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During the month of January, I spent four days at a Dakota Nation Winterfest celebration at Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. This event is one of the largest Indigenous sport and cultural events of its kind in Canada. During this weekend event, everyone must pass through a long hallway to get to the hockey rinks and other venues. As we walked through the hallway, I noticed a long display of framed pictures of individuals who played on the Brandon Wheat Kings hockey team over various...
As I've been conducting my duties as Chaplain at the Salvation Army in Edmonton, Alberta at the Edmonton Centre of Hope, I've been learning more and more about myself and others. I've also been conducting workshops and sessions at other not-for-profit organizations and churches. All of this has taught me my latest life lesson. That life lesson is that I need to listen more and speak less. When any of us is listening to someone else talk, we are often quick to want to jump in...
A pirate captain set out to retrieve a treasure chest he had buried, full of gold and silver-the booty he had plundered. It was hidden deep in a swamp at the center of the island. He and his first mate bravely entered the swamp and soon were up to their knees in water. Suddenly the Captain banged his shin against something hard. He reached down and pulled up a treasure chest. Prying open the lock, he gazed upon the loot. "Arrr matey," said the Captain, "That just goes to show...
The tree in front of our house appears dark and bare against a gray sky. It looks dead; yet by the time you read this it will be full of pink blossoms. The dry, brown grass will turn green and life will begin to flourish once again. The transformation lifts my spirits. Spring brings new lambs, calves and colts to farmers and ranchers and fawns, kits and cubs to the fields and bush. So much new life all at once! "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity...
It was light, but it was there. For the last three mornings, I've been waking up with a headache right behind my eyes. The cause was no mystery. I'd been working on removing it, with soap and water, but I didn't have the right tools. My soap and water did nothing. The pesky green mold hung right in there. The Administrative Segregation Unit (The Hole) cells are very old. Even if the cell is cleaned daily with a little soap and water it still looks dirty. The dirt has settled...
It was such a sad day. Our beloved choir leader had died suddenly from a heart attack and now the church was packed with church members, family and friends for his funeral and to say our last goodbye. Jeff had been our choir leader for twenty years and was loved by everyone. He always had a smile and a word of encouragement. He could never be replaced, but of course the church would hire a new choir leader but no one could ever replace Jeff. Tears flowed like fountains, and I...
Question I'm a new believer but I'm the only one in my community. I know I need the encouragement from other believers, but it's really hard to get out and get that fellowship. Any suggestions? Answer: Welcome to the family of God, my friend! It is amazing to realize that when you made that decision and commitment to accept God's greatest gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior, you took on a new identity. The Bible says you became a new creation (1 Cor. 5:17)....
I like to have a purpose or a goal-something that gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning-and the start of a new year seems like a good time to examine my purposes and explore new goals. I always thought I would like to be a treasure hunter. I watched a documentary the other night about how divers accidentally discovered a Spanish shipwreck from 1715; it had carried millions in gold and jewels. They set their anchor, flagged their location, and the show ended. Oh,...
I went for a massage one week before Christmas. What I thought would be an hour of relaxation turned into an hour of experiencing the sharpest fingers I had ever felt. OK, his fingers weren't literally sharp, but if you've ever gone for a deep tissue massage, you know how "sharp" those fingers can be. The masseur said he felt some tense muscles in my hip and said he could get rid of those knots if I allowed him to "get in there" and work them out. I agreed and spent the next 4...
The phrase "Fear not" appears in the Bible many times. It is strange that God has to remind us constantly not to be afraid. The Almighty God of the Universe loves us, and yet we are constantly afraid of a thousand things that might or might not happen. We need constant assurance that God loves us and is watching over us. When my children were small, I often held them on my lap and read the Bible to them. We lived on a farm in Oklahoma, and there were thunderstorms and tornadoe...
Experiencing a power outage is no fun! It is especially no fun when you are by yourself and not prepared. Groping in the dark and struggling with the simplest of tasks can feel so frustrating! Isn't this how life can be when we are facing the most difficult situations? We have no physical shortage of power, but deep within, we don't seem to have the strength; life just feels so dark! God's Word says, "When we were yet without strength, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). God...
Well, it's 2024, and many people have made New Year's resolutions and are trying to make this year better than 2023. Although some people do make changes around the New Year and do stick to their resolutions, life isn't always that easy to plan and navigate. In reality, life happens to all of us. Overdue bills, sickness, disease, death, and car accidents. Even for believers in Jesus, not all will go well. So, with this in mind, I will attempt to encourage you and myself. When...
I don't encourage graffiti-painting buildings without being employed to do so. But there is some funny graffiti out there. A huge billboard says, "This year thousands of men will die from stubbornness." Below is spray-painted, "No we won't." Below a sign, "In case of fire, do not use elevator," someone spray-painted "Use water." In large letters on a plywood divider it says, "Bill posters will be prosecuted." Below, it says, "Bill Posters is an innocent man." On the back of a...
The powers of the Ad Seg (The Hole) world control the doors. They open and close at their wills. No resident of the hole has any control over the opening and closing of the doors, but the residents do play a part in the process. Let me explain. In order to go through the door, the resident must first go through the small door. Safety and high security are at the top of the agenda in the hole. No inmate steps outside his cell without being cuffed first. This is a must, no...
Q: I'm a believer, and I've been married to my wife since before I accepted the Lord. She doesn't want anything to do with my faith in Jesus. I'm not sure if I should stay or go. Does the Bible say anything about my situation? A: First and foremost, as a pastor, it is always my prayer and counsel for a married couple to remain together. Marriage is indeed hard work and a long work, as well, when two individuals with various differences decide to live together in marriage...
I wanted to express my gratitude to your ministry for your faithful giving to the Prison Chapel which lives on the donations provided by donors such as yourselves. Your contributions are popular and sought after by our brothers here at Halawa. Our men grow in the word thanks to inspirational messages and current event updates provided by your donations. The most recent "Intertribal Life" publication that you sent will most certainly grab the attention of the men...
"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) I grew up on muddy roads. I think I was 15 before I saw pavement-okay that's stretching things! But bad roads were the norm where I came from. I remember a time when it was raining for about a week, and I'd been driving on the dirt and gravel of those back-country roads. My black...
I like writing about butterflies and the wonders of water and light, but to do so right now in the midst of wars and misery seems more like someone avoiding reality and escaping to some fantasy world; it doesn't seem professional. At least I didn't think so-until I realized that focusing on God's creation is exactly what brings me comfort in the midst of a painful, broken world. Psalm 121 begins with, "I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?" I had always...
During this time of year, we prepare our hearts for the Christmas season. The Christmas story will be told all over the world thousands, if not millions of times during the month of December. The faith of Joseph, Mary, the angels, and the shepherds plus others will be recounted, as they heard about the good news of a Savior being born, the gift to all mankind. Their faith in the Lord brought about glory to God and much joy in their lives. Faith is the first step of obedience,...
How is your smile? I've been reading about the benefits of a good one. And the riches of turning a frown upside down. Apparently it takes 22 of our 42 facial muscles to smile and 37 of them to frown. You wanna save energy? Smile. You wanna bring joy? Smile. On average, women smile 62 times a day. Men? Eight times. Ouch! Guys! Kids smile about 400 times a day, adults 35 times. Where did we lose 365 laughs a day? That's 133,000 a year. There are a thousand benefits to a smile. H...
I tossed. I turned. I flipped. Nothing helped. I could not fall back to sleep. I wasn't sleepy, and I had just finished a nice dream, so I knew I had slept for a little while, anyway. Now as I lay awake, I wondered how late -or early-it was. Even in prison we try to keep up with world events. TV, radio, and letters from loved ones help us see, hear, and read about the outside world. With all the devastating natural disasters, and incidents of hate happening all around the...
The very word "Christmas" either brings a smile to our faces or stabs our hearts with a sword. It is both the best time and the worst time of the year. If we are fortunate enough to spend Christmas with family, friends, loved ones, then it is the happiest time of the year. If we are alone, it is the worst time of the year. My children live thousands of miles away. Sadly, most of my close friends have died. I was facing another Christmas alone. I spent last Christmas alone and...
As we were driving through the Canadian Prairies, my husband picked up the Intertribal Life paper somewhere. Today, I am resting with a cold and had time to read the paper. There are so many encouraging stories, and it's good to know what is available to the First Nations community. Thanks to everyone who expresses themselves in writing; it is brave as it can feel vulnerable to do so. It's so exciting to hear the depth of growth and repentance of individuals. We quickly...
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"-1 John 3:1, NIV Jimmy was pretty young when his single mom married the man Jimmy would come to know as "Dad." It turned out to be a real good move, and Randy turned out to be a real good dad! At the time, nobody thought the procedure of adoption was needed. Jimmy was about 42 years old when somehow the subject came up. Randy started thinking about what it...
