"You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be sure, because there is hope, You will look about you and take your rest in safety.  You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid..." Job 11:16-19 

Under his wings

My sister told of an incident that happen to her friend that reminds me of God's protection. The young girl was home in her apartment when a man broke in. She had her cell phone and ran upstairs and called 911. They told her to run to her bedroom and lock the door and hide in the closet. She did and talked to the 911 operator as she heard the man downstairs. She heard him breaking into the bedroom and then heard him open the closet door. She was crouching there in plain sight. He looked in, then slowly closed the door and walked out of the room. What did he see?

The next day in their Ladies Bible Study they studied this verse

"Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge: His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night..." Psalm 91:1-2

She said the ladies all said they could just see a young girl with angel wings covering her in that closet.

Machseh is the Hebrew name for God is our Refuge.

Gun totin Grandma

My cousin sent me this picture of my great grandmother, Roxanne. My question is why did she want a picture with her gun? Why? Did she love that gun? By the looks on her and her sidekick face, this wasn't a practical joke. So....were Yankees coming? A varmit hanging around? Supper needed gittin? Grandma, I wish you could talk.

I love this swing and mighty tree. I have taken pictures of it each time we pass it. Why? Maybe a lot of reasons. One, to ride to this  spot takes about an hour and half. So you know it is going to be at least a 3 hour ride.That's a good thing. Another reason is wondering about this peaceful place. It is in the middle of a soybean a long way from a house. So who walks out here and just sits and watch the soybeans dry up. I think I would rather be on the horse riding off in the sunset.

If You Could See Me Now:

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold. If you could see me now, I'm standing tall and whole. If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen Him face to face; if you could only see me now.
She spent her 28 years here on earth in a wheelchair dreaming of dancing and running. Yesterday she went to home to dance with her Lord.  See you again Krystal and give my mom a hug for me.

A Drive-By Vacation

   We enjoy traveling but don’t get to go as much as I would like. Anyone who knows me knows I love Florida especially Destin. But my husband doesn’t share my passion. So through the years we have learned we do better with short, quick trips to Florida. 

   Sometimes I refer to these quick trips as drive-by vacations. We recently did a drive by of Louisiana, Alabama & Florida. 

   We left Memphis on a Thursday, rolled in New Orleans by 11am. Instead of wondering who would feed Tucker our weim, we just brought him along(glad we didn't do the same for our horses). Glen knows what I like to see in New Orleans. We love the city for entirely different reasons than most people. So I could see him checking things off in his head.  

Drive down the street and let her off at Café Du Monde, 

circle the block pick her, the coffee and beignets up, take her to the french market and circle while she shops, then go ride the ferry over and back, drive through Garden District, 

taking pictures of trolley cars, find a locale food stop for wonderful shrimp poorboys and heading out of NO by 3pm. Ahead of schedule.
   So that was night #1 (Tucker was tuckered out just keeping up).

  Next on the list (we both love this)  is to ride through all the fishing villages all the gulf around Gulfport. We are totally amazed at all the destruction still there from Katrinia. 

  We then go to Daulphin Isle and ride the ferry over to end up in Gulf Shores. He knows I love the outlet mall there, and I saw his eyes light up when I said I had gone through it that afternoon and was finished with it. Big mistake. That knocked a day off the list. So then seafood dinner, walk on the beach (check off two) and coffee on the beach in the morn was all that was remained. 

We accomplished that and was on the road by 7am Saturday and was heading home.
But you know, we left home laughing and talking and we were headed back home doing the same. Good Trip.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth"  

3 John 1:4

                                             WE WERE THE GIRLS OF THE SIXITIES

   Yesterday, I went back in time for a couple of hours. Thanks to Mr. Facebook I found two of my best friends from my childhood. One I hadn’t seen in probably 35 years. A lifetime ago. What fun!
   One commented it was like we have seen each other every day. We picked right up with our friendship like there had been no gap. We laughed, cried, talk of loved ones we had lost, our disappointments and achievements, our regrets and our wishes. And of course 50 something year old ladies have to talk about their ailments. I noticed one topic we all three exclaimed the most—we love playing with our grandbabies. 
Some of our conversation—
-“You know what I remember—Didn’t you have to go to the hospital when you were little because you had stuck meat up your nose.” (the answer was yes, that was me.)
-“Didn’t you go to school and forgot and had you had your pajama bottoms on?”
-“I remember you had to clean baseboards before we could go to the park.” “Yeah you were a princess and didn’t have to do housework.”
-“Remember when ya’ll would come to my house in the summer—one would come for 2 days and the other you would have to run off after 2 weeks.”
-“Wait, don’t say anything, I’ve got a phone call and I told my family to leave me alone for this.”
-“Remember when we got together when we were first married and you two had to house sit at a mortuary and invited us. Your husband was so spooked. Then Soul Train came on and scared us to death.”
-“What was that boy’s name that lived down the street and was so good looking?” “Yeah I used to date him.” “So did I after you.” “You dated him too? I didn’t know that!”
-“Here are pictures of the big snow.”
-We talked of our men, our children, places we lived –“the best part about one place was seeing it in my rearview mirror as I left that city.”

  Fifty years have come and gone since three little girls held hands on a playground, dreamed of being horses, kicked the boys we liked and formed a friendship that lasted a lifetime. I am sure that God gives us friends as a gift and I am thankful He let me find two long times friends.

Our reunion reminded me of a song I like-Eighties Ladies—the red words are the changes I added.

We were three little girls from school.
One (make that the other two) was pretty, one (two)was smart
And one was a borderline fool.(that’s me)
Well she's(they) still good lookin' That woman hadn't slipped a bit.
The smart one used her head She made her fortune.
And me, I cross the border every chance I get.

We were the girls of the 50's.(60’s)
Stoned (maybe stones on the playground)rock and rollers in the 60's.(Louie Louie-none of us knew the words just that they were bad)
And more than our names got changed as the 70's slipped on by.
Now we're 80's (50 something) ladies. There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.

We've been educated. We got liberated.
And had complicating matters with men.
Oh, we've said "I do" And we've signed "I don't"
And we've sworn we'd never do that again. (hmmm I think we covered this)
Oh, we burned our bras, (mine was a small small fire)
And we burned our dinners And we burned our candles at both ends.
And we've had some children Who look just like the way we did back then.(this is so true)

Oh, but we're all grown up now.
All grown up, But none of us could tell you quite how.
We were the girls of the 50's.Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.
And, more than our names got changed, As the 70's slipped on by.
Now we're 50 something year old ladies. There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.

"Your Word,O Lord is eternal; it stands firm in the Heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations: you established the earth, and it endures."

snow snow again

We are in the South. 

We usually get a little snow but 2 big snows in one week is too much for us west Tennesseers. Can't do anything about it but don't have to like it. I saw my buttercups coming up and singing "Spring is coming" but I noticed yellow snow showing what my dogs think of their song. I agree with my dogs 

Back up on I=U8 Take udder route

"Please no rubber-necking"

I always go by these cows at feeding time. The interstate went right through the farm with the pasture on one side and the barn and feed on the other. At rush hour time every day there is a backup.

Riding

I guess a horse back rider is alot like a old ball player. If they aren't riding they are talking about past rides. It is cold and wet here with more coming. There has been times in the past when that didn't stop us but this year has been different. Not really a reason why just a lot of little reasons. Our five hour rides have turned into three hours. I hope this is just what is happening now and not the trend for the future.  I have 2 cousins who are in their 80's and hop up and ride in field trials for hours.  This picture is him on his Paso Fino.

I haven't rode in the dog field trials this year as in previous years. The Nationals are next week at the Ames Planation. You can look at pictures and read about it at www.amesplanation.org. Hopefully we will ride in them this year. We had so much fun last year. About 400 riders in the brace we rode in.

 The problem is our horses aren't in the physical shape they have been before. The trial is about 3 hours in the morn and 3 in the afternoon. If it has been raining then you are crossing some muddy muddy fields. Some of those big gelding just act like it is a stroll. But hard on a horse out of shape. I enjoy watching the dogs run and be on a point.

But even if I don't ride I love taking pictures there. But riding is the best.

Gracie and Preacher on a cold Tennessee morning. Usually you can get action shots

when there is snow but this was so much ice that they walked slow and easy. They were uneasy about the noise when the ice crunched. As I stood in the pasture, I saw and heard trees and branches falling. Answers the question of if you can hear a tree fall in forest.

Start the new Year

I thought I would start the year with a blog. I love taking pictures and wanted a place to put some pictures and maybe a story or two. I am sure that I will get busy with life and not also be faithful with posting but that's okay.
I have so many pictures of our house from this angle when it snows. I guess the morning light, the snow & the lake make such a pretty reflection.