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Christian author, Jeanette Lockerbie once shared an anecdote about her daughter: “Four-year-old Martha, hugging a doll in each of her pudgy little arms, looked wistfully up at her mother and said, “Mamma, I love them and love them and love them, but they never love me back.” I came across this passage while preparing for Advent sermons this year. It stood out to me because little Martha’s love for her dolls demonstrates something powerful for us about God’s incredible love for us at Christmas. Our natural bent toward sin and ignoring God outri...
The 7th annual Big Sandy American Legion American Legion Coyote Derby is approaching. Early registration is now open for the derby, which will take place January 5-7. The event was initially intended as a fundraiser for the Legion, but was so successful, it rapidly enabled them to take on other local service opportunities. The entry fee is $40. Competitors can enter to compete in teams, which can include up to four people. The competition is divided into 2 categories: calling and open classes, with prizes awarded for both classes as well as...
Over the weekend, my wife and I took the kids along on a run to Great Falls for Christmas shopping. I generally enjoy taking the kids along for grocery runs or out for meals in town. However, there’s something about the Christmas season that turns the energy level in kids to 11 on a scale of ten. That spike in energy is accompanied by similar increases in noise, crowds, traffic, expense, and general stress. By the end of our outing, my wife and I were thoroughly frazzled and exhausted. Peace on Earth was the furthest thing from our hearts as w...
The 2023 Big Sandy Christmas Stroll took place last weekend drawing long time Big Sandy residents, newly arrived neighbors, and visitors from neighboring towns. Some vendors reported slower traffic than normal, while others expressed excitement over the amount of business they had. Regardless, they all agreed that the feel of community as well as the Christmas spirit pervaded every aspect of the day. The morning kicked off with breakfast with Santa at the senior center. They served scrambled...
My younger brother runs marathons. He intensely trains for them in the months, weeks, and days leading up to race day. Sometimes those races involve particularly difficult obstacles, like running up a mountain or in Death Valley where the heat coming off the asphalt can melt your shoes while you run. He trains accordingly: running up and down hills, lifting weights, or even working out in the sauna to increase his heat resistance. In training season, he eats a certain way to fuel and prepare his body. Paul draws a comparison between running in...
December is almost upon us. In my home, the days immediately preceding the final month of the year prompt a barrage of questions from my kids about when we will be handing out the Advent calendars for this year. When I was young, I did the same thing. My mother was a German immigrant and always got the special calendars in the mail from her family in Europe. Every day had a different chocolate treat hidden behind a little door. As a child, I never wondered what Advent was. I always focused on the annual traditions, never digging any deeper....
Every year, Americans fail to spend $23 billion dollars in gift cards. That’s an average of $187 per person in gift certificates, Amazon cards, Starbucks bucks, and other monetary gifts they’ve received and left in a drawer somewhere doing nothing. 47% of American adults have unused gift cards at home. What’s particularly interesting is the higher the household income of the person in question, the more unspent money they are likely to have stashed away and forgotten. I’ll confess that I have more than a few gift cards for businesses that ha...
Editor’s Note: I recently had a terrible time with skunk spray that my dog brought into the house. I don’t know anyone who knows more about how to clean and get rid of the odor like Erik. This is an article that should be clipped and kept. It’s easy to spot the signs of fall in Big Sandy. The leaves are turning, daylight savings time has the sun setting in the middle of the afternoon, and Main Street is lit at night with strings of Christmas lights. Another sign that the season is changing in our little community is unmistakable smell of skunk...
Over the weekend, I officiated the Celebration of Life (memorial service) for Ronald Christiansen. Anyone who has lived in Big Sandy for more than a few years knew Ronald and his twin brother, Donald, because the pair dutifully spent their days walking the streets of Big Sandy collecting cans. Ronald was a developmentally disabled person who had lived in a string of institutions that were supposed to care for him. They took up residence at the Marx home through their placement at Big Sandy Activities (BSA) residential facility in 1981. For...
Big Sandy Schools honored the veterans of our community last week with their annual Veterans Day Assembly. The program featured music performed by the High School Band and Choir, songs performed by the 4th through 6th grade Choir, Veterans Day themed art projects done by the kindergarten through 3rd grade students, and a guest speaker: Diana LaBuda, who served for 24 years years in the military, 4 on active duty and 20 in the Montana Air National Guard. Diana LaBuda spoke to the students during...
Whenever I watch a television commercial or read about a new product making amazing claims about how a new medicine or kitchen gadget will change my life, I find myself asking “Does it work?” I read reviews, reach out to friends who have tried it, or just buy it to see if the hype is real. Usually, I find that the answer to the “does it work?” question is “sort of.” Arthritis miracle cures sort of relieve pain. Weight loss miracles sort of shrink my waistline. Kitchen tools kind of perform as advertised. The simplest solution to the questio...
Big Sandy Schools is participating in Red Ribbon Week this week, an annual event where schools work to inform students of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Dianna Keane, the school counselor, is organizing this year’s activities. She explained, “Red Ribbon Week would be a week that we use to help students give them facts and awareness about drugs and alcohol and how that it can affect them. We use it as a way to create awareness, but then also provide some tools to help kids. Things like refusal skills, emotional regulation tools, the fac...
The Chouteau County Angel Basket Program provides in-need families with food for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, as well as Christmas gifts for children in the homes. The deadline for signing up is November 1st and it is approaching quickly. For years, the program has provided families in our area with groceries, a gift certificate, ham and beef roasts, and (sometimes in years past) turkeys. The program also is associated with the Angel Trees, which provides gifts for kids in the families of basket recipients. For children who are not...
F.E. Miley's First Grade Students were greeted by a new face when they showed up to class at the for the beginning of the school year. Long time Big Sandy resident, Renee Leader, stepped in to fill the role left by Mrs. Hanson. Katie Hanson shifted from full time teaching to a slot on the substitute teaching roster. Renee came out of retirement this year to help care for the needs of our first graders. The move came after a change in the teachers' retirement system, which allows teachers to...
After The Last Supper, not long before Jesus was arrested and turned over to be crucified, he taught a flurry of last lessons to his disciples as they traveled to the Mount of Olives to pray. Perhaps one of the most powerful things he said at that time was recorded in the gospel of John: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” That’s not a small command. Jesus loved his d...
After a few years without a pastor, Christ Lutheran Church is hiring Kristie Rutledge part time. She will be providing pastoral care to members and preaching two Sundays a month. Her first day on the new job was Friday, October 6th. The new role comes as Kristi is wrapping up her Licensed Pastoral Associate Program, which will conclude this June. "I started my LPA program over two years ago now through the Montana Synod of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America)." Kristi is...
Before every meal I ate with my family growing up, we would pray the Lord’s Prayer. When I was young, I don’t think I really understood what it meant. But as I got older, it made more and more sense to me. One line that I understood early on, but have grown to appreciate as containing all kinds of depth is, “Give us this day our daily bread.” When I was little, I believed I was praying for God to make sure we had food to eat every day. It’s the most straight forward way to understand the prayer and it makes sense. We should ask God to make sure...
Mike Schneider, owner of Jim Taylor Motors, lost over 200 pounds in the last two years using an unusual strategy. The change was so drastic that long-time friends didn't recognize him, even after he approached and conversed with them upon returning to Florida recently. Mike attributes his success to a different approach to weight loss. "I've had more people reach out to me on this than anything I've ever done in my entire life, which is just crazy." His motivation in sharing his experience is...
The Montana Actor’s Theater (MAT) will be holding its annual fundraising dinner theater event, Death By Chocolate, this Saturday, September 23rd at 5:30 PM in Havre. The evening will include dinner, a murder mystery, previews of the season’s shows, and dancing. The audience will have the opportunity to guess who the murderer is and win a prize. The event theme is a play of the 80’s television series “The Love Boat: The Like you Very Much Ship.” Instead of the Pacific Princess, guests will board the “Mediterranean Madam” and enjoy a Mediterranea...
Every summer, I am blessed with the opportunity to drive a swather for a friend of mine in the church. I know many farmers consider swathing to be as interesting as watching paint dry, but I enjoy it because it gives me an opportunity to get away from cell phone reception and my regular work commitments. Swathing days are 8 to 10 hours of time to think and breathe without any pressing concerns or emergencies to deal with. Every time I go out to drive, my friend reminds me of the same rule: Always check the oil before you turn the key. The oil...
Belt High School is looking to expand its high school clay shooting team this academic school year. The unusual High School sport opportunity is entering its second year and coaches are hoping to expand the program by involving 7th and 8th graders in the program. Last year, the team included students from 9th to 12th grade. The team is also looking to expand their opportunities by encouraging other North Central Montana schools to join in the fun. I met Phil Lodge, the coach of the Belt Clay...
In the Bible’s account of Israel’s journey to the promised land from slavery in Egypt, the people reached the bank of the Jordan River and prepared to enter and conquer their new home. Before entering, they sent in a dozen spies to check things out. When they returned, the report they gave was mixed. On one hand, the spies went on and on about how rich and bountiful the promised land was. They affirmed God’s promise that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. On the other hand, the majority of the spies reported that the inhabitants of th...
F.E. Miley Elementary school has a new 2nd grade teacher for the 23-24 school year. Bonnie Bauer came to Big Sandy from Great Falls with 9 years of classroom experience under her belt, including several years in Great Falls schools and 6 years in Sydney, Montana. Bonnie has lived in Montana since 2007, when her family moved to Great Falls. She attended High School there, but went on to explain that the majority of her childhood was spent moving around the country. "I kind of grew up all over....
The Belt Performing Arts Center held its 3rd Annual “Beltstock” concert over the past weekend. The family friendly concert ran from 4 to 10 PM and featured three highly entertaining musical acts. The event is a fundraiser for the Belt Performing Arts Center. I attended with my wife, daughter, and one of my daughter’s friends and would heartily recommend adding the 4th annual Beltstock to your plans for next summer. Casey Dawson, who is the treasurer for the Belt Theater Board, spoke with me about the event and the theater. “This is our main fu...
Early Sunday morning, I went for a 3 mile run. I typically run with my dog, who is nine years old and has learned our running route and routine completely through thousands of repetitions. For a change of pace, I decided to take my daughter’s puppy along for the outing. The puppy is about a year old and very difficult to walk because she is quite strong and still has the characteristic puppy distractibility. This means that you spend a lot of your walking time stopping to wait for her to decide to walk or untangling her from the leash. To r...
