7-4-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is Saturday morning and the day we celebrate our nations’ independence. We have guests staying at “Grace” and Elizabeth is out with riders as I write. I helped her gather horses this morning and Danny and I helped her saddle. We have a 34 year old truck driver (Ruben) and his 9 year old daughter (Cynthia) joining Elizabeth for the ride this morning. I cannot express enough how much it touches me for fathers to show such interest in their children. While it may be a loving sacrifice for this father to shut his truck down for the day and come out here, his daughter will remember and be blessed for a lifetime. Dad (Ruben) is taking his daughter on his trip to California. It just doesn’t get any better than this for a little 9 year old angel.

The phone rang as I was writing this. It was Elizabeth on the phone and the neighbors cows are out on the river. I have been looking for a phone book, ever do that?? I called but guess what, the line was busy. Press 3 and you will get a call back if the line becomes available in the next 30 minutes. So many conveniences, and it doesn’t help with the frustration one little bit. Now, I think I will pray ………….. Why didn’t I think of that earlier?? OK….Love your neighbor as yourself…If they were my cows what would I do? I would go put them back in. That isn’t the answer I was looking for………I thought maybe go take a nap, relax, and they will get back in by themselves. Oh well, I am off to herd cows!!

Everything was OK on the river. It looks like our neighbor is letting his cows get into the river for water. That works fine as long as we don’t get a big rain. We are about to do the same thing next week, but we fence the river off temporarily. I did my part. I listened to hear what the Lord would have me do. I believe that He answered and I obeyed. My heart is at rest. Now back to the days writing and tomorrows’ sermon. In my mind when I started as a pastor I could see myself sitting in a nice office studying for the message. I find experientially that most of the messages come just like this. Some problem comes up while I am trying to study and I end up learning something from it that turns out to be the message.

So what did I learn from this? Or rather re-learn. Getting out of my chair and taking care of my neighbors’ cows was not what I had in mind for a Saturday. What I have discovered over the years and continue to re-discover is that I am always blessed when I obey the voice of the Spirit.
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE

1 Sam 15:22-23
22 So Samuel said:
"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord ?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
NKJV