Sorted by date Results 702 - 726 of 771
Q: I haven’t heard from my two sons for several years—no Christmas cards, no Father’s Day cards, no emails, nothing. I know I was probably a lousy father, but shouldn’t they at least try to keep in touch with me? My daughter does, thankfully. A: One of life’s most heartbreaking lessons is that when we mistreat others, they often end up mistreating us. I wish it weren’t so; we ought to learn to forgive even those who deeply hurt us (as Jesus urged us to do). But it happens all the time, and it’s hard to reverse it. The Bible warns, “A man reaps...
There are several places in and around Montana to see, simply glorious fall foliage starting right about now. Most fall foliage is in its prime around the first part of October, although it has been running later for the last couple of years. That does not count the dramatic tamarack or larch fall foliage when those evergreens have their needles turn gold then drop off until the following spring. That season can last all the way until Thanksgiving. Close to us, the best viewing for tamaracks is Marias Pass, the Swan Valley and the McDonald...
Q: I know preachers like to tell people how bad they are and that they ought to feel guilty over their sins. But I don’t feel guilty over anything, because I don’t believe there’s such a thing as right or wrong. What would you say to someone like me? A: The first thing I’d say to you is that your letter made me very sad. By believing that nothing is either right or wrong, you are putting your faith in something that simply isn’t true—and eventually your disregard for right and wrong will hurt both you and others. The Bible warns, “Woe to those...
I just finished reading Alice in Wonderland to my 5 year old daughter. I got the idea after talking to a few teenagers, who recounted with fondness how their fathers had read novels to them as children. I’m a firm believer in imitating the actions of folks who are successful, so I resolved to take up reading novels to my kids. We started weeks ago, reading a chapter or two every night at bedtime. I didn’t think it would go over well. The book didn’t have any pictures and some of the material went over her head. Occasionally, I had to stop...
Nineteen Chouteau County 4-H youth meet excellence criteria for livestock carcass quality. The 2016 Chouteau County 4-H livestock carcass contest took place at Bear Paw Meats in Chinook. Fifty-nine Chouteau County 4-H animals were evaluated for carcass quality by Darren Crawford (MSU Extension Fergus County Agent). The purpose of the carcass contest was to teach 4-H youth how to correctly select, feed and finish livestock based on carcass data. If carcass criteria are met, youth can be confident they are producing a high quality product that...
It is time for a September recipe. Looking through the file of recipes I have tried lately, how about a recipe for a very good potato salad that will taste better in the fall than in the summer. Plus it is so very simple to make. This could be called Polish Potato Salad because it is best served at room temperature. You will need five medium potatoes, boiled but with skins on. Yukon gold works well for this dish ½ bottle Kraft oil and vinegar dressing with Italian herbs ¼ cup sugar Lots of salt and pepper ½ cup sliced green olives. ¼ cup malt v...
Last week, my daughter started kindergarten. In less than 2 decades, I will be sitting in her high school graduation. She has a long list of future plans and plenty of time to decide exactly what she will do with her life. Between now and college, she has important work to do. She needs to learn to read, to do math, how to write proper sentences, how to put her thoughts on paper, how to use a library, and all sorts of other skills. Those skills will come into play when she goes to college. If, instead of kindergarten, I had dropped her off at...
Q:After college, I ended up taking what I thought was a temporary job, and five years later I’m still in it. Why hasn’t God given me something exciting, instead of a job I don’t really care about? A: Millions of Americans are celebrating Labor Day, an annual holiday set aside to honor our working men and women, and to express gratitude for the important contributions they make to society. Where would we be without them? But Labor Day, I believe, should also be a time when we ask God to help us see our work from His point of view. Let’s be hone...
The 2016 Make It With Wool (MIWW) contest is quickly approaching. Here are the details. The District 3 (Blaine, Broadwater, Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis & Clark, Liberty, Meagher, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties) contest is scheduled for October 29, 2016 in Great Falls. Entry forms are due to the District Director by October 3, 2016. The fabric needs to be a minimum of 60% wool to qualify for the MIWW contest. The categories are Preteen (12 and under); Junior (13-16); Senior (17-24); Adult (age 25 and older); and...
Last week I had to wash my little dachshund, Fala. Fala needed washing badly and since he was going to be spending a lot of September at Lake McDonald it seemed like the right thing to do. Let’s get one thing straight at the outset. Getting washed is the second worst thing that a person could do to Fala. If you are interested in the first worst, it is shaving around his rear end. That sends him into a frenzy of depression until the fur has all grown back. So, giving Fala a bath is not as bad as that. When I fill up the kitchen sink with w...
Q: I don’t understand my cousin. Whenever I talk with her about Heaven or salvation, she just laughs and says she’s not going to worry about it, because it will all work out in the end. Why is she like this? A: Unfortunately your cousin has deliberately blinded herself to the fact that some day she will enter eternity and stand before God—and then it will be too late. The Bible warns, “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Why is she like this? She’s not alone; many people willfully refuse to t...
The cover of Outside magazine last month (August 2016) featured a handsome, young olympic swimmer, referring to him as “Captain America” along with a prediction that this young man would lead the American Olympic swim team to glory in Rio. To a degree, the prediction was correct. The American Olympic Swim Team won 33 medals, 16 of them gold. In fact, the American swim team won almost as many gold medals as the rest of the world’s swim teams combined. In an interesting turn of events, “Captain America’s” name is not in the news because he...
Before you know it Labor Day will be here and folks will pack up their belongs and put them in storage until next summer or batten down the hatches of the cabin and not even think of it until Memorial Day, when the next year’s summer season will officially begin. I learned one thing about all the seasons, wherever there were cabins and that is that spring, fall and winter can be just simply grand seasons to spend time in the motor home or at the cabin. I have written a lot about having a mulligan simmering away in the crock pot while taking a...
“I swear on my mother, if you don’t back off, I’ll knock your teeth out.” I don’t remember the exact words, but they were something to that effect. They, and quite a few other oaths to the same effect, were shouted at me by an 18-year old gang member one evening while I was at work. He had been placed at the facility where I worked because he had an anger problem and was a drug addict. I watched that kid holler and threaten for about 20 minutes and had a realization. He was all bark and no bite. He didn’t get his way, so he threatened me (and t...
Q: What do you think is the biggest problem facing the world today? We’ve been having a discussion about this in our Bible class at church, but we can’t seem to agree. A: The biggest problem facing the world today is the same as it always has been: the human heart. The Bible puts it bluntly: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Think about it a minute. If we could only get rid of our pride and selfishness, we’d have a perfect world. We’d live in harmony with each other, and we’d no...
It was like a scene out of “The Wizard of Oz”. Only in the Montana Education version Dorothy’s house did not land on the wicked witch of the north but instead landed on what was left of “No Child Left Behind” to everyone’s relief. Out of the ashes has sprung “Every Student Succeeds Act”. In Big Sandy, Superintendent Brad Moore was all smiles as he explained the new and streamlined education act that was signed into law by President Obama late in 2015. Superintendent Moore said, “The biggest thing for us is that we will be in charge of how we...
MSU Extension releases new MontGuide factsheets on forage analysis Montana State University Extension specialists have released two new MontGuide fact sheets on forage analysis. A new four-page MontGuide, Forage Analysis Interpretation, describes why forage analyses are an important tool in livestock nutrient management. “Understanding forage analysis and how it can impact a ration feeding program is vital to maintaining herd health, improving productivity and decreasing forage waste,” said Megan Van Emon, MSU Extension beef cattle spe...
I am going to make this column short and sweet. Don’t Bundle! Bundling is when you pay more than one bill with just one check. In my case I have my Direct TV bundled with my internet and home phone service. Last month I realized that my television bill was getting out of hand. I was paying $170.00 a month and not getting nearly that much service out of the television service. Cutting back did not come easy as I have been with Direct TV since 1996. So, at the beginning of last month I called Direct TV and cut enough programming to make my b...
If your garden has not already started screaming at you that the fruits of your labor are ready to be picked and preserved, it will be soon. Whether you are experienced in home canning or have never done it before, come join us for an evening of learning and fun with basic canning techniques on Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 6:00 pm to approximately 9:30 pm at the Community Bible Church Rec Center in Fort Benton. This hands-on class will include recommended, research-based food preservation methods taught by MSU Family and Consumer Sciences...
A few weeks ago, my wife and I celebrated our 18th anniversary. During the past 2 decades, I’ve learned a great deal about how to stay in the good graces of my wife. I know what sorts of things I say that upset her, what kind of gifts she likes, and what the boundaries of our marriage are. Some of those boundaries were stated explicitly in our vows, including that I wouldn’t date other women, that I would take care of her, that I wouldn’t abandon her, etc. Other boundaries fell into the “figure it out as you go” category, like how not talki...
Q: I’ve always had physical problems that limit my ability to walk or do most of the things that normal people do. As a result I have very few friends, and sometimes I wish I’d never been born. Why did God let this happen to me? Does God hate me? A: I don’t know exactly why God allowed this to happen to you—or for that matter, why He allows evil of any kind to exist. In Heaven we’ll fully understand this—but not now. The Bible speaks of “the mystery of iniquity”—and that’s what evil is: a mystery (2 Thessalonians 2:7, KJV). But I do know this:...
Pre-Fair 4-H Year in Review With the Chouteau County Fair beginning next week, the Chouteau County Extension office would like to congratulate all of the 4-H members of Chouteau County on their achievements this past 4-H year. Over the past nine months, many 4-Hers have been busy fulfilling their 2015-16 4-H year goals by completing and caring for their projects, competing in contests and competitions, engaging in “learn by doing” workshops and activities and community service. Below is a summary of the results of the 4-H contests and com...
Charlie Russell was saddened by what he called the death of the west. I know what he is talking about. I am saddened by the death of what this part of Montana used to be like when I was a boy in the 1940’s and early 1950’s. I live on Sixth Street and while there are plenty of children in my neighborhood, you don’t see a lot of them out. Mainly I see kids from the east end making the trek to the skate board park on ninth street. In my day, winter and summer we kids in my neighbor spent most of our time outside. In the summer it was long hikes, l...
The community that my wife and I moved here from was fairly wealthy. The population was mainly young, professional families with 2 incomes. When we first moved there, I remember being impressed by the fact that many of my neighbors had huge houses, a new car every year, and most of them took expensive trips to exotic places a couple times a year. This was at a time when my wife and I could barely afford to heat our home, resulting in nights sleeping in front of the fire place half the year and breath you could see while you were in the living...
Q: I know Jesus said we ought to love people, but how do you love someone who’s really hard to get along with? My aunt is like this, always criticizing everyone and in general just being disagreeable. We dread it when she comes to visit. A: You’re right, I’m afraid; some people are simply hard to like. Sometimes, of course, we are at fault—and if so, we need to be honest about it and try to change our attitude. But unfortunately some people seem to take almost a perverse delight in criticizing others or antagonizing those around them. Sometimes...