David Dennis Dye

 

David Dye

I remember the day when I had no idea who David Dye was and tonight I mourn the death of a brother and friend.  Let me start from the beginning!

The Fourth of July 1995 was spent at Mom and Dad’s house.   Chip had driven down to Belle Fourche to take us to the Black Hills Roundup.  We were eating lunch when there was a knock at the door and Chip yelled out, “Come on in!”  That was not what I really thought should have happened.  That stocky young man opened the door and walked in.  Mom in her own way said, “Who are you?” and the reply was “An encyclopedia salesman.”  Well I knew that there were two old sets in the house already.  So Mom replied, “We don’t need any encyclopedias.”  That guy smiled and sat down in my grandma’s rocking chair, and as always Chip started talking to him.  Now I was getting a little frustrated with the situation until Chip made a comment that made me realize that this “salesman” must be Chip’s brother.  That was my introduction to David Dennis Dye.

Sometime later I was out helping Chip at the ranch when his entire family came out.  With the entire family helping a lot of brush and tree limbs were taken to the dump and the yard began to look very nice.  After mowing the lawn for a couple of hours, David brought me an ice cold glass of water and we sat on the grass and talked.  I watched as he shared his glass of tea with his two dachshunds. That was the day our friendship began.

In 1999 Chip and I were married.  David gave us his blessing and I appreciated knowing that he approved of his brother’s future wife.

After our marriage, David would call or come up to the ranch to visit.  I always appreciated his sense of humor, smile and laugh.  One day I called him and asked him to join the family for Thanksgiving at the ranch.  He asked what he should bring and I replied, “Bring your great personality!”  Hmmm!  He had added a little “buzz” to his personality before he arrived.   I informed him that it was his personality I wanted, not one that came from a bottle.  He laughed and the family had a great time.

David, Chip and I took a trip to Arizona to their nephew’s wedding. David liked to be in control and to be behind the steering wheel. That was fine. When we reached Colorado, he was ready  to let someone else drive. Unfortunately it was in the Rocky Mountain National park and although I had driven it years before, I froze up on that trip. I was driving 5 MPH and my knuckles were white. David said, “You are making me nervous!” I am sure the ten cars behind me were nervous too. It could have been a long trip up that mountain at 5 MPH. I pulled over and David drove again. I was sitting in the passenger seat but leaning over as far as I could to the middle of the seat. He said, “Dru, leaning over isn’t going to help.” I replied, “Oh, yes it is! I can’t see the bottom of valley.” It was a long trip! We had fun times and frustrating times, but we became better friends because of it.

Things started to change in David’s life and he started asking questions about God and the Bible.  Chip and he would have long discussions on the phone or at the ranch. One day he sat on the couch and Chip went through the Bible with him showing him God’s plan of salvation, but David didn’t understand it.  I asked him if he were to die right now, where he would go.  He didn’t hesitate as he pointed downward.  He knew that he was on his way to Hell, but he wouldn’t accept Christ as his Savior.

A lot happened after that day.  His aunt died and then his mother died.  He thought that his mother would last forever and so wasn’t there with her when she died.

It was about a year later that we received a call from David stating that he had accepted Christ as his Savior and that he wanted to be baptized.  The decision was to be baptized in the reservoir that almost took his life. 

Please read his testimony below.

David Dye

I realize that this is a reprint from a couple of years ago, but today my brother-in-law, David Dye went home to be with the Lord.  The following quote from David a year and a half ago here on the ranch will explain why I can say that confidently.

Having been raised here, I have had lots of fun memories of the ranch and of this reservoir.

I remember riding horses in the water with no saddles, chasing turtles, fishing, evening campfires with marshmallows, and cutting blocks of ice in the wintertime for storage in the icehouse for the summer.

Around 15 years ago while swimming in this reservoir, I found myself halfway across, started to get short of breath and realized I didn’t have a 21-year-old set of lungs anymore.  I had to make a quick decision of going back or to try for the other side. I made the decision to keep on swimming.  I was yelling out for help and thought to myself, so this is how it all ends, done in by drowning?  I actually saw my obituary in the Ekalaka Eagle.  After going under 3 times, I finally reached shore having never been more thankful to land on solid ground.  I remember how small I felt in this vast expanse of water.

Over the years I have thought a lot about some of the decisions I have made and wondered how, or why I made those decisions.

 I finally realized through trial and error that I was allowing the devil too much play time in my life and decided there had to be a better way.  The devil likes to start out the relationship with fun and every time, somewhere, somehow along the line he finally slams the hammer down and sits back and laughs at you and says ha, ha, (got you again) 100% of the time.  I could go to Las Vegas and have better odds.

I have heard that the average person makes three thousand decisions per day or 90,000 decisions per month or around a million decisions per year.  If I live 75 years at a million decisions per year that’s more zeros than I can put on paper and I started to wonder why haven’t I taken the time to make the right decision for Jesus and give Him my heart and soul.  Of all the decisions I have made in my lifetime, this is the only decision that will last for all eternity.

I know that in my life for too long I have been stirring this bowl of soup called procrastination.  I decided that I had procrastinated long enough and that it was time to make a decision.

With all the problems in this world we are having, the warning signs are becoming more and more concerning & I think time is very short.

Jesus promises that if you believe in him & repent he will give you eternal life. I heard Pastor John Hagee say that when a person dies someone will get that person’s soul, Satan or God. For years I have believed in God, It scares me to death the thought of having had the chance to give him my soul and never doing anything about it.  Jesus wanted me to make that break from the devil, finally repent, and accept Christ as my Savior. I made that decision about a month ago with a smile, knowing that I had made the right choice. Heaven is forever and Hell is forever.  The choice was mine to make and I have chosen God’s free gift of Salvation and eternity in Heaven.

Life here on earth is all about choices and decisions.  This is why I’m here today at this baptism.  Today we are gathered here at my baptism as I have finally made the decision to be obedient to the Word of God and be baptized publicly. 

There are many thoughts on how to describe success or being successful.  What does it take to be a successful person? Is it nice cars, big ranches, college education lots of money?  Personally my idea of success is standing before Jesus and having him tell me, “Job well done soldier, Job well done, you may now enter the gates of Heaven.

I want to thank a friend of mine, Perry Elliot who is not here today, for working on me for so many years as we worked together on the railroad.  For years he questioned me on where I stood in life on my thoughts about the Lord.  Finally thanks to Chip and Dru for all the conversations about God that we have had here on the ranch as well as the many phone calls .

So tonight I just want to say that David has now heard "Job well done soldier, Job well done, you may now enter the gates of Heaven."  And on the other side of those gates he had Jesus waiting to greet him with his mom, dad, grandparents and his nephew Wade.

Miss you David Dye, but so glad that I will see you in Heaven someday!

We have had a busy time on the ranch the last few weeks. Our hunters have come and gone and now we are busy shipping the lambs and calves. We have shipped some of the “opens” ( those that did not breed back this year.) The good news is that several of the “hot” cows are no longer with us. We really don’t miss them.

Our water level is very low. In each of the reservoirs there is a pit that is very deep and the cows can fall in and drown. The water level is now down to the edge of these pits. (Hope that made sense.) We could use a good rain just to make drinking water safe for the livestock. It would also help to keep the fish alive.

TF (Thoughts Forward) is now with the heifer calves. She still comes for her bottle, but now she has company of her own species.

One of our kittens disappeared about a week ago. Buddy is the friendliest of all the kittens and tends to be always under my feet. I had gone into the Silverdome to check on things and when I left, I called “Kitty.” Nothing came, so I closed the door. A few days later I was missing the kitten and started looking for it. I went back to the Silverdome , opened the door, and called Kitty. Nothing came! I just thought something had happened to it and it was gone for good. The other night Chip went out to grill some Brats and heard the kitten. It was in the Silverdome! He was very lonely, hungry and thirsty. For the first day, he was really under foot and it ate quite a bit. It is back to normal now. I have washed the bedding and the pillow! I didn’t think an animal could live that long without water, but it must have licked the moisture off the window.

I did get my whitetail doe tonight so the hunting season is officially over for me. Chip still has one tag.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Jake Continues to Learn

Jake continues to learn. He usually can let us know when he wants to go outside, but I am always concerned about him and wishing that he could let us know when he wants back in. He has finally done this in a couple of ways. One way is to start barking at anything or nothing. If that doesn't get our attention, he will come to one of our glass doors and "talk" to us quietly. One time Chip left early in the morning and Jake was stuck outside as I was still asleep. Jake came to our bedroom window and "talked" to me until I let him in. I haven't figured out how he knows which window to come to, but he knows which room of the house I am in.

He usually likes about ten minutes of special attention every day. He comes and lets us know that he needs our loving and then when he has had enough, he goes and lies down on one of his many beds and falls asleep.

Jake is now 5 years old and we love and appreciate him more every day---unless he is eating fresh venison and then we refer to him as "Power Dog."

Vacation

 

 

 

 

The definition of vacation is:

"An extended period of recreation, esp. one spent away from home or in traveling." Chip, Jake and I just returned from a short vacation. I learned this week that each of us view vacation in a different way. My dream vacation this year was to spend a couple of relaxing days in White Sulphur Springs relaxing in the natural springs. The weather was beautiful and the water was great! Chip, on the other hand, thinks that a vacation consists of using binoculars.  We did see some elk, but they were on private property.  Jake was the hardest to please.  He just loves being home, chasing the cats and birds, helping Chip with the sheep and being loved by all who come to the ranch.  While on "vacation" he had to wear a collar and was almost always on a leash or stuck in a motel room.  This picture was the only time he enjoyed himself. The enjoyable moment for all of us was when we saw three bears in the field.  Chip watched them, I took pictures and Jake just stared at them.

 

A Parent's Precious Prayers

This morning I sat down at the table and  opened the Devotional  called Grace For The Moment by Max Lucado and read the August 10th devotional.  ( I am about a month behind.)

A Parent's Precious Prayers

All your children will be taught by the Lord, and they will have much peace.  Isaiah 54:13

Never underestimate the ponderings of a Christian parent.  Never underestimate the power that comes when a parent pleads with God on behalf of a child.  Who knows how many prayers are being answered right now because of the faithful ponderings of a parent ten or twenty years ago?  God listens to thoughtful parents.

Praying for our children is a noble task.  If what we are doing, in this fast-paced society, is taking us away from prayer time for our children, we're doing too much.  There is nothing more special, more precious than time that a parent spends struggling and pondering with God on behalf of a child.
                                                                                        Walking with the Savior.

I am thankful that I had a mom and dad that prayed for me and each of their children and grandchildren.  I remember Mom kneeling by a chair at the kitchen table and praying for me.  She didn't know that I had seen her as I was supposed to be on my way to the bus stop.  That picture of her will always stay in my mind.  I don't all that she and God talked about when she prayed, but I wonder if the decisions I made were because of those prayers.  I remember times when I had two choices--the right choice or the wrong choice and God led me down right path. 

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for praying for me!

August 11th

Six years ago, my mother went to be with her Lord and Savior.  The smile on her face as she passed into eternity tells me that she was excited to go.

Almost a month ago we had a wonderful reunion here on the ranch.  All my siblings, their spouses, Mom's cousin and his wife and friends of the family since we were kids all came for fun and fellowship.  The weather was great and there weren't any mosquitoes.  We had a great time!

Thinking of that reunion made me think of the reunion that I will have when I reach Heaven.  Someday I will see my mom, dad, mother-in-law and Chip's nephew Wade again.  There will be many other relatives and friends there to greet me.  This past week I was listening to a tape of Chip's dad, Bobby Dye, singing.  It brought tears to my eyes as he sang "When Jesus Beckons Me Home."

When Jesus Beckons Me Home Lyrics   

The Stanley Brothers

I know that Jesus will never forsake
His love will find a way
He'll bridge the stream if his hand I will take
When he calls what can I say

 Day follows night night follows day
 Farther and farther I roam  
What will my answer be what can I say  
When Jesus beckons me home.

Sometimes the clouds seem to cover his face
Sometimes the skies are so gray
Still by the stars and his wonderful grace
He'll roll the storm clouds away

Day follows night night follows day
Farther and farther I roam
What will my answer be what can I say
When Jesus beckons me home.

Bobby Dye passed into eternity on November 1, 1986 due to an automobile accident. That very day, he had told his cousin that he knew what his answer would be when Jesus beckoned him home. 
For years, Bobby had rebelled against his parents and against church (God).  About a year before his accident, he had accepted Christ as his Savior.  Someday I want to hear his testimony of his changed heart and life.

That song made me think of the song that we sang at my mom's funeral.
Will the Circle be Unbroken
Habershon & Gabriel

There are loved ones in glory
Whose dear forms you often miss
When you close your earthly story
Will you join them in their bliss

(chorus) Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky

In the joyous days of childhood
Oft they told of wondrous love
Pointed to the dying Savior
Now they dwell with Him above

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky

You remember songs of heaven
Which you sang with childish voice
Do you love the hymns they taught you
Or are the songs of earth your choice

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky

You can picture happy gatherings
Round the fireside long ago
And you think of tearful partings
When they left you here below

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky

One by one their seats were emptied
One by one they went away
Here the circle has been broken
Will it be complete one day

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky

John 3:3

 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  (NKJV)

What will my answer be what can I say
When Jesus beckons me home?

Will the Circle Be Unbroken? 










 

What is Love?

As Chip and I celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary, my thoughts turn toward the word love.

What is love?

There are 3 words for love in the Greek language.  First, there is eros love.  This love can be emotional and is the sex type love.  Second, there is"Philo" love.  This is the "brotherly love" that is shown in the book of Revelation.   It is a love of "if you love me; I'll love you.  Third, is Agape love.   It is a love that one gives without expecting anything in return. Christ had this type of love.  (There are many blogs that explain each of these in depth.)

Before Chip and I were married a neighbor told us that one does not fall in love, one grows in love.  Since I am still growing in love each day and therefore not an authority on the subject, I will explain love according to the Bible.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,  it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.^{s  I Corinthians 13:4-7  NIV}


And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is Love!  (verse 13)

Oh Me of Little Faith

This morning as I headed to town with the main idea of selling my books, my thoughts drifted to the next book that I plan on writing.  The one called Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned from Hunting.  I was in need of a rattlesnake picture and wasn't sure where I would get it. They aren't something that I go looking for.  I thought of several people who might be able to get a good picture for me when all of a sudden there was my prize object on the road.  I made a U-turn on Hwy 323 and went back to the snake.  I got out of the car with my camera and got as close to it as I dared and took some pictures.  Then I realized that zoom on cameras were made for a reason---just for rattlesnake pictures. :)

I stopped at the first store that was selling my books and walked away totally depressed.  The owner's records didn't match mine---or even hers as I had all of her receipts for the books.  She paid me and decided that she didn't want to sell them any more.  I walked out of there thinking that I wanted to see "Janet".  The likelihood of seeing her was slim as I have run into her once or twice in the past 15 years.  I went to Wal-Mart where I had run into her last fall.  I was feeling depressed so went out to eat before heading back to Belle Fourche.  I was trying not to do any impulsive buying due to my mental attitude so I went to Savers Mart- a store where I can shop all I want and get great deals.  Guess who I ran into in Savers Mart?  Yep, "Janet"!  We talked and she explained to me that it wasn't my fault.  She made me feel better so I went on to the next store.

I stopped at Love That Shoppe which is basically antiques.  She gave me a great lead to a new restaurant in town that was opening a gift shop.  So in August I will be able to put my books in there.  Then I headed on to Aladdin where they too will take my books after the motorcycle rally.  To finish my circle, I headed to Hulett where four books had sold.

So after a hot, but successful day, I ask myself Where is your faith?  God worked out so many details for me today, why do I not trust Him more?

More Lessons Learned

Some one told me that I will always be learning lessons from the ranch. I would like to share two that I have learned in the last three weeks since I have returned home from school and one that has been confirmed.


First, Never stand down wind from three heifers that are peeing!! I know, that should have been common sense, but I was not right behind them.

Second, I have learned the importance of water. Water is a life saver. I did not realize how really dry we are in Montana and surrounding states. I decided to water the trees while we still have water in the reservoirs. I think that some of those trees actually said "Thank you" when they got a three minute dose of water. One of them open its leaves and drank in the moisture. The surrounding grass actually turned green before my eyes. I stand in awe of the God who can do anything and everything.

Third, I know that God is in control of everything. He is in control of our country, our life and our weather. Some times things get out of control when He allows people to do what they think is best. When our calf "Cassie" was born, I thanked God for the extra blessing. Cassie was born to a heifer that should not have been bred until this year. A day later Cassie stepped in a hole and broke her leg. The bone broke the skin causing the vet to give us no hope for her survival. He told Chip to give her a shot of penicillin until she was dead. It has been 3 1/2 weeks and Cassie is no longer possible to catch without a rope and Chip won't do that to her. We will take the cast off in a couple of weeks and see how the leg is doing. God was in control and showed me that he can make things happen that no one believes can happen.

Chip went over to Carl's to put up a little hay. The key word is little. It took him an hour and a half to make one bale of hay. It wasn't a full bale and it looked like silage in bale form. We are done haying for the year with less than ten bales.

Time to work on caulking the house before it gets much warmer. We do have a breeze today, which is nice.

Emotions

As I sit here on the last few hours of school, my emotions are on a roller coaster ride.  I am very excited to be going home to Chip, Jake and the ranch, but I am very sad to have to say good-bye to some very special friends, co-workers and students.

I looked to see what the Bible says about emotions.  Proverbs 15:18 says that "A hot-tempered man (woman) stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention."  Well, since I am not angry that does not fit this situation, but I am thankful that I was honored to work with a group of professionals that were not hot-tempered and therefore we got along very well.

The next verse that came up was Romans 8:28: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Those who have read my book Life on the Ranch, know that my/our desire is for the ranch to be a blessing to many.  Many quotes have been sent to me this month on faith and taking that first step.  I am trying to take it in/with faith.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."

I have claimed that verse for years so I know that He has been there for me in the past and will continue with me through the future.

Depression

My thoughts turn toward "Depression" today for several reasons.

In the past month there have been far too many suicides around me.  The most recent was that of a college classmate.  He was a charming young man in college and had become a pastor in Pennslyvania.  He had come down with shingles and put on medication.  The medication caused the depression/psychotic disorder.  Although the medication was changed, he couldn't snap out of it.  Someone needed to take his condition more seriously.  His funeral is this week.

In October, I became very depressed/anxious and went to the doctor for medication.  The medication sent me in a nose dive down to the bottom of the pit.  By Sunday, I could barely get out of bed, let alone walk to the kitchen counter.  I wasn't suicidal, but I didn't really care if I lived or not.  It wasn't until my older brother told me that "It is time someone takes you seriously" that I realized that someone was going to take me seriously.  New medication has helped and a doctor who is standing behind me all the way.

We live in a world where there isn't a lot of hope.  We are told that by 2033 that our social security will be gone.  Our national debt has increased to a sum that most of us can't even understand. We live in a world where depression isn't truly understood until it has been experienced personally. 

I am thankful for a family that stood/stands behind me, for a principal who was/is so very understanding, a neighbor who is only a few steps a way and will let me "cry on her shoulder", a teacher/friend that teaches next door and for a fellow teacher who cared enough to walk all the way across the building to see if I was doing O.K.  I am thankful for the notes and letters that were so encouraging and for a church family and friends that have prayed for me faitfully.  I never realized that some of my friends/relatives had gone through anxiety as they had.

Please take depression seriously.  Get help for yourself and be there when you know your friends and neighbors are depressed. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Most people are so busy with their own lives they don't notice what is going on in someone elses' life.   We may never understand what one person is going through, but we can be patient with that person and listen.

You may save a life.

In Memory of my Dad

                   Dad                       

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:” Philippians 4:11

Let me tell you a little bit about my dad. Dad lived a very simple life. He loved the Black Hills of South Dakota and he enjoyed going to flea markets, rodeos, and the annual Threshing Bee. He would be out of bed by 4 or 5 A.M. each morning. He would drink his cup of coffee, read his Bible and pray. Many mornings when I got up, his Bible was still on the table opened to a passage of Scripture.

Dad was a very sensitive and emotional person. I remember his tears when a little boy had been hurt. Often when he was telling a story, his voice would become emotional and there would be tears in his eyes. He was also a very generous person. He would help single moms by giving them money, and he would help strangers in need.

Dad was human, so he was not perfect. He was content with his life because he had a forgiving and loving God. Dad’s true test of contentment came early in 2005. Dad showed us contentment as he lay on his hospital bed. He winked at his great -grandchildren and smiled as they winked back. The doctors would offer us a thread of hope, but when we asked Dad how he was, he would always reply, “Not good!” He knew, and had known for quite a while that his time on earth was coming to an end. He was at peace with his Lord. He told a granddaughter on March 12th that he was going Home. Dad would never tell any of us “Good-bye” but on March 8th he told Mom “Good-bye” several times. That is the last time she saw him.

Let me tell you about the last day my dad was with us. I walked into his room and asked the nurse what our goal was for him that day. She said that we needed to get a lot of liquid in him. Dad heard that and he drank more for breakfast than he did the whole day before. He showed me that he cared enough to try. We all went to lunch while he was asleep. When we returned at 2:30 he was breathing heavily. I knew then that my dad was about to leave us. I shed a few tears and then walked into his room and sat down beside him. I held his hand but didn’t know what to say. I finally kissed him on the forehead three times. I then saw a tear by the side of his eye. I gently wiped it away to let him know that I had seen it. My two brothers were with me and I asked my oldest brother, “Would you pray for Dad? He knows that we are here and he can hear us.” My brother prayed and then told Dad he loved him. During the prayer, Dad opened his eyes and looked at each of us. Things were quiet except for Dad’s breathing. I then told Dad, “We love you. You have been a great Dad, and a wonderful husband. We will miss you, but we know that you are going to a better place.” I then closed my eyes and prayed, “Lord, please do not let him suffer too much longer.” That was the last breath that Dad took before he was in Eternity.

Unknown to me, my sister-in-law had asked the Lord two days earlier to give me the wisdom to let my dad go. I am so thankful that we as a family were there to support Dad in this, his last change on earth.

For thirty years I dreaded and struggled with the day Dad would pass away. I never wanted to or knew how to say “good-bye” to him. It was a relief to me when we as a family decided to move my parents to Minnesota to live with my brother Delmer. I wouldn’t be there when they died. Well, God is still in control. He and Dad had other plans. I arrived at the Duluth, Minnesota Hospital on March 12th and Dad passed away on March 13th. I didn’t say good-bye to Dad that day because I knew that I would see him again when I get to Heaven. I did tell him that I love him. When I think back now, I realize that I would have missed a tremendous blessing if I had not been with my dad at his graduation to Eternity.

It has been five (now seven) years since Dad passed away and I still miss him, but I would never want to bring him back from the perfect place he is in now. Someday we will be together again for all eternity.

Death is unique to each person, as is dealing with the death of a loved one. That day, I learned how to die and I learned how to deal with the death of a loved one. Since then I have learned how to continue living after a loved one passes on to eternity. I learned that a Christian doesn’t need to fear death but take it one day at a time in faith. As my younger brother told me that day, “It is like falling asleep and waking up in a far better place.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”


“The greatest gift I ever had

Came from God; I call him Dad!”

~Author Unknown


Taken from the book, Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch.
 (Written from the heart.)

In the Valley With God

He led me through the valley,
There were fears on every side;
But He gently led me onward,
So in Him I would abide.

I felt He wasn't hearing me
When I to Him would pray.
"Just wait, my child," He'd tell me,
"I'll show you a better way."

He took me through the valley
But He didn't leave me there;
Although the way seemed rugged,
He began to answer prayer.

"I led you through the valley, Child,
So that you would lean on Me.
It's when the way seems hardest
That you need more faith to see."

The faith to see God's goodness
In the valley of distress,
Is the way that God must lead me
If I will learn to know His best.

Author Unknown

Happy Valentine's Day

Just want to say Happy Valentine's Day to all my family and friends.

Today we celebrated Star Math Achievement in my classes.  First hour was almost over when we went into Code teal, which means that the drug dogs are in school.  My poor first hour class was tired of celebrating by the time they were released to go to third hour.  I think that they were about ready to ask me for a math assignment. :)

The cake was great and the students were wonderful

Hope that you had a fantastic day.