Hearing the Good News
Our Lord loves, feeds, and frees us—
Thine Kingdom will come
Our Father’s goodness
Springs from His living water—
Steadfast in His love
Bagpipes awaken
Playing of “Amazing Grace”—
Comforted by God
When we trust God to provide the stamina for the work He calls us to do, we are clothed in power.
From Luke 24:49: “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Thanks for the memories
For sunrises, spectacular and refreshing
Feeling God’s creation, always fetching
Let me witness one more, very soon
Thanks for the memories
For teaching for forty years, now gone
Being retired, yet singing a new song
Each day feels precious and engaging
Thanks for the memories
For daughters special and sweet
Always making this heart tweet
You make me smile every day
Thanks for the memories
For travels across this vast land
Witnessing God’s creative hand
I look forward to seeing more
Thanks for the memories
For seeing grandchildren grow up
Their blessings overflow my cup
How truly marvelous they are
Thanks for the memories
For nights watching films from years ago
Classic stories and acting, tied in a bow
Enjoying movies and popcorn at home
Thanks for the memories
For finding love before growing old
God’s promises come true and bold
Never say never to His amazing grace
Thanks for the memories
For writing poetry and sometimes more
Allowing my new passion to fly and soar
Thankful for wonderful readers like you
This poem’s theme is inspired by Bob Hope, one of America’s greatest entertainers. He excelled in vaudeville, Broadway shows, radio, film, and television. He may be best known for the many shows he did for American troops overseas. In 1938, Hope and Shirley Ross performed the song “Thanks for the Memory” in the film “The Big Broadcast of 1938.” Adapting lyrics in future years as needed, the song became Hope’s signature song whenever he performed. Here are a few lines from “Thanks for the Memory.” Enjoy!
Thanks for the memory
Of rainy afternoons, swingy Harlem tunes
Motor trips and burning lips and burning toast and prunes
How lovely it was
Thanks for the memory
Of candlelight and wine, castles on the Rhine
The Parthenon, and moments on the Hudson River line
How lovely it was
Many’s the time that we feasted
And many’s the time that we fasted
Oh well, it was swell while it lasted
We did have fun, and no harm done
So thanks for the memory
Of crap games on the floor, nights in Singapore
You might have been a headache, but you never were a bore
I thank you so much
It’s OK to be outspoken about your faith.
I’m not perfect. I’m never going to be. And that’s the great thing about living the Christian life and trying to live by faith, is you’re trying to get better every day.
From Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Love-filling peace coming to earth
Saving us from darkness and sin
Messiah’s birth bringing shalom
Born to us, root of Jesse’s kin
Precious child of peace shall be born
Ruling with righteousness, indeed
Heaven’s Wonderful Counselor
Prince of Peace proclaims Father’s creed
Glory to God, highest heaven
Peace sharing goodwill amongst man
Worshipping, now as one body
Trusting the way, His divine plan
Exchanging weakness for God’s strength
Blessed will be the peacemakers
Forever called children of God
Sowing peace, Holy Caretaker
Light the way into our future
Adoring child delivers peace
Born the hallowed King of Angels
Hope, peace, and joy shall never cease
From Isaiah 9:6: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon His shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
That is the mystery which is rich in divine grace to sinners: wherein by a wonderful exchange our sins are no longer ours but Christ’s and the righteousness of Christ is not Christ’s but ours.
From 2 Corinthians 5:20-21: “So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Growing up under the Big Sky and spending about 50 years living there certainly makes me a citizen for life. This short feature will put the spotlight on how gold fever rushed miners and others into three different regions during the 1860s into the Last, Best Place called Montana.
During America’s Civil War, Montana seemed a bit more preoccupied with gold than war. Three separate gold strikes poured people into western mountain valleys overnight.
Each region was designated with a geographic name as well as the town which sprung up in the midst of gold fever.
Montana became a territory in 1864 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Congressional legislation into law. Each of these three gold mining communities would serve for a time as territorial capital.
Bannock (Territorial Capital 1864-1865)
This boom town started from Montana’s first significant gold strike. Along an unassuming creek, hundreds of miners made the trek into Montana. Today, Bannock is a ghost town, but a state park preserves the town’s structures.
These Bannack pictures (courtesy of Pinterest) show the exterior of a Masonic Temple and the interior of another building.
Virginia City (Territorial Capital 1865-1875)
One of the world’s largest placer gold strikes proved much richer than Montana’s first discovery along Grasshopper Creek. While Bannack declined, Virginia City thrived. Today, the town serves as the county seat of Madison County with the historic courthouse formerly being the territorial capitol.
These photos were taken during a summer, 2016 trip to Montana which included an opportunity to visit Virginia City. The Madison County Courthouse (formerly the Territorial Capitol) is on the left. Virginia City is a unique community with the 21st Century living alongside of the preserved historical district as shown in the photo on the right (the inside of a business as it looked back in the gold rush days).
Helena (Territorial Capital 1875-1889)
A forlorn group of prospectors decided to pan for gold. Their “last chance” before moving on proved to be the discovery which turned the region into a mad scramble of miners and businesses. The gulch later became a meandering avenue (the original Main Street) in Helena, Montana’s capital city when statehood became a reality in 1889.
The above images (courtesy of Pinterest) show the contrast of Last Chance Gulch from earlier times on the left with the modern walking mall of today.
Thanks for visiting as Big Sky Buckeye appreciates your readership. Stay tuned for future posts about the Last, Best Place of Montana.
To walk by faith does not mean to stop thinking. Acting foolishly or thoughtlessly, expecting God to bail you out if things go amiss, isn’t faith at all. It is presumption.
From Hebrews 11:6: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”
Kneeling
In prayer
God sitting close
Hearing our every word
Sustaining
Called
To duty
Servants of Christ
Producing lasting spiritual growth
Transforming
Enough
We possess
Trusting our Lord
Do enough for others
Unselfishness
Christ is like a river that is continually flowing. There are always fresh supplies of water coming from the fountain-head, so that a man may live by it and be supplied with water all his life.
From Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Big Sky Buckeye 