Shake it off and keep climbing

     I heard a story and want to share it with you. I have no knowledge of this being true but I sure can relate to the story and I hope I tell it right, so you can get out of the story what I did.
     Ok there was a farmer that enjoyed all his livestock and even had them named because they meant a lot to him. One day he was feeding and admiring his farm and animals. As he walked through his farm counting his animals he heard Jack his donkey just screaming for help. (If you have farm animal's you will learn their sounds of distress,  and several farmer's have donkeys because they can single handily fight off coyotes to save the rest of the animal's.) So the farmer ran looking for Jack, he found that Jack had fallen down a old abandon well. As Jack cried he talked to him to calm him down but Jack was not listening because he was scared, the farmer tried to think of how he could get Jack out but he could not come up with anything so he ran to his neighbor's house. So the two farmer's stood at the empty water well listening to Jack call out as they scratched there head's trying to come up with a idea to save Jack.
    The farmer's tried everything and nothing worked so they figured out that the best thing was to fill in the well so that  another animal wouldn't fall into it and to bury Jack at the same time. So as the farmer's took shovels and started filling the well in with dirt, Jack continued to cry for help. After several shovels of dirt had been thrown into the well Jack's crying had stopped. So with tears in his eyes the farmer leaned over the well to take a look.
    As the neighbor continued to through dirt into the well the farmer could not believe his eye's. Jack with each shovel full of dirt that would hit him, he would shake the dirt off his back and stand on it. So as they continued to fill up the well and Jack was ok and he just walked out of the hole that he was in.
    My grandma told me this story and I want to pass it down to other's. She told me no matter what people throw on you just keep shaking it off and looking up, because if you can shake off the dirt you will get to the top. 

    Ok I really didn't think that I could find some pictures of a donkey stuck in a well but with the power of the Internet I did so here you go.
     

Goose on the loose? No a goat

    I was asked to put this true story on here by a friend. This last fall me and my wife purchased two milking goats. They are not cheap, one was a two year old and pregnant that would give us a spring newborn,  and the other was a one year old that we could breed in the summer. Before I get to the story that I want to tell, let me fill you in on some goat stuff.
    About three years ago we were giving a baby female Boer goat, we raised her just like our other animal's, (I think she thought she was a dog). She would jump the fence and wonder the neighbor hood, she wouldn't bother anything and she loved people.  I could just whistle and she would come to me, with raisins we taught her a lot of tricks like you would a dog. Well a buddy worked at the Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, and they were looking for a goat to pull a cart in the story of Joseph, they came and looked at her and now she is a star.
    We had decided to get some milking goats so we could have fresh milk and make cheese. We found some Nubian goats and purchased them, they was not as tame as the goat we had raised. We named them Carmelita and Abby, they where friendly but just scared and we could not get close to them. A few days later, Abby the one year old, got out of the fencing and ran down in the woods. We could locate her but couldn't get close to her, so for several day's we put out food for her and seen she was ok but just couldn't catch her. I would lay in bed wondering of how we could get her back in fear of something getting her. Well God carers for all his creation,  because one nite as I layed in bed thinking of how that little goat must be scared,  it came to me, experienced farmers I am sure already know this but I didn't. Goats like to be in a herd, so if I could just let her find a herd she would follow in. But we only had one goat that was not even making a sound, so I started looking on the internet for some goat recordings. I finally found a three minute sound of goats and other barnyard animal's, so I downloaded it to the pc and put it on a loop. I plugged the pc into the home stereo, then I ran the speakers to the back porch where the goat yard is. We opened the gates and tied Carmelita to a tree and cranked up the tunes from the barnyard sound. It took only about five minutes for Abby to come out of the woods crying for comfort with a herd. She circled about three times and found her way into the gate to Carmelita.
    Since then, with love, food, raisins, and care, they are tame. We can even turn them loose to eat some fresh green leafs on the property without them running off. Carmelita gave birth to a wonderful young buck that is a tan or buckskin color with white on his head, so we call him cotton top. Abby is pregnant and we are looking forward to her offspring.
    I know that people don't have the time or room to raise animals or a garden,  but if you do it is such a wonderful feeling of success. You get to see things grow from seed, little babies born and you get to build a relationship with them. We are truly blessed to get the experience of raising some farm animal's and get to reap the benefits with fresh eggs, milk, cheese, and vegetables. Even if you have a small yard you can build or buy a chicken coop and a few hens without much of a investment and enjoy fresh eggs, you don't need a rooster unless you wish to have babies. If you are allergic to dairy products you can have milk and cheese from goats. If you loose your goat, follow the directions above. Lol.....
     God, family, country, may God bless us.

Give me that Old Time Religion

      I recently heard the song by Tennessee Ernie Ford, Give me that old time Religion, and it brought up some memories, but first I will give you the lyrics in the short form. "Give me that old time religion,  it's good enough for me.....It was good for our mothers, and it's good enough for me....It has served our fathers, and it's good enough for me....Makes me love everybody,  and it's good enough for me....It will take us all to Heaven,  and its good enough for me. I love so many of the newer hymns but I sure do like those classics that I remember my grandparents and great grandparents singing.
     When I think of going to the Old Lampe church or other churches in the area, it was a lot of fun. Most of the time they didn't have a youth group or a children's group with music and video games. There was hard wooden seats so you didn't fall to sleep, and you listen to Gods word with a lots of amen's and praising, it was just so fun. Most of all the old churches was a community center as well as a place of worship. In the time, everyone showed up to build it all by hand and everyone in the community came on Sunday and it didn't matter what your religious background was, you just listened to the word, and praised God with song. "Song" that reminds me, if you was lucky there might be a piano or organ and it might not be in tune. But that didn't matter because everyone sang out loud and we was not in tune either, lol but it was fun and as God heard it, the tune was perfect because it was praise. If you wanted to sing a solo, no problem, you didn't have to try out or be approved,  you just asked and got up and sing your heart no matter what it sounded like.                 

     So I talked with Glen Jones about the Old Lampe church, he is the pastor there and has been for a long time. He said that the land that it sets on was purchased by his sister Goldie who is still alive and well in Oklahoma. She had some pigs die for no reason,  her father told her that God wasn't blessing her because she wasn't tithing. So she sold some of her pigs and purchased the property from the Lampe family for $50.00 cash. She donated the property to the community so they could have a community building and church. Glen said he was just a young boy in the early 1900's when everyone showed up to pour the foundation and erect the building using hand tools and hard work. Goldie was a pastor there along with others over the years, but over the years she and her husband helped out many churches and families all over. The Jones family has always been a pillar of the community. They also had the Jones Trading Post just south of town where people could buy food and supplies. Glenn is the one that baptized all three of my beautiful daughter's in the Kings River and I am very thankful for that.

     My uncle said that he remembers going to the church while growing up here and in the summer time they would open all the windows during church and there would be as many people outside as there was inside. He also said that most everyone came regardless of their religion, it was a community gathering. He said it was fun and outside sometimes the young boy's would get into a wrestling match trying to impress the girls while the old timers would spit and whittle and tell stories. You knew your neighbor's and community and they all came together there, and that results in a strong foundation.   

      Also I was told a story that I thought was funny and it goes to show that everyone was welcome. One time during a evening service at a little church, a man came in that was known to drink a lot. Well he came in and set in the back row for awhile, then he got up and walked to the front, and everyone thought that he is going up to repent for his sins. When he got to the front he turned around and said, "Turn off the lights people this party is over and I am going home". The best part is that it didn't make people mad, they just said a prayer for him and went on with the service. That's how Jesus did it, he loves us all the same.

     As I write this on a touch screen tablet I can't help it to think of how well we have it now, compared to our ancestor's, or do we? They didn't get to see the age that we have, with all the modern science, pc's, cell's that do everything, but we don't know what it was like for them. No indoor plumbing,  no electricity, they depended on their crops and animals for food. Hard work and homemade meals that included family time every day, and looking forward to going to that little old church that they helped build every time the doors was open. They probably had it better than us.

     I put some pictures below of the Old Lampe church that still has it's doors open every sunday, so go by and visit, you will be welcomed with open arm's. Glenn will tell you some great word's from the good book and maybe some fishing or hunting stories, but one thing for sure, you will enjoy it. I also included some pictures from the old church at Silver Dollar City and some other old churches that I found. God, family, country, may God bless us.

     

     

    

Life of a single parent

      When two people join hands in marriage you say a vowel that you will stay together through good and bad in front of God and family and friend's. Well from what I see when the vowels are broken that it seems to affect a whole lot of people, family's,  friend's,  children and yes even pets. There is definitely times for a divorce when it comes to abuse or something in that nature. But the most common one is because people are not happy with themself, or the spouse and think something better is out there. Most of the time when children are involved it is a overload on the children and most usually one parent. I know there are parents out there that share the responsibility between them but not very often. I have tried to think of some humor to put in this but I just can't.  Most all of us know men or woman that is raising a single family, we should try to lend a helping hand in some way.
      We all have seen the effect that divorce has on kids, from grade changes, to getting in trouble at school or the law, or just  psychiatric problems. Some kids pull through this and some don't,  a lot of the time they think its thier fault for the divorce. Kids need two parents to raise them so they can get what the male and female both can offer them to get the full effect of how to relate to them both. But if you dont have both you can still be ok because you have a heavenly father that can give you what you need. Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.
      But what about the single parent? As you work longer hours or maybe even a second job to make it, you pay a babysitter or rely on family or friends to watch them, pick them up, or drop them off. Thank god for family and friend's because it dont seem possible with out them. It seems you are working to have someone else help raise your children but most usually thats all you can do. For some reason it seems that the kids forget all the family time, love, laughter, and fun times that they had, but no one can take that away from you. I came from a divorced home but I remember all the love, fun and sacrifices that we had and we were very close. It must be built in us to want to be accepted and approved by the parent that left us because after a time most kids tend to migrate to the parent that they didn't grow up with. Even though it hurts just keep trusting in God and hopefully someday they will come back to there nest. It reminds me growing up as a Christian, that all God blesses you with constantly watching over you and providing for you, that some day you might become the prodigal child and rebel. But with faith, love, and prayers, your wisdom will bring you back to the one that was with you through it all.
   With all that said I want to give all the couples praise that stayed together through the thick and thin, through the joy and tears, that choose to stay and fight for their marriage,  and not take the easy way out. You and your children will be blessed for it.
    Just so I am not misunderstood, you can still be blessed if you come from a divorced home. Sometimes you just have more than one mom and dad, several grandparents, cousins,? and a big loving family. God loves us all.
    I was just putting on paper about the the life of a single parent and through it all, no one can take the joy that you have.
God, family, country, may God bless us.

                                 OK I GUESS I FOUND SOME HUMOR IN THIS PICTURE
     

This little chick is bornintheozarks too

     One thing about living in the Ozarks is we get to see the blessing of new life being born the same as other people all over the world get to do also. Life is so precious no matter what life it is, a child, or a animal. This little baby chick will give eggs to eat or reproduce new life again. I was so lucky to be able to get this on camera, we have had some in the past but was never able to see the process and get to record it. I don't know if this is a rooster or a hen but since I got it on video I would like to name it but I need some help so if you have a good name leave it on a commit and I will pick the most popular name and keep you updated on it as it grows and I will take pics and you can be a part of this baby chickens life. I also added a picture of the babies after about two weeks.

God, Family, Country, may God Bless Us

Part 2 Virgin Bluff

      I shared on the previous blog the history of the area and the Legend that most hear, but I would like to go into it with more detail from what I have read.
      Before the white settlers came from the east the Spanish soldier's spent time here with the Indians.  During that time a handsome young soldier fell in love with the Chiefs daughter by the name of Moon Song.  Moon Song fell in love with him to and agreed to marry him and return to the Mexico territory. Moon Song was the Chiefs only daughter and he had already picked a strong young brave to marry her so he would have a grandson to lead his tribe in the future.
     If fear that Moon Song would run off with the young Spaniard he sent young braves to kill him. The young man fearing for his life he left the area to never return.
     Moon Song refused to marry the brave and for several month's she waited for her love to return. But after waiting and waiting she realized that he was going to never return she gave up. Early one morning at daybreak she went to the edge of the bluff. She jumped 300 feet to her death into what is called the James River. Extremely upset the Chief had the medicine man cast a spell on the bluff and it was forbidden for anyone to go there. The bluff and the area was saved for Moon Songs ghost.
     The earlier white settlers heard the story but didn't believe it until strange things started happening to those that visited the bluff area.
     The water below was called Virgin Shoals and was the most dangerous of the river. With the swift waters as boaters would go through it, the water would swirl and boats would capsized, also told that hunters would be found dead in the area.
     In the early 1900's a engineer was going to put in a tunnel style dam. With the swift water going through it they can generate power for a power plant. There was so many accidents over and over, also resulting in death, no one would work there and so it was cancelled. Also said, that it was even a problem trying to photograph the bluff, the pictures wouldn't turn out right.
     Still after Table Rock lake filled the valley below home owner and people say strange things still happens, freak accidents,  lake homes burning, and other stories. Fisherman and others still report of being able to hear Moon Song crying and weeping for her love.
      I hope you enjoy some of this history and folklore of the Ozarks.  God, family, country,  may God bless us.

Legends of Vigin Bluff

Before I tell you about the folklore I am going to tell you some history about that area that I have been told and read. Cape Fair is the closest town that is nearby and it is the oldest settlement in Stone county. In the 1800's, what is called the James Rive valley was given to the Delaware Indians by the government to be called their own, they had got pushed out of the east. Other tribes had settled this area too like the Cherokee that my ancestry was a part of. Eventually they kept getting pushed west as settlers came from the east. During the Civil War the first gunpowder mill west of the Mississippi was built on Flat creek close by. Cape fair was the county seat until the 1850's and then was moved to Galena. In the 1880's the settlement was flooded and moved to higher grown. The old school house built in the 1880's has been preserved and stands today. Around 1960 the lake flooded all the rich river soil, the cabins and caves, forcing people to higher grown. Now the awesome view from the top of the hills looks over Table Rock lake that people come from miles away to visit. Virgin Bluff is roughly a 1,000 feet long and 300 foot tall in which the James River ran under it. In the 1970's my grandfather and uncle bought the land on the bluff and cleared out some timber. They sold 30 acres to a builder that built a few houses and then they traded 70 acres to a development company out of Springfield for stock in the company. Well the company went belly up with only leaving them with a lot of worthless paper bonds that they still have.
      So the Legend of Virgin Bluff is as following.  When DeSoto and his men reached the area before the white man, they made friend's with the Indians,  the Chiefs daughter fell in love with one of the men. The Chief refusing to let his only daughter marry outside the tribe, she jumped off the bluff. They say some strange things happen there like being able to hear the maiden sing,  some say its just the wind blowing through the rock.
      Come back tomorrow and I will tell you another story of the Legend of Virgin Bluff.
God, family,  country,  may God bless us