The Barbed Wire Gate Closer

                A few years ago, I needed the meadow gate closed in late winter to prevent overgrazing. Try as hard as I could, I could not get the long barbed wire gate shut. Vonda Goad described it as a “Goad gate.” I’m stronger physically than I have ever been, but I still couldn’t get the gate shut no matter what strategy I employed.

                Vonda sent Greg over to shut the gate. He brought with him an antiquated-looking contraption. He said Dave, his brother, brought some of these from South Dakota. Within minutes, Greg had it attached to the gate post. He quickly showed me how to wind the barbed wire gate closed. Then using an old screwdriver, the gate closer stayed securely shut.

The archaic-looking barbed wire gate
latch. Notice the handles for easy 
winding. The screw driver holds the
 gate latch securely closed. Oh the 
power of the combination of simple 
machines!

                Innumerable times, I have opened and closed the meadow gate on my own with this nifty gate closer. Each time, I am grateful for friends who are helpful in meeting the many needs Mother and I have.

                I reflected on this apparatus that has helped me close gates like nothing else. Old examples of the barbwire* gate latch can be found on farms in England, New Zealand, and of course, here on the ranches of the United States. What a time-saving and stress-relieving contraption it has been for me!

                Jeremiah quoted the Lord in Jeremiah’s recounting of God continually seeking to draw the nation of Judah back to Him. Jeremiah 6:16 says:

This is what the Lord says, “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ (NLT)

Just as the antiquated barbwire gate closer is the most effective way for me to get the barbed wire gate closed, so the Lord’s principles as recorded in His word set forth the best way for life to be lived. God reminded the residents of Judah to attend to the old, godly way so they could walk in its standards, for in traveling its path, they could be assured of finding rest for their souls. In our world today, our anxiety-ridden population craves an inner rest. Yet how the indictment so succinctly recorded by Jeremiah mirrors the all-to-often 21^st century attitude when we read, “No, that’s not the road we want!”

                It would be ludicrous for me to continue trying unsuccessfully to shut the long barbed wire gate while staunchly refusing to utilize the antiquated barbed wire gate latch. Yet it is eerily similar for us to persist in living life on our own terms instead of consulting and following the manual of our Creator.

                God, remove our stubborn desire for prideful disobedience. Replace it with such a strong longing for rest in You that we are compelled to return to Your godly way and begin walking on Your path.
*I always learn something when I write. Not until proofreading this draft, did I question my spelling of "barb wire." It's official entry in the dictionary is "barbed wire" and the secondary spelling is the compound word "barbwire" with no space as I had thought erroneously.

A Beautiful Illustration of Our Heavenly Father

Happy Tilly Grace - My
mother sees Tilly's
 great-great grandma,
Lucille Rice Goad, in 
her pleasant
countenance.

I am indebted to Tiffany Adkins Goad for providing perfect photographs from her family collection for this posting. We are glad to have her "transplant" to the Bend.
Tilly Grace and Her Daddy

One of the youngest Bend babies, Tilly Grace Goad, exudes happiness. Tilly Grace is the youngest little one in our church, too. I have hardly ever heard this cutie cry.

            After the final prayer in Sunday morning, things get busy as most people exit the sanctuary. We schedule a quick choir practice at that same time. Each Sunday, offering counters gather around the communion table to get an accurate total for the day’s monetary gifts in the offering plates. One Sunday, Tilly Grace had been jolly and joyful in her daddy’s arms most of the morning. As the choir practiced following the service, I saw Little Tilly Grace’s sad face and heard a mournful cry from this wee one. She was being held by a loving relative, but as I perceived it, she glimpsed her daddy. He counted the offering diligently. She wanted him and his strong arms of security.

Tilly Grace is right where she wants to be -
in her daddy's arms. Casey, her dad, is a
fiftth generation Bender - through three
families -the Goads (Grover and Mary), the
 Rices (Joe and Effie), and the Colombes 
(Robert D. and Myrtle).

           Reflecting upon this event, I recalled the Apostle Paul’s powerful description of our heavenly father in Romans 8:15-16. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

When Tiffany sent this photo of the hands
of Casey and Tilly Grace, I thought how
many times little ones in the Big Bend have
held to the strong, loving hands of 
trustworthy, hard-working fathers.

By receiving Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God. This passage indicates there is no fear for a believer in Jesus. Paul reminds us that we are no longer shackled by the chains of sin and no longer cower in humiliation under the false accusations of Satan. Instead through the mercy, forgiveness, and grace of Jesus, we begin a close, loving father/child relationship.

In Psalm 107, four times this phrase appears …they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses… and validates the attentive Father who loves and responds to us. He is always attentive to our “cry.”

God gave Tilly Grace parents who love her by responding to her needs. They want only the best for this baby girl.

           Just as Casey and Tiffany want to give good things and experiences to Baby Tilly Grace, so our Heavenly Father desires the same for His children. May our utmost desire, as His beloved children by virtue of our faith in Jesus, be for that relationship of closeness to our Father. As we draw near Him through our Bible study and prayer, we can be assured of resting in His arms just like our Bend baby, Tilly Grace, nestles in the crook of her strong daddy’s arm.

I almost cropped out all but the upper left quadrant of this
fourth photo from Tiffany's digital family collection and then I 
imagined Dad saying, "You can't cut out the dog. Goads always had
dogs."

It Was a Good Day to be a Cowboy

                I realize I am alienating over half of the readers of this weekly posting. Until the last minutes of Basketball Bedlam play at Gallagher-Iba Arena, I would have never dreamed of writing about an Oklahoma State Bedlam win, but a three-point shot inspired me.

                46 years ago, attending OSU ranked high on my goals. Even though, some had indicated my introverted tendencies rendered that desire nil. In a brief, but quiet exchange with Ron Badley, our high school superintendent, for some reason I mentioned my future success at Oklahoma State had been questioned. Mr. Badley expressed confidence in my  capability. His encouragement fueled my pursuance of acceptance at OSU.

                Thankfully, I received a grant for my tuition, contingent on my maintaining a high grade point average. At that point, Glen Hadlock entered my life. Cattle prices were at a low in 1974 (around 35¢/lb. for steers). Mother said, “You can borrow money cheaper as a student than we can.”

    I met with Glen at Fairfax First State Bank and found him eager to loan additional money for my university room and board at Stillwater. He repeatedly asked me if the $1,000 loan would be enough for my freshman year of studies. I affirmed it would cover my needs. We repeated these annual appointments for the next three consecutive years. A few years ago, after learning of my frugality those four years at OSU, he told me, “I knew you were NOT borrowing enough!”

                In 1979, I met his wife, Marilyn, when we taught together at Crowder Elementary School in Fairfax. We shared some wonderful years together even though we were on opposite ends of the building since she taught sixth grade and I instructed third graders and taught primary music. During those years, I found time to sit briefly in our teachers’ lounge and visit many times with Marilyn.

                Now back to the 2/22/2020 edition of Bedlam basketball – Mother and I listened to Cowboy basketball on radio since we have antenna TV and not cable. I listened until half-time and decided I’d better get pellets out for the cattle and check the herd. The weather was so nice I had to do some tasks before the rain. As I drove back from the pasture, I flipped on Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb as they called the game. I pleasantly discovered the Cowboys had built up a 10-point lead.

                I forced myself to complete the outdoor chores and pre-rain tasks. Finally, I finished and zipped into the house and immediately inquired, “Is OSU still leading?” My 95-year-old mother responded joyfully, “They have a big lead!”

I sat down to take in the final minutes. What unbounded joy to hear J. K. Hadlock, the grandson of Glen and Marilyn Hadlock, entered the game! I whooped when J. K. let go a three-point shot and it fell for the final three points as I  yelled exuberantly, “That was J.K.!”

J. K., a member of the Osage Nation who grew up in rural Osage County, tried out during a time when Coach Mike Boynton extended a plea to the student body for quality basketball players. J.K. was selected and earned a spot on the team. 

Hopefully, most readers have a special place in their hearts for Osage County residents. This posting is not about a bedlam basketball win, but a local young man who has done well and made Fairfax, Osage County, Marilyn and Glen Hadlock and all his family proud. Congratulations, J.K.! 

When I taught at Woodland Elementary School, we had one
fundraiser each year - a basketball festival that allowed every
WES student to participate if he or she wanted to play. Parents
and family members willingly paid an entry fee and bought their
meals and snacks at the teacher-operated concession stand. This
was one of the fourth grade teams in 2007 whose photograph
was published in the Cougar 2007, the school yearbook that year.
On the front row- Nolan Bratton, Rowdy Heath, Austin
Holloway, and Zane Vandaveer. On the back row - Joshua
 Ridgway, J. K. Hadlock and Payton Terry.