Wow, it is Christmas again! I hope it is a happy time for you, and I hope you will stop and realize why we celebrate Christmas.
For some, it is a sad time for many reasons, but I challenge every one of you to try to make this time of year better for a family that is less fortunate or better for someone who dreads this Christmas year. In Lexington, Oklahoma, I volunteer once a month at the prison to allow prisoners to be able to have a church service. The prisoners are allowed to have a few singers, guitars and drums, and one of the prisoners will preach each month.
There are several guys in there who are very committed. Some, because of becoming a Christian in there, have made a huge turn around in their lives. One man whom I got acquainted with this month told me his story of selling and doing drugs both inside and outside of prison until he made a change and is now completely drug-free.
This group puts what little money it has together every year, and we pick out a very poor family and buy gifts for that family. Then we read a letter back to the prisoners from the kids and family that received the gifts. One kid was blind and wrote back in braille. You could tell it made these prisoners very happy to make a young child’s Christmas better.
Keep in mind, not all prisoners are bad. Some are just like you and me. Perhaps, they made a mistake.
All the cattle auctions that I know of are shut down for two weeks until after the new year. The cattle market is extremely good.
It will be interesting, as normally when they are stocking the Flint Hills for grass, we get a big push in the market for long-weaned, good-condition steers in March and April, but I’m not sure how we can push the market higher.
I have heard of a few customers buying already for grass and growing them. I hope they all make money.
When a woman says, “Do what you want,” you can be quite certain she does not mean that or you will pay one way or another. Stand still. Don’t breathe. Do not say anything unless you say you have changed your mind.
My dog said to me, “You tell me no sticks in the house, and then you drag in a whole Christmas tree.”
I saw a sign that said, ”Some people should use a glue stick instead of ChapStick.” Hmmm. You don’t suppose that sign was made for me, do you?
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.
