Sorted by date Results 529 - 553 of 713
Last week, I started studying the life of Samson for the sermon series I’m currently working through. Samson is an interesting figure because he is basically an action hero. His story is a collection of crazy adventures, battles, and love affairs. Strangely, most folks miss the point of his story. Generally, the misunderstanding begins with his hair. Most people identify Samson’s hair as the reason he was so tough. However, this isn’t accurate. Samson was commanded by God to live according to a strict set of religious rules. These rules were...
Q: I saw an article in our newspaper the other day about a local group of people who say they believe in witchcraft and black magic and things like that. Do you think they are sincere, or are they just trying to get attention? A: I don’t know this group’s true motives, of course—but I can assure you that some people today do believe in the kind of occult practices you mention. Furthermore, not only do they sincerely believe in them and practice them, but they often seek to persuade others to believe in them also. The Bible is very clear, howev...
I know it is after July 4th but there are still plenty of picnics to go to and plenty of times to get together with good friends for feasts and libations. In my youth, two cousins, Louie and Ray Clack were famous for their Fourth of July punches. Both were very potent, both tasted very good and both were easy to make. These made their punches in a gallon thermos bottle filled with ice that would keep the drinks cool all day long. First, Louie Clack’s famous Fourth of July Punch. 1 can frozen pink lemonade 1 can white rum 2 cans water and l...
Q: We have legal custody of our son’s children, because he’s in prison for another 20 years, and his wife’s left him and is into all sorts of bad things. But now she’s threatening legal action if we don’t give them back. We love them, and we can’t stand the thought of giving them up. Is it morally wrong for us to want to keep them? A: No, it’s not morally wrong for you to want to keep custody of these children; you love them and you want what is best for them. You’re concerned about their future, and from what you say, they probably wouldn...
I suppose that by now most everyone has heard about our new congressman who body slammed a reporter and broke his glasses. I guess the new congressman was at the end of his tether. I have been there as well. Only thing is it happened when I was a child and acted like a child. You would never know now by looking at me but at one time I used to be fat. Matter of fact one day when I was about 10 and playing with my friends on Second Avenue there was one small bully who kept screaming at me all morning long, “Robby, Robby, fatty, fatty two by four....
I first got to know Ace Powell, the famous western artist when he got a commission from Havre Federal Savings and Loan to paint three paintings about the prairies around Havre. He came to Havre and my uncle Al took Ace around to sketch scenes that might be used in the paintings. I would see Ace every morning at the Lou Lucke Company where he would be sitting in the so called “President’s Chair”. He would have a dozen little note cards with him and would always be drawing a bear or a teepee or a cabin or an Indian on a horse or something. When...
There is a story in the Old Testament about a prophet named Elijah. Elijah’s job was to speak on God’s behalf to the people of Israel, a job that often made him unpopular in a time where traditional Jewish religion was very unpopular in ancient Israel. The day after Elijah experiences the most spectacular victory of his life, he leaves a party where God’s people are celebrating the end of a long drought and returning to their belief in God. Elijah is forced into hiding to escape assassins sent by Israel’s queen, Jezebel. It’s interesti...
Blue Green Algae Poisoning in Livestock The following overview of blue green algae poisoning in livestock was written by Rachel Endecott (MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist). Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are photosynthetic bacteria that live and grow in aquatic environments. Many species exist: some species are harmless, while others can affect the nervous system and liver function of livestock. Large blooms of cyanobacteria can occur when conditions are favorable, leading to elevated concentrations in water sources. When livestock or oth...
“Rhubarbed” out because you have made just about every recipe you can think of with your rhubarb but do not want the rest to go to waste? Canning it may have come to mind. And, then, think of all of the rest of the produce that will be showing up all too soon. Do you have all of your canning supplies ready for canning season? Particularly, how long has it been since you had your pressure canner dial-gauge tested? Why have your pressure canner dial-gauge tested? A dial-gauge should be tested for accuracy. Inaccuracies can happen over time due to...
Highwood Bench Low pH Soil Field Day MSU Central Agricultural Research Center (CARC) and MSU Extension will be hosting a field day on the Highwood Bench on Wednesday, June 28, at 10:00 a.m. The field day will take place approximately one mile east of the Long farm on 1221 Shonkin Road. The field day will begin with a tour of the CARC cereal variety plots, which have been seeded in low pH soil to determine tolerance to soil acidity. Dr. Jamie Sherman (MSU Barley Breeder) will share research based information on barley varieties for Southern...
Last year, during the heat of the presidential elections, I was browsing my facebook feed when I came across an article making very serious accusations against a prominent politician. It caught my attention, so I clicked and read. Within 3 minutes, I figured out that the linked article was from a ‘parody’ website that posts false news stories. The crazy thing about it was that there was no hint of parody to the article. I discovered the truth by googling the web site name and reading the wikipedia entry about it. Lots of those websites exi...
Last week, I was very busy. As a result, I didn’t get to sermon writing until Thursday, which is usually my last office day for the working week. The sermon was on the parable of the prodigal son, which is a story Jesus told at the end of a series of stories about lost things, specifically a lost sheep and a lost coin. I was working hard trying to finish up before the end of the day, when my 4-year old son came into my office and asked to sit in my lap while I worked. I agreed, with the stipulation that he had to be quiet so I could focus on my...
Q: Since the Bible says God created everything, doesn’t this mean He also created the devil? And if He created the devil, doesn’t this mean God is actually responsible for all the evil in the world? A friend of mine who likes to argue about religion asked me this, and I didn’t know what to say. A: I seriously doubt if your friend really wants an answer to his question; I suspect instead that he is only using this as an excuse to keep from facing his need to repent of his sins and submit his life to Christ. Unfortunately some people are like...
A fellow came in “The Mountaineer” office a couple of weeks ago and said how much he likes the stories about fishing on Clear Creek. He said that he has done a lot of fishing on Sandy Creek and Beaver Creek as well. It is still May and what used to be the most important month of the year for stream fishing in our area as the first day of stream fishing used to be the third weekend in May. I remember old timers saying that if there were still snow drifts in the high country of the Bear Paw Mountains on the first day of fishing season, it was...
Q: Last week I went to a bookstore to buy a Bible to give to my nephew for his birthday (he’ll be 14), but I got discouraged and finally gave up because there were too many choices. Why are there so many different Bibles? A: Don’t give up; nothing you could ever give your nephew is more valuable than a Bible. Remember: The Bible is God’s Word, and God gave it to us to guide us and help us come to know Him. The Psalmist wrote, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). Let me suggest t...
My son is almost 4. He is just beginning to figure out that when he and his sister don’t agree on something, he can hit her and get his way. The other day, they got into an argument over a toy they both wanted to play with. His solution to the impasse was to punch his sister. She started crying and told on him. I punished him and he apologized to his sister. About 20 minutes, later the scene replayed itself. My boy literally did the same thing he had done before. He apologized again, but it’s clear that he will likely end up fighting with his...
Lawn Management Information The Master Gardener program provides research based information for gardeners. Below are a few notes taken from the turf management portion of the program. • Rough bluegrass is probably the best grass in Montana for shady areas. • Kentucky bluegrass is the best grass for open sunny areas with well-drained soil. • Annual ryegrass can be used as a cover crop following vegetable production. • The standard lawn mix is 60% Kentucky bluegrass, 30% creeping red fescue and 10% annual ryegrass. • Zoysiagrass does not grow...
Last night when I turned off my light on the night stand and prepared to go to sleep, I laughed out loud. Someone would think that to be very strange to laugh when turning off a light. But not to me. Years ago I had a cabin up by Baldy on Beaver Creek that did not have electricity. At the time I was teaching in Glasgow and I went into Markles hardware one day and found an “Aladdin Lamp” for sale. Now I did not know what an Aladdin lamp was but it had a large and fragile wick and it came with directions. I filled it with kerosene and lit the...
Alfalfa Weevil Information for this article was compiled by Dr. Kevin Wanner (MSU Extension Entomologist) and Dr. Emily Glunk (MSU Extension Forage Specialist). Alfalfa weevil is the key insect pest of alfalfa, causing variable levels of economic damage across Montana each growing season. The female weevils lay eggs in alfalfa stems Larvae hatch and crawl up to the developing terminal buds where they chew small “pin” holes in the leaves. The larvae develop through four instar stages. The larger 3rd and 4th instar larvae feed openly on unfurled...
If it takes a village to raise a child, it certainly takes that village to make its schools the best that they can be. That happened with the Big Sandy schools and with Big Sandy High School as well. Probably the most important story I have had a hand in writing since I have been writing for “The Mountaineer” is the story that reported that Big Sandy High School took home a bronze medal for being one of the top 25 high schools in Montana. I hope that the community realizes what an honor that is and all the schools, some that take huge amo...
Last Friday evening, I was ordained as a pastor in the Church of God. Up until this point, I was a licensed minister and had been for about 7 years. This seems funny to me, because I have been working as a minister in one capacity or another for nearly 17 years. Regardless of licensing or ordination, I have been in a vocation that I felt God called me to do for almost 2 decades. I didn’t actually need anyone to tell me what God called me to do, nor did I need confirmation from other pastors that this was what my life had been aimed at. W...
Q: Our church’s education committee really wants me to teach the high school class, but I’m not sure I want to take it on. I’ve never done anything like this, and to be honest I’m not sure I want to give up my time. Am I just being selfish? A: Only you can answer this question, of course, but I hope you’ll be honest about your motives—and if they are selfish or wrong, I hope you’ll ask God to change them. The Psalmist prayed, “Search me, God, and know my heart. … See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psal...
Knees Area Field Day Scheduled for June 7th The MSU Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC) and MSU Extension are hosting a field day in the Knees area on June 7th at 9:00 a.m. The event will begin approximately ½ mile north of J & A Farms. J & A Farms is located at 2226 Knees Church Road. Dr. Jamie Sherman (MSU Barley Breeder) will share research based information on barley varieties for the Knees area. Dr. Luther Talbert (MSU Spring Wheat Breeder) will speak about successful spring wheat varieties for the Knees area. John...
Grass Establishment Notes for Ranchers Below is a list of questions and answers I have compiled from specialists on seeding techniques for grasses. For further information about forage establishment, please contact the Chouteau County Extension at 622-3751 or stop in for a visit. We are located in the green building next to the Courthouse. Should I include a nurse crop in with the seed mix? “I usually don’t like to put a nurse crop in. I think it is too much competition when the plants are trying to get going, and we have seen it have a neg...
National Volunteer Week is April 23-29 Our office would like to thank all the parents, grandparents, family and community members who currently volunteer or have previously volunteered with the Chouteau County 4-H youth development program. The skills and knowledge gained through the hands-on experiences that you present and help the 4-H members with will last them a lifetime. Past, present and future volunteers—know that you have contributed or will contribute to the foundation of lifelong success of many 4-H members. 4-H members—take a mom...
