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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.

Christian Affirmations (Haiku Series #152)

Believing

Curious and ask

Just what is a Messiah?

Calvary’s cross speaks

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Anchoring

Searching endless roads

Lord offering righteous route—

Built on trusted rock

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Finishing

Days fill with trials

Life’s journey walks with Jesus—

Promised Land ahead

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Monday Memories: Jesus Will Be With Us

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An early winter blizzard covers the immense ranching country.  The harshness of the storm threatens everyone’s safety, both people and cattle.

Phone lines are disconnected, with most on the ground.  Electricity is off except where well-prepared ranchers turn on generators to provide for their needs.  All roads into each ranch are drifted shut with the heavy, dense snow.

One rancher is overly concerned for the welfare of his family and his cattle herd.  The family is warm and safe inside their home, and they have enough groceries to last for several more days. 

However, the cattle stand in harm’s way.  Their water supply and feeding schedule have been disrupted, and the rancher worries about the length of the storm and the consequences for his 300 plus head of Black Angus cows.

At suppertime on the third night of the storm, the atmosphere is tense.  The rancher’s son sees the worry painted on his father’s face.  This faithful, little soul of a five-year old reminds his father with words filled with hope, “Jesus will be with us.”

Overnight the storm begins to abate and move on.  In the morning, crews begin to slowly and carefully clear the roads.  In a matter of hours, they will reach the isolated ranch. 

Using his powerful four-wheel tractor with its giant dozer blade, the rancher clears a path to where his precious cattle are nestled against the wall of a massive shelter.  While he makes sure the water is running, and the cattle receive their hay with a helping of rolled oats, he smiles and remembers the faithful words of his young son, “Jesus will be with us.”

Charles Stanley Quote

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At some point, we all experience heartache.  But one thing is certain:  Jesus will be standing by our side to strengthen and deliver us in our time of need.

From Hebrews 13:5-6:  “Be content with what you have; for He has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence.'”

Always Remains

From Proverbs 18:24:  “Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.”

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Dark perils lurking

Sin’s evil prowling

Reaching into souls

Fiercest storms howling

 

Fragile faith fading

Hope searching for God

Reaching out to light

Gospel never flawed

 

Others abandon

Lord always remains

Reaching into faith

Hope flowing through veins

 

At crossroads of life

Father comes calling

Reaching into hearts

No longer falling

 

Comfort bringing peace

Divine Word spoken

Reaching into self

Spirit unbroken

 

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From Hebrews 13:5:  “Be content with what you have; for He has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.'”

Oswald Chambers Quote

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You no more need a holiday from spiritual concentration than your heart needs a holiday from beating.

From 2 Chronicles 15:17:  “But the high places were not taken out of Israel.  Nevertheless the heart of Asa was true all his days.”

Buckeye Snapshots (Issue #5)

A recent scene from a Buckeyes’ game at the “Shoe.”

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, Ohio Stadium is hallowed ground for The Ohio State University football team.  The Buckeyes have played here since 1922.

Nicknamed the “Horseshoe,” the venerable stadium graces the west side of campus near the Olentangy River.  The journey to build this magnificent home goes back to the World War I era.

The Buckeyes playing field back in the 1910s is Ohio Field.  The unassuming name cannot hide the fact that this football home is less than adequate.  Seating is limited to 14,000, but some games find more fans viewing from the perimeter of the field as a standing-room only (sometimes in excess of 20,000).

The catalyst behind the need for a much larger stadium for the Buckeyes is traced to the success of the team in 1916, 1917, and 1919.  Ohio State’s first three-time All-American, Charles “Chic” Harley leads the team to numerous victories and conference championships.  Playing in the period before college football’s Heisman Trophy, Harley would have been a cinch to win this prestigious award as college football’s most outstanding player.  One might say that Ohio Stadium is the field Chic built.

Needing a much bigger stadium, Ohio Stadium is constructed with its unique horseshoe design.  Ohio Wesleyen becomes the first opponent to play here on October 7, 1922.  The original stadium’s seating capacity is 66,000, but it is far exceeded later in the 1922 season when the Buckeyes host the Michigan Wolverines before 71,138 spectators.

Field-level view during a youth flag football event. My grandson was participating.

Here are some quick facts about the “Horseshoe.”

  • Current seating capacity:  102,780
  • Fourth largest on-campus facility in the United States
  • Largest crowd:  110,045 for the 2016 Michigan game
  • Over 36 million fans have entered the stadium since 1922
Ohio State has captured many national football championships as evidenced by these banners. An additional one has been added for 2014.

Curious Trivial Facts (9/11)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  We can all appreciate some of the lesser known facts from around the world.

Musician Gordon Sumner got the nickname “Sting” because he once performed wearing a black-and-yellow rugby shirt that bandmates said made him look a bumblebee.

“Dumbledore,” an old English word for “bumblebee,” was picked by author J. K. Rowling as the name of Harry Potter’s headmaster because she imagined him wandering around the castle, humming to himself.

These facts have been discovered in I NEVER KNEW THAT by David Hoffman (2009).

Jack Nicklaus Quotes

Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one’s level of aspiration and expectation.

Confidence is believing in your own ability, knowing what you have to do to win.  My confidence was developed through preparation.

Ohio native Jack Nicklaus (born 1940) is considered by many to be the greatest American professional golfer.  Born in Columbus and later attending The Ohio State University, his accomplishments are too numerous to count.