PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE

I have been doing my devotions each morning in the Psalms.  This morning I read Psalm 35......verse 1 ---- Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;  ......and it goes on..... fight against those who fight against me.

Gary and I have been really struggling with 2 of our Release Time groups and ...oh boy!! .... today we would have them both.

After reading that verse this morning, I decided that we would pray that prayer before we began Release Time.   And so we did ---- Gary and I together prayed:  Lord, we thank you that we know that you are in control.   And so we pray, Lord, that you will contend with those who contend against us.  If there is a spirit of restlessness amongst us, we pray that you will remove it, and fill this place with your Spirit of Peace and Quietness and Attentiveness.  In Jesus name we pay, Amen.

That prayer was answered in a powerful way!!!!

Mr. Walkling (Dakota) usually gives the 2nd and 3rd graders a good talking to about - respect and sitting still and listening and so on.  He did it again today.

But we want this day to go down as PRAISE TO GOD WHO HEARS OUR PRAYERS.  The 2nd and 3rd graders sat SO good and listened SO attentively!!!  They asked if they could put their heads on the table and listen that way.   "Of course".   Today's lesson was a long one --- it was the Easter story from when Judas betrayed Jesus --- through the Last Supper -- through Peters' Denial ----and  through the trials.  We were afraid we would lose them half way through ---- but Easter had come up on us so fast  - plus I had a horrible cold so we canceled one week.  We just wanted to get through to the Crucifixion BEFORE Easter was over.

But we totally give God all the glory for today.

We did get a picture of our 2nd and 3rd grade group.....we were missing 2 and then -- where in the world was one of them when everyone else was lined up to go out.   ???? Probably in the bathroom....

I have to add that the 5th and 6th graders were also very attentive and really listened to the lesson.  They let us know that they have had this lesson before -- but we told them that it is the MOST IMPORTANT message that they could ever hear.   That if Jesus didn't come back to life --- then we wouldn't have a story to tell and we wouldn't have any hope!

 I am now a total believer in praying scriptures!!   Thank you Lord for showing us this truth in such a powerful way!!!

Gary and Barb

Sawmill -- a done deal

I just looked back on the "prairie notes" and see that I haven't put any FINISHED pictures of the sawmill.  The other day we cut down a dead pine tree from our yard---- for the 1st test cut.  The sawmill worked quite nicely  -- but a little wobbly.  Perhaps the motor needed more speed .........--- but anyway....Gary was happy --- it worked!!!!

Last night he came in from the shop and said --- I got it!!!!!  What did you get???   He got rid of the wobble.  He had been working on it ---- putting more strength to the framework that holds the motor and sawblades.....and finally last night -- that was it......No more wobble.    He's rather proud of the fact that this sawmill has only cost him about $200.00.  Lots of parts and pieces from here and there and a donated motor...... Jay said - "I haven't used that motor in 10 years -- give it a try."

Today, they (he and neighbor Don) are headed to the Niobrara River area where another neighbor has land and told Gary ----"there are trees that we had cut down.  You can have whatever you want."   We went and checked it out the other day and it was rather disappointing .....not too many that are nice and straight. But there are some -- they will just have to work at it.   He was hoping for more Red Cedar ---- there is one -- but it will be a LOT of work getting it out.

OK ----- back to a letter I was writing.
Barb

Red Flag Warning

RED FLAG WARNING.......
Well ---- in Michigan that would mean ---- not a good day to go to the beach.  The waves are too big and there is a fierce undertow.  You'd probably get sand in your face every time someone picks up their beach towel because it's rather windy.

Well ---- here in South Dakota / Nebraska it means ---- extreme fire danger.  The relative humidity is (I heard on the radio) 15%, it's VERY dry out and then the wind.  Factor all of those in and you have trouble.
We drove past the fire station in Rosebud today and all the trucks were out and ready to take off on a moments notice....anyway that's what it looked like to us.

There was also another bad report on the radio this morning.   A woman in White River was attacked and killed by a pack of wild dogs Saturday morning.  She apparently was walking from a friends house (at 6:30 a.m.) back to her home and was attacked.  When ?!?!? are they going to realize they have to do something about all the dogs on the reservation?!?!

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Enough of that......
We had Release Time this past week.......missed the week before because I had a NASTY cold.  We had the youngest  (1st graders) and the oldest (7-8th Graders). 

 Gary was asking these little ones some review questions.....Taeden has his back to us, then Mahpiya and Kingston and on the other side of Gary is Doris.  They are getting into the songs we are learning and it's fun to hear their little voices sing Jesus Loves Me and This Little Light of Mine ....and others.

There --- that's a better picture --- Mahpiya, Taeden, Kingston and Doris.  They had just made Valentine hearts that said "Jesus Loves Me".

It was so nice out that we got the 7-8th Grade girls though 2 pages of the book on temptation and we sang a couple of songs.....Amazing Grace and Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (they like the sign language with that one)....and then we let them go outside to walk on our 3 pairs of stilts.  They had lots of fun.

 These three had a hard time getting it to work....they did finally get a few steps off before crashing.  They are Tiana (Ty), Charlee and Taylor.

 Faith was the only one who had the stilts mastered......she walked all over the place.  But then Shallon was missing that day and she could have done the same.  Faith and Shallon  had practice this summer at PLYC.

It was 82 degrees today.  Time to get some summer wear out.  But we know it won't last....however, this week is supposed to be nice too --- in the 60's I believe.  That's not all good.   It's hard on the trees when this happens - they start to bud out and then it turns cold again.    We are enjoying it while we have it!!!

May God Bless you as we prepare for Easter -- that most important time of remembrance of what Jesus did for us.

Gary and Barb

Mountain Lion hunt...... March 2015

Gary and Don have gone Mt. lion hunting - trying to call one in.  They haven't been successful so far.  This year thru a friend of a friend they were invited along on a hunt in Custer State Park ......with dogs.  This is a special tag - that not many people get.  So it was just cool to be invited along.

Luckily there was a small amount of snow in the area and as it would happen......they found one track in the snow - on a rock.   The dogs were off.  As I understand it --- the men (8 of them) were on foot following a pack of 6 running dogs --- after a mountain lion.  One gun in the group.   The sound of the dogs baying told them they  had a lion treed (or at least something in a tree).  So the gun was readied and the men began their approach.  Upon arrival --- the cat leaped from the tree ...into the pack of dogs.  Up another tree......out of the tree......up another tree... (which way is he going NOW) --- with dogs and men on the run behind - following the cat.

Is your heart racing --- mine is!!!!   And be assured - so was the cats and the dogs and the mens.......

As the story was told --- it was hard to get a good shot because of a tree branch right across the cats chest.  But finally --- the shot rang out......  the cat came out of the tree and took off with the hounds on his trail.  He got about 100-200 yds (it's hard to measure when your heart is beating so fast) and there he was with the hounds still at work. 

The pictures tell you a bit more.

Is that a huge paw or what?!?!?!?!?!?       Gary explained to me that the one way to tell if it's a cat track or a dog is that largest pad --- those 2 dimples or whatever you would call them --- are only on a cat.....dogs are smooth.    The lion weighed in at 125 lbs......a 5 year old male.

That was one exciting hunt ---- which I'm sure will be told over and over again.

Barb -- with Gary's approval.