Opinion
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Ivan: Family Favorite
A family pet brings enormous joys, of laughter and companionship. Often they sleep in the same bed. Ivan was too big he would take up the whole bed. He was a Great Dane Massive. Nathan bought him...
Patching Cracks
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...
Patching Cracks
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...
Patching Cracks
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...
Thoughts with Zoe
Sometimes blessings come in strange ways. I hate to admit it, but I lost my phone in my own house. The Find My Phone application told me it was in the kitchen. Yes, I've had to use the application...
Thoughts withZoe
Too many times Thoughts by Zoe tend to be more on the serious side. Today I’d like to comment on the rumors that have gone around town about my Ford Explorer and myself. My 2016 red Ford Explorer has kind of been a nightmare for me. Without going...
Patching Cracks
Over the past month, I have been researching and preaching on Jesus’ temptation in the desert in Matthew 4. The story takes place right after Jesus is baptized, and God proclaims that Jesus is His son. From the baptism, the Holy Spirit led Jesus...
Birthday girl, August 6
Since I was short on articles this week, I thought, why not find out why August 6 is a special day? I was born on August 6, 1952. But what I found out about August 6 that brought me much joy was it is also International Forgiveness Day. On August 6,...
Patching Cracks
When I moved to Big Sandy a little over a decade ago, I understood little to nothing about farming. When friends and neighbors discussed harvest, I didn’t properly grasp all of the implications of that part of the work year. On a few occasions, I...
Thoughts with Zoe
Finding Joy Recently I fell in love with a book called Laughing Through the Ugly Cry by Dawin Barton. I loved it because she could express clearly what I believe. Finding joy in my life and finding...
Patching Cracks
I moved to Chicago when I was 19 to attend college. I spent the next several years living in the suburbs, going to school, and working various jobs. One of the necessities for my college survival was the purchase of a car. I didn’t know anything...
Just Thinkin'
Editor’s note: We are fast approaching fire season. I found this old Mountaineer article written by Arnold Hokanson and decided to run it to remind us all to be careful and watchful because of all the rain we now have amble fuel for fire this...
4th of July celebrates us all
As we approach the 4th of July, I’m reminded that it is the only holiday that celebrates all of us in union. We often define ourselves based on divisions over politics, race, religion, and a host of other issues, which is unfortunate. Our country...
Guest Editorial-
My name is Judy Yirsa. I am a wife, a mother of three daughters and a resident of Big Sandy. I also am a co-collaborator of the Protect our Choteau County Kids petition and attended and spoke at the board meeting in May during the public comment...
Patching Cracks
For the last several days, I have been studying the ancient Greek idea of citizenship. Like so many foundational ideas in our culture, the Greeks were the first to conjure up the idea of citizenship in our culture. It was a revolutionary idea and...
Patching Cracks
In the book of Mark, there is a story about Jesus coming into a town where he is quickly surrounded by huge crowds of people. As He walks through the town, with the crowds pressing in from all sides, he is approached by a woman. This woman had a...
Patching Cracks
Many years ago, while I was working as a chaplain for a mental health facility that worked with children, we would take a group of clients on a trip to canoe, camp, and fish in the Boundary Waters Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. One year, on the...
Thoughts with Zoe
It’s amazing how many people are hurt. With this month being Mental Health Month, I’ve written a couple of articles, only to discover that way more people in our community live in pain. I’ve been stopped on the street and stood before The Groce...
Thoughts with Zoe
Several years ago, a Big Sandy Convalescent Home patient attended church. She came into the church and sat in the back pew. When it came time to share prayer concerns, she raised her hand and said, "Please pray my husband dies quickly so I can marry...
Things my mother taught me
Mother’s Day always brings up memories. I wanted to have some fun this Mother’s Day by interviewing several kids and adults and asking them, “ What has your mom taught you?” The following answers are from children between 9-14 years old....
Patching Cracks
in ancient Israel, the Jewish people followed a very strict set of dietary laws. There are a lot of reasons for these laws, most of them having to do with reminding the Jews that they were separate from other nations and holy. In Acts 10, the...
Thoughts with Zoe
"The roads are terrible!" I've heard that over and over. I may have said it over and over. Even so, it's a picture of our society these days. There is a way to fix the roads. There is a way to fix...
Patching Cracks
A Boy Named Sue is one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs. Most people are familiar with the tune, but for those who have never encountered Cash’s humorous song, it tells the story of a man whose father was a worthless drunk who abandoned his...
Thoughts with Zoe
For the last few years, I have found myself in a loop of grayness, same after same after same. I could blame it on COVID, but honestly, it started before that. But it's Easter, a great time to reflect on rebirth, new beginnings, or a fresh breeze....
Patching Cracks
Over the weekend, my wife and I went to Great Falls to run errands. While we were there, we stopped at Goodwill to look for a few odds and ends. Before we stepped out my wife started looking through the books. She came across 4 volumes of “The...