Website for Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=life-on-the-ranch

Website for Life on the Ranch

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=life-on-the-ranch

Second Edition of Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzqp2-Ztxt4

Thank You to the Medical Staff

Today my thoughts are turned to a post that I made earlier in 2011.  Below are clips from that post.

"A lot of thoughts have gone through my mind this week due to the three police officers in Rapid City being shot;  one officer died, one is in critical condition and one is stable.  The suspect died as well. 

They live and work in the small city of Rapid City where people are honest and trustworthy.  They looked at this event as a routine traffic stop, never thinking that it would turn into a shoot out that killed one officer.

My thoughts then turned to the men being taken to the hospital.  I remember the day that Dad died; one nurse told me that another nurse had prayed with Dad that morning.  I thought that was very special.  I pray that each hospitalized patient is honored in the same way.

I thought about how the medical staff from the EMTs to the doctors have to stay calm and take care of each patient and in this case the three police officers and the man that shot them.  I would find it hard to be impartial with their medical needs, yet the medical staff has to do what is best for each patient.

  

This past week I had a hysterectomy and before that took place, we found out that our insurance would not cover anything with the word cancer in it.

Regardless of that, I had the best medical staff taking care of me.  I was once again impressed with their ability to stay calm, kind and professional all at once.  I was once again reminded of the special gift the nurses, CNAs and doctors have. 

(I would also include anyone that I missed including those who clean and do food prep.

So I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You for the job that you do.  

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

2016



Testimony of Robert Dye

Bobby Dye was my father. He never wrote his testimony to leave it behind for others to read. So this is my version as to what he would have to say.

Dad was born April 20, 1925 to Leonard and Anna Dye at the ranch. There was an old dugout dug into a bank on the hillside in the 1800’s. An addition or two to the front of the dugout had been added. He was born in that dugout. (His three older siblings were also born there.) He put in a new modular home about fifty feet away in 1972. If you look over where the dugout used to be the ground is a little lower there. Someone once asked him where he was born and he said “Right there in that low spot. I haven’t gotten very far in life have I?”  In his younger days he herded sheep for Willie Walker, helped trail cattle and horses to Belle Fourche in the fall of the year, and helped around the neighborhood doing odd jobs. Toward the end of WWII he was drafted into the Army. After he got out, he came back to the ranch where he married my mother on June 3, 1949. I had 3 older siblings (Dave, Anne, and Juanita Jo) and two younger ones (Ward and Jim).

We never really went to church while growing up at the ranch. Dad did not push it at all. He did not seem to have a spiritual interest. He had grown up with devout Baptist parents, but his mother had a very critical tongue. I think that she pushed Christianity too hard at him. My personal view is that she drove him away from the Lord, as both her two daughters were active in their churches.  He became the black sheep of the family or the prodigal son.

 I got saved in July of 1985. I started to attend church quite regularly along with my mother. One day along the highway, Dad and I were talking to Rodney Walker and they were giving me a bad time about going to church. Dad said something smart to me and I asked him if he died today would he go to Heaven or Hell. He never said anything, but I could tell by his reaction that I had given him something to think about.  Later in the fall (probably November) during hunting season, Dad had a friend named Paul Simpson and one of Paul’s friends here hunting. We spent a day hunting with them and Dad told Paul about me being a church regular and how I was going 2-3 times a week. So much that I had even quit drinking.  The next day Paul and his buddy took off and went up into the buttes to go hunting and Dad and I went down to Gene Walker’s to work cows. When we came home that night, we learned that Paul and his friend had got stuck and had spent hours trying to get unstuck. Paul was emotionally upset. He felt that he couldn’t have walked back out of there as the weather wasn’t very nice.  He was scared stiff. He actually got down on his knees and prayed that the Lord would help them get out. He felt that the hand of God was moving in his life that day to bring him to his knees and to seek Him. Some of what my dad had told him the day before about me had him thinking about God.

The next day was Sunday and Paul wanted to go to church with us. He was up at daylight and crowding everyone to hurry up and get ready to go. We went to Hope Baptist Church and at the end of the church service Pastor Bob Anderson gave an alter call as we were singing the song “Just as I Am.”  Paul was standing next to me with tears streaming down his cheeks. He was under some pretty good conviction.  I reached over and put my hand on his back and gave him a little push to step forward and receive Christ as his personal Savior. My father also stepped forward to answer the alter call. (We were sitting in the front row.) They both got saved that day.   

Dad lived for about a year to the day, and died in a car accident on November 1, 1986. During that year, he read his Bible every day and practiced his guitar in preparation of giving his testimony in front of the church.  That did not happen as “Jesus Beckoned him Home.”

 

When Jesus Beckons Me Home

 

   What will my answer be what can I say

     When Jesus beckons me home

       What can I do that will ever repay

      The wonderful love He has shown

 

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

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

 

 

 

The Dye Ranch Celebrates 100 Years 1916-2016

On July 2nd and 3rd we celebrated 100 years on the Dye Ranch.  I thought that I would share some or our information with you. 

President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862.  The Homestead Act was a United States Federal law that gave freehold title to 160 acres of undeveloped land in the American West.  The person to whom title was granted had to be at least 21 years of age, had to build a house at least 12 X 14 feet and had to live in it for 5 years.

Sarah Ann Ward “Anna” came from Illinois to Montana with her friend Mary Genre Owen to homestead near Ridgeway.  They built houses side by side but each on their own property.  

 

Leonard “Leon” Dye left Gann Valley, South Dakota to homestead near Ludlow, SD.  He broke horses for Andrew and Carl Giannonatti, two brothers that lived nearby, and who had leased land near the Finger Buttes in Montana.  Because of this, Leon became acquainted with Montana.   He later turned his homestead over to them, moved his homestead rights to the Finger Buttes and took over their lease in Montana.  He then leased 90 head of mares from the brothers and set up his operation.  On August 7, 1916 he purchased an adjoining ranch from Jim Lamb.  At one time he figured that he had between 500-700 head of horses.

There were many social events at the country schools in those early years and Anna and Leon met.  With their ranches about 10 miles apart they soon became friends and married on May 1, 1918.  They had four children, Floy, J.O., Virginia and Robert.  When Robert was about to be born, Leon sent for the midwife who didn’t make it in time so Leon delivered the baby.   

Leon and Anna spent 30 years on the ranch.  When Robert “Bobby” returned from the service he leased the ranch from his parents.  He met Shirley Bolton whose grandfather homesteaded north of Alzada in 1906 and brought his daughter.  Winnifred married and had two children Gene and Shirley.   Bobby and Shirley were married on June 3, 1949 and later bought the ranch.  They raised six children.   David, Anne, Juanita, Robert Jr. “Chip”, Ward and James. 

In March of 1986 Chip bought the ranch from his parents.  They continued to work the ranch as a family until November 1, 1986 when Bobby died in a car accident.   Chip’s mother continued to live on the ranch with Chip until 1993 when she remarried.