“Let the cowboys ride“ means, these people are good at what they do and can’t wait to do it. God has given each one of us gifts and abilities, and no satisfaction will be found in life unless that becomes our pursuit.

1 Peter 4:10 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

James 1:17 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Romans 11:29 

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

So, get on that pony and ride. Give it some thought.

Gary

John 13:34 

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

How are you doing with that commandment? I know, I’m having the same problem. Do I love my enemies? I’d have to answer, no. Jesus said we should love our enemies, and He’s right, but how do I do that?

I’m going to heaven, not because I’m keeping these commandments, but because He did. He has taken these sins of mine and given me His righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Thank God that He did what was impossible for us to accomplish. Give it some thought.

Gary

I’m looking at my great-grandson. Tears form because he’ll never ride behind me on my motorcycle, we’ll never dive into the St. John River together, or gaze at the Allagash Falls while sitting on a ledge. In addition, he’ll not listen to me tell stories like an Irishman. He won’t be asking me questions about where Gardners came from or how I came to date his great-grandmother. He won’t be helping his great-grandmother cook bread. He won’t be borrowing my Tacoma for the summer to do his internship. He’ll know nothing about my life before Christ, nor will I be waiting for his calls to know how he’s doing.

Time to consider signing off and letting time have its way with another generation. I’m glad another life is coming because this one hurts at times.

Psalm 102:18 

Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:

Psalm 71:18 

So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come.

Give it some careful consideration.

Gary

What was the most requested song by soldiers in Vietnam in 1965?

 “We Gotta Get Outta This Place” – The Animals (1965) – while not explicitly about Vietnam, the song’s themes became a popular anthem with the troops.

This world of uncertainty, sorrow, and death causes one to look for a better day when sanity will reign.  Many of the old hymns speak of that reality.

I’m gonna move from this world of fear,
Kinda gettin’ tired of living here
I want to go home where the winds of sorrow never blow.
Far from the shadow of the tomb, Far from the sadness and the gloom
I wanna go home when death demands my shattered soul.

Revelation 21:4 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

What a day that will be when the fighting will be over and that prepared-place will be experienced.

Give it some thought.

Gary

It was the first day of the school year and we were in homeroom, waiting for the bell to ring to start classes. I guess everything was quiet in the room except for my conversation with someone. The teacher said my name with some disgust in his tone and asked, “Gary, do you think you’re special?”

Now I wanted to beat him, but that would have taken away my chances of ever going to college and, besides, he would have won.

It took me the best part of a lifetime to understand why he did that. However, I think he could have handled it differently and made the school year easier on both of us. Words are dangerous, especially when being used on youth.

Ephesians 4:29 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 25:11 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Learn from my experience. Be careful with your mouth out there. Give it some thought.

Gary

Think about feet for a second. They can be plagued with athlete’s foot, bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoe, ingrown toenails, plantar fasciitis, or foot ulcers. You might say, “I’m glad those aren’t my feet.” However, what if they were? Wouldn’t you want someone to examine them and clean them?  You might say, “Where are you going with that?” Well, here it is.

John 13:14

 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Some churches make foot washing a ritual in their worship. Our Lord had a divine purpose in His actions. Do you know what the Lord was modelling for us? If you answered in the affirmative, go out and help those walking with impairments that can result in hurt for them and others. I’m sure it would be greatly appreciated.

Give it some thought.

Gary

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The word “everything” in the verse carries a tremendous amount of weight. The Apostle Paul described it this way:

Philippians 4:12

I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Life has hills and valleys, and one must be prepared for both. The key is prayer. Give it some thought.

Gary