From the Home Place

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

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  • She’s coming alive!

    November 3, 2025

    Good morning friends. It was 23 degrees at 4 a.m. and has now dropped to 21 degrees at 6:30 – it’s always coldest just before daylight.

    Could that also be the condition of the American church? We are closing churches at the average of nearly 300 per month, our culture is out of control and the world around us seems to have a real dislike for anything about GOD. All of the analysis people are in agreement that the spiritual climate of America is “very cold” at this time. If really is the coldest just before daylight, it would seem that the light of Christ is just about to shine brightly!

    Growing up on the ranch, we were usually able to see the sunrise and sunset of each day. As such, we were blessed to see the beauty that God would paint in the sky at each of these special times of the day. Still today, we get to see the beautiful sunrises that God continues to paint for us. It is true that it is always the coldest just before daylight, and that is usually the most beautiful time of the day.

    I have always been an early riser, and I can remember many a morning with my favorite uncle. He would warm up some coffee (left-over from the day before), and we would sip a very strong cup while watching the sunrise off to the east. When the painting was complete and the glow of the sun was beginning to show behind the hills, he would comment, “She’s coming alive, I ‘spect we should go milk the cow,” and our day would begin. I sure wish I could tell him how precious those mornings still are in my heart.

    You see, the coffee and the sunrise were the preparation for the rest of the day. In Joshua 3, the nation of Israel is getting ready to cross over the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land. The day before the big crossing was their preparation day. Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”(3:5)

    Joshua challenged each individual in the camp to “consecrate yourselves.” To consecrate is to “set oneself apart holy before God.” It involved personal confession and cleansing, and then fully yielding one’s life to God for His glory. Perhaps we could use some consecration today?

    The Israelites knew that they were about to enter into a war zone, but they also knew that if God was with them, no enemy could stand against them. (Numbers 13-14) You see, a consecrated people focus their energy upon HE, not upon me. In today’s culture, we tend to reverse that equation. Even when we know what God is calling us to be and to do, we are more concerned with me than HE.

    Over my years of walking with God, I have seen many young men with God’s calling clearly upon their lives, refuse to obey His calling because it would be too difficult. You see that is what “consecration” is for. Look at the lives of men like Isaiah, Moses, Abraham, John, Paul and Peter, they were mighty men of God because they had consecrated their lives to His use. Careers are a good thing, until they interfere with the greater thing of God’s calling upon a life that has been consecrated to Him!

    So, here I sit, with a cup of coffee and the sun peeking over the horizon to the east, another beautiful sunrise. Yep, it’s plum cold out there right now, but it is going to be a beautiful day of walking with our Master. And tomorrow, if it comes, will be the day of God doing “wonders” among us, if we consecrate ourselves today. That makes today a day of preparation. You see, this isn’t just another day, “This is the day the LORD has made, rejoice and be glad in it,” and “consecrate yourselves for tomorrow God will do wonders among you.” If we do our part, He will do His part.

    Preparing with you, Neal

  • Blow wind, blow!

    November 2, 2025

    At 4:30 this morning the temperature is 47 degrees with a 24 mph wind gusting to 48. Because it’s a chinook wind it’s really not that bad outside today. The weather forecast is that we will enjoy a high of 72 degrees here in Lusk today. Websters defines chinook as “a warm dry wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.” I wonder, can we get one of those for our churches?

    At 48 mph our wind must be really close to the “violent rushing wind” mentioned at Pentecost. Verse 1 reads, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.” Now, put yourself in that place, at that time. It had been 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. You and the rest of the disciples are all gathered in “one place,” much like a modern-day church service, and all of a sudden, this gust of wind hits! The Bible doesn’t say that the disciples felt the wind, it reads, “And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind.”

    Sitting here in our house this morning, I can hear the “violent rushing wind” outside. I can hear a piece of house wrap fluttering in the wind; I need to get that stapled down. I can hear a five-gallon plastic bucket blowing across the driveway, I need to get it put away. I can hear a temporary board on the north side of the house banging in the wind, I need to get that nailed down.

    You see, today’s wind reminds me that there are several things I need to take care of on the outside, where I can hear the sound of the “rushing” wind. I imagine that the “violent rushing wind” of Pentecost, is very much like the wind that blew against the disciples when they were trying to get across the Sea of Galilee, and much like the wind blowing here today.

    So here’s the point, we can hear the wind blowing, we can see the effects of the wind blowing, but do we get up and do the things that need to get done, or do we just hunker down and wait for it to quit blowing? You know, like we would probably do in most churches if Acts 2 was to happen again, today, during our worship service.

    Pentecost is defined as, “A Christian feast on the seventh Sunday after Easter commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirt on the apostles.” As Jesus had promised, the “Helper” had arrived with the sound of a “rushing wind.” The word used in Acts 2 for “wind” is the same word used elsewhere for “breath” or “to breathe.” It would appear that on the Day of Pentecost, God breathed His spirit into the disciples. Now go back to Genesis 2:7, speaking of God creating Adam, “when God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

    You see loved ones, when the Spirit moves, it’s God breathing life into His people! This can happen individually, or corporately. My question is this, “Have we become so accustomed to the wind blowing, that we don’t even notice it anymore? Just like me sitting in my comfortable house listening to the house wrap, a bucket and a board being moved by the wind, but I do nothing about it. I just continue to sit under my nice warm blanket, typing on my computer, ignoring the blowing of the wind.

    Summary, today we have a chinook wind blowing across our area, so it’s going to be a nice, warm day to get some things done. But will I get outside and do the things the wind is reminding me I need to do, or will I just ignore it. If the Spirit of God blows across our congregation today, will we get up and go do what He’s telling us to do, or will we just ignore Him?

    Oh, how I pray that today, the Spirit of God will breathe His life into our congregations. And then I also pray that we will get up and get to work doing that which He is telling us to do!

    Praying for the wind to move us to action with you, Neal

  • I saw God today!

    November 1, 2025

    Good morning! It is 3:45 a.m. and I’m excited to share with you today. At this moment in Lusk, Wyoming the thermometer is showing 17 degrees, but the wind isn’t howling, at least not yet!

    Today, we are going to visit about “Today.” The Lord Jesus tells us to just deal with today and not to worry about tomorrow, for “each day has enough trouble of its own.” When Jesus draws our focus to the “trouble” of today, He is simply reminding us that we tend to focus upon what will go wrong today, instead of praising God for that which will be a blessing today.

    As such, I want to challenge each of us to get a notebook of some kind and write your “God sighting” in it for each day of the month of November. We are told that it takes 28 days to form a new habit, so let’s get started today. Each day you are to write your answer to the statement: “I saw God today when….! You fill in the blank with as many words as you want to write.

    I’ll warn you, for the first few days it may be difficult to answer this question, but by the end of the month you will be able to answer it two or three different ways. You see my friends, our enemy wants us to focus upon what goes wrong each day, but our Heavenly Father wants us to give Him praise for all that goes well each day.

    Some biblical examples can be found in the following passages: Genesis 24:42; Deuteronomy 30:16; Joshua 24:15; Matthew 6:30; Luke 2:6-11; Hebrews 3:7-13. Each of these passages has something to do with the word “today.” Allow the Holy Spirit to speak into your life in such a way that today is a very special day, because “Today, I saw God when………..!

    In Luke 5:26 we read, “They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.” I challenge you, each day of November write about the “remarkable things” that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you! Then on November 27, 2025, when you gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, share some of your writings with those gathered around the table with you.

    But each day of this month, tell someone about your experience of seeing God at work in and through your life! Don’t waste one day worrying about trivial details, invest every day as one more moment in your journey of life!

    I remember learning this little adage long ago: “Yesterday is a canceled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, today is the only cash on hand – invest it wisely.” Another day of life is no guarantee from God, if we get to see tomorrow – it is a gift from God.

    Well, it is now 4:45 a.m. and I have already seen God’s hand at work in my life. It has been very difficult to know what to write about in this blog every day, of every month, for the past 20-plus years. I praise my Heavenly Father for gently waking me an hour ago so that I could share with you an exercise that I hope will last the rest of your life, and that is something worth writing about!

    Finding God in each day with you, Neal

  • Education Process

    October 31, 2025

    28 degrees, headed for 46, my ‘ol bones are already cold. With at least one more day of working on the north side of the house, this will be a tough one.

    Let’s talk school for a minute. My education experience started in a one-room county schoolhouse. I and one other boy were the entire student body. He was my cousin by the way. They lived less than a quarter mile from the school, I had to walk over a mile, but at least it wasn’t in the snow, uphill both ways, well not all of the time anyway.

    We started in first grade, no kindergarten out there. Our teacher was an older lady the school district pulled out of retirement. The teacherage, her residence, was about fifty feet from the schoolhouse. As such, she would meet us at the door each morning, do the attendance and the pledge of allegiance. We would then get our assignments for the morning, and she would go back to the teacherage and watch soap operas all morning.

    Us two boys would spend most of our time playing, with a little bit of studying. This went on for three years. Fourth grade, we rode a school bus 26 miles to Sunrise. Wow, their idea of education was a heap different than what we were used to. Not only was I introduced to many firsts – spelling tests, the principal’s office, writing, math, the principal’s office, history and Halloween. I didn’t know much about any of the above subjects they wanted me to work on, but I and Principal Fender became well acquainted.

    Oh yah, like I said, I experienced my first Halloween during my fourth-grade year. By this time, my little sister was in school as well, so our folks loaded us up and we went door-to-door in Sunrise and Hartville. I had never seen so much candy!

    Well, when we got home, mom took the bags of candy and hid them, so we didn’t try to eat all of it. Twice each week, the candy came out, and we were allowed to choose one piece each. It didn’t take very long to notice that all of the chocolate candy had disappeared. I guess it was mom’s storage fee.

    The next year, Sunrise school consolidated with Guernsey school, and we added another seven miles to our bus ride each day, for a grand total of 66 miles round trip. Yep, I loved school! On the bus at 7 a.m. and off the bus at 4:30 p.m. The problem was, there was at least an hour’s worth of chores on each end of that daily journey. At 5:30 every morning we started chores and I had to be in bed by 8:30 each night during the school week.

    Oh, but guess what, during my Junior-High days, we got to add more bus miles. Yep, we would ride the bus to Guernsey, and then we would get on another bus and ride back to Sunrise for classes. I still cringe when I see a school bus.

    It was during my Junior-High days that I really learned how to do Halloween. In seventh grade I wasn’t in the principal’s office quite as much as fourth grade, but thanks to my maturity in the Halloween process, I did get to go to the sheriff’s office. It seems the local law enforcement was convinced that my pals had pushed a tow truck across town and left it at the front door of our school principal. Well, we volunteered to push the truck back across town to its rightful place and give our names to the principal for punishment the next day. And yes, there was still mom’s storage fee on the chocolate candy I had gathered along the way.

    So there you have it, as you can surely understand, I’m none too crazy about school buses, Halloween. or being in the office of those in authority. And on top of that, for the past 53 years of living with Miss Deb, I still have to pay my candy storage fees.

    Enjoy this day, fuss over all of the little critters who come to your door tonight and give thanks to our Heavenly Father for allowing us to see another October come to a close.

    Blessings upon you and yours, Neal

  • Recharging!

    October 30, 2025

    Well, here we go with another day. Yesterday at daylight the temp was 16 degrees, today is 32. Yesterday’s high was 56, today’s forecast is for 50 degrees as a high, with wind gusts to match the temperature – another day in Paradise.

    As I have mentioned before, the ranch I grew up on had zero outside lighting, so when it was dark, it was dark. I can remember of times when we would get home after dark, dad would take the coal oil lantern with him and start milking cows, while I gathered eggs in the dark. It was always exciting to stick my hand into the nests not knowing if there would be a snake curled up with the warm eggs, or a skunk or coon sucking eggs! Yes-sir-ree, chores are much more fun in the dark!

    That same lantern was the only light we had for checking heavies during calving as well. It would have been an o.k. light except on most nights, the wind would blow it out before I could get half-way to the calving lot. It was always a treat stumbling around in the dark, attempting to discern if a cow was starting to calve, or if she was cleaning a chilled little feller that need to get to the barn. If you have ever had the experience of trying to drag a calf to the barn with his angry momma hot on you tailfeathers, you really should try it in the pitch black of night!

    It is also amazing how sounds in the dark are much louder. When a coyote howls or an ‘ol mountain lion growls, it sounds like they are in your hip pocket. Owls and birds tend to sound like small airplanes and then there is the unknown – and an eight-year-old mind can think of a lot of unknowns! I remember when I saved up enough money to buy my first flashlight, that flashlight made me plum popular, well at least until the batteries died.

    As I aged and was able to start going on hunting trips with dad and my brothers, it was amazing to find a fresh pack of flashlight batteries available on the first morning of season. It seemed that we would always leave camp before daylight and the old flashlight would help us with navigating a trail up the mountain.

    One of the things I learned right after purchasing that flashlight, the darker the night, the brighter my light. On nights when the moon was full and there was snow on the ground, the flashlight stayed off unless really needed. But on nights when the moon was dark, the flashlight was always in hand.

    The second lesson I learned about a flashlight was that it was much brighter with new batteries rather than ones that were almost used up. You know, like your faith. Fresh faith is brighter than a faith that seldom recharges. Thus, the value of church attendance, reading Scripture and prayer. It would appear that even Jesus took time to pray as a way of recharging His batteries.

    Remember when the woman with the “issue” touched His robe, Jesus asked, “Who touched Me?” Pete reminded Jesus that they were in the middle of a crushing crowd and that it was impossible to know who had touched Him. Hopefully you will recall Jesus’ response, “But I felt the power go out.” You see my friends, when you allow you light to shine, you have to take time to recharge the battery on a daily basis. Spiritual work will always drain your human batteries. It appears to me that too many of us Christians are attempting to let our spiritual lite shine with batteries that are almost dead, and we are not much more than a dull flicker.

    Dr. Howard Hendricks often reminded his students, “Gentlemen, remember, you cannot give away that which you do not possess.” If my light doesn’t have fresh batteries, it will be of little assistance to anyone. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “Our faith is being renewed day-by-day,” or if we are not following Paul’s advice, our batteries are about to flicker their last ray of dim light.

    I’m really grateful that you have decided to let your light shine, so please, make sure that you recharge the batteries each day. I’m willing to bet that you always remember to recharge you cell phone!

    Staying fully charged with you, Neal

  • A Little Light

    October 29, 2025

    I’m sorry for the late post today, I’ve been praying about what I am to write, and now I believe we are ready to learn from God’s truth.

    Let’s travel back to Genesis 1:2, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” Please allow me to visit with you about some things the Holy Spirit reminded me of when I was reading at 4:30 a.m. today.

    Our primary focus will be upon the middle of Genesis 1:2, “and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving.” Because sin was introduced into God’s creation in Genesis 3:6b, spiritual “darkness” became the dominate force upon God’s creation! Though His created light would be used for separation from the darkness (1:4), the darkness of sin would pierce the hearts of humanity.

    As a result of the darkness of sin, fear became the ruling emotion.(3:10) Next, Adam and his beautiful wife Eve would enter into the blame game (3:12-13). A game that modern day psychology tends to encourage that we sinful humans continue. Most psychologists would encourage me to blame my parents, or where & how I grew up, the travesties that have been committed against my people, or improper training or teaching as the “cause” for my improper attitudes and actions. I would be encouraged to find whom or what to blame so I can find healing.

    In reality, for all of us, our improper attitudes and actions are the result of allowing sin to have free reign in our lives. Remember, attitude determines altitude and the only person in charge of my attitude is me. I can’t blame others for how I view you and the world around me. Yep, darkness is still alive and well in our world today.

    Yet notice that in 1:2, where we are first introduced to “darkness,” the next portion of the sentence states, “and the Spirit of God was moving.” Look closely at 1:3, God’s first creative decree was “Let there be light.” Now look at v.4, “God saw that the light was good,” implying that the “darkness” was not good!

    So here we are looking full-face into another Halloween – with witches, goblins and lots of darkness. This “holiday” began as a “celebration of the dead,” the opposite of the living. I would suggest that Genesis 1 reveals to us the constant battle between “darkness” and “light.” Look at the end of v.4, “God separated the light from the darkness.”

    Because of the moving of the Holy Spirit, may we each bring the “light” of Christ into this celebration of “darkness.” I’m not speaking of just Halloween; I’m stating that we Christians should be the “light of the world” each and every day. That we need to take a stand against the darkness that our culture desires to push upon us.

    Tonight, in the peak of the darkness, step out your door and turn on a flashlight, or light a match if the wind isn’t blowing – notice how just a little bit of light overpowers the darkness. But also, notice that though the focused light displaces the darkness in its path, the darkness still surrounds the light.

    When Christians walk into the darkness of our culture, we will only displace the darkness directly within our path. That is why, together we all need to shine the light of Jesus Christ. The bigger and the brighter the light, the less the power of the dark.

    Remember, it is not our political stance that is the light of the world, it is the working of the Holy Spirit working within us so that He can then work through us, in love. In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”(v.44) I’ll quickly admit, I can’t do that. But if I’m filled with His spirit, we can do it!

    As we prepare for Halloween, let’s pray for those who would persecute us.

    Letting my light shine with yours, Neal

  • “His word”

    October 28, 2025

    “This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise.” Psalm 56:9b-10 God’s “word” consistently reminds us that when we walk with God, His “word” will remind us of His desire to walk with us.

    I’m sorry to start our visit with a string of questions, but I must ask each of us, “What value do I really place on God’s word?” Do I “praise” His word? Do I really trust God’s word enough to allow it to change who I am and what I do? Or do I read His word, lay it aside and go on to live my life as if I had never read His “word?”

    I know around our house, we have close to twenty Bibles, but does one of those Bibles have me? I recall reading the words of D.L. Moody, “We don’t need to get more people into the Bible, we need to get more of the Bible into people.” Perhaps if those of us who claim to love God’s “word” would live what we read, just perhaps, we would have an extremely positive impact upon the culture in which we live? What value do you and I really place upon God’s “word?” Have I stopped recently and praised God for giving me His love letter from Heaven, a Bible?

    Over my years in the pastorate, I have used God’s “word” as a tool for counseling, for encouraging, for challenging, for a sermon text and for leading others to salvation in Christ Jesus, but have I used His “word” as He intended it to be used, as a means of transforming my life?

    2 Timothy 3:16-17 informs us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” After hours and hours in the Bible, am I trained in “righteousness?” Am I doing “good work?” Am I just in the Bible, or is the Bible in me?

    O.K. enough questions. Allow me to share one of my hobbies with you – I enjoy collecting old Bibles. Bibles that reveal not only old age but also reveal that someone has used them. Dr. Derkson once told me, “A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to a person who is not.”

    You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their Bible. Is it falling apart, or are they? So, for today, I am going to assume that your Bible is falling apart from use, and that your life is not falling apart from proper application of God’s “word.” As such, your life and your Bible both give “praise” to God for his “word.”

    Now, here’s one more question, “Who will read your Bible after you have passed on to eternity?” I have a box full of old Bibles that evidently have meant a lot to their previous owners, yet I found them at a yard sale or a thrift store. Tattered and torn, full of underlines, highlights, and personal notes. Each Bible appears to have done its job well, yet it ended up being discarded at the end of its owner’s life.

    When your life comes to a close, who will inherit your prized possession, your Bible? May I suggest that you put a very visible note in each of your used Bibles to give its next owner instructions about the great value of God’s “word!” Tell them your favorite verse or passage. Tell them why you left that Bible to them. Tell them to use it for “training in righteousness.” Tell them that it has been a good friend to you, helping you to get to know its Author, whom you are now with in Heaven!

    Praising God for His “word” with you, Neal

  • He’s Here!

    October 3, 2025 (This didn’t post on 10/3, so I’ll try again today 10/27)

    Yesterday I traveled 150 miles south of here to Cheyenne for a day-long meeting with eleven other pastors. We all serve God’s kingdom under the direction of Converge Rocky Mountain. We spoke of the growing hatred toward religious groups in America. We spoke of the spread of false religions and false beliefs. We spoke of the difficulties of planting new Bible-believing churches in Wyoming and all across America. We spoke of the report that today there are more people claiming to be Satan worshipers, than there are those reporting to be Jesus followers.

    But, then we spoke of God’s amazing grace and power! We spoke of the three new congregations we have planted in three small towns of Wyoming! We spoke of how we are seeing many new faces in our churches across the district! We spoke of people committing themselves to follow Jesus Christ! We spoke of new ministries impacting communities in very positive ways across our great state! We spoke of how Jesus Christ continues to fulfill His promises of building “His church!”

    At this present time in America it is quite easy to focus upon what is wrong, and to become fearful. Yesterday we reported what our churches are doing right and celebrated! We spent a lengthy time in prayer, praising our Heavenly Father for drawing new believers to Himself. We prayed for every pastor to be “strong and courageous” as they continue to serve their communities across Wyoming, and for protection for them, their families and their congregations. We prayed to and praised the living God!

    You see my friends, as bad as things are within our nation, things are not as bad as they could be because of the presence of congregations who are living out the Bible right in front of their neighbors. These gatherings of Christ-followers are standing up, speaking out, reaching out and loving others into the Kingdom of God! I am so grateful that your home church is such a congregation!

    As America grows darker and darker, it constantly amazes me how much brighter the Light of God is shining. A light that was light at Pentecost over two-thousand years ago is still lighting the path back to God, and hundreds of people are walking upon that path across America each and every day!

    Yes, my friends, God is here! He is here in Wyoming and around the world. God is alive and well, doing that which only He can do, changing lives for the good of all! Yesterday, we gathered to praise God for allowing this small group of pastors, and the churches they represent, to join Him in His work of helping people walk out of the darkness, into the light right here within our great State!

    So no matter what tragedy the news will report today, let us not forget that the Good News of Jesus Christ is here! Even though we may not be able to see Him as a person, we get to see Him working in and through His people each day. People who are genuinely and impactfully letting their light shine!

    Believing in and trusting God with you, Neal

  • The End!

    October 26, 2025

    The next morning, day three, starts a strong hour before the sun wakes up and we are on the road again, ten miles to the Lusk sale barn. The biggest issue of this day will be getting the cattle to cross the asphalt road just east of Manville so we can come into the sale barn on the north side of Lusk. Oh yea, we will also have to drag some cattle across the railroad tracks before reaching our destination. Cattle hate asphalt and railroads, and so do young horses and tired cowboys.

    By mid-morning we reach the holding pens at the sale barn and now the work begins. Every critter has to be sorted by brand, gender and age. This day is much like the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) that will take place at the end of time. Believers will be separated from the non-believers and judgments will be handed out.

    Let’s stop here and make it very clear, God does not send anyone to Hell, people will be sent there because they refused God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ! Just as God allowed Adam and Eve to exercise their free will, He allows every person to do the same – we all get to accept or reject God’s gracious gift of salvation. To refuse said grace means to choose eternity in Hell.

    So, our cowboys will spend the rest of day three sorting cattle, this is a Monday, and the sale is on Tuesday. Every critter is sorted, put into the appropriate pen and fed. Our horses too are penned and fed. Cowboys and some of our families will go to the city park for supper. Everyone will head home, in a vehicle, or stay the night with a friend or relative in Lusk. Day Three.

    Many will gather the next morning at the sale barn, check on cattle and horses. Right after lunch, several of us younger cowboys will saddle up our horse and lead someone else’s horse and head back to the home ranches. It’s a four-hour ride and we have to get home before time to do chores. Our parents will usually arrive after dark, yet in time for supper and with a check from the sale. Day Four.

    I believe the date was September 1962, this was the last time this annual trip was made. From this date on, all of the cattle from our community would be hauled to market in stock trailers or trucks. This would mark the end of another era of my life, a life that has seen many amazing ends. And one of these days my life will end here on earth.

    But the end of life here marks the beginning of life in eternity! Where will you spend eternity, Heaven or Hell? It’s your choice, choose wisely my friend. Please believe that Heaven and Hell are both as real as the Grand Tetons!

    Awaiting the end so we can start forever, Neal

  • Almost There!

    October 25, 2025

    Let’s travel back sixty-plus years to a September morning, the sun is lighting a small glow behind the hills to the east of us, the air is crisp, and Mother Nature is just starting to wake up. My dad is holding the lead shank of a halter, the halter is on a colt that I rode for the first time the day before, and we are traveling south in a fairly nice swing trot. Dad will keep this youngn” snubbed for our first five miles, and if all goes well, he will turn me and my student lose for the rest of our fourteen-mile ride.

    We are headed down south to start the annual cattle drive to Lusk. You see, we will pick up our first cattle at the Schamel and Johnson ranches, dumping these cattle onto the county road and starting the fifty-two mile journey to the north and east.

    We will pick up a few more cattle three miles up the road at the Brownrigg Ranch, and then more from Ferguson, Sudberry, Smith and Orr ranches. Before we travel five miles back in the direction we started from, we will be trailing nearly one-hundred head of cattle ranging for weanling calves to yearlings and all sorts of old cows and bulls. If we are lucky, we will usually gain two or three more cowboys as well.

    Sticking to the gravel county road, we will let the cattle mosey on north at a slow walk, picking their breakfast as we go along. Conversation is light among the hands as we attempt to keep all of the bulls separated from each other. When they get to fighting, there will almost always be fence to fix, and none of us have any desire, nor the tools for such a job.

    An occasional rattle snake will be fuzzed out of his bed as we stick to the ditches as much as possible. After the morning jog south and now pushing cattle back north, my colt is starting to figure out what he was created for.

    We gain cattle as we pass the Bass, Archey and Robinson ranches. By the time we get back to Meadowdale we are now pushing well over two-hundred head of cattle, and every cowboy can smell the fresh cinnamon rolls and coffee my mom will have ready for us within the next hour. We dump the cattle in our east-pasture and jog our horses to the barn. Each horse will get a scoop of oats and some fresh hay for their breakfast and then it’s a race to see which cowboy can get to the house first!

    After eating a couple dozen of rolls and using two big pots of coffee to wash them down with, the cowboys will jump into a pickup from a couple of the ranches we traveled by earlier and they too will go back to their homes for a day’s work and a night’s rest. Day One!

    An hour before daylight, the cowboys will all return to our place, catch and saddle their horse, and then head for the kitchen for more fresh rolls and coffee, a lot more! By daylight we will gather the cattle and head north. By now we have thrown our cattle we want to sell together with the bunch and off we go, once again just as Ma Nature is waking.

    Johnson and Schaffer Ranches are first to add to our collection of cattle and cowboys. Then we gain more at the Smith, Blackmore, and Lamb places. We will usually gain a milk cow or two from Kennedy’s and then some more yearlings from my uncle Bud’s outfit. By the end of the day, we will have a dozen tired cowboys, tired horses and very tired cattle as we have traveled nearly twenty miles!

    Our string of nearly two miles of cattle will dump into a pasture just south of Manville. Horses are brushed, watered and put into corrals with fresh hay. Cowboys will eat a pot-luck supper, having eaten sandwiches on the go for lunch. Bedrolls are rolled out in the barn and after a few stories recounting the excitement of the day, the snoring and (well we’ll leave that one alone) will begin. Day Two!

    Now, let’s pause here for a moment for our theology lesson for the day. By the end of day two, we were really close to our destination, yet it was necessary to hold-up in a pasture for the night. Now remember, we have a thousand-plus head of cattle that have never been together before, but they are chosen for this journey. This holding pasture with cattle from a dozen different ranches are very much like a Christians journey to heaven. You will be put into a place with others who have also been chosen.

    Grab your Bible and read the story about Lazarus and the rich man from Luke 16:1931. Follow that reading with Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 12:4 and then read Revelation 2:7. In each of these readings you will find “Abraham’s bosom or Paradise.” These are the biblical terms for what we Christians usually call heaven. However, just like the cattle in the holding pasture, Christians who die and leave this world, don’t really go to the final heaven, yet. They are gathered in a place called the “intermediate heaven,” or Paradise, while unbelievers are sent to Hades, neither group in their final destination.

    Though this intermediate heaven will be amazingly wonderful, it isn’t the New Heaven nor the New Earth awaiting Christians (Revelation 21:1-8) as their final destination. Yes, you will recognize loved ones, but no one there will have their resurrected bodies as of yet. It will be a glorious place because Jesus will be with us there! Just remember, this isn’t the end of the story, yet.

    Because of the lack of space, we will pick up this story tomorrow.

    Waiting to reach our destination with you, Neal