Born in the Big Sky Country of Montana and now living in the Buckeye State of Ohio, Richard is the creative mind behind Big Sky Buckeye. Retired after 40 years of teaching, I enjoy writing, photography, traveling, and following a healthy lifestyle.
From John 14:15-16: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.”
From John 14:26: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.”
Every time you see a cross, remember what it really was–an instrument of execution. Though the scene of your redemption was horrendous, Christ turned the cross into a place of great triumph.
From Colossians 2:13-14: “And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him, when He forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.”
If a man truly wants to communicate with his wife, he must enter her world of emotions.
Gary Smalley (1940-2016) was an American family counselor and best-selling author. His writings focus on family and marriage from a Christian perspective.
From John 14:25-27: “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Within a matter of hours night will fall, the dark sky will glitter with moon and stars, and sleep will force itself upon us. Life will continue on uninterrupted. Appreciated or not, the canvas of nature will go on being painted by the fingers of God.
From Psalm 108:5: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,and let Your glory be over all the earth.”
From Romans 8:12-13: “So then, brothers and sisters, we are obligated, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
From Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. And God, who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
From World War II, fearless U.S. Navy aviators piloted the SBD Dauntless dive bomber. (courtesy of Pinterest)
During World War II, countless men and women served unselfishly to preserve freedom and a democratic way of life. From a small Montana homestead came one of these true heroes.
Born in 1914 under the clouds of the Great War (now called World War I), Stanley “Swede” Vejtasa was born in eastern Montana where his family was operating a small farm. While the homestead site and local post office (Paris, Montana) disappeared long gone, certain memories will always remain.
Following graduation from Circle High School (McCone County in Montana), Vejtasa attended classes at both Montana State College (later renamed Montana State University) and the University of Montana.
In 1937, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy with the intention of becoming an aviator. In 1939, he earned his wings at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. His first carrier assignment was with the USS Yorktown. In 1942, he was assigned to the USS Enterprise.
Lieutenant Vejtasa pictured with his 4F4 Wildcat fighter. The Japanese flags displayed on his aircraft represent downed enemy aircraft. He ultimately earned ten. (courtesy of Pinterest)
Vejtasa’s heroic duty as a carrier pilot earned him three Navy Crosses. He was the only American naval aviator to be awarded medals for both dive bombing and aerial combat.
On May 7, 1942, Ensign Vejtasa earned his second Navy Cross at the Battle of the Coral Sea. Flying a SBD Dauntless dive bomber from the USS Yorktown, he successfully attacked and aided in the sinking of a Japanese aircraft carrier.
On October 6, 1942, Lieutenant Vejtasa earned his final Navy Cross while flying from the USS Enterprise as a fighter pilot. In the Battle of Santa Cruz, he and other pilots provided air cover for the carriers Hornet and Enterprise. Facing intense dogfights with Japanese fighter planes, he remained cool under fire. With courage and precision, the lieutenant shot down seven enemy aircraft.
Captain Vejtasa remained a career officer in the U.S. Navy, and he continued to serve his country until his retirement in 1970.
The following video captured memories of combat as shared by Stanley “Swede” Vejtasa. He described his experiences from the Battle of the Coral Sea.
This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing. You are invited to participate with the opening question.
Brain Teaser Question
Complete the analogy: MUSIC is to VIOLIN as . . .
(a) NOTES is to COMPOSER (b) SOUND is to MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (c) DRAWING is to CRAYON (d) FURNITURE is to CARPENTRY TOOLS (e) SYMPHONY is to PIANO
(answer found at the end of this post)
Featured Facts
The state of South Dakota was granted statehood on November 2, 1889. Many people are familiar with its most famous landmark, Mount Rushmore. Who are the four presidents depicted there, and what order are they arranged? Answers to follow.
Fewer people have probably heard of the Corn Palace in Mitchell. If one travels on Interstate 90 between Rapid City and Sioux Falls, the journey will go through Mitchell. The exterior of the building is decorated with native corn, grain, and grasses arranged into large murals.
The four Presidents found on Mount Rushmore in the following order are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Here is the Corn Palace in all of its glory. The theme and murals change annually. The upper portion above the entrance has not been finished when this photo was taken. (courtesy of Pinterest)
Answer to Brain Teaser Question
“D”
Put MUSIC and VIOLIN in a sentence relating the two words. Music is played on a violin by someone who knows how to play it; just as furniture is created by carpentry tools by a person who knows how to use them. NOTE: Anyone can draw with a crayon, and a symphony is not played with a piano, but with an orchestra.
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