ON THE OWL-HOOT TRAIL

By Stephen Bly 

Copyright©1993,2010

Thin population made the Old West an easy place to hide, for any who wanted to. And many did. They came West to run from some past event or somebody.

A slew of terms sprang up to describe such folks. How many of these have you heard before?

They were said to be ‘among the willows,’ ‘brushing up,’ GTT - ‘gone to Texas,’ ‘hankerin’ to sniff Gulf breeze,’ ‘heading for the settin’ sun,’ ‘holed up,’ ‘on the dodge,’ ‘pulling for the Rio Grande,’ ‘taking to the tules,’ ‘traveling the lonesome places,’ or ‘watering his horse at night,’ ‘riding the coulees … or the high lines … or the owl-hoot trail.’

         

It’s natural to avoid your mistakes, to run from ruin, to hunker down from humiliation. Only the truly courageous man or woman of character faces up to the consequences of their actions.

It started with Adam and Eve.

After they disobeyed God’s one command, they “hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8 NIV). But God found them.

Pretty funny to think that the only two humans on earth think they could squat behind a plum tree and not be noticed by God.

Even with the billions on the planet now, He always finds those who try to cover up: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7 NIV)

Ignore the Bible. Skip church. Flip away from Christian channels. Avoid Christian friends. But you can’t escape your heavenly Father. About as silly as a mammoth hunkering behind an aspen.

So, when you’re ready, jump out and say, “Here I am!” He’ll set you free. You’ll be sane again. And you won’t have to spend so much time and energy spiritually taking to the tules or watering your horse at night. . .or riding the owl-hoot trail.

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When are the times you most want to hide-away somewhere?


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COMING MARCH 2012:  
Stuart Brannon's Final Shot, by Stephen Bly, with Janet Chester Bly, Russell Bly, Michael Bly & Aaron Bly

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Throw The Devil Off The Train

Find Throw The Devil Off The Train and other Bly Book releases at http://BlyBooks.com/store.htm/

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A HODAG? by Author Lynn Cote

Building A Family

BUILDING A FAMILY

novel by Lynn Cote

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lawyer Eleanor Washburn defends wayward teenagers and supervises volunteers for Habitat for Humanity without missing a beat. But she is unnerved by fascinating single dad Pete Beck -- especially since his chaotic life includes a little girl wishing for a mother. Sweet Cassie has Eleanor yearning for what's been missing from her lonely existence. Soon, both dad and daughter are chipping away at Eleanor's defenses. Can she find the courage to risk losing her heart to this ready-made family?

Lynn Cote’s latest Love Inspired romance is set in a fictitious town near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and the hodag makes its romantic debut in Building A Family. 

A hodag captured

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A HODAG?

Probably not. The hodag is the mascot of a town I live near in Wisconsin. According to Wikipedia: "The Hodag is a folkloric animal of the American state of Wisconsin. Its history is focused mainly around the city of Rhinelander in northern Wisconsin, where it was said to have been discovered."

A folkloric animal can be fun. And the fun started in 1893 when prankster Eugene Shepard announced the discovery and killing of the last hodag. And here's the photo to prove it!

hodag

Shepard wrote that: "It was "the fiercest, strangest, most frightening monster ever to set razor sharp claws on the earth. It became extinct after its main food source, all white bulldogs, became scarce in the area." Well, the white bulldogs probably gave a sigh of relief!! 

Anyway, the folks in Rhinelander have fun with their mascot or symbol, keeping the fun spirit of Shepard alive. Here's the statue of the hodag in front of the tourist center in Rhinelander.

Rhinelander sits just to the south of the northwoods or Lakeland area where I live. Within a 50 mile radius of my home are 2300 lakes. If you fly over this area, you see more water than land. That explains part of the area's allure. Most of Chicago and Milwaukee head north to escape the heat and humidity of summer. 

Do you have a mascot or symbol for your hometown? What is it?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lynn Cote

When Lyn Cote became a mother, she gave up teaching, and while raising a son and a daughter, she began working on her first novel. Rejection followed. Finally in 1997, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen for the brand new Love Inspired romance line. Since then, Lyn has had over thirty-five novels published. 

In 2006 Lyn's book, Chloe, was a finalist for the RITA, and her book Her Patchwork Family and Her Healing Ways were finalists for the Carol Award in 2010 & 2011, two of the highest awards in romance. Lyn also features stories of strong women both from real life and true to life fiction on her blog http://BooksbyLynCote.com Writing books at her lake cottage in northern Wisconsin, Lyn hopes her books show the power of divine and human love.

Lyn Cote
2011 ACFW Carol Winner for Her Healing Ways
http://www.BooksbyLynCote.com
For the latest Christian Fiction Market Update
http://www.booksbylyncote.com/publishers.html

CROSSING THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND

by Janet Chester Bly

Discouragement. Depression.

There’s many causes ... emotional or mental, chemical or biological, hereditary or  spiritual. Each origin requires a separate remedy.

-- A trained, compatible counselor.

-- Truth to replace a false thought system.

-- Proper diet.

-- Helpful meds.

-- The right kind and length of exercise.

-- Correcting family fault patterns.

-- Right relationship with God.

-- Practicing spiritual disciplines.

-- Following spiritual principles.

-- Confession. Repentance. Deliverance from evil.

When you’re miserable and can’t cope in your fight for peace ... consider King David and his seasons of despair. Read all the Psalms. Or like I’ve been doing, listen to them on CDs, especially Psalm 42. Dig into this diary of distress over and over, until God’s love turns the light on again.

Pour out all your thoughts on paper or a computer screen.

Fill up a journal of where you are right now. Where you’ve been. And where you hope to be.

What to do if you’ve tried everything and there’s no other fix in sight? When the heaviness settles in and claims you as home? Persevere until relief comes. Call out to God for as long as he takes.

Perhaps he will send a buddy, a partner, a friend.

“Then God who cheers those who are discouraged refreshed us by the arrival of Titus” (2 Corinthians 7:6)

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 What's been your best depression fighter?

 

 

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Download "31 Ways To Win The Fight For Personal Peace" at http://BlyBooks.com/articles.htm/

DRAGONS OF THE WATCH, new novel by Donita Paul

Dragons of the Watch

New Novel by Donita K. Paul

ABOUT DRAGONS OF THE WATCH

The Chronicles of Chiril continue as Ellie and Bealomondore find themselves trapped in an isolated city guarded by dragons and separated from everything they know and love. 

How can they escape? 

Along the way they meet a group of wild children and a very old man, whose needs they must meet before they can find their way home. With the help of the dragons of the watch, they discover that their fate depends upon their ability to recognize and step in line with the Creator’s will.

Here’s where you can find this book:

AMAZON: http://amzn.to/qRD1ZP

BARNES & NOBLE: http://bit.ly/qFFPqu

CHRISTIAN BOOK: http://bit.ly/r2XCjc

About the Author:

Donita K. Paul

Donita K. Paul retired early from teaching school, but soon got bored! The result: a determination to start a new career. Now she is an award-winning novelist writing Christian Romance and Fantasy. She says, “I feel blessed to be doing what I like best.”

Mrs. Paul has also released a prairie romance, Taming the Wild Wind. 

Check out her website for details: http://www.donitakpaul.com/

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When's the last time you read a story about dragons?