6-22-09
OUT ON THE RANCH this morning it is a gorgeous day. The temperature is supposed to get hot, hot, hot, this week!! Last night we drove over to Carter to see Ben Day, my late mother's widower. Ben is moving, today, to an assisted living center near his daughter in Oklahoma City. It made me want to cry. I feel so sorry for him. He misses Mother so much, and yesterday was 5 months since she passed away. I know he needs some assistance, but I am selfish and would like to keep him around here a while longer. I offered for him to stay with us, but I know his girls want him closer to them, and I don’t blame them. I would want Mother to be here if she were still alive. I miss her terribly this morning. I really need to talk to her for just a few minutes!! But I suppose I will have to wait awhile, unless, the Lord decides to take me today.
One of the last things that mother said was, “I can’t believe how short life is!!” And that is a statement coming from a woman who lived a full life of 82 years. Some memories are so vivid they seem like yesterday. I can remember so clearly living in Farmington, New Mexico and the smell of the Russian Olive trees along the ditch banks, near our house in the country. I would leave my window open at night to catch a cool breeze and the aroma of the blooms from the Russian Olives. It was a simpler time and somehow the smell still transports me back over 40 years to my bedroom in Farmington. It is amazing how we can forget all the problems of the past and remember the smells and the emotions from those days long gone by. I can’t tell you what someone looked like back then, but I can still remember how I felt about them.
I pray for me, today, and you that we can let go of the worries and fears of today, and cling to the sweetness of life. Life is short, and the problems we are encountering today are not nearly as big as the devil and our minds might make them out to be. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine everything in the room that is temporal disappearing and only the eternal remaining. What is there in the room with you that is eternal? If there are other people there, they are eternal. God is there, but you can’t see Him. Everything else is only here for a season, and will be gone. Even the mighty General Motors is going through bankruptcy. Everything changes and will soon be gone, except the precious people that are around you. Let us focus, today, on the eternal. Let us focus on our relationship with God and each other. These are the things that will remain when all else has vanished from this earth and our lives. Life is short and there is no reason to sweat the small stuff. And, other than the relationship with Him and the wonderful (less than perfect) people around us, it is all small stuff.
God Bless
Always Your Friend
Ridge
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
OUT ON THE RANCH..........6-16-09
6-16-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is another gorgeous day!! I didn’t make it up for the sunrise this morning…….SURPRISE…SURPRISE!! But I am up early enough to do my devotions and drink some coffee before the day begins. We have the Community Church from Elk City out with us for a few days. Robert and Becki Chaney are leading the group. The group spent the afternoon in the pool yesterday. This morning they are going to go paintballing. I played one time. There just isn’t enough oxygen on the ranch for this fat boy to be running around on sand hills in the heat. Today the heat of summer begins, according to NOAA. The next three days we are going to be near 100 degrees. Air conditioning and the swimming pool become a necessity from now till September.
The Bermuda grass is going crazy with all this moisture, sunshine, and warmer temperatures. Living on the ranch brings alive some of the descriptions used in Scripture.
John 8:12
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." NKJV
IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE “SUN” THAT BRINGS LIFE TO MY BERMUDA GRASS AND IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE “SON” THAT BRINGS LIFE TO MY SOUL.
John 6:35
35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. NKJV
IT IS THE RAIN THAT QUENCHES THE THIRST OF MY BERMUDA GRASS AND IT IS THE “SON” THAT QUENCHES MY THIRST FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
NKJV
What a gift God has given us in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. He brings warmth and comfort to our needy soul. He quenches our thirst for spiritual drink. He is also the “Bread of Life”. He fills us with Himself. More and more I “understand” that He is all that I need. We think we need the bread of this life, but God knows we need the bread of LIFE.
John 6:51
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
NKJV
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
OUT ON THE RANCH it is another gorgeous day!! I didn’t make it up for the sunrise this morning…….SURPRISE…SURPRISE!! But I am up early enough to do my devotions and drink some coffee before the day begins. We have the Community Church from Elk City out with us for a few days. Robert and Becki Chaney are leading the group. The group spent the afternoon in the pool yesterday. This morning they are going to go paintballing. I played one time. There just isn’t enough oxygen on the ranch for this fat boy to be running around on sand hills in the heat. Today the heat of summer begins, according to NOAA. The next three days we are going to be near 100 degrees. Air conditioning and the swimming pool become a necessity from now till September.
The Bermuda grass is going crazy with all this moisture, sunshine, and warmer temperatures. Living on the ranch brings alive some of the descriptions used in Scripture.
John 8:12
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." NKJV
IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE “SUN” THAT BRINGS LIFE TO MY BERMUDA GRASS AND IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE “SON” THAT BRINGS LIFE TO MY SOUL.
John 6:35
35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. NKJV
IT IS THE RAIN THAT QUENCHES THE THIRST OF MY BERMUDA GRASS AND IT IS THE “SON” THAT QUENCHES MY THIRST FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
NKJV
What a gift God has given us in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. He brings warmth and comfort to our needy soul. He quenches our thirst for spiritual drink. He is also the “Bread of Life”. He fills us with Himself. More and more I “understand” that He is all that I need. We think we need the bread of this life, but God knows we need the bread of LIFE.
John 6:51
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
NKJV
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
6-10-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is raining sheets and sheets of rain. A minute ago it was raining so hard we couldn’t see to the other side of our front yard. We have a pergola that buckled under the force of the wind. I guess I am going to have to amend my prayers, and dial them down just a tad. I have been praying for rain, but not Noah’s flood. I am not complaining just trying to be humorous. I will take a buckled pergola for a good soaker (THANK YOU JESUS). This country is all about the rain. If we get rain it a lush land, and without it we soon become a desert. We are on the fringe. East of us they get a lot more moisture and West of us they hardly get any. This spring has been marvelous for moisture and everything is bright and green.
Last night we had a couple of young ladies stay on the ranch with us from Holland. They were both Medical Doctors in their twenties. They had been to a medical conference in Chicago, and were doing the Route 66 adventure to Amarillo. It was a joy to have them with us. They were personable, bright, beautiful, and wonderful in conversation. It really was a delight. I told them they were sent by God to encourage us. It really is amazing how getting out of yourself and serving someone else can lift your spirits. And these girls were so precious they were easy to serve. I wish we could keep them in Western Oklahoma, but we will be satisfied with a return visit some day in the future.
1 Peter 4:9
9 Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
AMP
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
OUT ON THE RANCH it is raining sheets and sheets of rain. A minute ago it was raining so hard we couldn’t see to the other side of our front yard. We have a pergola that buckled under the force of the wind. I guess I am going to have to amend my prayers, and dial them down just a tad. I have been praying for rain, but not Noah’s flood. I am not complaining just trying to be humorous. I will take a buckled pergola for a good soaker (THANK YOU JESUS). This country is all about the rain. If we get rain it a lush land, and without it we soon become a desert. We are on the fringe. East of us they get a lot more moisture and West of us they hardly get any. This spring has been marvelous for moisture and everything is bright and green.
Last night we had a couple of young ladies stay on the ranch with us from Holland. They were both Medical Doctors in their twenties. They had been to a medical conference in Chicago, and were doing the Route 66 adventure to Amarillo. It was a joy to have them with us. They were personable, bright, beautiful, and wonderful in conversation. It really was a delight. I told them they were sent by God to encourage us. It really is amazing how getting out of yourself and serving someone else can lift your spirits. And these girls were so precious they were easy to serve. I wish we could keep them in Western Oklahoma, but we will be satisfied with a return visit some day in the future.
1 Peter 4:9
9 Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
AMP
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
6-9-09
OUT ON THE RANCH this morning I was impressed with the writings of Spurgeon.
"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."— Ps 126:3
Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has allowed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, "I will speak, not about myself, but to the honor of my God. He has brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord has done great things for me, and I am glad." Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Savior, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us "out into a wealthy place." The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life's song, "He has done great things for us, and we are glad. (MR. SPURGEON)
The enemy of our soul delights in our misery, and if he can convince us how “sorry” our life is, he has the battle half won. I was walking a couple of days ago and began to try to think of everything I had to praise God for. I stated with the green grass, the wonderful rain, the cool crisp morning and went on to my beautiful wife, friends, and most of all my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The walk lasted about 45 minutes and I never ran out of things to praise Him for. What was really amazing was how wonderful I felt inside when the walk was over. We can have a million things “right” in our life and the enemy reminds us of the one or two things that are challenging us. Most of the negative things that come to our mind never come to pass anyway. Our lives would be so much sweeter if we would heed the advice of Scripture:
Phil 4:8-9
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
NKJV
Meditation upon the positive things of live is a simple concept, but extremely hard to master. You must have faith to believe this, because it is sooo…. Difficult!!! The only way we can accomplish the practice is by the power of Jesus Christ. We can accomplish a great deal by our so called “strong will”, but we will always fail unless undergirded with the power of the Spirit. The “Good News” is that by the blood of Christ we can take every thought captive, and become a non-worrying positive person. The rewards from cultivating this discipline are totally awesome, and I encourage you to begin today!!!
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
OUT ON THE RANCH this morning I was impressed with the writings of Spurgeon.
"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."— Ps 126:3
Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has allowed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, "I will speak, not about myself, but to the honor of my God. He has brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord has done great things for me, and I am glad." Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Savior, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us "out into a wealthy place." The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life's song, "He has done great things for us, and we are glad. (MR. SPURGEON)
The enemy of our soul delights in our misery, and if he can convince us how “sorry” our life is, he has the battle half won. I was walking a couple of days ago and began to try to think of everything I had to praise God for. I stated with the green grass, the wonderful rain, the cool crisp morning and went on to my beautiful wife, friends, and most of all my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The walk lasted about 45 minutes and I never ran out of things to praise Him for. What was really amazing was how wonderful I felt inside when the walk was over. We can have a million things “right” in our life and the enemy reminds us of the one or two things that are challenging us. Most of the negative things that come to our mind never come to pass anyway. Our lives would be so much sweeter if we would heed the advice of Scripture:
Phil 4:8-9
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
NKJV
Meditation upon the positive things of live is a simple concept, but extremely hard to master. You must have faith to believe this, because it is sooo…. Difficult!!! The only way we can accomplish the practice is by the power of Jesus Christ. We can accomplish a great deal by our so called “strong will”, but we will always fail unless undergirded with the power of the Spirit. The “Good News” is that by the blood of Christ we can take every thought captive, and become a non-worrying positive person. The rewards from cultivating this discipline are totally awesome, and I encourage you to begin today!!!
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
Monday, June 1, 2009
6-1-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is the first day of June, unbelievable. I was looking at the radar a couple minutes ago, and rain is on the way. God has been so good to us this spring in providing abundant moisture, after a very dry winter. We took our Lorene out for a sandwich tonight, or rather she treated us. What a blessing she is. I can’t imagine what the last 22 years of my life would have been like without her. She has been there time after time when I need someone to talk to. Tonight Elizabeth and I both needed a pep talk, and she was there for us. There surely is a great reward waiting for her in heaven. She is amazing in her consistency. Here we have an 88 year old blind woman giving two healthy, reasonable stable Christians a pep talk. Makes me feel like the spiritual weakling I am……..At least at times.
On our way home after being encouraged by Lorene we stopped by to welcome some new neighbors into our area, and offer them borrowing rights. They will soon be our closest accessible neighbor. Our neighbors across the river may actually be closer as the crow flies, but you can’t get there from here. Our newest residents will only be about one and a half miles away. We are turning into a regular metropolitan area. To give you some insight into our area, there are less than 20,000 people in our entire county. We rely rather heavily on the internet and Old Route 66 for traffic to the Red River Ranch Retreat. It is amazing how many tourists travel Old Route 66 in the summer.
This Scripture came to my mind about our evening.
2 Cor 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. NKJV
GOD COMFORTED US USING LORENE AS HIS VESSEL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO COMFORT OUR NEW NEIGHBORS AND WELCOME THEM TO THE AREA. I told Elizabeth that it sure would have been nice for some of our neighbors to welcome us when we moved here. When we first moved on the ranch we were not only not welcomed, but made to know that we were not wanted here. It brings joy to my heart to extend the hand of hospitality to our newbies, that they may feel welcome.
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
OUT ON THE RANCH it is the first day of June, unbelievable. I was looking at the radar a couple minutes ago, and rain is on the way. God has been so good to us this spring in providing abundant moisture, after a very dry winter. We took our Lorene out for a sandwich tonight, or rather she treated us. What a blessing she is. I can’t imagine what the last 22 years of my life would have been like without her. She has been there time after time when I need someone to talk to. Tonight Elizabeth and I both needed a pep talk, and she was there for us. There surely is a great reward waiting for her in heaven. She is amazing in her consistency. Here we have an 88 year old blind woman giving two healthy, reasonable stable Christians a pep talk. Makes me feel like the spiritual weakling I am……..At least at times.
On our way home after being encouraged by Lorene we stopped by to welcome some new neighbors into our area, and offer them borrowing rights. They will soon be our closest accessible neighbor. Our neighbors across the river may actually be closer as the crow flies, but you can’t get there from here. Our newest residents will only be about one and a half miles away. We are turning into a regular metropolitan area. To give you some insight into our area, there are less than 20,000 people in our entire county. We rely rather heavily on the internet and Old Route 66 for traffic to the Red River Ranch Retreat. It is amazing how many tourists travel Old Route 66 in the summer.
This Scripture came to my mind about our evening.
2 Cor 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. NKJV
GOD COMFORTED US USING LORENE AS HIS VESSEL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO COMFORT OUR NEW NEIGHBORS AND WELCOME THEM TO THE AREA. I told Elizabeth that it sure would have been nice for some of our neighbors to welcome us when we moved here. When we first moved on the ranch we were not only not welcomed, but made to know that we were not wanted here. It brings joy to my heart to extend the hand of hospitality to our newbies, that they may feel welcome.
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE
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