Memorials

This is strictly my opinion, but one that has been in my thoughts for at least 10 years.

What is a memorial? I Googled that question and received this response:  "Something, especially a structure, established to remind people of a person or event."

We can drive to Washington D.C. and find the Washington Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the National WWII Memorial and the list goes on.  All these memorials remind us of people or events that have been important to our American history.

When I met my husband, Chip, he took me up to Trail's End Ranch near Ekalaka, MT and showed me his dad's memorial---the horse barn.  With the showing came many memories of how Bob Anderson from Trail's End Ranch had led so many of his family members to Christ--Bobby Dye being one of them.  It was only befitting for the Dye memorials to go to Trail's End Ranch.

When my dad passed away, we were excited when we reached a $1000 + in memorials.  Somehow, that showed to me that my dad was loved and that people loved us.  Dad's memorial went to Rainbow Bible Ranch for a new speaker system.  Even though I have not seen the speaker system, I know that my dad is remembered especially during camping season.



Leonard Dye's Memorial
The church he helped to build.

I could go on with Mom's memorial, Chip's mom's memorial and his brother David's memorial.  These are all special to us and each dollar that came in showed us how much people cared.

This past year one of my favorite pastors passed away.  I sent a memorial in his honor as I wanted his family to know how  much I appreciated him.

This past week a very dear friend and a WWII vet passed away.  His memorial will be in Tennessee and even though I will probably never see it, it is important to his family and to his friends.  The play ground set will give ample opportunity to reflect on this Godly man and for future generations to be ministered to.

I have been told that life is for the living, not for the dead.  That is true and memorials are given in honor of those who have passed on so that we the living can help others.

What is a memorial gift?  It is a sign of love, respect and honor for the individual who has passed and to the family members who are grieving.

What is a memorial?  "Something, especially a structure, established to remind people of a person or event."

Every penny counts when we are building a memorial for our loved ones.

Broken Cisterns

Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate,” says the Lord.  “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:12-13)

A cistern is a deep hole dug in the ground which is used to store water. They are used when drinkable underground water cannot be found at a reasonable depth.   Before steel or plastic were invented, most cisterns were made of cement to prevent water loss from seepage.  One source of water for a cistern is rain. In periods of draught it is sometimes necessary to haul water to fill the cistern. 

Our cistern was built right next to the old ranch house in 1944.  After 70 years, the cement has cracked and been patched several times.  As the cistern stands now, there is a crack above ground level that allows water, when it reaches that height, to seep out unto the ground.  The seepage results in the cistern never being completely filled.

In the beginning we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26a).  Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden.  God met all of their needs, but then Satan came along and deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. Adam knew that it was wrong, but he also ate of the fruit.  That is when sin entered into the world.  Sin caused us to forsake God and we began to build our own cisterns—broken cisterns.    These are full of things that we think will make us happy.  Things like riches, more ranch land, beautiful clothes, prestige or great food.  Anything can become a broken cistern for us.

Just as the cistern on the ranch is never completely full, the broken cisterns we create in our lives leave us incomplete-not completely full or fulfilled.  There is an emptiness or incompleteness that can never be filled by us.  However, there is One who can fill our cistern and quench the thirst caused by the broken cistern.

 God created us to be thirsty or to desire a relationship with Him and a need for Him.  He told His disciples, “Without me you can do nothing.”  But we have two sins that keep us from that desired relationship.  Our first sin is that we have “forsaken Him” or have turned away from God the only real source of life.  Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father except through me.” 

Our second sin is that we seek satisfaction apart from God.  We look for happiness and peace in all the wrong places.  We think that material things will make us happy, when only God can fill our emptiness.

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Knowing that God created us to thirst for righteousness, let us go to the Fountain of Living Water and drink deeply of all that He has for us. 

 Psalm 107:9 “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.

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“If you feel the need for God in your life, that’s exactly how you are supposed to feel.  You were never intended to do life on your own (without Him).”   Dr. David Jeremiah

 

 

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God's Best

I have not shared the following poem since June of 2011.  "God's Best" has become my all time favorite poem.  Maybe that is because it was given to me during a difficult time in my life.  I was in my late twenties when I "finally" met a guy that I was truly interested in developing a relationship.  I had tons of guy friends, but not anyone I was serious about in a romantic way.  Then this guy broke up with me on the Monday following Memorial Day.  Even though I had prayed that if he wasn't the one God wanted for me, he would be the one to break it off,  I was devastated.  A friend of mine, gave me this poem.  I read it several times.  The second verse didn't make sense to me at all.  I thought about it for a full month before I realized what it meant.  Although this guy would have made a good husband, he was  "the better" not God's Best for me.  We really didn't have anything in common and our lifes' goals were different.

 

Then I met another guy.  He, too, wanted to ranch and he even lived in the same state that I wanted to live in.  Once again, he broke up with me the Monday after Memorial Day.  I couldn't understand why except we really didn't share the same goals.  In one sense I was willing to give up my dreams and goals for him while on the other hand I hoped that he wouldn't ask me to marry him because I didn't think that I could say yes.  He would have been "the better" not God's Best for me.

 

Then I met Chip.  He just happened to live in the very state that I said that I would never live in, but we had the same dreams, goals and interests. (I wouldn't see him on the Mondays after Memorial Day!)   I had found the reason the other two guys were not for me.  They were/are great guys, but they were not what God had planned for me.  Chip was/is God's Best for me.  I am so thankful that I didn't settle for "the better" and that I waited for "God's Best."

 

 

(Please read Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch to read my/our story.  It can be purchased through Amazon as a book or for your Kindle.)

God’s Best

God has His best things for the few

That dare to stand the test;

God has His second choice for those

Who will not have His best.

It is not always open ill

That risk the promised rest;

The Better often is the foe

That keeps us from the Best.

And others make the highest choice,

But when by trials pressed,

They shrink, they yield, they shun the cross,

And so they lose the best.

I want in this short life of mine,

As much as can be pressed

Of service true for God and man;

Help me to be my best.

Give me O Lord thy highest choice’

Let others take the rest,

Their good things have no charm for me,

For I have got thy Best.

Author Unknown