Our minds are strange but amazing

When we moved to Scott City back in 1986, I was pastoring a church here in Scott City and it seemed like I was busy all the time. We had church twice on Sunday and then Wednesday evening. Throw in an extra event a week and there weren't many free days. All the time I pastored, I probably never slept more than two or three hours on Saturday night.

Back when we first moved here it seemed like I was doing a wedding or a funeral every week. Our two boys were in school as well, so school events were fairly often. They would talk about this teacher or leader at school and most of time they were just a name. So I became familiar with a name and nothing else.

Just recently we met a new couple here in this area and found out where they live and what they do. Kind of gotten to know them. He does a few cattle and some farming. We have known them for say a couple months but the pieces had never jibed so to speak. But the other day it was as if my mind connected the dots. The person from back when the kids were in school is the same one we met just recently. It was like I had a eureka experience.

When our grandson began college, he had questions about some of his math work in college. I had enough hours in math for a major so I wondered if I could help. After 40 plus years it took some study but little by little it began to come back. Some of the particulars I had to look up. But it was fun going back and renewing some of the old math skills.

Kind of like when we were in Oklahoma, I took Biblical Greek which is not a spoken language so to speak. We learned the alphabet and began to learn a decent number of words or a small vocabulary. We learned enough to study Scriptures in Biblical Greek and to compare the scriptures.

For a number of years I would do word studies and simple studies but no real in-depth word searches. So I neglected Biblical Greek for a good 20 to 25 years. Funny how our mind takes information such as Biblical Greek and sets it on a shelf for later. I dug it out recently and found I had forgotten a bunch, and what I did remember was foggy. It will take work to bring back these old memories. Kind of wonder if I want to work that hard.

Back when I was little, Dad began to teach me how to work with leather. He showed me how to sew a round leather rein. How to stitch the leather using two needles and an awl. Dad also showed me how to braid various strands. Dad also showed me how to braid the knots and such. There was a three-strand knot, a four-strand knot and it seems like a six-strand knot. Dad was showing me this while I was probably a teenager, so it's been several years ago.

I braided a leather bridle way back when, and Mick used it on one of his horses. I remember the old horse reared back one time Mick had tied him up. I'll bet that braided bridle was a foot longer after the horse stretched it out. Funny, but I think I could still braid leather. I might have to experiment a little, but I think I could. Dad showed me enough leather skills I wondered if I could resole a pair of cowboy boots. I ordered some leather sole material, some leather glue and gave it a try. It took a bit of doing, but my old boots had a new pair of brand new sole leather.

I don't know how our minds work. I've studied it and still don't have a clue. I find our minds amazing. I don't thank God enough for a clear mind, a good memory, a new idea or just remembering that I am blessed.