Blog Archives - Articulating Hope

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center @ The Rodeo

7/30/2021

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting with the CEO of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Tim Thornell. Yesterday, he was one of the first people I encountered as I entered the rodeo grounds. As you can tell by the belt buckle in his case, the hospital is a proud supporter of Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Although I previously lived in Cheyenne for nearly nine years, these past eight weeks in my new role as Executive Director of United Way of Laramie County have been quite eye-opening. Being intentional about getting out into the community and knowing what is going on has been profoundly uplifting. The number of people willing to support this community in a variety of ways is heartwarming. It has been a privilege to get to spend time with people like Tim Thornell and other community leaders.

What have I learned this week?

1. I need a nice cowboy hat.
2. I need an appropriate belt buckle.
3. I need some long-sleeve western shirts.
4. I need one pink long-sleeve western shirt to show I am tough enough.
5. I need to wear my cowboy boots more frequently so they don't hurt my feet as much.

Have a blessed weekend!

Cheyenne Frontier Days & Chris LeDoux

7/30/2021

Garth Brooks was at the unveiling of this statue last Friday. I watched the video of the unveiling, but yesterday was my first time of actually seeing the statue up close.

The base of the sculpture is in the shape of an arrowhead, the trademark of Cheyenne Frontier Days.

The setting, the carnival rides, the multitude of shops, the parades, the pancake breakfasts, the concerts, the cowboys, the cowgirls, the rodeo, and all of the volunteers and sponsors come together for a fabulous ten days.

The horses and livestock are a key ingredient to the festivities.

As folks leave the stands at the conclusion of the rodeo, work begins immediately to clean up, water down the arena to control the dust, and hundreds of other details to get ready for the next event. The amount of organizational work that goes into these ten days is astounding. As I continue to learn more about the many facets of this operation, I am truly amazed at the dedication and expertise that is exhibited.

It Has Been A Great Week At The Rodeo

7/29/2021

I have been given the VIP treatment this week at the rodeo. There aren't many angles left in the park in which I have not seen the rodeo. I was close enough to the action today that I got some pretty good shots with just my phone.

I love how the horse in the lower corner is looking at us.

Look at this young cowgirl. What does the future hold for her?

Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade

7/29/2021

I had the pleasure of riding in a surrey today in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade with my co-worker and Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Famer, Rod Hottle.

I had the chance to walk around and take a few photos before the parade started.

The CFD Parade would be missing something without "Hell's Half Acre."

To all of the people who work behind the scenes to make CFD happen, thank you!

The Precision Is Amazing

7/29/2021

The photo above by Denise Hawkins makes my photo below even more special.

The 125th Cheyenne Frontier Days

7/27/2021

I enjoyed the afternoon at Frontier Park today watching the rodeo. I had the opportunity to meet a lot of new folks and reconnect with many people I knew from when we lived here before. I am grateful to ANB Bank for inviting me to their box.

I had a chance to visit with Mark Gordon, the Governor of the great state of Wyoming. (Pictured Above)

I also had the opportunity to visit with the mayor of Cheyenne, Patrick Collins, as well as numerous state legislators, and county commissioners.

I did have the pleasure of watching the rodeo from time to time as well.

There is an air show on Wednesday (tomorrow). I have heard the jets flying overhead practicing, and the little boy in me is still fascinated with aviation. I was shocked to watch the pilots walk into our area at the rodeo. Did I want a photo with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird pilots? You better believe it.

Don't forget to look for me in the parade on Thursday if you are in Cheyenne!

Finding Tranquility On A Hot Summer Sunday

7/25/2021

While the temperature soared above the 90 degree mark and made me a bit reluctant to go outside, I decided to go for a drive within the comfort of an air-conditioned car. I will admit that I questioned the wisdom of going for a drive when I passed the first gas station and looked at the prices. Maybe I should have just stayed home and saved a little money.

It turns out that I did not have to go far to satisfy my desire to get out of the house. I went by the campus of Colorado State University and the vivid colors quickly caught my attention. It was extremely hot walking around the gardens, but it was worth it. Finding inner peace on a Sunday afternoon is always a welcome venture.

Enjoy the photos.

Fond Memories--Looking Ahead To Making New Ones

7/23/2021

It was the end of August in 2017 when I had the privilege of leading a retreat for the staff of St. Patrick's Parish located in Casper, Wyoming. We traveled to the Terra Sancta Retreat Center in Rapid City, South Dakota for the retreat. We will be doing that again in just a few weeks. It is hard to believe four years have passed since we gathered for this retreat in 2017.

I never imagined my blog being an archive of memories, but as I prepare to lead another retreat for the staff, I looked back trying to figure out when we had done this. As I reviewed my blog entries, I quickly remembered that my life was quite hectic at that time. I left Rapid City at 3:00 am and drove to Cheyenne, worked a few hours, and then drove to St. Louis overnight so I could preach at a Memorial Mass the next morning. I am not sure I could do that now.

You can enjoy many more photos from Rapid City, including the Cathedral and the Chapel in the Hills by going to September 2017 posts.

This will be my second retreat post-pandemic closures. I am excited to dive into some topics near and dear to my heart.
1. The Call to Discipleship
2.Disciples Make Other Disciples
3. God Promises to Be With Us Until the End of the Age

I cannot even begin to express how happy this makes me. Leading retreats has been my favorite part of ministry. It is an opportunity for people to step away from their regular routine and listen to God's voice. I get to play a small role in creating the atmosphere for us to experience the movement of the Holy Spirit among us. Wow! I am blessed indeed.

Enjoy the photos from four years ago. I'll try to capture new ones in a few weeks. To the staff of St. Patrick's Parish--I look forward to seeing you soon.

I did a little sightseeing in 2017 while I was in Rapid City.

Who Is Excited For Cheyenne Frontier Days?

7/23/2021

Grab your hat. Put on your cowboy boots. Shine up your belt buckle. It is time for the 125th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days. Enjoy these ten days of festivities.

The 9/11 Memorial Arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming

7/22/2021

I had the pleasure of witnessing the arrival of the 9/11 Memorial this morning at the Cheyenne Depot. It is hard to believe that twenty years have passed since that horrendous attack on the people of our nation.

Let us pray that our nation experiences a conversion of heart. We cannot continue to choose sin and degradation and expect our country to flourish.

For those who are Catholic and participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, I encourage you to pray the penitential rite devoutly each time. Whichever option is used, it comes down to seeking God's mercy.
Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.