Little Pasture on the Prairie

I’ve learned so much from writing this column and needing to work within a limit of 650-675 words. Most weeks the column is much too long when I finish the first writing, and the winnowing of my word count is almost always the longest part of my editing process.

Your Words Matter

You are usually conscious of what you say to others. The things you say are based on what you want to achieve. You know from experience that the words you chose have a big impact. When you use the wrong words, the reaction of others is not what you intended.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

There have been some hard seasons of shepherding over the years, but none compare to the last few months.

Stray Thoughts: The Run Down

The other day I was sitting on my backyard deck enjoying a nice, steady rain, and it took me back to other rains, some gentle and some torrential in which I used to go running.What? You didn’t know I used to run?

Our brain’s happy hormones

Our brain releases chemicals into our body that impact functions in our body, such as our mood. There are four chemicals that commonly support “feeling good,” and they are also known as “happiness chemicals.” These four chemicals are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

I’ve been writing a lot about sheep lately, and that is not an accident. A big part of getting older, and hopefully wiser, is figuring out what is yours to do and what is not.

What would Jesus do?

Dear Editor, As the election draws near, I felt called to write this letter to the editor to encourage you to pray about Amendment G. This is the ballot issue that would allow abortions to be done in South Dakota again.

Lived Experiences

Everyone we know, meet, or pass in the grocery store has their own set of personal life experiences that are unique from our own. We all come from different places, have our own set of genetics, and have different parents or families, which is part of what makes us unique from each other.

Stray Thoughts: The lesson of the garden

It has been an interesting summer garden season.I planted my seeds far too late…too much to do.I added extra topsoil and extra “Miracle Grow” in an effort to get better results than last year.Last year, I got great flowers, but no zucchini.I did get lots of lettuce, some tomatoes, etc.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

I used to think I must have some Viking ancestry. I am not particularly tough, but I do have a nomadic streak and an affinity for cold, rugged landscapes. Then, after spending a terrible, seasick night on a docked sailboat, I was less sure.