This Year in retrospect!

  This year has gone by rather quickly the seasons have rolled through their times and the New Year is peeking around the corner.


 I thank the Lord that he granted me another year knowing the family better and making new friends, I don't think that things have turned out the way I expected, but I look back and wonder just what did I expect. I missed riding this summer and making a garden, but after last years summer of dry heat I think I need to re-evalute the way I set up a garden and need to have a better plan in place this coming spring to assure better results. The horse riding is something that I have put to the side for no good reason other than just procrastinating I think that riding is very relaxing and something that I really enjoy. So here we go, today I will be putting it off until I have the new home in place and moved into, electric cookstove changed for gas with a couple of vent free heaters in place to help ofset electric bill and for those emergencies when power is out, skirting up, fence replaced, and waterlines weatherized, I am sure I will have to do some landscaping but that will come.


Take time for RIDING...take time for the garden prep...take time for the family...and have some fun! Naps once-in-awhile optional!

Lords Blessings come in so many ways

I am going to relay a story about an old dog an old friend and the Lords way of showing us that life is good and he wants to comfort us when we face losses. As told to me by my friends' beautiful wife that shines in the Lords light.

My old friend, not in age but in years that I have known this man, he probably influenced the way I look at hardships more than any person, by example. He has always had a smile on his face and never wore anything on his proverbial sleeve but understanding. One of those friends that no matter how long it has been or where you have been, you know without doubt he is your "friend".

My friend was raised farming tho he never had bonded with a dog, when a black lab puppy entered the family he persisted in his puppy ways until he won the heart and devotion of this man. Blackie went everywhere with my friend, pumping wells checking the livestock and farm ground and hunting with him and the sons and grand kids. Well years slow us all down and Blackie's years had been many, he went less and less until he stayed at home content to welcome his family when they arrived after their daily journeys. His body slowing to a slow stumbling walk his eyes covered with cateracs, the friend took Blackie to the vet, the prognoses, he's not in that much pain now, when he gets worse bring him in and we'll help him on his journey. Hunting time had arrived and one of the sons and grandsons had come in for the week-end to deer hunt, Blackie wasn't on the front porch so the search ensued and he was found at the barn unable to rise, tho greeting his person as always with wagging tail. My friend I am sure "drudged" back to the house to get his gun and told the son he'd catch up with them later to go ahead and go and get the grandson away so he wouldn't have to witness this process. My friend I am sure "drudged" back to the barn praying to God that this would be fast. When he got to Blackie, Blackie looked at my friend as he did so the cateracs cleared form his eyes and he wagged his tail with enthusiasm took three big breaths and died. No gunshot for my friend to remember, just a peaceful healing from the Lord.


I believe in a rainbow bridge where the Lord keeps the animals from this life in happy heaven, and that we are allowed to cross that bridge to reunite with our special friends for eternity. The Lord blesses us each and every day, by the friends we meet and the animals and things we see. So when things seem the darkest if you say a little prayer the Lord will lift the cloudiness from your vision and bless you with peace!

Todays Reflection

My Daughter turns 40 on Tuesday. I think about that time in my life, and I smile in my soul.

 That warm Sunday I had been visiting at Grandma Ruths.
Mom had come in from Austin to visit the family and offer moral support.
She'd been here for over a month. My first due date was between the 5th and 15th of May then the same dates for June and it was now July. (I didn't find out til years later that my birth mother had carried her first child for 10 months.)
 My husband was at bootcamp in Florida, and Dad had left on Sunday morning after a visit and was wanting her to come home. After all they were just past newly weds themselves. She told me "Sis I'm going to have to go home on Tue, so you better have this baby soon."
I think it was about midnight when I pointed the car across town, last old movie watched for the day.
A black cat crossed my path on the way and when I got to the trailer a mouse jumped out at me.
In a matter of about 45 mins labor started. I gave it about an hour unsure then went back to Grandma's, and woke mom up.
We talked for a little while and she observed me and the contractions. My little brother was only 3 so she had been through this not long before. Her labor lasted 36 hours and was hard, so she was concerned that at 16 mine might prove as difficult. I remember her holding my hand through the contractions, and I worried that I might hurt her, she stayed beside me and at 10:45pm on Monday July 17, 1972 my daughter was born. The only things I remember about the delivery room (as I had a totally natural birth no meds except for a local right before she arrived) was the Dr. screaming who let this child gain so much weight then the Nurse saying it's a girl and she is Beautiful!
  When I woke up shortly after midnight they brought this tiny bundle to me and laid her in my arms, I remember the feeling of wonder that engulfed me, as well as the love that seemed to pour out of my soul and surround that tiny miracle. I unwrapped her and checked each perfect finger and toe. After all of these years I am still over come by the love that I felt that day, and every time I look at this grown woman and the babies that she has had I am filled with love and wonder still for each one of them.
  I still miss the woman that helped me through that day, she has been gone almost 5 years, and tho she was only 8 years older than I she truly became MOM and she enjoyed being Grandma as much as any woman I have ever met. And tho my Dads dieing request to make things right between my child and myself has now come to pass, my life is now complete as I am able to hold her and her children in my arms without reservation and admitt Love has come full circle!

So even tho this is a story about me and how she got here I wish only to celebrate her birth day again with love!

And here is another...Thought that is

While working today, I observed a lone male duck on a pond, a mallard I think, he was really colorful. He was on the bank of the pond in a patch of green grass, just lying there looking around. The cows came up for water and one of the black ladies decided to take a swim, the tempature had risen to the mid nineties so it was rather warm. The duck got in the pond also and just swam around. When the cow got out so did the duck. Another cow got in the water and so did the duck. This went on for several hours with cows and duck swimming and not. The only moral that I could come up with is if you decide to go for a swim wait for friends. Even a duck won't swim without company!

A Horse is a Horse of course of course!

And to Think...

  Sometimes this is more complicated than it should be! We went through an experience as a family together yesterday concerning the horses or as son-in-law puts it the planet destoryers. Which he has a wife, 4 daughters and an old mother-in-law who think that horses come in next to God, and Family. As my old boss used to say "never met a horse that thought me any harm". As a young person horses allowed me to escape from troubling situations and gave me peace, and as I've gotten older they afforded me a way to make a living on several levels, and now as I am getting old they are back to giving me peace. Tall horses are wonderful when your younger and the knees still have their youthful bounce but as you get older the elasticity wears out and the bounce becomes more of a thud. So with 3 horses that stand over 15 1/2 hands it is determined that we need shorter horses and want horses of a certian color. The horses in question are sorrel, black, and buckskin, I have a partiality to buckskins so the granddaughter that raised him from a baby has given him to me, with my okay to sell him if the price is right, he stands 16 hands 3inches and weighs close to 1500 lbs, he is kid broke and kid gentle and he stands to mount from a bucket, tailgate, anything really. Now he doesn't LOVE me but he is good and listens to me and works just fine except for the getting off and on. He does love the granddaughter which in my heart of hearts is special. Well the sorrel and black were put on e-bay to sell, a call from Kansas set up a showing of the black, upon changing pastures he came up lame from stone bruising so they were asked not to come but came anyway. And low and behold fell in love with the size and looks of the buckskin. The other 2 horses are priced (in my Opinion to cheap) for $500, but if thats what the kids want okay. Soooo as the story goes we saddle the buck, man and woman both ride him and the haggling starts, the granddaughter and I had decussed price I saying $1200, but she was willing to take $1000, ok agreed, the lady offered 1st $400, then came up to 500, and the grand came down to 800 well the barter thing is hard, especially to put a price on your friend I asked the grand to come with me to unsaddle and so we could talk away, as she comes with horse in tow tears running down that precious face I take matters to hand, unsaddled she puts horse up and stays with her friend and I approach the people, the lady says "whats the counter price"  I said she has already given it $800. The lady got kind of huffy and said well I'll give $600 but no more cause horse prices are not that good, with the killer market the way it is and they just don't bring that. "hehe" OKAY THEN!

 The Gov. has reinstated the killer market albeit a couple of years away from implimentation, this horse will still be big and fat and gentle,  he was NOT on the ad for sale and he was given to me, I have feed him for 2 years and will continue to do so until we get the right price for him. If you like something be willing to pay for it, if not stay at home! He is gentle and summer time is awaisting he is worth the money and as I don't (nor does my daughter) settle for something less because of price, it doesn't have to be sold just because!

Thoughts!

And what was I thinking? there is lots of physicial things that I need to be doing but the ambition is excaping me this day, and in the process of procrastination here I sit computer at my fingertips trying with all my might (or mind) toget a straight line of thought going/coming whichever. The minor continious distractions not helping in the least!
Friends that entered into marriage and have been blessed with a child are contemplating a break up, both have been married before and are in their 30's he has children but this is her first. And at 3 mo. post partium I personally think that they should slow down and rethink their situation. Marriage and divorce are too easy to get. I know this personally, sometimes they are necessary, but for most cases they are not. God put the need to procreate in us and sometimes we need to follow our instincts to fulfill the need, but with that need filled what other thing would call us to pick living single only to search for another to fill the other side of the bed. When you are divorced you admit that you have had other physicial relationships, so in essence are no longer pure. And by marrying a divorced person you admit that that person is not pure of body either. So to think that infidelity in the relationship is reason for divorce is being naive.
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.(Hebrews 13:4)

And thats the deal God will judge this! As long as you are doing your part to maintain your part of the bargain leave the rest to God!

First aniversaries are great, we have been home in our little part of Oklahoma for a full year, all I can say, "Thank You Lord". The time has sped by so fast and the love of family has grown so much. So as my heart leaps for joy with the Lord, I know he is showing me the way to be fulfilled, and content with life and love.

The times are troubling with another election around the corner, finances tumbling all around, but yet I know that I will be fine, the Lord has prepared me. I know that as this life progresses I have Him to lead me and to carry me.

The hardest part of faith is knowing that once you have laid the troubles at His feet you have to leave them there and worry no more over them. It will be taken care of in His Time and In His Will. Walk closely and you shall be forever unburdened.

Thank You Lord for the many Blessings in my life!