There are snakes and other dangerous things out there.
The words here are about my life as the wife of a now retired Soldier. I live on a small ranch in Texas, and my experiences here craft the words I use to express my life. The sacrifices, challenges, and the deeply satisfying rewards of being the wife of such a man influence them as well. I live in a beautiful and peaceful place, and it is great solace and comfort when I face life and the challenges of a complicated and stressed world. So I have titled my writings "From the Ranch."
From the Ranch
Showing posts with label Soldiers Heart Ranch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soldiers Heart Ranch. Show all posts
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
I Love Fall, It Is Harvest Time
There is a field on the property next to ours, and every year it produces a crop. Sometimes it is corn, sometimes it is cotton. This year it is cotton. It looks like it has been a great year for the cotton in South Texas!
You can see the white cotton boils in the field in the left of the picture.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
"There are some among us who live in rooms of experience we can never enter” John Steinbeck
He
stood in the middle of the street, completely immobile, unable for some
time to move. There he struggled to suppress the words from his
consciousness that he had just heard from his mother’s mouth. Whatever
small trespass he had committed was a lost thought. Her words were so
cruel, that for the rest of his life he would never recall what he had
done that day, or any detail concerning the incident, only her words.
Those words she had shouted would sometimes threaten at the edges of his
mind at the most unexpected times, usually when he was relaxing, and
especially when he observed young families of soldiers. He had been
innocently playing some childhood game, being the child he was, and so
seldom allowed to be. She had come running from the house in a rage
over something he had done or not done, and at the end of her
chastisement, she wounded his child’s heart with a wound that would
never quite heal.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Now For the Second Half of the Introduction to My Book
"I
believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she
happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is
indestructible." John Steinbeck, East of Eden.
Her husband had achieved the rank of colonel when he was selected to command the 2nd Brigade. His being educated at West Point, and the Army War College, was not the only reason she had known she would always be second place in his life when she had married him, just a few months before. It was not only that his formal education had been in these bastions of military tradition and the teaching of the art and science of war. It was his childhood, or rather, lack of childhood and parenting, that fostered his love and loyalty to the Army. Where his biological parents had failed in every way to meet the needs of his childhood, he found stability and structure in the Army. Beginning with first The Boy Scouts, and then JROTC in high school, he had found strong men of deep character to mentor him, and had developed direction for his life.
The appointment to The Academy had offered him the chance of a destiny beyond the emotional and physical deficiencies and need he had known growing up in Louisiana. Even more than that, his education had provided him with identity and purpose in his life. He owed, in his mind, the United States Army in the way that a son owed his parents. As he served, he had found in the Army the only security and reliability that did not fail him as two previous marriages, along with the neglected and abused childhood had. Today, that relationship had revealed itself as fallible as all the others of his life had been, and a wound much like that of seeing for the first time weakness in a beloved parent, struck him. However, being the man he was, the shell shock of the day’s events would only last momentarily. The survival techniques, he had first learned as he hid in the closet of the war zone of his childhood home, and which the Army had hewn to professional levels, would rise up in him and in his mind a defense plan would be formulated.
That would not happen in the car as they drove to the hotel, because being the man of honor and dedication he was, his first reaction was to ruthlessly self examine. He assumed his superior to be the leader that a two star general should be, and he would continue for several months, to steadfastly believe him to be. As he detailed to his wife the hour and a half long tirade leveled at him by MG Tim Harold, her mind turned over each sentence as he spoke it. At first, she assumed that her husband’s take on the whole dressing down, had to be correct, because he was the one with twenty five years of dedicated service. After he had continued to relate that he had obviously failed horribly in leadership for several minutes, as revealed by the general’s words, her mind began whispering, “wait a minute here.” This made no sense to her, she thought, “I was at every Battle Assembly for the last year, I know the atmosphere, and I know from the Soldiers themselves, too much of their very positive thoughts.”
While her FRG office was far down the hall, and she seldom had time to leave
t, Soldiers often drifted in and out on business, or just to chat. The unit had not experienced an individual dedicated to this volunteer position, which she had assumed, and they seemed sincerely to appreciate her efforts. The position had proved full of duties that required not only every hour of the Battle Assembly weekends, but several additional hours every week. Still even at the far end of the hall, absorbed in her own work, she had developed a strong sense of the “command climate” of the unit.
Their relationship had developed rapidly. He had found in her a truly listening ear, and his basic trusting nature, which had left him vulnerable so many times in life, had at last found a citadel for his most guarded and tightly held thoughts. He had spent many hours in their expression to her. Beyond that, she had the benefit of the “pillow talk” of the man she so admired. His personal concern for each member of his unit, and for Soldiers serving everywhere, were often his last words of the evening to her before those three that she held sweetest, as he drifted into the deep sleep of one possessed of a guiltless conscious.
At times, it was hard for her to know in her mind whether she loved him more, or admired him more. Certainly, as she listened, it became more and more obvious that something about this entire incident was not quite right. Also, events of the previous few months began to knit themselves together in the background of her sub-conscious. She stopped him mid-sentence and told him so, and his eyes, which she had always found to appear so deeply searching when he looked at her, moved quickly back and forth. As he intently stared at her, she knew his mind searched hers for the hope of validity in her assertion. In this action, she found yet again deep admiration for this confident, highly intelligent, and accomplished man, who so faithfully served, that he would consider that the allegations leveled at him might contain merit. As admiration swept over her, in equal measure love surged in her heart, and the two emotions struggled for their balanced places in her mind. Perhaps she did admire him even more than she loved him, her heart answered quickly; she loved him more.
Her husband had achieved the rank of colonel when he was selected to command the 2nd Brigade. His being educated at West Point, and the Army War College, was not the only reason she had known she would always be second place in his life when she had married him, just a few months before. It was not only that his formal education had been in these bastions of military tradition and the teaching of the art and science of war. It was his childhood, or rather, lack of childhood and parenting, that fostered his love and loyalty to the Army. Where his biological parents had failed in every way to meet the needs of his childhood, he found stability and structure in the Army. Beginning with first The Boy Scouts, and then JROTC in high school, he had found strong men of deep character to mentor him, and had developed direction for his life.
The appointment to The Academy had offered him the chance of a destiny beyond the emotional and physical deficiencies and need he had known growing up in Louisiana. Even more than that, his education had provided him with identity and purpose in his life. He owed, in his mind, the United States Army in the way that a son owed his parents. As he served, he had found in the Army the only security and reliability that did not fail him as two previous marriages, along with the neglected and abused childhood had. Today, that relationship had revealed itself as fallible as all the others of his life had been, and a wound much like that of seeing for the first time weakness in a beloved parent, struck him. However, being the man he was, the shell shock of the day’s events would only last momentarily. The survival techniques, he had first learned as he hid in the closet of the war zone of his childhood home, and which the Army had hewn to professional levels, would rise up in him and in his mind a defense plan would be formulated.
That would not happen in the car as they drove to the hotel, because being the man of honor and dedication he was, his first reaction was to ruthlessly self examine. He assumed his superior to be the leader that a two star general should be, and he would continue for several months, to steadfastly believe him to be. As he detailed to his wife the hour and a half long tirade leveled at him by MG Tim Harold, her mind turned over each sentence as he spoke it. At first, she assumed that her husband’s take on the whole dressing down, had to be correct, because he was the one with twenty five years of dedicated service. After he had continued to relate that he had obviously failed horribly in leadership for several minutes, as revealed by the general’s words, her mind began whispering, “wait a minute here.” This made no sense to her, she thought, “I was at every Battle Assembly for the last year, I know the atmosphere, and I know from the Soldiers themselves, too much of their very positive thoughts.”
While her FRG office was far down the hall, and she seldom had time to leave
t, Soldiers often drifted in and out on business, or just to chat. The unit had not experienced an individual dedicated to this volunteer position, which she had assumed, and they seemed sincerely to appreciate her efforts. The position had proved full of duties that required not only every hour of the Battle Assembly weekends, but several additional hours every week. Still even at the far end of the hall, absorbed in her own work, she had developed a strong sense of the “command climate” of the unit.
Their relationship had developed rapidly. He had found in her a truly listening ear, and his basic trusting nature, which had left him vulnerable so many times in life, had at last found a citadel for his most guarded and tightly held thoughts. He had spent many hours in their expression to her. Beyond that, she had the benefit of the “pillow talk” of the man she so admired. His personal concern for each member of his unit, and for Soldiers serving everywhere, were often his last words of the evening to her before those three that she held sweetest, as he drifted into the deep sleep of one possessed of a guiltless conscious.
At times, it was hard for her to know in her mind whether she loved him more, or admired him more. Certainly, as she listened, it became more and more obvious that something about this entire incident was not quite right. Also, events of the previous few months began to knit themselves together in the background of her sub-conscious. She stopped him mid-sentence and told him so, and his eyes, which she had always found to appear so deeply searching when he looked at her, moved quickly back and forth. As he intently stared at her, she knew his mind searched hers for the hope of validity in her assertion. In this action, she found yet again deep admiration for this confident, highly intelligent, and accomplished man, who so faithfully served, that he would consider that the allegations leveled at him might contain merit. As admiration swept over her, in equal measure love surged in her heart, and the two emotions struggled for their balanced places in her mind. Perhaps she did admire him even more than she loved him, her heart answered quickly; she loved him more.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
God's Promises
Luke 12:27
27 Consider
the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say
unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these.28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Our Family is Having a Wedding, and We Are Developing a Wedding Venue!
Weddings should always be events of a lifetime, and they can and should last a lifetime. My mother and father are going to be celebrating their sixty fifth wedding anniversary on August 13th, and I am already making plans for a celebration befitting this milestone so few of us are able to make. Their love for one another is more evident every day, and it has been the cornerstone for the last three generations of my family. What an example their lives have been to each of us. Their devotion to one another inspires and assures us all that true love is attainable and can be lasting. Be sure to keep checking the blog for the development of our wedding venue, and as with all our services, if you are Active Duty Military, or a Veteran of the War on Terror, this service will be free of charge for you!
Weddings can be expensive to make memorable, and gathering items from friends and family to add special touches and details can be the difference in the level of "making memorable," without adding cost. So my non minimalist personality could come in very handy. I love lace, linens, crystal sterling silver, and all the others objects which can make for memorable little touches.
Here are some enlarged photos Becky, and I will be posting all kinds of things you can check out to see if you might want to use them.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Yet Another Cute Little Squirrel Video
He loves petting, and as you will see in this wondrous little video, he loves to "pet" me back.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
I Rounded the Corner in My Kitchen and a Vile Woman Was Trying to Hide There!!!
I should have been more conscious of security, that was my own fault! I just came out of the laundry room, confronted her by the cabinet, dropped the basket and as quickly as I could thought of a strategy. She had two thugs with her too! All three were between me and the phone or I would have called 911! I don't know what else I could have done...
In order to protect those of you with a more delicate constitution, after a first picture that is not related to this blog post, I have posted the pictures of the whole confrontation further down the page and you will have to scroll... please do not allow children to view this blog! I would not wish to influence them in any kind of a negative way...
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I just did what I had to do...
In order to protect those of you with a more delicate constitution, after a first picture that is not related to this blog post, I have posted the pictures of the whole confrontation further down the page and you will have to scroll... please do not allow children to view this blog! I would not wish to influence them in any kind of a negative way...
Next time, I will just throw her off a balcony after I break her in two!!!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Who Would Not Say She is Adorable.... But...
Who can deny she is adorable?
She will however, eat your lunch...
She begs to get in the house all the time... why I cannot understand...
For some strange reason I can't figure out, that silly goat panics when I get in the truck to go to town... and then chases me down the road if she is out of her pen.
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She makes a mess if she is out of her pen,but always finds some way to get in trouble when I put her in her pen.
And then she raced up the stairs and stood on the handrail of the porch...
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Old Soldiers
Old Soldiers Sleep Soundly at Night
When they lay down their gray head, old soldiers sleep soundly at night.
They have borne the battle; they have fought the good fight.
When liberty and the freedom which Our Almighty ordained,
Was threatened forever to be forgotten, and liberty to be stained.
The call had gone out for men with bold courage and heart,
For those willing to wage war, yet from honor never to depart.
He had been young then, confident, and full of vim and vigor.
Muscled and strong, he had possessed the necessary will to pull the trigger.
Soon he learned just how hard and unforgiving meeting the enemy would be.
In those moments another life would be taken, no other way could he see.
Because the enemy had been impossible by any words or reason to hold at bay,
Inside without pause, he realized he could defend all he loved in no other way.
After that first battle, when the stranger lay dead at his feet.
His mind had reeled in despair, knowing that he had sent him his Maker to meet.
It seemed forever he was in a foreign land where all he could see was sand.
Victory, he knew, could be won only by making a committed stand.
Years had rolled by as in service to the conflict he came and he went.
His children grew up while he was at war, the enemy would not relent.
The sparkle in the eyes of his beautiful wife had slowly died.
For too many nights she lay lonely and sad as she had cried.
They both had known that his absence had been without doubt required.
While she grieved at time forever lost, his dedication she deeply admired.
At long last he had put in his time and had come home never to leave.
For a long time what he had seen caused him deep inside to quietly grieve.
Then the years and hard gained wisdom softened the wounds of his soul.
Peacefully and never forgetting the cost of freedom, he had grown old.
The nightmares and images seared on his heart at the time,
Always he had deliberately kept in a contained corner of his mind.
Whenever the flag passed or the pledge of allegiance was said.
Love of his country and memories of the fallen caused a tear to be shed.
More than most, he knew the price that always had to be paid,
To preserve the country from those whose vanity sent them on evil crusades.
His own answering of the call for defenders of all that we hold dear,
Was the thing that caused him to sleep without worry or fear.
His debt for the privilege of life in our country whose truth is self-evident.
Had been paid and he knew that his final sleep was growing eminent.
Sometimes good men must do dreadful things to pass on to those they love,
The gifts and blessings of that great precept that comes from above.
When they lay down their gray head, old soldiers sleep soundly at night.
They have borne the battle; they have fought the good fight.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
There is Ice on the Pond
When you live about an hour from Houston, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico, and your pond stays frozen all day long, it is cold outside.
Friday, December 6, 2013
I Got Up Very Early This Morning To Decorate the House for Christmas
It is rare that down in the part of Texas where I live you see snow, and as I brought things in from the truck that I had been too tired to the night before, the wonder I always feel at the sight of snow came over me as a few of the heavy on the moisture side flakes swirled in the wind around me.
I love Christmas, and of the last five years Randy has been home only one time at Christmas, so this Christmas is going to be very special for me. Christmas is not merely a holiday to us, but the celebration of the reason for our lives. It celebrates God the Son, taking on a human body, living without sin before Creation, and laying down His life for each of us, to purchase for us forgiveness of our sins, and citizenship in His eternal heaven. It is the personification of undeserved love toward you and I, and it occurred to me just exactly how I wished to approach the celebration of this holy day in our home.
Buzzy Sorensen, Danish Warrior, and commentator on life and living significantly, had posted one of those photographic images he finds or takes, and then tossed out into the world to stun some of us with their message without words. I don't know who is responsible for this photo, or who owns it... and frankly I don't care, so sue me, because I find in it the love of God... The message of Christmas is captured in the image, which is the message of true love residing in your heart, and directing your life to reach out to love your neighbor as yourself, because the love of God and his redemption resides within you. To each of you , Merry Christmas, and may the joy, wonder, and true meaning of Christmas, fill your heart, change your life, and ensure your eternal destination.
I love Christmas, and of the last five years Randy has been home only one time at Christmas, so this Christmas is going to be very special for me. Christmas is not merely a holiday to us, but the celebration of the reason for our lives. It celebrates God the Son, taking on a human body, living without sin before Creation, and laying down His life for each of us, to purchase for us forgiveness of our sins, and citizenship in His eternal heaven. It is the personification of undeserved love toward you and I, and it occurred to me just exactly how I wished to approach the celebration of this holy day in our home.
Buzzy Sorensen, Danish Warrior, and commentator on life and living significantly, had posted one of those photographic images he finds or takes, and then tossed out into the world to stun some of us with their message without words. I don't know who is responsible for this photo, or who owns it... and frankly I don't care, so sue me, because I find in it the love of God... The message of Christmas is captured in the image, which is the message of true love residing in your heart, and directing your life to reach out to love your neighbor as yourself, because the love of God and his redemption resides within you. To each of you , Merry Christmas, and may the joy, wonder, and true meaning of Christmas, fill your heart, change your life, and ensure your eternal destination.
Monday, October 14, 2013
MY SOCIAL LIFE JUST ISN'T THE SAME WHEN RANDY IS GONE
I just don't like going places by myself. So I have tended to hang around the house on Sunday night....and play poker.... with a squirrel....
Friday, October 11, 2013
Newly Declassified Special Forces Video With Access Exclusively Here!
We have been careful not to let this out, but have decided perhaps it would reach the enemy and be a deterrent, therefore we are releasing it.. Mice have been over running the ranch since the coyotes or some other such bad guy in the woods decided one night that the barn cats were a buffet. While the new kittens have given it there best efforts, they are just too young and inexperienced to take care of this stealthy enemy stalking in the kitchen. So Traveler is in training to take care of this evil in the night! I must say, he is looking impressive! The enemy may run, but it cannot hide deep enough!
He's coming for you!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Father''s Day Is Coming
"I
once read the sentence, "I lay awake all night with a toothache,
thinking about the toothache and about lying awake." Part of every
misery is , so to speak, the misery's shadow of reflection: the fact
that you don't merely suffer, but have to keep on thinking about the
fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but
live each day thinking about living each day in grief."
C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
A Father, Marine, Father of a Marine, Father of a Victim of Military
Sexual Trauma, Father of a Non Survivor of Military Sexual Trauma...
Monday, June 10, 2013
I Went Home With a Stranger After Lunch At Tony's
I am a soft touch for an abandoned baby anything, and yesterday after a Sunday morning filled with all kinds of excitement, my best friend and I, along with her husband and two of her grand-children, headed to Tony's in Sealy after church for lunch. That is a great little place for Sunday lunch, they always have a buffet with several selections of meat, all kinds of well cooked vegetables, rolls and cornbread, and the lunch is only $7,95. On Sunday they always have turkey and dressing, roast, fried catfish, chicken fried chicken, and chicken fried steak. Before we even got in the restaurant, as we were walking up to the door, there they were, three pretty little puppies, out in the rain. We had a fairly severe thunderstorm while we were in church, and they were a sad looking little group. They were soaking wet, hungry, and so surprisingly calm. They were not jumping around, yelping, or whining, just sitting there in the rain shivering. I could hardly eat my lunch. I just feel that if your pets are allowed to breed, it is your responsibility to see that they get a good home.
Many people stopped and looked at the puppies, some went back in the cafe and got scraps from the plates they had just left to feed them a bite or two.
Randy has been wanting me to get another dog, Ginger is getting really old, and she is just too friendly to bark when someone comes up to the ranch. She just wants them to stay for dinner, and to beg for a scratch behind the ear from them, and maybe a bite from the table after lunch or supper. After Ginger went missing for twelve days, I had told Randy I would never have another dog, I had cried every hour on the hour the last two days she was gone. I could accept she was dead, but I could not accept that she might have suffered, and that she had died alone. Low and behold, God brought her home. Then on Sunday I went to lunch at Tony's and there were the puppies, and one of them stood out to me. I had a change of heart on the "never having another puppy again thing."
So I told Brenda I thought I would be taking a puppy home with me. She just laughed at me and told me, "I knew the minute we went by those puppies at least one was going home with you." So we got a box, and picked her up, and I took her home. Another couple eating at Tony's took the other two pups. So all of the puppies were lucky on Sunday afternoon.
She was eat up with fleas, and the first thing I had to do was give her a bath, de-flea her, and get her warmed up and fed. She is a delight, very calm dispositioned, and obviously very intelligent. I was a little worried about she and Ginger getting along, Ginger is unaware that she is a dog, wants nothing to do with other dogs, ignores them, and if they get too close to her food, she will go from the calmest animal you have ever been around to a wild dog in a split second. This little pup is unusual, she is as calm as Ginger is, doesn't jump around, demand that Ginger play with her, or otherwise annoy Ginger. There is obviously some jealousy, and Ginger keeps wanting to sit closer to me than the puppy, and of course I let her.
She slept most of the afternoon, and I was a little worried that she would be up all night since she had always had the other pups and a mom to snuggle up, but she hardly made a peep. She has already made herself at home, and soon she will go out to the kennel each night. The only thing left to do after I get her shots tomorrow is to settle on a name. I had first thought of Angel, then I thought of Patriot, and calling her Pat, and I like Stranger for a name too. I can't get much enthusiasm on that one from either Brenda or Randy. I like that it is a different kind of name, but this little stranger, I found sitting out in the rain, has stolen my heart.
Many people stopped and looked at the puppies, some went back in the cafe and got scraps from the plates they had just left to feed them a bite or two.
Randy has been wanting me to get another dog, Ginger is getting really old, and she is just too friendly to bark when someone comes up to the ranch. She just wants them to stay for dinner, and to beg for a scratch behind the ear from them, and maybe a bite from the table after lunch or supper. After Ginger went missing for twelve days, I had told Randy I would never have another dog, I had cried every hour on the hour the last two days she was gone. I could accept she was dead, but I could not accept that she might have suffered, and that she had died alone. Low and behold, God brought her home. Then on Sunday I went to lunch at Tony's and there were the puppies, and one of them stood out to me. I had a change of heart on the "never having another puppy again thing."
So I told Brenda I thought I would be taking a puppy home with me. She just laughed at me and told me, "I knew the minute we went by those puppies at least one was going home with you." So we got a box, and picked her up, and I took her home. Another couple eating at Tony's took the other two pups. So all of the puppies were lucky on Sunday afternoon.
She slept most of the afternoon, and I was a little worried that she would be up all night since she had always had the other pups and a mom to snuggle up, but she hardly made a peep. She has already made herself at home, and soon she will go out to the kennel each night. The only thing left to do after I get her shots tomorrow is to settle on a name. I had first thought of Angel, then I thought of Patriot, and calling her Pat, and I like Stranger for a name too. I can't get much enthusiasm on that one from either Brenda or Randy. I like that it is a different kind of name, but this little stranger, I found sitting out in the rain, has stolen my heart. Monday, April 22, 2013
What Everyone Needs After a Long Period of Stress.
I have had a stressful past three weeks or so. My husband was home on leave, and then had to return to Iraq. That is always hard for me, and we had a rent house that was vacated with the tenants leaving owing us $3,600. They had tore the house to pieces, not even being there a year, and the cockroaches were very literally unbelievable. There were thousands out on the walls in the day time. You could not bring food into the house without them swarming toward you. There was so much cleanup work to do. It was discouraging. Randy and I had been working on the remodel work all the time he was home on leave, but I have to finish it up. We spent a great deal of money to have a large contracting service install a tub, and do some other plumbing work and electrical. The work was done substandard, and I am still arguing with them.
Then there were the bombings, accompanied by the sorrow and shock that so many other places in the world deal with on a daily basis. I thought of my friends in Iraq... where daily they lose friends, and must be constantly be vigilant.
I attended the SWAN (Service Women's Action Network,) summit on military sexual trauma, and as I heard their stories my heart reeled at the realization of failed leadership after such life altering trauma encountered by these men and women.
I needed tranquility today... so late in the evening as I worked in the garden, I let Rocket out of the pen. She is so gentle and loving, her behavior is always an expression of joy. She runs, she jumps, she frolics, and it is all a show of joy put on just for me. She rubs her little head on my leg as I move about the garden... sometimes she forgets and accidentally "tastes" a little bit of the garden... of course just to see if anything ready for harvest yet... She is never less than a foot away from me. She sits down when I sit down, and always wants to put her head in my lap. She always watches my face for clues as to what is up next. She is really smart, which surprised me. She is happiest when she is following me, dancing with joy as she goes. We all should find some simple and gentle thing which restores our hearts and souls when stress comes in batches to our lives, I find those restoring things at Soldier's Heart Ranch in so many things, especially in this sweet little animal. This beautiful little place with its pond and deep woods helps to center me, relieves all my stress, and enables me to carry on as I am reminded, through the things of nature, of God's grace, love, and mercy. I love living at Soldier's Heart Ranch.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
We Had Such a Blessed Easter
Even though my best friend was hospitalized at the last moment, Jared and Heather were unable to come, and we had such big plans for Easter, we had such blessing all day long. Our Son-Boy, Brian, was baptized again as a personal commitment of surrender of all his life to the Lord. He had been baptized when he was 15, but since surrendering to preach, he has felt a need to reconsecrate his life publicly. In his testimony he was careful to state he didn't believe in repeated baptism, but he felt he had "compartmentalized" his life previously, behaving one way with college friends, and another at church. He said he felt he really was not a "born again" Christian, but had embraced the faith as a "fire escape," wanting to "avoid hell," rather than "live for God." It was an intensely personal decision, and it was between he and the Lord, and it really blessed my heart. Needless to say, his father and I are very proud of him.
It was a beautiful day at the ranch, and we had dawned our best to celebrate the Resurrection. We had prayed for my friend Brenda, who had experienced unrelenting pain that had sent her to the emergency room at a local hospital to make certain that it was not a heart attack. By the end of the day we had received the news that it was a pulled muscle, rather than the much worse diagnosis we had feared. We spent much of the day resting, as Randy, Brian, Willie, and the rest of the kids had spent all of Saturday working at the rent house in League City. God is good, and His love endures forever.
It was a beautiful day at the ranch, and we had dawned our best to celebrate the Resurrection. We had prayed for my friend Brenda, who had experienced unrelenting pain that had sent her to the emergency room at a local hospital to make certain that it was not a heart attack. By the end of the day we had received the news that it was a pulled muscle, rather than the much worse diagnosis we had feared. We spent much of the day resting, as Randy, Brian, Willie, and the rest of the kids had spent all of Saturday working at the rent house in League City. God is good, and His love endures forever.
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