MT Part I- Detour, anyone?

November 24-25, 2021

MONTANA

    It's the day before Thanksgiving. Royce from "Midway Motel" calls, you ok?...Tell me there's no God. This woman I was supposed to rent a room from calls me after knowing I hit a deer and checks up on me! Royce is her name. She really is an angel, as you will discover. 

    On the left of the picture below is the Red River Inn in Baker, Montana (I know, isn't the sky gorgeous?!?!?!?!?!?). It's almost in the middle of nowhere. I would've said it was in the middle of nowhere until I discovered the next town I was to stay in. The next morning, I headed over to the auto repair shop and the guys took a look at the truck. I usually have thoughts of grander, so I'm thinking they might be able to fix it that very day and get me back on the road by nightfall! (dream...dream dream dream dream) 

The Red River Inn

    And dream I will! Remember Royce? She calls again and wants to know how everything is going. They told me it may be a week. She says she knows people in Baker and to let her know if there's anything she can do. Well....do you know anyone that can put me up? She says she'll look into it. God is so good. It's snowing and very chilly but I go for a walk and peruse the town. The local mini-bus driver asks if I need a ride. It will take me anywhere in town for $1. Pretty nifty! Even though it was snowing, I needed to walk, so I say "no, thank you". Then, I go in a somewhat touristy clothing shop with jewelry and shoes. Holy smokes! Certainly nothing in there was near a dollar. It was high end and high priced. What do the people do in this town to afford such things? I met the saleswoman and the purchaser. Great taste in active wear that is weather resistant yet stylish. If I could drop a few hundred, I would do it there. And Jesus? Yes, they love Jesus. 

    Royce calls back. She found a woman that was willing to put me up for a week for...wait for it...for $150 (not for the night, for the week)! But wait...there's more! She's in Ekalaka, which is 1hr away. So, the next day (Thanksgiving Day) Royce offered to come pick me up and take me back. What??? Yes, don't tell me there's no God. But wait...there's more! Not only does she arrange for this miracle and picks me up but she takes me to the Medicine Rocks and we become fast friends on the ride down Montana's east border from north to south on rte 7.

Medicine Rocks

Royce at Medicine Rocks

    I had imagined Royce to be maybe 50yrs old or more. I was very wrong. She is 27yrs old and carrying her first child! She manages a motel and helps support her 2 younger brothers! The more I met people in town, the more I discovered just how special Royce is and how much she emulates the light of Christ. It is so amazing when God sets up these type of encounters. She blessed me tremendously on so many levels. I know that in a little way, I also blessed her because I gave her encouragement. God used me to reveal just how much of a blessing she in her town and that she encounters. When you're around the same people all the time, sometimes it's hard to notice the impact you have.

View at Ekalaka

My personal Chateau for the week

    One of those people of impact is Diane. She is a sweet woman with a gentle, whimsical spirit. She has soft salt and pepper hair and a warm smile. The first picture above shows the view of the mountains between her place and mine. The other is the inside of the place she rented out to me. I had 2 bedrooms, laundry, full kitchen and bathroom all to myself! She welcomed me with a big hug and we had multiple long conversations together. She even took me for a drive and showed me some local nature spots. She also offered me a second option of a place to spend Thanksgiving! Yes, I said second. Let me tell you about the first...

View of the Cattle Ranch

My tour guide!

    Royce invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her an her family on the cattle ranch!! How could I say, no? Her younger brother took a few of us on a grand tour of the 50 acres. He enjoyed being a tour guide. He showed me the different plant life, the fences he built and plenty of stories of childhood on the ranch. I think one of my favorite images was how all of the siblings would work on the ranch before school and when they saw the bus coming they had to grab everything and run about a mile to the road. Not an easy life, the ranch life. I have a deep respect for ranchers. Farm and animal land has been greatly reduced as the years pass. The ranchers I spoke to feel the rest of society doesn't appreciate them much. They have even expressed how they feel ostracized by more "evolved" portions of society.

The cattle

Rolling hills and swirling skies

    On the tour, he showed us the water wells dug, the old hay verses the new hay, wind barriers and molasses bins where the cattle get extra nutrients. Despite being so far north, they hardly ever get snow and when they do it's just a dusting. They depend on rain but it has been scarce and as a result, the cattle go for less in market and don't reproduce as much.

Thanksgiving Dinner!

Tumbler with the family

    Prime rib from the cattle out back!!! It was the most magnificent prime rib I have ever tastes (not that I have much experience with prime rib but I am a meat lover). The spices on it where so delicious and the knife just melted through it. Scrumptious! Afterwards, we played a game called "Tumbler" Everyone from the youngest to the oldest participated. We broke off into teams of two with two separate boards. You get four dice to roll. The objective is to get it on the last and furthest fourth step and to get a high number on your die. Then, hope not to get knocked off by someone else! Me and my partner came in second place. Lots of laughs!!

    My friend Jackie prayed for me before Thanksgiving and she heard from God that I would have a great Thanksgiving. At that time, I was stuck in Baker and had no idea what the next day would bring. Every day is such a precious gift and the crazy blessings to come often are unknown. I thank God for the myriad of blessings He continues to shower me with. I ask Him to keep me in a position of gratitude and to never become ungrateful or loose hope. Sometimes I give attention to the fact that I'm unmarried, no parents, siblings or children and feel lonely. But I always have Jesus by my side and if I spend time on those negative thoughts and feelings I won't be alert to the blessings when they arrive!!

    May you all reading this be encouraged and blessed. We can feel completely alone surrounded by many people or no one. The only thing that can fill our God hole is God Himself. Let us take a moment to remember all the blessings of today and days past.