• Hi, I am Johnathan Hurkmans. I am the owner and proprietor of Big Bear’s Forge. Almost 10 years ago, I found myself at a crossroads in life.

    +: An Introduction

    An Introduction

  • 2024 has not been kind to our garden. Most of what we planted earlier in the year did not produce as well as it should.  Some of that has to do with twists & turns in life that have made tending to the garden challenging…

    +: Morning Glories & Sunflowers

    Morning Glories & Sunflowers

  • The first thing I really want to do is talk about how terrible this war was, but I won’t. Instead I am going to talk about cost.

    +: Leaving Afghanistan Behind

    Leaving Afghanistan Behind

  • Growing up in the church, I sought after “upright” extracurricular activities. When I was young, I was in Cub Scouts, then Boy Scouts and all the way up to Eagle Scout. In high school, I was very involved in Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training…

    +: Prayer of Strength

    Prayer of Strength

  • During the past year or so, many of us have faced longer than normal periods of isolation. As an introvert, this seemed like the silver lining in the great storm-cell COVID. But, it wasn’t.

    +: Work Out That Brain

    Work Out That Brain

  • There’s something to be said about art and the positive effect it can have on mental illness. Usually, suggestions to combating mental illness range from exercising more, to getting out in the sun, to eating better, to taking a “mental health” day and pampering yourself…

    +: Art Therapy & Mental Health

    Art Therapy & Mental Health