we have vastly improved the curb appeal on the front and sides of the house, yet the back side is still in need of a lot of work. Work that will hopefully be “buttoned-up” this next week for the winter and restarted next spring.

    Here’s the lesson, too often our Christianity is just like this old house – in need of repairs. As previously talked about, to repair our faith-journey, we have to start on the inside, making updates and repairs as needed.

    Then we can start working on our “curb appeal.” That is how folks who are on the outside of our lives see us. Do they see me, taking care of me, concerned primarily about me, or do they see a servant of God whose focus is upon pleasing Him and blessing others? And just like the repairs to our old house, the outside is what folks see first.

    Most people will never really know the remodeled inside of you, but they can easily see any improvements to the outside of your life. How we talk and act in public does really matter. All summer and all fall, folks drive by our house on a very regular basis to “inspect” what we have done to improve the outward appearance. Out of the several hundred eyes that have watched our improvements on the outside, very few eyes have stopped and looked at the improvements on the inside of our house.

    In my opinion, our inside is improved by Bible studies, sermons and personal growth. Yet what is on the inside determines what folks see on the outside. Though we cannot regulate what folks think or say about us, we can do our best to hopefully tip their opinions in a positive way.

    That is why our “testimony,” our outward life, our curb appeal is so very important. As Jesus would have said, our true inside is what people tend to see on the outside. So, do people see me as a hypocrite or as a child of God? Their answer is usually determined by what they see on the outside.

    The tricky part of this reality is that God looks at what is truly on the inside. In my opinion, He examines motives of actions more than the actions themselves. I can do all sorts of “good” things, but if I do them for self-gratification, then those actions are nothing more than straw, easily burned up in the fire of judgment.

    Yes, how folks see our lives on the outside is important, but if the inside is a mess, we most likely are not too pleasing to our Heavenly Father. May I suggest that each of us read Galatians 5:19-23 and honestly answer which of characteristics best describe our lives? This passage is a real simple test of what the inside of my house looks like. But please note, whether we walk by the flesh of by the Spirit, determines what people see as our “curb appeal!”

    It has taken all summer and fall, but the outside of this house looks way different than it did before. I know that there is still more work to do on outside next spring, but for the rest of the winter we will be continuing to work of the inside our house. Perhaps our Spiritual lives require the same focus?

    Add Isaiah 61:10 to today’s reading list; perhaps this cold, windy day would be a great day to work on the inside of this house, and on the inside of our spiritual lives as well?

    Working on home repairs with you, Neal

  • I Declare!

    November 6, 2025

    The thermometer is showing a hearty 53 degrees at 3:45 a.m., but the forecast is that it will be 46 by 7 a.m., with 47 mph wind gust. The fun part is that I need to put 4′ by 8′ sheets of foam on the house today, this ought to be exciting!

    A long time ago, as a preacher and a Bible teacher, I learned the value of words. Psalm 26 holds some extremely valuable words for us to consider. Beginning in verse 6 we read, “I shall wash my hands in innocence, And I will go about Your altar, O Lord.”

    Have you ever covered your hands with something like automotive grease or oil, or how about blood, or maybe roofing tar? When you get any of the above-mentioned products on your hands, it is very difficult to get it off. Fifty years ago, grease covered hands were cleansed with gasoline. Yep, we went from one problem on our hands to another problem. What we get on our hands does matter.

    Shortly after Miss Deb and I were married, she accidently broke a dish that had sentimental value to her. It wasn’t a bad break, just a two-inch chip. So, I purchased this new product called “Super Glue” and commenced to fix her plate. The problem is, being a male, I didn’t read all of the instructions on the package. I had missed the part of being very careful to not get any of the glue on my hands.

    Yep, I glued myself to the plate. It took a month to get all of that glue cleaned off of my hands, once we got me unstuck from the plate. My point is this, it does matter what we get on our hands. In Psalm 26:6 the psalmist is advising us to wash our hands with “innocence.”

    It would appear that when it comes to our standing before God, we will each wash our hands in either innocence, or guilt. All through the Bible, the guilt of sin defiles the rest of our body. Guilt was what caused Adam and Eve to attempt to hide from God. Guilt has the same effect upon your life and mine today.

    Let’s just pretend that one of your children or grandchildren swipes a cookie which you have forbidden for whatever reason. When that child takes said cookie, how often do they walk into your presence to eat it? No, they will find a place to hide and eat their cookie—guilt robs that child of the joy of eating the cookie. When it comes to sins like gossip, we are all cookie monsters!

    David washes his hands with “innocence.” Meaning that he is free to be at God’s altar. Oh my, how many times have I attempted to kneel at the altar of the all-knowing God with guilt in my life? It’s just like Momma knows that her child has eaten the forbidden cookie.

    Verse 7 contains more valuable words, “That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And declare all Your wonders.” A “voice of thanksgiving” is tied to hands of “innocence.” Guilty hands proclaim excuses, while hands washed with innocence proclaim “thanksgiving.” Yep, that is the way it should be around our tables on November 27 as we enjoy Thanksgiving. We will find it difficult to be thankful when we are guilty. Yet when we are innocent, thanksgiving flows from our lips before the turkey flows across our lips.

    Verse 7 is home to another important word, “declare.”(NASB) In the Hebrew language this word means to “count, make a written record of, to make known.” When our hands are cleansed by confession, we are found to be innocent before God and as such, we want to declare God’s working in and through our lives. We give testimony of the “wonders” of being in God’s presence. (v.7b)

    And that brings us back to our challenge for this month, to answer the question, “I saw God today when…” With hands washed in “innocence”, it is easy to “declare” God’s “wonders.” Interesting how all of that ties together isn’t it? This Thanksgiving, may we each “make known” the “wonders” of our Heavenly Father as we “declare” how we have seen Him at work in our lives.

    Declaring with you, Neal

  • Being Tiny!

    November 5, 2025

    Yesterday I introduced you to my favorite milk cow – Tiny. Tiny was a short-legged Jersey who looked like a Hereford cow. Because she was built so close to the ground, and because she had really short faucets, it was my job to milk her first each morning and evening. All of the rest of our milk cows were Brown Swiss. As such, they were long legged and possessed really big faucets. To me, the main difference between Tiny and the rest of the cows was that Tiny was super easy to get along with, the Brown Swiss cows could be a bit tough to be around at times.

    The main reason Tiny stayed around our place was that mom preferred to use Tiny’s milk for cooking. The Brown Swiss cows had too much cream content in their milk, making it more difficult to use for cooking, according to mom.

    Besides that, Tiny would let me ride her. We were even at the point where I could steer her with leg pressure, just like a horse. One day when I had a few minutes free, I put a horse halter on Tiny, jumped up on her back and worked her in the round pen, just like riding a green colt. It didn’t take very long before she responded to my leg pressure, and we were soon able to get rid of the halter.

    It was plumb fun to walk out to get the milk cows, jump on Tiny and herd the rest of the cows toward the barn. Over the years, we sure did stop a lot of traffic going down our county road! I mean come on, how often do you see a little kid riding a cow, chasing cows. I guess you could say that I was a real “cow-boy!”

    Because Tiny was so easy to be around and so easy to work with, besides her milk being “special,” she held a place of honor on our outfit. In 2 Timothy 2:20, Paul states this, “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.”

    You see friends, we are not all “gold and silver vessels,” in fact some of us are just plain ‘ol vessels. Here’s the point Paul was making, it doesn’t matter if you are made of gold or silver of wood or clay, you are honored in God’s kingdom when you live according to His commandments, yet we are dishonored when we allow sinful attitudes to rule our lives.

    In verse 19, Paul tells us that all forms of “wickedness” cause defilement. This word “wickedness” implies any kind of injustice but is directly pointed at an attitude of pride. On the other side of this verse, we find that vessels who stay away from such attitudes are considered vessels of honor. and are “useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”(v.21)

    I hope that each of us desires to be “useful to the Master.” As such, we must constantly watch our attitude, because a rotten attitude usually leads to rotten actions. Pride makes us unclean, while humility keeps us clean and usable for our Master.

    The thing that made Tiny so special was her attitude towards people. She was always calm and pleasant to be around. The Brown Swill cows, who gave more milk by the way, with much richer cream content, were big and pushy. They would just as soon walk over you, rather than around you. They also liked to stick a foot in the milk bucket if given a chance. Oh ya, then there was the green tail across the face trick! The Brown Swiss had plenty of attitude, most of it ornery.

    So today’s question, am I a Jersey or a Brown Swiss? They both give milk, but only one is honored. Attitude really does control altitude!

    Looking at me, with you, Neal

  • God lit the way!

    November 4, 2025

    Wow, it’s 42 degrees at 5:30 a.m. When I let Coffee out the door, the back yard is light up with the full moon. I have so many memories of walking through nights with a full moon.

    I’ll just admit it up right front – I do not like winter! I have a severe dislike of cold and snow, and yes, I know, I live in Wyoming. About the only time I appreciate snow is when I have to do something under a full moon with snow on the gorund.

    I remember one such time: It was right close to Thanksgiving, and the ground was covered with a fresh blanket of snow, probably around six inches. We had been visiting with some relatives in Torrington, and then mom had to do some shopping, and then dad got to visiting with an old friend he saw on the street and …. Well, it was way after dark before we made it home.

    You see, back then, coming from the south, we had to drive on about 25 miles of gravel road. The road wasn’t drifted any, it was just slow going. We finally made it home several hours after regular chore time, so the hustle was on.

    The first order of business was to change into my chore clothes. We were never allowed to wear our “good” clothes while doing chores. After getting everyone and everything into the house and crawling into ice-cold chore clothes, Dad and I got both wood stoves to cooking.

    Coat, hat and overshoes on, I headed for the hen house. Momma wanted the eggs gathered first thing, so she could get started sorting the frozen eggs out. Next, I had to walk around the milk cows that we had put in the south pasture, a half mile south of the home place. As I have said before, we didn’t have a flashlight at this time and dad was using the lantern to get water for the house and to do other chores.

    So, I set off on foot to walk down and get the milk cows. It was an amazing night! The dark was being invaded by the moon light. As I walked, I could see jack rabbits as they jumped out from their protective sage brushes. I remember seeing a pair of coyotes as they ran across in front of me. I yelled and scolded them right strong, as they were not welcome visitors around our place. Yep, it was cold and dark, but hay, I didn’t have to worry about rattle snakes!

    Reaching the gate, I found the ‘ol girls who were wondering where I had been. Each one’s bag was overflowing with milk and so we had to take our time going back home. I had been schooled long ago not to hurry a milk cow with a full bag, seeing that it would be painful for her to walk with such a load.

    I remember the sense of security I felt while walking home with those ‘ol girls. As we all walked north together, there was now the bit of a little breeze that had just come up, but the whole, illuminated countryside lay quietly before us.

    The snow crunched under each footstep of the cows as we journeyed northward. We hadn’t gone too far before Tiny, our only Jersey milk cow, showed up at my side. I had stopped by the grainery before leaving the barns and put a piece of cotton-cake into my pocket. It didn’t take Tiny too long to scout me out and get that cake. As I handed her the cake, I slipped up onto her back, yep she would always let me snitch a free ride!

    Man, the frost on her back was really cold through my Levis, but it gave my cold feet a break. Before long, our caravan reached the milking barn. When we were within about 100-yards of the barn, I could see the red glow of dad’s Prince Albert cigarette. He was waiting on us.

    Milking done, cows hayed and put to bed, we started separating the milk and feeding bucket calves. The last chore of the evening was to split and carry three armloads of firewood to the house. The moon and the snow had things so lit up that I could see to split firewood at night. So with all of my fingers in their natural place and my frozen toes, I finally made it into the nice warm house. A quick bite of supper and off to a very cold bedroom. But snuggled under my layer of quilts, it was just a few quick hours before we were up for a repeat performance.

    God’s word tells us that He has given us the moon and the stars to “guide” us. All I know is that I was really grateful for that beautiful moon-light night as I headed out on my evening stroll. So, here we are today, under a full moon – slip out of your house after dark and enjoy the beauty He has provided for us. Think of all of the folks who journey under the protection of night, yet being able to find their way because of a full moon, even an eight-year-old boy headed to find his milk cows.

    Enjoying God’s gifts with you, Neal