Always Use The Right Tool For The Job And Be Prepared For Life's Surprises! 

Until That Storm Passes Over!

My wife and I love to travel on two wheels, in fact that is one of the many ways we combine fun, faith, and fellowship on the road. Life is not always kind, and many of the bumps in the road we don't see until we've hit them, and I'm not referring simply to a Harley on the highway. Our day to day lives encounter the same obstacles that we run into on two wheels. The unforeseen storm that pops over the horizon, the occasional animal that unknowingly lurches into our headlights, and the mechanical problems that can "happen" to anybody. We try very hard to avoid the worst of what nature throws our way, but there are some events that you can't go around or under or over, for that matter, so you have to go through them! If it's rain on the asphault we stop and put on our rain gear and keep moving, sooner or later we come out of it. When it's rain in our lives we stop, pray, and then slip on the armor of God, mount up and keep on going. Large raindrops at 55 or 60 miles an hour can really hurt, but are nothing compared to the slings and arrows of adversity that life can throw at us. I guess that's why we have a Bible on the scooter along with the tools and the rain gear. It would be nice if we didn't have to use some of what we carry "just in case," but the truth is, our Bible is the best emergency kit we can have on board. The instructions for dealing with all of life's problems are contained on it's pages. Have you ever seen those manuals like "Car Repair For Dummies?" Well, if there were an apt subtitle for God's Word it would probably be "Life Maintenance For The Wise!" Between the covers(ours is missing one I think)you will find not only great ways to protect yourself and those you love, but also complete instructions for how to repair problems and maps showing the best way to get where you'd like to be. For some this message may only last as long as it takes to click away to somewhere else, for others.....take a look at the picture above. Just like that cloud covering the mountain, God's Grace covers each one of us that avails ourselves of the knowledge needed to come through this life and enter into another, safely. So, next time you pack for the journey be sure to take along the guide book, life can be hazardous to your health in more ways than one! May you have a wonderful day! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

If you're on the interstate and you can see it coming, now would be a good time to look for an underpass! 

The Spirit Of The Old West Survives In South Dakota, Still A Frontier State 

Is it legal to take digital pictures of one's own television screen and put them on the net or web or, well, you know what I mean, out here? 

Cowboys And Christ Outgunning The Bad Guys!

My age probably shows when I say that I love cowboy movies. The "real" kind where the plot involves some serious blood shed and the bad guys get beat in the end, guy gets girl and all the rest of the schmaltz that goes with the territory. "Open Range" captured my imagination and kept it thriving throughout the " same old cowboy plot" length. In one of the scenes "Boss" and "Charlie" are burying "Mose"(killed by the bad guys along with Charlie's dog) and Boss doesn't want to say anything to God because he is angry with Him. Hey, pardner, can we not identify with that? It's okay to get angry with God. I believe God expects that of us every once in awhile. After all there is no human being that can know us as well as we know ourselves, and God knows us even better than that! I believe that being acknowledged as being "there" all of the time is a part of what God truly wants from us. Not just the praise and thanks He collects on Sundays, but the rest of our emotional beings as well. We can be more honest with God then we would ever dare to consider being with anyone we know, and it's just between Him and me, or Him and you. I guess what I'm saying is that it is really confidential. This is the first time since landing in Brookings that I have actually rented a movie myself, and it was not an entirely bad experience, but I have to admit I was surprised at the blood test(that's a joke)required. Great panoramic scenes burst across my screen, and the sounds(400 watts surround)made the whole thing just sort of come alive. I was rooting for the home team from beginning to end. That's how I believe God wants us to be in life, cheering the good on and wishing we could help. We can, every single day we can help. Life becomes even better than the movies when we are actively pursuing a course of fighting alongside the hero against the forces of evil. We don't have to go out with a six shooter on our hip(wouldn't that be nice, though). All we have to do is identify the bad guys (workers of evil), and join forces against them and we shall have earned the honor of rejoicing in the triumph of good over evil. Kevin Costner played a great "savior" role in the movie, but in real life we have one in Christ, and He is truly the greatest of heroes. Whatever the trouble, no matter how dire the circumstances, He is ready to ride through the storm with us and help guide us to the safe haven of a heavenly camp at the end of the roundup. Not to mention the good folks we get to share with along the way and all the great times we have together riding the range of life rounding up strays. Y'all have a really good one now, ya hear! God bless, Preacher.