Do you have a favorite place to pray? Since starting the Cross-Dubya in 2013, I’m discovering new places all the time. Something else I’m discovering is how vitally important prayer has become in my life. My prayer spots each have a purpose; some shared, others unique. The common link to all of them is the Read More >
My donkeys spend their lives on soft pastureland with plenty to eat, which means they need their hooves trimmed every couple of months. Observing my two donkeys during their recent hoof trimming reminded me how there are no “one size fits all” solutions for learning trust. Christian or donkey—admittedly, it’s sometimes difficult to tell the Read More >
Heifers, bulls, twins, breeches, winter storms, health crises, social and political unrest, recession, or depression; so many unknowns, how can I face them all Lord? What I meant to be an encouraging start of the New Year post for all my friends this week suddenly changed direction yesterday with four little words. You-Could-Go-Blind. In the Read More >
For much of my career, the week between CHRISTmas and New Year’s was “shutdown”, a time when only essential tasks were happening around the office. For the most part, maintenance crews painted, repaired, or started construction projects when many employees weren’t around. It was both safer and more efficient that way. As a Capture and Read More >
If I’ve learned anything from this journey of becoming a Christian writer, it’s that sometimes God breaks your heart. It is in the breaking that He leads us to discover His desire for us. When we submit to Him, we allow God to use us for His purpose and not our own. It happened to Read More >
Want to bring a smile to a crusty old rancher’s face? Watch what happens when he turns the corner by his barn each morning and heads toward the steers in the feedlot. “Benigno” (Little Ben) and “Homer” are two of the more expressive characters in this year’s group of steers. Not quite a year old Read More >
The tattered old scroll lives in a drawer in the workshop these days. Its days of excitement and glory lost to the ages. Forty-two years ago, it adorned the shoulder of a strong, confident, fiery young soldier. The old veteran holds it in his hand. His mind floods with memories of times past. Running his Read More >
Deciding what fence-splicing method you choose depends on where the break is and how much tension the wire holds. Here at the Cross-Dubya, some of our fencing is approaching 20 years old. Checking and repairing fences is an almost daily event. All those years of being leaned on, stretched, and tore loose from your anchors Read More >
I watched her for over two years before stopping at the roadside stand. She toiled six days a week, often under a scorching Texas summer sun, tending her garden. I long admired her beautiful and simple flower arrangements. The collection of colorful daisies, zinnias, and other floral accents brightened the long trip from our Cross-Dubya Read More >
Each year in late August, the reports trickle in. By mid-September, you hear of them almost daily. If you’re not prepared to do battle before you spot large brown spots in your pasture, you lose. What do farmers and ranchers in east Texas battle each year as we transition from summer into fall? Army worms! Read More >