Flour Sack Dishtowels

I do dearly love a cute dishtowel.....the ones with little barnyard animals or those with little fruit appliques on them. All very cute. Very, very cute! I'm a real sucker for a cutesy dishtowel. In fact, my dishtowel drawer overfloweth! But, for the actual business of drying dishes, give me an old fashioned flour sack dishtowel every time. I love the softness of the fabric. And I love the way they quickly and efficiently soak up water and dry the dishes. But, when they are not hard at work in my kitchen......don't they look super cute sitting here in the red enamelware colander? surrounded by some of my favorite things? Check out those cookies ---- Dana made up a few dozen for her Daddy and me while she was here this week. I can not adequately stress to you just how delicious these cookies are! Don't know what they are called. But she also made the equally delicious granola that she used as the base of the cookie. I kept telling her, with each cookie I consumed, that she really, really needed to enter a contest with this recipe. They are spectacular!!! I so wish I could share a cookie and a cup of coffee with you right now. You'd be so very happy!!!!!!

Back to the dishtowels ----- here is how they look at Target. I found them alongside the plain white chef aprons in the same kind of packaging, hanging on a display. They are super cheap!! A package of 6 costs less than $5.00!!! That's a deal, kids! I got two packages, but pretty sure I need a couple more.

THIS is how we wash dishes at the Rosser house. No, I do not have a dishwasher! I have had dishwashers in my past and honestly, I just ended up griping about having to empty the clean dishes. So when we moved into this house with it's very inefficient apartment-sized dishwasher and its limited kitchen storage, we decided to chunk the dishwasher and opted to use the empty space a little more creatively. William built in some shelves there and it now houses the microwave and the potato and onion bins.

This is how drying dishes look at my house. Usually though, they are not nearly this attractive. There are a ton more dishes than this and they are piled up in a heap. I wanted this to look spiffy for the blog, ya know.

Well, that's it, folks! Just thought you should know...... Happy washing and drying.....

Gwynie Pie

Feed On The Word

I love, love, love these dishes!! My kids gave them to me this past weekend for my birthday. I have long admired the entire set of this very beautiful china. Every piece, and there are many pieces, is an off-white with scripture in black around the edge. Every piece has a different scripture. And there are many scripture "themes" to choose from -- Faith, Prayer, Heritage, Children, Family, Country -- lots more.
There in the background to the side you can see the footed cake stand that was given to me on another occasion. The cake stand has held beautiful cakes and pies year-round as well as floral arrangements in the Fall and big chunky red candles at Christmas. I love it!! The kids also gave me the big fruit/pasta bowl with the fruits of the spirit written around the inside edge. It's filled with apples today but in the future I'm seeing maybe chicken fettucini alfredo or maybe a huge green salad.

Anyway, I love them! Just wanted you to see them. I figure you might love them too. And if you are interested, you can see the entire collection on the web at feedontheword.com.

Spring Break

I realize it is only Wednesday of Spring Break week -- lots of the week yet to come. But, so far, my week has been great!! This past weekend started off with Dana and Lily Kate coming in on Friday afternoon, followed by Colin and Ronnie and then Blake later on that night. I didn't take many pictures. I never do------I'm always having too much fun with everyone to be the photographer. I love having the pictures, but the memories are so much sweeter! I always have good intentions and sure enough, the camera was in the kitchen where I could just grab it up at a moment's notice, but.......I always think of pictures long after the fact, ya know?

I did get a couple.....here is sweet girl flashing her best "cheeeeeeeeese".

And Pops and Lily Kate lounging and visiting in the back yard. We did a lot of lounging. And a lot of visiting!

We (I use the word loosely, since I was not involved) dug up, loaded and brought home the much-desired, much-sought after clothesline poles (thank you friend Lauri for locating them for me!). Now -- to get them set in the ground and painted a nice, crisp white. I will hang up clothes to my little heart's content......

Colin and Ronnie had to leave soon after church and Blake headed back early that evening. They all had to be back at work Monday morning. However, Dana and Lily Kate stayed until noon today and we have had such a great time with them, just being....not doing a whole lot, just enjoying.

A first of sorts also occurred Monday night. Dana, Lily Kate and I all went to visit my mother, GG, in the afternoon and were still there when Pops got off work, so we decided to go to Double Dave's, one of Dana's fav eating places in San Angelo. We asked my mother to go with us. And what do you know???? She did!!! I know that isn't an earthshaking event in anyone else's world, but in ours.....well, it made the blog!! (Man, I wish I'd had that camera!) My mother isn't a very spontaneous person. She likes to plan things well in advance. So for her to say "yes" was a great thing. Very note-worthy. It meant a lot to me. We all had fun eating pizza, playing air hockey and visiting.

Tomorrow, we will all be back to our usual activities. We so enjoyed the first half of Spring Break. And can't wait to see what fun the last half of the week brings. Hope your Spring Break is FUN!

Gwynie Pie

BUCKSHOT! --- yumm-o

THIS is Lily Kate -- she's blissed-out while eating what she called "da goodest chokit in da ho woold"! And this girl knows her chokit!! THIS is Buckshot! an almost full box of these delicious and chocolaty little candies. William gave me this beautiful box of candies during my birthday week. It was quite pretty in a bright red, sparkly box with a cream-colored bow. The buckshot, as you may can tell, are very pretty as well.
If you haven't been to Sugar Daddy Desserts yet and if you even remotely enjoy chocolate, give yourself a treat and stop in for a real delight. The owner and chocolatier is James Crowder. The address is 2411 College Hills Blvd, across the street from Ichiban's. The website is sugardaddydesserts.com.


Each buckshot is the perfect size to pop in your mouth and let it melt...yum!....unless you are a two year old chocolate lover. Then it may take you four blissful bites to consume.

Stop in and tell them a two year old sent you.........

Grand weekend in Granbury

William took off Friday from work and we headed out to see our Granbury kids. Dana was at their church in Fort Worth that day, prepping for the next day's beignet frying, and Lily Kate was napping in her classroom at the childcare center when we arrived. We sat out in the hall and visited until we heard the classroom stirring awake and then surprised her appearing there outside the door....what a priceless look of happiness on her face as she came running across the room to jump in our arms! She just adores us and of course, we adore her. But, what a great feeling to just be loved so much -- just because.

Lunch was at Yucatan Taco Stand on Magnolia. Dana had discovered this eatery recently and loved it and I was very excited to give it a try. We ordered the nachos and an order of yucca fries with garlic aioli. I also had a chicken taco, which was outstanding but it paled next to the nachos and fries. The nachos were IN Cred Ible!!!! WOW! I wish I could fully and adequately describe them, but know I won't do them justice. The chips were light and crisp and everything was layered up to a height of almost a foot tall!! There were layers of meats, cheeses, finely shredded lettuce, tomatoes and a fantastic light garlicly sauce over and under and around and through it all. Topped off with a huge scoop of sour cream and THE best guacamole ever. There is a spicy red pepper sauce on the table that is really good splashed on it all. The fries were --- well....perfect! I'd never eaten yucca before but holey moley.....can't wait til I get to eat that again. I am hooked! Oh, oh ---- how good is it???? It is soooo good that William Rosser (a confirmed non-foodie person) talked about them and "re-lived" them on Sunday -- 2 days later!!! That tells ya somethin !!!!

SO - if you are in Fort Worth and looking for a great, fun place to eat.....try The Yucatan Taco Stand on Magnolia. It's in the hospital district -- pretty easy to find.

The rest of the trip was fun. We had beedos (burritos)for breakfast, played kitchen and played dollhouse and read some books and took a nap and after Dana got home from the beignet frying (for a VBS fundraiser), we all went to have a late lunch at Babe's before we had to leave for home. Now -- if you've never eaten at Babe's in Granbury -- you MUST! Very relaxed. Very basic, delicious home-cooking. Very crowded. (go early and go late, just not at usual meal times). They have basic entrees to choose from -- fried or roasted chicken, chicken fried steak, chicken strips, pot roast or meat loaf -- then they serve the mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cream corn, salad and biscuits, family style in big bowls on the table. It is all delish! Fun place to eat!

We had a D-lightful!! time visiting with Dana, Blake and Lily Kate. We always have a good time with them whether we sit around all weekend or get up and go do stuff.....it's just good to be together! You need directions to the aforementioned eaterys, let me know.........

It's My Birthday!!!

Goodness, I can sure relate to that old line that goes "If I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself!" HA! It is amazing for me to realize I am 57 years old today! Just a couple months ago I was 40. Time just moves on -- waaaaay too fast!

I've had a few phone calls and some Facebook birthday good wishes. That's been fun. Birthdays are funny things for me....I don't know if it's just me or if everyone is this way. I just remember very, very few of my birthdays. I know they come and go but very few have been noteworthy.

My parents never made a really huge deal of birthdays. They were always acknowledged with a special meal and a gift when I was younger. Then after I married, the gift turned into money. Great with me! Money is always the right color and always fits!! And every single birthday that I lived at home, my parents would come into my room to wake me up singing "Happy Birthday!" Even after I got marrried, my parents would always call, usually early in the morning, and sing to me over the phone . Never did they miss or forget, not once.

That is why I so vividly remember my 50th birthday. Six months earlier, my Daddy died in a car accident. So on that morning of my 50th birthday, my mom called to say "Happy Birthday", but there was no singing and there hasn't been any singing since. Until-------------last night!

The phone rang, it was Dana . She and Lily Kate were driving home from Fort Worth. Lily Kate wanted to talk and as soon as she got the phone she said "Happy Birthday, Pie". Soooo sweet! My heart just melts when she calls me "Pie". She chatted a bit and then gave the phone back to her mom. Dana explained that Lily wanted to sing "Happy Birthday" to me, but was saving it for my actual birth day. As Dana and I continued to talk, I could hear Lily Kate singing it out in the background.....just tuning up for today! So, later tonight, when they get home, I'm looking forward to that sweet little voice singing "Happy Birthday" to me!!

God is so good! He gives and He takes away....blessed be the name of the LORD. My life has been blessed beyond measure. Never did I, in my wildest dreams, ever imagine a life so sweet as the one I am living. I'm thankful for my 57 years -- every wrinkle and every gray hair that living has brought me. It is my prayer that I live another many, many decades and get to see what else the LORD will do in my life and in the lives of those I love. It just gets sweeter and sweeter!

Living out Loud!!!

Gwynie Pie

WHAT AN ADVENTURE

After church this morning, William and I quickly changed into work clothes, then ran through the drive-thru at Whataburger for a #1 combo. Colin had a prescribed burn scheduled for Saturday, but the wind was pretty ferocious and he wanted to get it done, so he rescheduled it for Sunday, when winds were much calmer. William and I were very excited to get the opportunity to help out a little and also, just to see the burn process ---It was lots of fun, from our perspective. We enjoyed watching, and hearing on the two-ways, Colin and Ronnie work.

The burn was for 126 acres located kind of in the middle of nowhere. Actually it was between Menard and Christoval, closer to Fort McKavett than any other city. The burn went well and by about 6:30, we were in the car and heading back to the house.

We headed back toward Menard, planning to go through Eden and then home through Vick and Eola. Only I saw this highway that turned off to the North, just a few miles after we left the burn sight. We got out the map, didn't see the highway on there, but hey.....it looked like a fine, wide ranch road. HA!! It was a ranch road all right......if only we'd known!

Almost immediately, we were impressed by the many, many deer that were frolicking back and forth across the road. Not in a hurry, really, they seemed to have a real sense of ownership of that road. We were throwing on the brakes every few yards in order to miss deer. THEN....the pavement ended!! And at first, the caliche road was nice and wide. Yes, we did consider turning around and backtracking and going back to Plan A, but we would have to negotiate all those crazy deer again and decided to just keep on going. "It can't be a very long road, can it?" "We'll just pop out on a highway in a little while." Uhhhhh......No!

We did not "pop out on a highway" for another 40-50!!! miles!!! And obviously, yes it was a "very long road" .... very long!! AND in addition to the deer that were still threatening, now we were plagued by raccoons running across the road....big raccoons!! It really was funny and I got the giggles a few times. William was tired and hungry by this time and not nearly as amused as I was.

Anyway, the road just kept getting narrower and narrower and bumpy-er and lumpy-er and soon ALL signs of civilization disappeared. It was getting darker now and there was not even a guardlight out in the pastures. All I could figure, is that apparently, electricity has not made its way out into these areas yet...... It was soooo dark! We drove for miles and miles with just fences on both sides, no ranch gates even....just miles and miles of fence. AND the wildlife!

Finally, finally.....we did "pop out onto a highway" We came out onto a divided four-lane highway. But we could not determine where in the world we were. Nothing looked familiar. There was obviously a city off to one side that we hoped was San Angelo, but nothing indicated that for sure. So, we just kept on driving until we found something that looked right and finally made our way to our house. Whew! What a trip!

We figured up that our shortcut saved us......are you ready for this??? Four miles!!! Four! Instead of the 70 miles we would have driven going all the way into Menard and home, we took the crazy ranch road "shortcut" and drove 66 miles. AND it took about 20 minutes longer as well!

Oh well! We did something today we had never done before -- helped Colin and Ronnie with a burn. And we went somewhere we had never been before -- wish I knew for sure where that was.....hmmmmm.... It was all fun! It was all good! It was all an adventure!

SPRING CLEANING

After a long and especially dirty Fall and Winter, I am so ready for a clean house!!! We live less than a quarter mile from a big ol' cotton gin and man, is it ever dirty around here. Cotton harvesting season begins early September and goes until it's all done, this year it was finished late January. That means the gin roars and belches dirt, dust and fibers into the air for almost half a year. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day......it runs. Fortunately, unless a real "norther" comes through (and we had a few this year) we are usually spared being covered up with the fall-out. Why don't we just move??? You know why!!! This is home -- for better or worse. AND the better is sooooo good, we can put up with the worse.

Anyway, it's time to Spring Clean!! I love it! Always have! Spring cleaning, done correctly, is quite a process. I don't take down and wash the curtains. And I don't dismantle the blinds and haul them out to the yard to wash them off. I've been involved in that kind of spring cleaning with my mother and Mamaw and, well....my "abbreviated" style will just have to do.

I cleaned my bedroom Monday, top to bottom. The above picture is of the sitting area end of the room, with everything dusted and swept and mopped and straightened......ahhhhhhhhh! I can breathe easier now -- literally --- I can breathe easier. You should have seen the pile!!! of dust bunnies and dirt I hauled out of there! And NO I didn't take a picture of that.....maybe I should have? No! No one needs to see that! You might never ever come to my house again....................

Great Morning with MOPS !!!!

Yesterday, William and I had the privilege of speaking to the MOPS group at our church. We had such a good time there, visiting with our old friends and meeting new ones. It was a very uplifting and encouraging experience for us. But, more than anything, we were just excited to see those young women - busy wives, moms, homemakers - taking time from their crazy week to connect with and encourage each other.

It made me very nostalgic about the "Old" days when I was there every Monday morning as well........some of the sweetest times of my life!! were spent with those ladies, laughing and crying and working things out.

William and I had a great time! and thank you, friends, for your friendship and love AND for the very tasty gift you gave us. Wasn't necessary, but it sure is fun!!! Thank you!

mORE cOOL aPRON sTUFF

I forgot to give these three great apron websites I found. Here they are:

apronmemories.com/aprons/
anapronaday.blogspot.com
heavenlyhostess.com

They are fun websites and these women are reeeeeaallly into aprons! Fun stuff! Check it out!

My favorite one is heavenlyhostess. Her aprons are absolutely spectacular -- quite luxurious!!!

Have fun!
Gwynie Pie

I Truly LOVE Aprons!!

Aprons are such a blast from the past, aren't they? When Mamaw tied on an apron, she meant business!!! Work was about to commence.......

The lady wearing the apron in this picture is my great-aunt Pernie. Mamaw is the one wearing the stylish hat and holding the pan; that's my mother looking at the camera -- isn't she pretty? And that's me, there in the background, dancing around, oblivious to the fact that I'm dangerously close to showing off my underpants...........

Wearing an apron to fix a meal was THE rule at Mamaw's house. Actually, I didn't know anyone who would dare to work in the kitchen without their apron --- lands sake, y'all!!

If you were female and standing around in Mamaw's kitchen, she was gonna tie an apron on you. So you just might as well go on and get happy about it!

When we sat down to eat, the aprons came off.....there was a row of cup hooks behind the big, swinging kitchen door that led out to the dining room where we hung our aprons. Then we put them on again when the meal was done. Clearing, washing, drying, putting away....all this required an apron!

I must say, when I was a teenager --- rebellious and a bit sassy ----wearing an apron was not one bit appealing! Gloria Steinham, the "ringleader" of the women's lib movement of the 60's, and her buddies thought the apron (along with the bra) was a symbol of female oppression. I was not so "evolved" in my thinking. I didn't really have a "social agenda" as to why I objected to the wearing of the apron.......

All I knew was -----wearing an apron just made me mad(der)! I mean I was already pretty ticked off that the men got to retire to the living room and relax. Mamaw would shoo them off with a "y'all just go sit and rest a while", while I seethed and gritted my teeth. She just seemed so doggone pleased about it, too! What WAS her deal, anyway????

Years later, I realized that for Mamaw, it was all about having a "servant's heart". It was all about using her talents and abilities and the areas the Lord had gifted her, to serve those she loved and those He put in her path. She was such a servant!!!

Mamaw, if she even knew who Gloria was, would have surely just felt sorry for the poor misled girl and would have called her "liberation movement" pure craziness. "Why, goodness! Whatever would I need to be liberated from?"

I always thought Mamaw must be so tired all the time. And I guess I felt a little sorry for her, doing all that planning and gathering and cooking and cleaning up afterwards. How unfair was that??? But you know what??? Today, I do the very same things. And I love it!!! I love all that planning and gathering and cooking and cleaning up afterwards.

William and I just love having people out to the house. We always eat --- ALWAYS!!! And we play games and visit. We catch up on what's happening in each other's lives. We watch football and basketball, maybe even play a little golf out front. We pile in the trucks and go down to the ranch to fish or hunt or chop firewood.

And yeah, it's work! Lots of work!!! And oh yes!!! It is soooo worth it! We do love it so!!! I guess "we get it honest".

Really, when I think of the Proverbs 31 woman, I see Mamaw. I'd love to be more like her. Because she was just being like Jesus. He was her role model. She did for others because she was infused with the love of Christ. That's what propelled her forward everyday, in every task....she just loved the Lord and did what He led her to do!!!

So, back to those aprons ----- Those aprons that once were such a symbol of female oppression.....now are to me a symbol of having a servant's heart. A symbol of doing for others from a pure heart, led by the Lord.

And as the years have passed, I'm the one admiring and scooping up aprons at thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets. And instead of being all bent out of shape about it.....I've actually promoted the wearing of aprons. HA!

(okay, the fact that I can't make my pictures post within this story is making me crazy!!!! Other bloggers reading this --- if you know the solution, help me out, please) On with the story ------

Here's my sweet Lily Kate helping her Pops and Pie make little loaves of delicious pumpkin bread this past Thanksgiving. AND she is wearing the apron (one of many) that my Mamaw made for me when I was her size. ADorAble!!!! Don't ya love it? it's come full circle now........

Love you all --

Gwynie Pie

JUNKIN'

JUNKIN' --- Friday was junkin' day with my friend, Haley. We started our day by fueling up with coffee, biscuits and gravy at the Mesquite Bean Cafe, then proceeded to the junk/resale/treasure stores. It's a good thing we had a little breakfast since at 4:30 in the afternoon, we realized we'd completely missed lunch-----------NOT my usual M.O. to miss a meal, so you know I was having a Blast!!!!

Haley was looking for things to finish off the decor in her new house. And she found some fantastic items,including a per-fect!!! chair for her living room! Also some great colorful dishes to hang, several sweet, little lamps to add spots of warmth throughout her house and bunches more great stuff!!

I was looking for something to warm up my kitchen and give it a little life!

As I have added and subtracted in my kitchen, somehow it has just become ....blah! and dull! I have always loved the color of Jadeite, a very collectible and very pricey, type of dishware from the 40s and 50s. Sooooo, I was hoping I might just stumble upon some. But I saw only one small Jadeite bowl in all our searching. However----

I DID find several pieces of this -----

Great color!! Seven Melamine plates for $4.25!!!! The two small green ones are serving as spoon rests by the stovetop....and the pink and gray ones are already in Lily Kate's toy closet....I'm sure she will be serving her famous pink and purple Playdough cookies from them very soon. ALSO found the antique glass oil lamp for $7!! and it matches another one I had. They will look great together on the mantel for a Spring look. Or I may fill them with citronella oil and actually use them on the back porch this summer!

Aren't these CUTE???? Apple-shaped pottery bowls. I've never before seen any like these. I love them!!! And can't wait to serve some apple pie in them. They were on SALE -- woohoo!! --- $10 for the set of 9 bowls.

I also snagged a raffia-wrapped wine bottle for $1. When we were first married we had in the middle of our little dining table, a wine bottle with dripping candles. Yes, I know -- the height of style! Hey --- we were college kids --- we also had black light posters in the bedroom. Anyway, I want to recreate that "centerpiece" look for Italian night when I make lasagna and spaghetti -- ambiance, ya know...... I think it'll be fun!

The little silver-plated sugar bowl was just too sweet and too cute to pass up. Another great find were the embroidered pillowcases with Mr. and Mrs. on them.....too sweet! They are very large, king-size and I might could actually use them. But I'm thinking of making a couple of throw pillows out of them for our bed.

A wonderful time was had!! and I can't wait to do it again very soon! Anyone is welcome to come along next time. I would love, love, love to put together a "junkin' tour" where a whole bunch of us girls could all go together.....I think that would be a blast!!!! We could start small and just hit a few places locally the first time. Then maybe branch out and go on an overnight tour to Fredericksburg/Mason/Kerrville/Comfort area. If you read this and are interested, let me know. It could happen!!!!

Thanks for stopping by! Good junkin'

Gwynie Pie

GREAT PARTY

As you know we have had a wedding! And last weekend, we had a party/reception/shower for well-wishers to give their congratulations to the happy couple...........

It was a great party!! I know William and I had great fun! We got to visit with friends and family and eat good food all the while. What's better than that? I ask you?? My sweet brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Elaine, cooked all the meat for the party. Delicious pork tenderloin ---- I'm talking, D-Lish-US!!!! along with wonderful pork short ribs and grilled chicken. He also made some "killer" jalapeno/cream cheese poppers that were D-vine!! Many thanks to them! Also, to my dear friend, Elaine Russo, thank you, thank you, thank you.....don't know what we'd have done without you. You were so calm and steady, you calmed me down too. And thank you Friends who stopped by to say "congratulations" to Colin and Ronnie! We had a wonderful time and we are so blessed by your presence in our lives! We love you all!

GOOD REFRESHED MONDAY MORNING !!!!!

Praise you LORD! for the rain last night!

I truly can't remember the last time it rained here. But, it IS wintertime and it IS west Texas, so we have seen it drier -- many times! I grew up here, the daughter of a dry-land cotton farmer. As such, weather was a constant discussion item in our home. And rain is so necessary for our existence! not only for farmers and their crops, but we all depend on rainfall, whether we all know that or not. Some see it as a nuisance, but we gotta have it!!

I suppose it's because of my farmer girl upbringing that I am such a fan of rain -- any amount and any way it is delivered -- I love it! My Daddy was that way too. I remember a conversation Daddy and I had about rain. William and I and the boys lived in the College Station area of Texas for a couple of years. College Station is 90 miles from Houston, very coastal, almost tropical -- very humid and rainy. We mowed our lush green yard in the middle of February! In shorts and t-shirt!!! A real treat for us dried out flat-landers.

Anyway, I digress -- I was on the phone talking to my Daddy during one of the many, almost daily, rain storms we were experiencing. The whole Texas Gulf coast area was caught up in a pattern of tropical depressions, disturbances and storms. We even had one full grown hurricane that season. The storms lined up that year in such a way that it would start raining on Tuesday and by Saturday, when the Aggies were playing football, the storm was really coming down. We had to invest in a bunch of rain ponchos for game days. The Aggies, by the way, won the Big XII that year!!! They do better in the rain, too. I just always think of our time in Bryan/College Station as a series of "treats" the Lord lined up for us. The constant rain was just one of many. (I'll tell you about more of those "treats" in later posts.)

So, my Daddy says "So, how does it rain there?" with a little longing in his voice. It was a pretty dry season "back home", much like what we are currently experiencing. That might seem like a strangely worded question to some I'm supposing. But to me....I knew exactly what he meant. I said "well, is just kind of cloudy and then the sky opens up and it just rains -- it just falls out of the sky, straight down." "Yeah, that's what I thought," he said with a kind of heavy sigh. And we went on with the rest of the conversation. I mean it just rained there. No big bad wind or storm warnings. No hail. Just rain -- straight down! Ahhhhhhh

Rain just has such a way of refreshing. I love it! And when we've been without measurable rainfall for as long as we have this time, I start to feel it in my skin, in my attitude, in my very being. Can you imagine how it must have felt when Elijah prayed that it NOT rain and it didn't for 3 and a half years!!!! WOW!!! Now that's a long dry spell! "Again, he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." James 5: 18

That story, told in I Kings 17, always comes to my mind when we are experiencing long dry times. I find myself wondering "Who is praying?" AND for what? AND by whose request? The dry times Elijah prayed for and then prayed would end, had a greater purpose. The LORD desired the people's attention turned back to Him. He doesn't, then or now, tolerate our idols and false gods. The LORD will not share the glory with any other god. God Almighty is our sole source of ALL our provision! And that includes every drop of precious rain that falls.

"LORD, thank you for the rain you sent on our parched land and our parched skin and our parched being. You know all our needs and we trust you fully to provide what we truly need. So, Lord send the rain! Send your rain to our innermost parts. Refresh us with your Word. Refresh us with your rain! We give you and you alone our praise!!"

PARTY ON !!!!!!!

I am gonna get pictures on here!! Really I am! Just as soon as I figure out that part. I'll be calling on some of you other kind blogger friends to help me!!!!

Today is already Thursday?? I can't believe it's Thursday already!!!! I really ought to be in a big panic by now, really I figured I'd flip out way before now. But I'm surprisingly, even somewhat suspiciously calm. Hmmm?

As some of you know, my oldest son, Colin got married to the love of his life, Ronnie, last month right after Christmas. Because they really wanted a very intimate wedding with their immediate family and very closest friends in attendance, only those people were invited to the wedding. The wedding was way out in the remote, west Texas panhandle area and was quite a drive for most friends, especially during the holidays. Soooo, we planned a big reception/shower/party and have invited everyone to come celebrate their marriage with us. Saturday is party day! Yea! I am so excited on many levels -- 1. I love parties! Actually, I love hosting parties way better than attending parties, and 2. I love planning parties! also 3. we will get to sit and visit with friends - old and new. But mostly, 4. I have never seen my son, Colin, so happy. Ever! In his whole life! What a joy it has been to see God orchestrate this love story! It all happened very quickly, very calmly and without any drama at all. It's been so much fun and we've all just been "kicked back" about it all. Which is my only explanation for the lack of panic today. I've been so "kicked back" I just haven't even made any lists.

I am a big planner and all in all, a better than average organized person. I always, always have lists going. Grocery list, chore list, weekend work list, home repair list, ranch work list, books I love list, on and on it goes. I work off of lists, my life revolves around lists. And, I , for the most part, usually have it pretty together....because of my lists!!!! For an event of this magnitude, I really ought to have a minimum of 4 lists going for several weeks now, just to keep it all straight. But, I don't!! Yesterday was the first time I made a list of any kind for the party and that was just for groceries. So the fact that it is already Thursday and we have a party happening in about 48 hrs. to which I have invited 300 of our closest friends and family AND I'm not in full blown, sitting in a corner, whimpering panic ---- remarkable!! really, truly remarkable!!

Just a few hrs. ago, well, several hrs. ago now -- I did wake up at 4 a.m., wild-eyed and staring out into the dark and wondering "where might I find some tablecloths??, huh??? where? and what do ya think ya might want to put in the middle of those tables with those tablecloths that I'm gonna find wherever it is you get tablecloths? huh??? AND what are we gonna do with ......" Good Grief!! I neeeeeeeeed some lists!!!!!!!! Gotta go now. Gotta go make lists. Gotta preserve what bits of sanity I have left. (to be continued.......)

DREAMS

I've been "dreaming" a lot lately! Sorting out what's from God and what's from my own overactively and fertile imagination is quite the challenge. As I have prayed through all of these possibilities before me, I have pared down my list of New Year's goals for 2009. As I began to look at what was laid out before me, items fell out naturally into 4 different categories. : Physical, Spiritual, Knowledge/Skills and Just for Fun, although some items probably overlap into more than one category. I am listing these Dreams from the Lord here for a couple of reasons. First, I want these goals written down where I can see them and be reminded of them every day. I want to have them in front of me so I know where I'm going. Like having a little GPS/roadmap of goals for 2009. And second, I want to be open in my life and invite accountability from my friends. Also I wouldn't mind your prayers as I set out to accomplish what the Lord has laid out for me this year. So, here is the list --

Physical goals --

• 1. Lose x number of pounds this year. The Lord has given me a number and I will likely be sharing more about this area as the year goes along. Whereas in decades past, my desire in losing weight was to look good in a swimsuit for the summer or to fit into some skinny dress for a special event, these days I just desire to live every year, day and moment the Lord intends AND to be healthy! To Live Out Loud!!!
• 2. Train to participate (whether by running/jogging/walking/shuffling) in the Jingle Bell run in Fort Worth in December 2009. This is something I would love to "run" with my daughter, granddaughter and any other family and friends who want to join us.

Spiritual goals --

• 1. Read thru the Bible this year along with many from my church, Paulann, who are taking the challenge. On this Day 26 of that process, my life has already been enriched. There is nothing, nothing like Truth -- God's Word -- to enhance and empower life!!
• 2. Memorize 24 scriptures over the course of the year. Beth Moore, on her blog, has challenged her fellow travellers, to memorize a new scripture every 1st and 15th of each month. Here's how it works: search out what scripture the Lord is pointing out in your life, then write that scripture down in a journal, notebook -- I keep mine in a 5 by 7 index card spiral. Then keep that scripture before your eyes for the next 1/2 month -- read it, repeat it, write it, say it and meditate on it! I've always used the excuse "I just can't memorize" when it comes to scripture memory. But, the Lord has pointed out to me that is not true. I manage to memorize all sorts of other stuff that isn't of any consequence in my life AT ALL! (song lyrics, names of tv characters, quotes) OOOOhhhh - busted!!! So, here I go ............
• 3. Do 2 meaty Bible studies during the year. I need the consistency of having "homework" on a daily basis and I need the consistency of interaction with other women in a Bible study setting. "Iron sharpens iron" and we all need to keep sharp!!

Knowledge/Skills goals --

• 1. Start and keep a blog. In starting this blog, I am realizing a long time dream of having a forum to write down "the thinks I think". I always said it would be a process primarily just for me -- therapeutic, like a diary, and IF someone read my words and IF someone liked them or related to them, great. And IF no one read or enjoyed or even cared about my blog, so be it! After all, it was just for me anyway. HA!!! Putting your thoughts on a "page" and putting them out there is, I am finding, a really weird and sometimes scary thing. I find that I am waaaaay too susceptible to what someone else thinks of me, way too insecure to just truly not care what you think. And ya know, I think that is another goal I've just unearthed. :) I think this goal would better be listed under "spiritual" but since I'm on a roll, here goes --- It is my goal (and definitely God's dream for me) to become so totally secure in who I am in HIM, that it truly doesn't matter so much what someone else thinks!! Really, we all could have that as a goal, perhaps. Especially we women! I fear we are, many of us, too wrapped up in what someone thinks of us and how we live our lives. I'm gonna work on this!!
• Back a trailer -- yes, I know. How can a girl grow up in the country on a farm and ranch and not know this basic of life? Well, my Dad always did the backing up of the trailer. Then my husband did it. Now my kids do it. I just never learned how. I've tried it a couple times, took out a fence post or two, cranked the steering wheel so far we nearly jackedknifed in the pasture :) and then got out, went around to the passenger's seat and let someone else do it!!!! for gosh sakes. BUT, I want, no I need to learn to back a trailer!!!!
• Learn to play my guitar. Now I have always, always, as long as I can remember, wanted to play a guitar. My husband surprised me with a guitar on my birthday a couple years ago and I completely panicked. When he presented it to me, he had me close my eyes and hold out my arms and he laid it across them and then "surprise! open your eyes!" I know he expected more joy and excitement on my part. But I just sat there with a "deer in the headlights" look thinking "Awwww, no!!!!!" I mean, I'd been talking about how I would just love to play the guitar and how that really was something I wanted to learn and I really thought that would be on my "bucket list"(if I had a bucket list) and blah, blah, blah. And THEN there is a guitar in my arms -- Busted, dude!!!! In effect, he called my bluff. And I was so undone by it, it went back in the case and I've never even touched it since. Can you believe that! What a weeny!!!! Soooo, gonna pick that baby up and learn to do something? -- a nice chord perhaps? :) Gonna be livin' LOUD!!!!

Just For Fun --

• Float another river. I have a goal of floating all the floatable rivers in Texas. There are quite a few. Honestly, I don't really know exactly how many. But, I've only floated 3 of them so far. And I need to be floating somewhere this summer if that goal is gonna be achieved in my lifetime. Ahhh, so many rivers, so little time..........
• Learn to kayak/canoe. It looks like so much fun! I'm really not much for boating in general, I guess. Speed boats, ski boats, bass boats, peerows -- non hold much fascination for me. Now a yacht -- there a boat I could get into!! HA!! Really, to float/paddle a kayak or a canoe just seems to me to be very "basic" somehow. Very simple, very soothing, very primal ----
• Ride a horse. Now I have ridden a horse before, but only a couple of times. Not pleasant or fun in any way. It was a brain-jarring experience actually and much flapping and flailing went on. But, I love horses so much and I am enough of a romantic and a country girl, that I want to try it again.

So, there it is!! My Goals and God's Dreams for me for 2009! Wow!! Gotta go, kids.....time's a'wastin'.......................................................................................

"I KNOW!!" I practically screamed. William, my husband of 37 years ( let me tell ya, this man has endured many such outbursts ) opened his mouth to speak, but of course, I interrupted his thoughts and continued screaming and squealing!!!! "I know, I know, I know, I know!!" I declared, "I know what to do with Little Tractor! Let's not get rid of it, let's keep it and paint it pink!!!!" Bless him! Sweet man! Do you know his response was simply a smile and an "Okay! why not?" And ya know what? He really meant it.....



We've been thinking what to do with my Papaw's old Ford tractor. It's one of those cute little gray and red numbers, all pale and faded, with peely paint. Made decades ago, it really has lost most of its usefulness. The Little Tractor isn't big enough or powerful enough to really plow a field. And it doesn't have enough umph to carry heavy loads like a newer, revved up lawn tractors would. Kind of a clunker of a piece of farm equipment, mostly just in the way. Time to be put out to pasture. Which is exactly where the Little Tractor has been for the last couple of decades. Just sitting out in the weather, waiting for rust to set in and do its worst. We've tried to sell it several times. We've tried to kind of rehab it and get it back in the ag game, so to speak. Still it sits!! So, we were kind of kicking around the idea of just donating it to an organization that could in turn sell it and keep the money as a donation. Not a bad idea, I guess. Except.....here's the deal -----



I love Little Tractor! I really do! I have wonderful memories that revolve around that tractor. My earliest recollection of Little Tractor is one of sitting on my Papaw's knee and my dog, Corky, a not so small English spaniel sitting on his other knee, while he plowed up the spot for the garden. I was probably all of 2 years old! All of my own kids have played on and under and around Little Tractor. And each of them has driven Little Tractor way before they were old enough to drive a truck. We all have many memories associated with Little Tractor, most sweet but some bitter. One day when my daughter was about 6, she plopped down on the tractor seat to just sit a while and play-like and a whole nest of yellowjackets that had been building under the seat, rose up and bit her on the bottom. To this day, I've never heard that kind of shrieking and crying. Mamaw ran to the rescue with a bottle of laundry bluing liquid in her hand and sloshed it on Dana's backside, immediately calming the pain.



By the time the kids were all in their teen years, my Daddy had renamed Little Tractor. Once after someone had tinkered around with the motor and revved it up a bit, Little Tractor seemed to have a new lease on life. One of the kids asked him "Granddaddy, does it run?" "Does it run?" my Dad said laughing,"Why, it runs like a spotted-assed ape!" We all fell out laughing over that one and of course, Little Tractor had a new name from that day on.



Many guests of our farm have taken little tractor for a spin up and down the country roads. One guest I remember loved driving Little Tractor because it took her back to her own childhood on the farm. All of us have loved Little Tractor. It's just always been here on the farm. It really belongs here, I think. Surrounded by the people who love it. Not on an auction block for a few dollars! Which brings me to how I started this blog....painting Little Tractor pink.



Now whether I actually DO paint Little Tractor pink ??? Well, we'll see..... I mean, how exactly would one go about painting a tractor anyway???? Hmmm??? Also, I can almost hear the question "Isn't Little Tractor a boy?" To which I say no, no she is not!!! How do I know this? I will tell you. I know this because Little Tractor has never been pushy or boisterous. She has always been genteel and well-mannered. She has always been reserved with a quiet spirit about her. She has never, ever been the big, loud, dirt-clod kicking, smoke-belching kind of tractor that does the jobs that require brut strength. Her area of expertise has been plowing gardens and straightening end rows. Grooming, if you will. Nurturing. She's really been good at nurturing. And because of all these qualities and because of such neglect in latter years, I firmly believe Little Tractor would enjoy a nice coat of yummy pink paint. I think Little Tractor has always secretly dreamed of being an eye-popping, head-turning tractor. She's got a dream! And I'm gonna make that dream come true!



Little Tractor and I have a lot in common I think. I, too , was made decades ago. And I, at times in my life, have felt a bit pale and faded, with peely paint. At first glance, one might think I've also lost most of my usefulness. And I know there are times that I feel like a clunker. Some of my agility is gone and I see newer, revved up models all the time that are doing all the things I used to do and either can't do anymore or just flat don't wanna do.

Now Little Tractor doesn't really, really have feelings nor does she dream. You do know that, right? I know that! Really, I do! I, however, do have dreams. Dreams that the Lord God has planted in my heart. And as those dreams have taken root and started to grow, I know I am coming back to life. I've been resusitated. I'm once again excited about my life! I'm thrilled to greet each new day! I am stepping out in faith in my prayers and believing for the things God Himself has promised me! I am practicing those things I want to get really good at -- giving and praying and loving. And I'm taking captive all those things that don't have a place in a Believer's thoughts. I'm learning to be grateful, truly thankful, for all that the Lord has allowed into my life. These things, these Dreams were planted in my heart by the Lord Himself and because He gave me these Dreams, I know they are a done deal!!! When God desires something for us and we grab hold of that something and desire it for ourselves, it is as good as ours!

By now you must know that Little Tractor and her coat of jazzy pink paint is very symbolic. A symbol of so many things. Of achieving God's Dreams for my life. Of getting a second chance(or sixth or fourteenth). Of seeing the Lord restore the years the locust(or rust) have eaten. Of living the last remaining years of my life oh, so much better than I lived the first many years of my life. For every year of my life since I can remember I have yearned to live bigger and louder than I've ever had the courage to live. Well, one of the Dreams that the Lord has just recently given me, is That Dream -- the one of living out loud!!

So here it is -- my desire for you, if you have read this far, is for you to start asking the Lord to give you His Dreams for your life. Ask Him. He has such Dreams for us - more than we can even imagine -- and I believe He so desires for us to make His Dreams our own.

I'm excited about writing this blog. I believe it is a small part of living out loud! Thanks for reading! I welcome your comments.