What Are The Signs Saying?

Billboards and signs along the Interstate can preach a mighty message.

The person paying for the advertising wants results.

They want you to buy the right product,

participate in the right activity,

or show the right moral character.

Advertisers know well how to appeal to the thoughts, beliefs and priorities of a region.

We saw various signs along our journeys this summer.

The Montana Department of Transportation had a serious message

for my carefree Beka Boo.

Not raised in Montana, she isn't aware of the danger of rattlesnakes

who love to sun themselves on rocky hillsides.

She doesn't know how to look for the diamond pattern

 or listen for the baby rattle noise.

So, the DOT was diligent in warning of the danger.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is killing two birds

 with one stone, or one rifle, I guess it would be.

Build family togetherness and ensure safe hunting practices by

hunting together as a family.

As one who grew up on venison, grouse, an occasional moose or elk,

I can tell you, it also saves on the family budget.

Yea, who needs to argue this agenda?

Or this one?

For those of you who have almost been hit by a texting freak,

can I hear an AMEN?!?!?!?!

The North Dakota Ethanol Council proudly proclaims on their website~

"Ethanol—North Dakota’s homegrown alternative to foreign oil."

(You haven't heart about E-85?)

Who wouldn't want to cut ties with overseas oil producers?

Plus, ethanol creates industry for the state.

Remember seeing in the newspapers that people were moving

to North Dakota when the recession hit?

ND had jobs.

ND had no debt.

People shouldtake advice from  ND billboards, I think.

Anyhoo.....

Thankfulness is always a character trait we can promote.

Yes, even thought-provoking messages about controversial subjects

can speak to hearts in a few seconds when  you drive by.

The Lord has used signs to speak to us since the foundation of the world.

In the Genesis Creation account, he calls the sun and moon

"signs" for the seasons, days and years.

Yep, they tell us when it's morning and when it's night.

That's an easy one.

A sign to remind.

The Lord gave Moses "signs" to prove to the people he was chosen

to lead the children of Israel out of bondage.

A sign to reaffirm.

In I Samuel, signs were given to Saul after his anointing as king

 prove the Lord's presence in his new role.

A sign to reign.

In the age of grace,

the Lord Jesus rebukes those who always have needed

"signs."

He asks us to walk by faith and not by sight.

It was distressing to Him that some people came only to

watch the miracle,

and not

experience the miracle

of the new birth.

John 4:48

Then Jesus said to him,

“Unless you people see signs and wonders,

you will by no means believe.”

Signs were often given to weak people

who wouldn't trust the Lord at His Word,
but the Lord still wanted results.

We shouldn't be people who need signs.

We should read the Scriptures and obey without further affirmation.

Can we just believe Him at His Word?

When we respond to His offer of salvation,
in faith and not sight,

 we become the billboard.

 A Sign of Redemption.

North Dakota Girl at Heart

In my heart, I'm a North Dakota girl.

 I was born in Valley City, ND

and graduated from...

(with high school best friend, Janet Schill)

and attended college at

in Grand Forks.

GO FIGHTING SIOUX!

 

Three of my children were born in Fargo,

#1, #5 and #6.

 In between I've moved around,

but have lived there 22 years, a little less than half my life.

Some things have changed, others haven't.

The countryside around Highway 1 traveling from Lakota to Langdon

used to be picturesque farmland. 

You'd see acres of wheat, wheat and more wheat.

There'd be a rock pile on the corner of each field,

but otherwise, crops as far as the eyes could see.

That isn't what you see anymore.

This is what you see along the ditches.

Cattails.

Everywhere.

And this.

There's cattails everywhere because there's water everywhere.

Duh, you might say.

But, this isn't a lake, it's one of many flooded fields.

There's been an increase in precipitation, obviously.

Lakes and rivers are threatening towns and homes across the state

 as they expand beyond their normal boundaries.

Even  Interstate 94 the west side of the state is threatened.

Back to the cattails.

Beka was so thrilled to see her first real-live cattail

we stopped at an approach and played quietly in the ditch for a minute.

You can do that in North Dakota.

It was one of those "city girl meets the country"

kinda' moments.

Holding her cattail like a corndog while trying to stand upright in the wind.

Guess what blurred the picture?

Can't guess?

My hair.

My windblown, tangled, mangled mess.

Another thing that doesn't change in North Dakota.

Road construction.

All the metal culverts rusted out, they're replacing them with concrete culverts.

Or would that be cement?

I don't know, but I know the new ones won't rust out.

Another thing that hasn't changed?

The wind.

See those straggly strands?

My hair, again.

I was trying to shoot a better picture

and my hair was whipping around my head like spaghetti in a blender.

eewww

Another thing that hasn't changed in ND...

I have a bad hair day EVERY day.

North Dakotans figured out one way to deal with the wind problem.

Wind farms are springing up across the state,

generating energy and a little revenue for the landowners.

As far as bad hair,

there's no solution.

Sadly, there's no solution for the water issue yet,

and it's only getting worse.

Ya' know that whole thing about when life gives you lemons...

and

if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...

Well, I think I have an idea.

Didja' know you can eat cattails?

One expert claims they're a cross between zucchini and cucumbers.

North Dakotans could harvest the cattails and

open up restaurants with delicacies like

cattail bread

cattail sandwiches

cattail and tomato salad

cattails on a stick

fried cattails

sauteed cattails

grilled cattails...

...and all the restaurants would be floating restaurants,

hovering over the flooded farmlands.

Everybody would be elegantly dining on

sumptuous cattail delights,

watching the hypnotical whirl of the wind towers,

listening to the gentle lap of the waves against the building,

but having really, really, really

bad hair.