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While teaching one day, Jesus was asked by an expert in the Jewish law codes ‘what is the most important commandment.’ His answer was to repeat the Old Testament summary of the 10 Commandments: Love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself. This prompted another question: Who is your neighbor? Neither of these questions was unique among the ancient Jews. Rabbis had been arguing over these sorts of matters for centuries. In particular, the neighbor question was one of the 7 most hotly debated religious topics of the era. There...
Earth Day came and went without a mention from me. Surprisingly, because right now, walking outside is what brings normalcy to my life. My granddaughter was the one that brought it to my attention. She said to me, "yesterday on the 22nd was Earth Day. We don't have to celebrate the day, because we take care of the earth every day. Because we are farmers!" She's only six but the truth none the less. Every year on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated. This year marks 50 years of celebration. The...
In 165 AD, an epidemic swept through the Roman Empire, ravaging the western world for 15 years. The disease may have been smallpox, though it’s difficult to say with any certainty. Regardless of the nature of the illness, the result was devastating. Around a third of the population of Rome died. The population was justifiably terrified of the horrible illness. The wealthier amongst the Roman citizenry simply sequestered themselves in their country homes for years, while the poorer members of the population fled cities or did their best to r...
Hello April! Wow, that March lion cut loose a few days late! We were somewhat prepared for the storm as the warnings were out there, but it's always a surprise when the weatherman is right. It had finally dried out enough at our place; we didn't have to wear our muck boots everywhere. We were moving cow/calf pairs to green grass; the calves were loving it, bucking, kicking, and taking long naps in the warm sunshine. The meadowlarks were serenading us in pairs just in time for nest building and...
On Easter morning, I got out of bed early and spent some time reviewing my sermon notes for the morning. Taking a break from the effort, I posted something about my previous day’s activities on Facebook. Pastor Sean from the Lutheran Church messaged me that he was also up early and inviting me to watch the sunrise from the cemetery with him (from an appropriate social distance, of course). I agreed before hurriedly getting dressed and out the door to get to the edge of town before the sun rose. During the walk over, I spent time praying for f...
Letter to the Editor, This letter is to express the heartfelt thanks to a couple that have been bringing noon meals to several people in Big Sandy for several Saturdays now. That very special couple are Karen and Norman, Reinertson. I am sure there are other stories like this not only in Big Sandy but in many other places around the US. It is great to know about very special people like this. Robert Boettcher and Bernie Ellingson...
Dear Editor As schools finish up what has traditionally been their Easter break, they will be entering into the fifth week of school closures in Montana. Closures are scheduled to go until at least April 24, with the potential that the school closures remain in effect for the rest of the school year. This pandemic has lead to the postponing of spring sports, all student activities, and potentially traditional graduation ceremonies. Regardless of when this ends, it is going to forever change how we view public education and how we teach students...
During this time of trial, I see a lot of caring people, reaching out to help, to bless those who are in need. But I also hear and read a lot of negativity. It is during times like this I am reminded of my favorite verses. Philippians, starting with verse "4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your...
This past Sunday was Palm Sunday, the day that launches Holy Week in the church calendar. It is kind of an interesting and often misunderstood event. The gospels recorded it as the day that Jesus arrived in Jerusalem setting off a series of events that would end with his crucifixion. He approached Jerusalem from the east, having just raised Lazarus from the dead. News of the event had spread, and the excited masses came out to walk with him to the capital. As Jesus approached the city, riding on the back of a baby donkey, crowds came out from...
I've been thinking about something lately. When I was a kid, there were words I heard (and used) a lot at the time that didn't mean a damn thing to me. I didn't think about what they meant or if they would hurt anyone around me if I said them. The older I got, the more I became aware of the words and I won't lie, I slipped up and would say them, but started to notice it would leave a bit of sting in me after I would say them. I honestly believe it was God's way of telling me to knock it off....
Editor's note: Ella Idleman, 11 and in the sixth grade, is the daughter of David and Brianna Idleman "Oh, great. They added three more weeks of quarantine and no school," thought Annemarie as she read the morning news. "No more going anywhere for four weeks." It was the spring of 2020, and Annemarie and her family were right smack in the middle of the worst sickness in a century. That sickness was the coronavirus, or more officially called COVID-19. Annemarie Cottral was an 11-year-old girl who...
This year has been one of the worst for me. There was buzz how there was going to be a third world war over social media in January. I did not believe that any tension would escalate to that degree, but at one point, things did not look good between Iran and the United States. Tensions soon died down and things returned to normal through my perspective. Then I received some of the most destructive, saddening news at the time. The news was about the helicopter crash that killed nine people, including Kobe and Gianna Bryant. That crash put...
Years ago, while I was working in Northern Indiana, a series of powerful tornadoes struck the town where my job was located. The rural town was severely damaged, leaving many homes and farms decimated. I led a group of kids from work to do cleanup work in some of the neighborhoods. I will forever remember the sight of so much destruction in that quiet little farm community. Perhaps one of the most impressive sights though, was several days after the storms, while the cleanup effort was in full swing. Insurance representatives were all over...
Having grown up near the Missouri River in an isolated area, I don't really notice self-quarantine! We were always more than 5 miles away from anyone and are still pretty much that way today. My Mom and our family moved here in 1951; she had an outhouse and toilet paper was a luxury item they couldn't often afford or get to town to buy. Sears and Roebuck catalogs provided for their necessary needs and sometimes grass and sagebrush. So, the toilet paper shortage wouldn't have affected them much....
Much like the rest of this community, I have been following the news of all things related to COVID-19 closely. It has left me feeling scared for loved ones in larger cities and anxious for the near future, but overall it has left me with a heavy heart for those that are currently affected. I am blessed to say that I have not been directly affected too much. Aside from a few of my weekly meetings and my daughter’s preschool getting canceled, I find myself living by my same winter routine with limited outings. The world of travel, however, h...
In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire wrecked the life of prominent lawyer Horatia Spafford. Spafford lost his four-year-old son in the blaze along with most of his property and his law practice. 2 years later, he had planned to tour Europe with his family, who traveled ahead of him by ship. The ship sank and his four daughters were killed. His wife notified him by telegram that simply read: “Saved alone.” Crushed by the loss of his children and financially destitute, Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife. On the journey, his ship passed the...
During times of stress when I struggle, when it appears there is no answer, I have always gone to the scriptures to find solace. The scriptures always give me comfort. These are challenging times. We have to wait and see, but it is my hope we can stop this virus before it rages the United States like it has other countries. The other day while reading my bible in the morning, I came across a simple scripture verse. “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:2 Like most, I would typically move rig...
Note: I wrote this story in 2018, as an homage to the memory of Buster Dunlap, a longtime family friend who was a cowboy from Circle, Montana. It was originally published in an online literary magazine titled Literally Stories, in a slightly altered form. I respectfully dedicate this story to the memory of Buster Dunlap, and to the memory of my father, Dana Sibra (1918-1993). I also want to dedicate it to the people of and from Big Sandy, in hopes that they remember that, in troubled times, there are those who have gone before, and they just...
In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire wrecked the life of prominent lawyer Horatia Spafford. Spafford lost his four-year-old son in the blaze along with most of his property and his law practice. 2 years later, he had planned to tour Europe with his family, who traveled ahead of him by ship. The ship sank and his four daughters were killed. His wife notified him by telegram that simply read: “Saved alone.” Crushed by the loss of his children and financially destitute, Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife. On the journey, his ship passed the...
I attended college in South Chicago while in my early 20s. Chicago was a fun place for a young, irresponsible kid to explore and enjoy. I took full advantage of this truth, taking the train to the city at every opportunity. In my often aimless wanderings, I often lost track of where I was and found myself lost. This was a problem until I learned a simple trick for navigating the sprawling streets of the Chicagoland area. In the middle of the downtown area, there was a landmark that was easily visible for miles around: The Sears Tower (though...
It has already been a muddy Spring, which is unusual, with it still being February. For us, the moisture is a blessing as it is for most farmers and ranchers, but it can also be a curse when trying to haul hay or feed livestock on our county and ranch roads. Vehicles and tires are soon mud encrusted with our usual gumbo, and deep potholes take a toll, as well as the strain of getting through the mud where there is very little gravel. When we have appointments or meetings, we feed extra so we can spend a few days at our place near Big Sandy,...
The opening chapter of the Gospel of Mark tells the story of Jesus’ ministry work in the city of Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. These events are taking place very early in Jesus’ ministry, and he is just beginning to draw a large following. The chapter includes accounts of Jesus teaching to masses, casting out demons, and healing sick folks. Jesus ministers to the crowds all day and late into the night. When he goes to Peter’s home to rest for the night, people follow him. He continues until well after sundown. The next morni...
Well, the old proverb, "You never know what the weather is going to be like in Montana!" has been right on this year. It has lived up to the saying by being low negatives one week and 60-70 degrees the next week. This kind of change has substantial effects on the river. When it is in the low 30s, you start to see ice form on the river. It begins to flow down from the smaller tributaries like the Teton and Marias. Then after a week of 20-degree temperatures, the river has so much ice it is in...
My kids argue. Any parent will tell you that kids always find something silly to disagree about. They get angry and start yelling or freezing each other out because of some petty disagreement. I’ve discovered that one of the most frequent elements of these fights is the assumption that they know what the other child is thinking. They assume that some careless word or accidental slight or offense is inspired by anger or spite or mean intentions. They are almost always wrong. Kids usually grow out of the petty version of this habit, but people i...
A while back, I read a book on an army Colonel who took over a demoralized company during the Vietnam War. One of the first things he did as commander was to rename his company “Hardcore” and require the soldier to repeat the name constantly. The idea was that the troops assumed they were screw-ups. They didn’t see themselves as tough soldiers. He changed their identities while changing their habits and disciplines. The impact of changing how the troops saw themselves was enormous. They approached excellence with zeal because they were the ...
