God's Miracle of the Day

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wednesday Report

Ranch work went a bit slower today as we had no extra help but it looks like more help is soon on the way. We have rounded up some equipment to help us put up the siding and insulation.P.T.L. If anyone has a good used barbecue we sure do need one, as we feed a lot of people every day. We have marked out the lodge basement and equipment to finish the basement dig should be out this weekend. God works in such wonderful ways as he supplies all our needs.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Family Time (very important)

Jacobs birthday today and we celebrated it in the best way possible, a soccer game of Hailey's, then fishing at Bud Miller Park. James caught a whopper, then off to Dairy Queen and lots of ice cream.

Thank you once again for taking the time to view our blog.The Battle River Ranch Camp is a non profit organization that is focused on developing trades, life skills and training opportunities for men and women that are searching and find it difficult to get the opportunities needed to develop a productive life skill. Many men and women today have no idea what they could be good at or how to find out their possible skill area or level. We are a faith based training center. Harold and Diane Stephan left a life filled with addictions and bad choices. Their journey has taken them through different twelve step programs and life recovery through a relationship and healing process with Jesus Christ. We would love to hear from you and if you feel this is a program and facility that would help you or someone that you know, or you would like to be more involved with a ministry like this or support it financially we would love to talk to you and would very much appreciate your help in what ever way you can. This is a ministry for those that have a heart and desire to make a difference in the lives of others with the skills and gifts they have been blessed with and have a desire to pass on what they know to the next generation. You are always welcome to visit and we look forward to your input. This ministry is prayer based, and we pray daily for the needs of others, if you have a need for prayer and not sure where to start give us a call and we will confidentially support and help you in this area. You may not know a lot about God but God knows everything about you and He loves you more than anyone can or ever will. God Bless You and Your Family!!!

Matthew 25:23
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have beenfaithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'"

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Tuesday's Trivia

Diane and I, once again, were able to share the ranch story and vision with a lot of individuals as well as businesses these past couple of days.

We stopped at the Potash Mine where many of us started out our work life and many are still there working and soon ready for retirement now, I figure that's for sure.

While in Watrous I spotted an ice cream cooler in a back yard, but the owner would not part with it, so we keep looking and praying that God will provide one for us.

It was a good thing this train was across the tracks because Diane gets a bit crusty and she needed to get out. The look on her face is not permanent it is only temporary and she does return to her beautiful self soon.

We also realized that whatever you say at the Husky truck stop is monitored because when we stopped for gas and got out Diane was overwhelmed with the odor of the garbage and said, "someone needs to empty this garbage soon, it really reeks!" Well within a few minutes a guy was there and cleaned the mess up lick a dee split.

I found my first geo cache and it was kinda cool as it was just where it was supposed to be. We signed in and left a nice cross with the cache.

We stopped and had a good visit with our friend Pat at the post office.

James and Larry got the first of the sheeting up on the new shop and does it look great.

I found a great write up about our founding fathers.

It took God and men who had a living faith in God to lay Canada's solid foundation. From prior to Confederation to our present day, there are many in Canada's history who had such faith in God that caused them to ensure that a proper foundation was laid.

Pre-Confederation missionaries endured many hardships and were the helmsmen, setting the course our nation would take. Jean de Brebeuf, writer of the "Huron Carol," was considered a hero and martyr by the Huron Indians. Henry Steinhauer, in the Hudson Bay Territories, became a great minister to his own native people, and many more followed to lay the ground work.

Matthew 25:23
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "

Monday, June 21, 2010

Mondays momentum

Diane and I had a bit of a rush day today as we attended the funeral of a friend of ours back in our home town four hours away. Don was a careful worker but working with an angle grinder and a blade breaks can be very dangerous. The community center was not big enough to hold every one that had been impacted by our friend. I remember when I was younger and my dad and Don and I were helping set up for a ball tournament, we had a great time, the job got done, we laughed a lot and memories were made. He was the kind of person that looked at what input he could have to make a difference. I believe his favorite saying was, do you need help with that?

As family and friends got up to share, we all felt as though we were reliving a time when we were blessed to have spent time with him. Don was a builder of the community spirit, he was a builder of family, a builder of friends, he actively looked for ways to improve lives. He was a volunteer because he got to work with people who cared about the needs of others. His love was about building a strong community.

Helping others to succeed should not be an uncomfortable, well thought out self first decision. Helping others is a noble profession. Helping others is what Jesus did, Helping others is what makes a Christian life real. People who help others know that all that they have belongs to God and look daily for ways to build the Kingdom of God by helping others.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday can't beat that day

Father's day only gets better when family is your focus. As the father of six great young adults my life is full of gratitude. I remember years ago when the kids were really young and we were sitting around the fireplace, Diane had fallen asleep and so we were playing and teasing her as she was talking in her sleep. I remember we were asking her if we as a family could all own Harley Davidson's one day. And in her sleepy way said ya sure everyone OK. Well after a great fathers day service at church today my family made me get on my bike and we all rode out to the ranch and had a great barbecue dinner. We also did some archery and gopher hunting. I also taught the boys a game that Randy, Alvin and a few others of us used to play and I believe it was called stretch. It was a game where two would play and we would throw our knives and the other guy would have to reach for it and then throw farther.

We also searched for some Geo-cache sites and had a great time finding the spots. So now I have two new toys.

Blaine and Diane cooked up some real good chicken and we had some of Diane's potato salad. We also had Elisa's assine salad and Mel's oriental salad. Mike and Wendy blessed us with the traditional Dad's Root beer and God provided the the atmosphere of family that supports and lives life to the fullest as we trust in Him and Him alone. As two of our sons were walking around the corner to do some shooting I caught a conversation that will always make me proud of the mature men that we have. I overheard one of then say to the other that he was wrong about something and apologized and the other also apologized and they moved on as mature men should. I have learned a lot from our children and still do everyday. I am so thankful to God for that. How long do we hold on to a grudge or a disagreement that only makes our lives miserable and painful.

Matthew 5:39

"Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to look to have the righteousness of God in yourself. We seem to always be looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the mount is- Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Saturday surprise

Saturday work day at the ranch. Another great day out in the sun and a lot was accomplished even though a lot of talking went on all day. I was going over to Terry and Jack to take a picture as they were talking and they started to go back to work, so I stopped them and said that's what the ranch is all about, the chance to talk to someone who will listen. A lot of talking does go on, but I tell you a lot of work gets done also. It's like God prepared a place that everyone could come, be comfortable and able to talk about life. We don't get the chance to talk about life enough these days anymore. Instead we seem to keep it all bottled up inside till we burst, or fall apart.

We are in need of an extension ladder and a roto tiller so I left the house to see if I could buy an extension ladder and see how much for a small roto-tiller before heading out to the ranch. Well, our friend and neighbours were having a garage sale so I thought I would stop in on my way to the hardware store. Well I left a few minutes later with a donated roto tiller that works great and a ladder we can use till we get another one. P.T.L.

Once again we had a great group out to help along with the ranch construction again. Helpers of all ages shapes and sizes. It has to be such a blessing to God as everyone works and talks and moves ahead at whatever they are doing.

Clarence Riemer stopped in again today. Clarence makes his usual stop at the ranch just to make sure we are all ok. And it never fails that I always have some sort of question for him. This is a man that has a heart to bless others and that he does over and over again with his many skills and wisdom.

If the young boys weren't helping the dads they were off building forts and playing in the giant sand piles and climbing on the huge rocks, just like boys were made to do. I think they were learning more from the dads than we knew as there were times they were just sitting on some of those big rocks and solving all the problems in the world.

Moms were carrying around their babies and enjoying watching the interaction happening between men and boys.

Once again we had an excellent meal prepared for us and everyone had more than enough to eat.

The dad thing is a big part of the ranch but it's even a bigger part of life. A lot of men these days take the job of being a dad very lightly and find all kinds of excuses to not accept their responsibility as the main influence in the lives of their children. I believe as fathers, if we take a look at our children and where they are right now at this very moment, (if they are struggling) that reflection may be a reflection of the selfishness in our lives and who the priority is or was in our lives. Our families need strong dads, our society needs strong dads and God is the only one that can show us the right way cause He is the best and most loving Father and God that will never leave us or abandon us no matter how tough the going gets.

I read this many years ago and share it most fathers days.

DAD Your family needs you

by: Moris Chalfant

"And behold the Lord...said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac..."

Genesis 28:13a KJV

"A good father is one of the most unsung, upraised, unnoticed - and yet one of the most valuable - assets to our society.

From experience and from scripture we find it is clear that the family destiny is determined by the father, the family head.

If our society hopes to halt the tide of divorce, crime and lost children that are sweeping our land, strong men will have to provide their families and society the responsible leadership that is needed. God has ordained that the father is to be leader of the home. this leadership is not by might alone, but it is centered in love, duty and honor.

We believe that "the crux of the whole problem for men is not, Am I in charge of my family? but rather is God in charge of me? For when God is in charge of a man, he will be in charge of his family. Fathers it's time to take see who is in charge and controlling our lives!!"

*Thought*

Dad, be careful how and where you walk! Some one is following in your footsteps!!!