Here it is almost the middle of August and the yearly Bible reading is still right on schedule, Glory! I never figured I’d make it this far, usually kinda sputter out in February reading the Books of Moses. This year though I stuck to it no matter what and low and behold the daily readings are still being done every evening, rain or shine and no matter how busy we are. Now this ain’t some sort of a brag, just joyful praise that its still going. I’m finding out that I never want to quit the daily readings, they’re not some sort of goal or anything like that, but I want to continue them non stop till the day comes when I leave this here world and cross the River Jordan! My studies have really slipped though in the summer months, but I’m not all to worried about them, they can be intensified once silage is done in a few weeks and the sun goes down earlier.
Every once in a while when reading the daily Bible readings a person comes across something that personally floors them and I ain’t no exception. Lately the readings have been in the Book of Psalms and a person usually reads two or three of them every evening. Now this book interests me quite a bit the more and more I get into it. I’ve read many of them before, many times but now I’m “forced” to go through every one of them in order and its starting to become apparent that this is a wonderful book, to say the least. Now I can see why the oldtimers put so much stock in reading the book, and also Proverbs. Words to live by. But as far as Psalms goes the raw praying to the Lord is really getting to me. And the amazing thing is that so many were written about three thousand years ago and the situation ain’t hardly any different today than the problems them folks went through. Kinda timeless! And a few evenings ago I came across a verse, several really, but will just put this one down here. The moment I came across it I stumbled around the house looking for a pen to mark that verse with in my old King James Bible. I was reading allot of the Old Testament with the Living Bible but switched back to the KJV when I got a little ways into Psalms, must be I like the old way it was written in . Plus then a person can catch a verse here and there that I’ve always heard preached or something and know where it came from. Well anyway I’d better get the verse down that I was writing about before I forget I was writing about it, (its happened before).
Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
This is from Psalm 71 verse 18. It has become my personal prayer out of the prayer book of the Bible!
“Now that I am old and gray,
do not abandon me, O God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation
your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”
Whew!!!! I was trying to figure out why when your old and gray you needed to be shoe’d
. Sorry, I had to convert it. You are right though, I can see that being a personal prayer. In fact I can see that psalm becoming a way of life.
I haven’t been able to dally in the psalms yet. Colossians is the place for me. Reading all of Paul’s private letters. Should be through those letters today.
Well, thinking about cutting today. I’m not hard pressed for hay this year, so the second cutting will be the last. Looks like good weather until Sunday so its as good a time as any. Be carefull in the next couple of days though. This much seat time usually produces some off the wall ideas (both spiritually and on the home front). I ought to be coming back with many ways to solve the worlds problems and make everyone part of the God movement.
Pretty quiet on the homefront. Looks like I’m becoming an over the road trucker for work. I’ll take off for Washington DC in a week or so. No one else likes to drive that ol dually pickup, so I usually get volunteered. I don’t mind much. To me its alot like seat time on the tractor except with a little more traffic. The only bad thing is the time away from that ol Gladwin woman, but now that we’ve got these cell phones it don’t seem so bad. Might even be heading out to California next month.
Well, not a whole lot new here. Had the first gentle rain we’ve had in a long time here. Lasted pretty much all day yesterday. No thunder or anything… Just rain…. and with the cooler weather around here lately the pastures are starting to green up a little. Thank you God again.
Well, better git at. Xtreme lawn mowin awaits
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
Morning Brad!
We’re on the extreme dry side around here, but I can’t call it a drought when I have corn that I’m wondering how I’ll chop with it being so tall. I know the corn grain yields are dropping around here but that don’t matter to me none. We have an abundance of good silage corn to keep me feeding all winter and into next summer, Praise the Lord!
I was going to put an easier translation up on the post last night and then figured, “naw”, ol’ Brad loves the King James and what ol’ Brad loves he gets
Oh, I got the Sheffey book in the mail yesterday and I thank you so much for sending it back! Kinda my ministry blueprint so to speak and I have it right where I can read it every evening, just reading bits and pieces every night but sure do love it! Reading about when him and the other preacher were traveling around preaching to moonshiners to change their ways. Now that takes guts!!
Maybe in a day or two I can kinda get back into the swing of things with those Bible studies. I’m starting to notice the sun going down a tad bit earlier these last couple of evenings and that’s alright with me. I don’t think I’d last to long if the days were as long as July year round. Wear a person right out! Plus I ain’t getting any younger
Cut 16 acres of hay yesterday and today I might haul some straw bales home, then church tonight. The place almost exploded last night with beef customers ordering! I can never figure that out. Nothing as far as orders for the longest time, then when there’s a few ready for butchering and I get done with some major job “wham”, call after call! I think the Lord does take care of a person!!
God Bless!
Morning Tom,
Glad you got the book. I hope it didn’t get tore up at all. I use those redneck book mailers usually (boxes), but we had some old amazon bubble wrap thingys lying around, so I thought I’d try that.
I liked that ol Sheffey book too. I guess I really liked the history part of it more. It was really interesting to see how he planned his trips around the crop planting and harvesting. I’ll tell you what though, I really started feeling sorry for his wife. I mean, she’d have a baby and all then be sick for months at a time. The next thing you know, she’s pregnent again….. Viril little feller ain’t he ??
You know though the sacrifices he endured though and the sacrifice of others in the bible (Jacob maybe??? you know Isreals son.. who was put in the well by his brothers….. Looking inside these parenthesis is why I would never be good at preachin’)…. Anyway those folks as well as others ought to scream to folks today that the gifts of God do not involve new cars or houses. His gift is when everything else is going to hell around you, you can stand tall with the principals he layed out and just flat out make it.
Well, well see how his gift affects me today because readin in ol Collosians there. I’m supposed to be of clean thoughts and mouth today while I’m out there mowing. I’ll tell you sometimes raggely ol equipment sure dirties up both of them in a hurry.
Now, I know what you mean about that sun setting earlier. Funny how this works ain’t it? In the spring we can’t get enough daylight. By fall, were hopin that ol sun will just fall from the sky.
Well, I’d better get to loading the trailer up. Mowings in a far pasture today.
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
Evening Brad!
Couldn’t drag myself to the computer this morning, just to tired out! But am recovered now. Got home from church last evening and on the answering machine was that message every cattleman wants to hear, the calves are out on the road. Them varmints!! I got that fence so high powered it should literally fry them but they look at me with that evil look and a smirk and walk right through it before my eyes! So in a bit I’ll go out with the Honda fourwheeler and make a fence check. At least the Honda will run em to the ground
The book came back in perfect shape and I thank you so much for returning it. When I sent it to you I felt like ol’ Sheffey did when he gave that family with the dead horse his horse Gideon. But I gritted my teeth and mailed it off, (after quickly reading it a second time
). Now I’m reading it again, like I say I figure that its my ministry blueprint! Now if I could find someone to do a bunch of my farm work for a few months… 
The sacrifices he endured, Sheffey I mean, have really changed my thinking and outlook. How he would call himself a servant of the Lord and stood on that. This is the kind of thinking a person needs today with everything going down the tubes around us. I just pray that I can stand for God and be His servant with the dedication ol’ Sheffey had. Nothing wrong with having a role model either. Someone to base a person’s ministry on. And a finer ministry I can not imagine. Covered about every base there was to be covered. NOt just a nitch.
Well, I had better get back out and see what them calves are up to and if they are out, well the Honda has a full tank of gas and it don’t get tired
God Bless!
Morning Tom,
Wow!! Collosians came through for me. No bad thoughts. Of course having everything well for a change will do that to ya
. I love that disc mower. My neighbor told me once I got one I’d never go back. He was right. In fact, I’ve had to start using that seat belt on that tractor cause I’ve got that thing flying through them terraced pastures. I feel a little like Bo and Luke Duke crossing a river in Hazzard county. (For the record, two things about the south….. hey have bridges over creeks, and when you do a burnout on a gravel road, the tires don’t squeal 
). Anyway, no disasters, no problems Sometimes I’m just amazed when things like that happen.
So, the beasts beat the fence aye?? I’ve got a solution though…. an unlisted phone number…… I haven’t heard of any problems from the neighbors about my cattle. That reminds me, I’ve got to check them again. When I get around to haying, I just kind of let em be. Its been about three days… better make sure they’re not meeting your little ones half way.
You know, I’ve really got to thank you for putting me on these P of T lessons. I sure am getting alot out of them. In fact, I’m printing them off and putting them in a notebook. When I’m all teed off and need to forgive someone, I can go to the sheet and see which verses I sould read. Same with a bunch of different things that I run into every day.
Your right, Sheffey was not just a nitch. Y’all got alot in common too. Talking about hanging onto the old ways. When his camp was burned down he was about the only one who wanted to build it back up. Now you’ve been talking about old time churchin’ way before you read that book.
Now if you could just give up Gideon (your computer) to that poor girl from Missouri (Jan). Her’s died recently along the road ya know
.
Well, better git at it. Good day today to watch the hay dry. Plus I gotta move tractors out of the barn and lay down pallets to store some hay. Them tractors been getting pretty comfortable in there the past couple of years.
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
Morning Brad!
Well, maybe bale hay today and then green chop another jag of silage for the critters. First thing when I woke up this morning that ancient chopper was on my mind, and it weren’t good! The main gear box ain’t sounding to healthy, (severe bang in it), and here I am with the crop of the century to chop. This will take some figuring in the days to come I tell you.
I’d give Jan my computer but its worse than her dead one! This Windows Vista I wouldn’t give to my worst enemy
Next one’s gonna be a Mac or else! But to the Windows Vistas credit, it still works after being here for a year. I sure do miss XP though, now that was a computer till it got nailed by the weather!
I gotta get them Bible studies restarted as soon as the silage is all said and done. Funny, I was just barreling along with them and now can hardly get anything done. Heck, I’m struggling to get my paperwork done for a preaching thingy! Then they want a photo of me too. trouble is we lost the digital camera, hmm. I’m in a scramble on what to do!
Excuse me, I’m eating fried potatoes and onions with a healthy dose of little hot red peppers chopped up and fried with them this morning, things are HOT!
Durn, now you ruined my day. I always thought that I could squeal the tires on the gravel, I figured I’d been doing it for years with my old rusty truck! Now I figure its just the fan belt making that noise,
Oh Lord, a new day! (And these peppers are starting to work on me ).
So I’d better meander over to the pasture down the road and see what those naughty calves are up to! And burn some rubber on the gravel over there. Who knows, when the blood starts flowing when in hot pursuit of them calves strange things do happen
God Bless!
hi Guys,
well went and got me a new computer ouch!!!!!!!
and it is a xp
hope ya all are ding good sure did miss ya all!
take care will talk to ya all monday!
Morning Jan,
Am I ever glad to see you. This place can get pretty crusty without you wimmin around
. Guess that makes my computer the oldest around this place. Well no matter. A Raggely ol computer fits in pretty good with everything else around here……. Glad to have you back.
Morning Tom,
Ya know… this food talk has gone far enough!!!! I’m fixin to ask Kathy if a western omlete would be a possibility this morning. Timing has to be just right though. If she opens up the cupboard and sees the All Bran…. its all over
. And another thing….. Aren’t you a little old for that there spicy food??? I know them little red hot peppers would make for a whole day of adventure around here. My iron constitution is rustin out a little…….
Well since the hay is down guess what happened…… Luckily it was just a sprinkling so things may be on schedule. I might put this stuff up a little tough though more rain on the way for Sunday.
Plus I got another reason for trying to get the hay up quick. These durn olymics are on. I’m an olympic nut!! I even watch them horse events where the horse prances all over the stage with them riders wearing cereal bowls on their heads. I dunno why, but when the olympics are on your gonna have to dig me out of the couch when the closing ceremonies are over. In fact hayin this time of year is just poor planning. If I remember in 4 years, I’ll try to schedule this farm stuff better.
Well too much talking here. I’ve got an hour of field hockey and water polo to watch before I have to greeze the baler. Waaaaahooooo!!!!!
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
Morning Jan!
And it sure is good to have you back! It leaves a huge empty space when your not around. XP eh!! Good girl!! If I had a lick of sense I’d get my old XP fixed up and use that one instead!
God Bless!
dagnabit!!! Should of looked at the radar before I spoke. Looks like rain this morning. These 10% chances are hitting early today…..
Morning Brad!
That comment slipped in past me unawares! Luckily the hot red peppers are making me wake up fast. I was building emergency fence yesterday afternoon and breakfast came back to haunt me 2 miles from home. Rough life
Olympics?? That this year?? Oh well, I was running after a cow through the corn field yesterday, (a few laps), and I guess the cow kinda won till I took the fence down and she walked back to the herd!! The other event that would go with this event would be sharp shooting
If I’da had a gun……
Got the papers completed last night, now for a photo and both digital cameras missing in this household! Oh for the no worry life of a teen. NO cameras, no problem, who cares
So another day to start around here, lots of work lined up already but should be good unless I go sprinting and sharp shooting on the south 100!
God Bless!
Morning Guys,
hope ya have a good day!
it’s good to be back,
but i can’t get my e-mail working
oh well
Morning Jan!
Ah, the pleasure of getting a different computer set up eh!Its been almost a year since I had to wrestle with setting this one up, then to find out that this is the most unreliable computer program ever made, burned my hide
Have a blessed one!
God Bless!
Morning Jan…. Morning Tom,
You know Jan, I don’t even fool around with that outlook stuff. I just use the online email mostly. Can you check your email online through the internet?
Alright, tahts all the computer support you’ll get out of this geek
. Hope you get it fixed……
Well, the wife and I finished haying this weekend. Neither boy was around to help so it was just the two of us. Worked out alright, though I gotta look at getting one of them bale baskets or something. The barns are ulging. Looks like we’ve got enough hay this winter for 5 more cows and enough left over so I won’t be grippin when spring comes around. Thank you God. Now just let er rain.
.
Heh.. heh…. did you find the camera??? I know about the teen stuff. The coolest things I wn have come up missing. Not anymore though because once they got passed 16, anything I had was nowhere cool enough for em anymore.
So did you send off the paperwork?? When will you know?? It sure will be interesting about the process I think. Who’s looking at certifying…….. ordaining…… denying….
you??? I’m sure once they see that ol preachin on the NF blog they’ll be ready to call you “Brother Tom”.
Well better get on here. Cleanup today. A windstorm took out a tree along the creek and I ‘ve got to get that all cleaned up. The wind seems to be keeping me in an over abundance of firewood lately…..
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
Morning Brad!
Ah, Monday morning and all sorts of stuff awaiting this farmer this week. The papers are now officially out of my hands and I’ll probably know one way or another in a couple months or more. Now I can get back to just regular Tom stuff. Felt kinda weird last evening, no papers around here. The outfit is FCF, they are the covering for our little church, so about anybody that is a preacher in our church and a few others in central Mn are covered by that outfit. So basically its going the official way, through the church, not off on my own to some ordination “mill” on the internet. I don’t know what will happen and I’m not going to worry about it none. If they figure I’m fit for it, so be it! If not, same thing.
Back to the grind around here this week too. Hay to cut, corn to chop, manure to haul, the full deal. Next week butcher beef and chickens. I’m kinda hoping to slide through this week without to many cattle escapes so I can just work and relax at the same time
So I’d better finish up eating my breakfast and get on out side and see what the day brings.
God Bless!