Big Sky Buckeye

A writer's journey continues

About bigskybuckeye

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.

Need for Community

Posted on August 3, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

From Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

**Photo by Abel Tan Jun Yang on Pexels.com**

Created with purpose

Breathing with His desires

Divine God stirs up grace

Planting what life requires

Need for community

Designing faith’s pathway

Communion joins many

Tasting Savior’s buffet

Encouragement in Christ

Sharing in Spirit’s love

Saints gathering as one

Feeling joy from above

Fellowship’s lasting bonds

Confessing sins, repent

Prayer lifts others up

Witnessing God’s intent

Blueprint for believers

Bearing life’s overloads

Love shared with each other

Transforming faith’s crossroads

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From James 5:16: “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

Eugene Peterson Quote

Posted on August 3, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

The life of faith isn’t meant for tourists. It’s meant for pilgrims.

From Genesis 12:1-2: “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.'”

Treasured Moments (Haiku Series #189)

Posted on August 2, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

Visualizing

Midnight sky awakes

Milky Way explodes with dreams—

Hang on to each star

**Photo by Stefan Stefancik on Pexels.com**

Trusting

Remaining patient

Sometimes life comes full circle—

Second chance arrives

**Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com**

Overcoming

Trapped in harsh desert

Mountain of perseverance—

Thirst finally quenched

**Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com**

Thomas Carlyle Quotes

Posted on August 2, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see further.

Endurance is patience concentrated.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was a Scottish historian and philosopher. His prolific writings earned him the title of “the undoubted head of English letters” in the 19th century.

Monday Memories: Jesus Comes Near

Posted on August 1, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

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Life’s wilderness breathes–this dark, lonely place

Falling away with sin, feeling disgraced

Searching for hope’s light, weary of darkness

Shame and guilt unmask tracks, never erased

Coming to this place, filled with prickly thorns

Plowing straight through, left bloody and battered

Searching for new hope, never forgotten

This harsh life’s future, forever shattered

Ominous clouds loom over horizon

Lightning strikes, temple curtain torn in two

Searching for life’s fresh start, to be reborn

Plodding into darkness, absent of clues

Deserving life’s worst, approaching the Pit

End of time arrives, stop and surrender

Searching for God’s Grace, feeling forsaken

Heavens brighten up, with newfound splendor

Stumbling steps make haste, Eternity waits

From bloody Cross, hope springs from empty tomb

Searching and accepting, come near this Cross

Salvation through Christ, our Father’s heirloom

Jesus beckons, come forward, taking knee

Bring sin’s burdens to the Cross, forever free

From Titus 2:11-13: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives hat are self-controlled, upright,and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

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Watchman Nee Quote

Posted on August 1, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

It does not matter what your personal deficiency, or whether it be a hundred and one different things, God has always one sufficient answer, His Son Jesus Christ, and He is the answer to every need.

From John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”

Watchman Nee (1903-1972) was a Chinese church leader and Christian teacher. He authored a collection of Christian books, and he endured persecution for his beliefs. Ultimately, he died while being imprisoned for the final twenty years of his life.

Father Loves You

Posted on July 31, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

From Romans 5:8: “But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”

Knowing Father loves you

Sharing His peace, believe

Molding each life’s purpose

Pouring out grace, receive

Breathing with hope’s mindset

Tasting glory of God

Following divine Word

Seeing through evil’s fraud

Promising you His love

Filling each wayward heart

Leading away from sin

Bringing life’s fresh, new start

Sending His Son to you

Adding up sin-filled debts

Erasing through Christ’s blood

Freeing from deepest nets

Remembering always

Accepting Father’s love

Receiving Spirit’s gifts

Walking with Christ above

**Photo by Miriam Fischer on Pexels.com**

From 1 John 4:8-9: “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”

Oswald Chambers Quote

Posted on July 31, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

**Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Pexels.com**

If you learn to live in the white light of Christ here and now, judgement finally will cause you to delight in the work of God in you.

From 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive due recompense for actions done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.

Summer Heats Up

Posted on July 30, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

**Photo by Gustavo Rodrigues on Pexels.com**

Dog days of summer arrive

Sweating from moist, humid heat

Corn lifting up to heavens

Backyard grilling offers eats

Morning sun heats up quickly

Sweltering hot by high noon

Swimming pools usually packed

Closed by afternoon monsoons

Workers staying hydrated

Drinking water without end

Temperatures set record

Weather refusing to bend

Landscape’s beauty quickly fades

Stressing out from endless drought

People’s patience wearing thin

Nature sends timely bailout

Everyone prays for relief

Welcoming cold front arrives

Brief respite from summer’s heat

Dog days now humbly nosedive

**Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com**

Trivia’s Facts and More (7/30)

Posted on July 30, 2022 by bigskybuckeye

This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing. Please note that the format has changed, and you are encouraged to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

The opposite of the word PRECURSORY means:

(a) flamboyant (b) succeeding (c) cautious (d) simple (e) not planned

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Many readers have tasted Little Debbie bakery treats. Some of these may have included: Nutty Buddy, Zebra Cakes, and Swiss Roll.

Here’s a curious question: Where did the name “Little Debra” come from?

Founder O. D. McKee began the business in 1934. Somehow the struggling enterprise survived the Great Depression. In 1960, O. D. and his wife, Ruth, began selling their snack cakes with a change in the packaging. The new image featured a smiling face of a real “Little Debbie.” Sales began to climb to the business’ highest levels.

“Little Debbie” is Debbie McKee-Fowler, the Executive Vice President of McKee Foods, the makers of Little Debbie bakery products.

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

(B) PRE means before, CURS means to run. So PRECURSORY means to run (or go) before. The opposite is running or going after or “succeeding.”

About bigskybuckeye

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Visualizing

Trusting

Overcoming

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Brain Teaser Question

Featured Facts

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

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