The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

I recently read the Wizard of Oz and was surprised at some of the differences between the film and the novel. The most interesting difference related to the story of the Tin Man, who was originally just a regular woodsman. He was cutting wood to...

“A man and a woman are walking up to a building. The man notices the woman and runs ahead to open and hold the door for her. As she walks in, she turns to the man and asks ‘Are you holding this door because I am a woman?’ He responds: ‘No. I...

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the first day of was is often called Holy Week. In the account of Palm Sunday, Jesus is arriving in Jerusalem for passover. At this point in the story, he has amassed a large following and a huge reputation. As he...

My younger brother sent me an article written by a prominent millionaire outlining the 12 things that folks need to attend to in order to live a fulfilled life. The interesting thing is that the individual went through a nasty divorce recently after...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: America has been a land of plenty for much of its history and some believe our nation can never fall. Are we in danger of going the way of other great and powerful nations? A: Fifteen hundred years ago th...

I just returned from a real vacation. You know the kind that energizes you while you’re gone. The kind of vacation that when you get home you don’t need to take a vacation to recover from your vacation. But, let’s face it, it isn’t pretty...

I do a bit of marriage counseling as a part of pastoring. Sometimes this is with individuals, other times it’s with couples. I’ve read dozens of books on the subject of marital harmony, taken classes on the subject, and worked hard to improve my...

Q: I grew up in a volatile home environment. Is anger inherited or learned? Didn’t God show anger? A: Every human being is capable of demonstrating anger. Think of a tiny baby who exhibits fits of temper before they can even talk. A toddler can...

I had a friend in Indiana who competed in off-road bicycle racing. He and his wife owned a bicycle store, and he spent an absurd amount of time riding and training for races, many of which were on dangerous courses that required a high degree of...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Is it true that Queen Victoria believed in Jesus Christ? A: In the biography of Queen Victoria there is a heart-warming story told. She went into the slums of London and visited the home of an elderly lad...

I’m sitting under a temperate rain forest tree and remembering this year’s Montana Winter. I have always loved moss growing on trees, so sitting by a carpet of moss lifted my spirits. Many of the trees are still bare, but they are almost ready to...

Editor’s Note: The Mountaineer approached Tucker Taylor, Big Sandy High School teacher of the 12th grade Government, 11th grade U. S. History, and World History about having his students writing essays on current issues. Each student is required...

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…” This quote from Theodore Roosevelt ca...

Q: I am a young mother with four children under 10 years old. My friends at church criticize me because I do not work outside the home or attend their women’s Bible studies and help with their various ministries. They tell me I should be working...

Eight years ago, about a year after my daughter was born, I was working at a job I loved. I was the chaplain at a mental health facility for young people. The problem was, that the work was so demanding that I often would only see her first thing in...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I dread nighttime because going to sleep is not pleasant—it is a chore. Why can’t I turn my mind off and rest? A: Many people have trouble falling asleep at night. Some take over-the-counter drugs or...

Before ships had engines to power their forward movement, they relied on sails and wind to move across the large bodies of water. Occasionally, they would hit stretches where no wind blew to help them move. When this happened, they would employ a...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I have been a Christian most of my life but I do not feel like one. What is my problem? A: The Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). God will show us where we are wrong and what is...

Over the last few weeks, I have read about several prominent pastors who lost their jobs after accusations of abuse of power and improper behavior were made and verified. As a guy who works in ministry, these sorts of things are disheartening to me....

Aesop, the great storyteller of ancient Greece, was once mocked by a fellow Athenian because he spent his life telling stories to children, which he called a waste of time. Aesop’s response was to un-string a bow, lay the bowstring at the man’s...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I read a lot of books and many Christian authors write about the fact that we should not be fearful. I know the Bible says over and over again, “Fear not,” but it also says to “fear God.” Isn’t...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Why is it that Christians say we have to believe their way or miss Heaven? Isn’t this a little narrow, maybe even arrogant? A: Christians do make up a religion...

Mark Twain once said: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” The reason being that no-one wants to eat a frog....

A few weeks ago, my 5-year old son was playing with a girl from his class. I gave them snacks, a plate of chips each. My boy eyed up the plates and went to grab the one that appeared to be larger. I stopped him and asked if he was forgetting...

The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Our friends have two teenagers with severe behavioral problems and claim that it is due to mental illness, but neither child has been diagnosed with any particular disorder. Having been close with this famil...