TRAPPED

Last Monday, July 27th I was in the middle of nowhere. Actually, Mayer Arizona. I heard a strange commotion to the right of my path I was on. As I looked about 20 feet ahead of me I noticed a sparrow had been trapped in a mouse trap. That was something that just was not going to be left alone by me.

As I attempted to catch the bird that was caught in the trap she attempted to keep away from me by going around a bush for cover. After about five around the thicket, I finally caught the trapped bird that was trying to get away from me.

As I lifted the clamp that had the birds leg the bird immediately fluttered away.

After the episode was over I noticed the little sparrow was following me. Maybe to say thanks or maybe not.

Anyway it makes me think of the traps we get ourselves into from time to time and how someone bigger, someone greater comes along to free us.

getting loose from the feeling of being trapped and powerless must feel something like that little bird experienced last Monday. Free and very grateful!

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“So do not be afraid ….. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:26-31 (niv)

– awesome .

family

“A WISE MAN ESTEEMETH HIS BEAST”

“God made…all the creatures.” Genesis 1:25 NIV

Here is a great story about pets.

In his 45 years as proprietor of Cooke’s Funeral Home Fred Cooke comforted thousands of bereaved people. But when his wife died of cancer Cooke needed comforting himself. So he adopted a golden retriever named Abigail. Cooke lived in an apartment above the funeral home. “Most days I’d take Abigail downstairs with me and let her play in my office while I worked.” But one day Abigail got out and went looking for new friends to play with. When he went looking for her Cooke discovered her in the chapel, curled at the feet of a woman seated near her husband’s casket. Cooke apologized profusely and tried to lead Abigail away. “Does she have to go?” the grieving woman asked him. “It’s such a comfort having her here.” Soon Abigail was sneaking out of Cooke’s office regularly, heading for one of the funeral home’s visitation rooms. “She seems to sense who’s most distraught and that’s the person she’ll go to first,” says Cooke. “She’ll sit at their feet and gaze up at them with those compassionate brown eyes, and within minutes they’ve stopped crying and started stroking her fur. Off duty, you won’t find a more playful pup. But the moment she steps into that chapel she turns into a completely different dog,” says Cooke. Abigail’s only mishap occurred when she was still a pup, and even that turned out well. She ate somebody’s carnations. Cooke rushed out to replace the flowers, but the family wouldn’t let him. “Mabel was a real dog-lover,” they told him. “You can’t imagine how it would make her smile to see those chewed-up flowers.” No doubt about it, pets are a gift from God! So enjoy yours!

codes and the cong

I just love this dog.
Real name: “Courtois” (pronounced “coda way”) a stream in Southern Missouri ( named after the Coutois Indians) This was the first river Codes floated with us when he was a pup 13 years ago in my old town canoe.

Nick names: “Chinka boy “, “Curley Bill”, “Esau”, “Moosehead” , or more simply we call him “Codes”. He his a real retriever and a great friend.

bella

Bella was brought to us from Rescue Golden. She had been bitten by a rattle snake and survived to be our second golden retreiver.

Both of our dogs go every where we go. Loyal Labs for sure.

Arizona, Prescott

H20 SHOW

July and August are the two months out of the year when the people of Prescott get the most amounts of liquid from the sky.

Since May 1st of 1898 someone has been keeping a record as to how much rain we get each month.

Our average rain amounts for the month of July for the past 100 plus years is, 2.90 inches of the wet stuff.

Because we only get 19.04 inches anually it is kind of a big deal for us here in this part of the country to get a good rain.

I think we got most of our July amounts of H2o these last two days.

While out in the out skirts of town I grabbed this pic of a great gift to the Southwest – H20.

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Arizona

Three days in FOE-ENIX

This past week I had some trainning in the heart of downtown Phoenix.

I wanted to post some pics of the hottest city in the United States.

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My brother Gary and I visited Chase field.

Gary is a Phoenician.

Residents of the city are known as Phoenicians.

Located in the northeastern reaches of the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix has the hottest climate of any major city in the United States. The average high temperatures are over 100 °F (38 °C) for three months out of the year, and have spiked over 120 °F (49 °C) on occasion.

It is kinda of neat to be 90 miles away from the nations fifth largest city. But man It is even greater to drive up the hill to the mile high town of Prescott with it’s cool pines. The three days I was there it was around 111 degrees during the afternoon.

Ministry

GATES

I love this picture of an old gate from an old homestead here in Arizona.

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Gates are interesting. They are there to keep things in or keep thing out.

Here are some thoughts about gates that are good to think about.

“A MAN CRIPPLED FROM BIRTH…WAS SET…AT THE TEMPLE GATE…TO BEG.” ACTS 3:2 TM

Lessons from the gate

You can learn a lot from the crippled man at the temple gate:

(1) A weakness in one area can cripple you in others – like a habit you can’t break, a lustful spirit, a bad temper or a self-pitying attitude. Apart from lacking strength in his ankles this man was normal, but one weakness stopped him from living that way. We all struggle with something. “The temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience” (1Co 10:13 NLT). That’s why James writes, “Pray for each other so God can heal you” (Jas 5:16 NCV). So, how are you handling your weakness? Through denial? By having a pity-party? By walking past others who are struggling? This man was “at the temple gate to beg” – why are you there? You need to know that before you can get up and move on. Don’t settle there; determine “This may be who I am now, but it’s not who I’m going to be!”

(2) What are you looking for? A crutch to help you live with your problem? A way to avoid doing what’s necessary to become whole? This man was looking for handouts, not healing. Now, handouts are okay but they won’t get you back on your feet. Furthermore, when your interest in others is limited to what they can do for you, it causes you to miss what God can do for you. This man ended up walking, leaping, and praising God because that day he experienced God’s power – and you can too!

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Don’t let man made gates keep you out of God’s best …

Prescott

Lighting Up Preskitt – July 4th

This year our family got to be up close and personal with the fireworks here in Preskitt. One of the guys in our church put on the show for our city.

Here are just a few pics of the 4th a July.

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bomb

cannons

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couple

after

outdoors

ROCKS THAT TALK part 2

Now I am hooked!

The Petroglyphs here in Arizona are amazing.

Here are a few pics of my latest find near Wet Beaver Creek here in Northren Az.

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This rock art is mostly clanish langauge and some spiritual language expressing the thoughts of the Shama who was the “priest” of the Sinagua peoples.

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