Grammys Corgi Country

One thing about Corgis, and Border Collies apparently… they are like cats…(don’t tell them I said that… it’s a “dirty word” to a lot of dogs). They play just like them, though. One of Dott’s favorite things to do is to chase the “fishing pole” type toy that my son made for her. It used to be a long buggy whip and he flicks the long end around and she chases it and sometimes even turns flips trying to follow it and grab it.

I mentioned, the other day, that they all love to chase the “little red bug” (my son’s laser light). In fact, you have to be very careful not to start a fight with that thing, because Sadie, Dott AND B.G. will all start chasing it and then bang into each other, which can cause a fight. It’s a lot like little kids that start playing roughly with each other, and then one gets hurt and they start fighting.

Sadie caught a mouse outside while I was feeding the horses the other day, and she was slapping it back and forth and tossing it in the air exactly like a cat would do. Dott and B.G. do the same thing with a lot of their toys, and it’s hysterical just to watch them.

Ok… so I take pleasure in some of the simple things in life, but letting God take care of my cares, and taking time to smell the roses or watch the Corgis play, makes life so much more satisfying than stressing about things that “may” happen, or things that I can’t do anything about anyway.

That is what is so wonderful about Corgi Country. It is a haven away from traffic, noise, and other sources of stress. I can always turn off the TV and listen to music or even just listen to the birds sing, or the horses munch on their hay. Doing what the Bible says in Matthew 6:34 has become my main philosophy of life I think… At least since I’ve tried to follow it this past year, it has worked for me! Essentially, it says to take one day at a time and don’t worry about tomorrow.

After all, we don’t even know if we will be here tomorrow (freak car accident, stray bullet, meteor coming through the ceiling, etc.). If you’ve taken care of the important things between yourself and God, then THAT isn’t a problem, so just do what you need to do each day, to keep things in running order.

Be careful not to add the world’s problems to your shoulders by feeding your brain depressing stuff you can’t do a thing about anyway… that doesn’t mean not to do your part, like voting intelligently according to your principles, but so many times we sit there and watch T.V. shows that just put junk into our heads. Computer people say, “Garbage In, Garbage Out,” when talking about programming a computer and some of those principles apply to what we allow to go into our brain.

Today, start the New Year by making an effort to feed your brain good things… things that bring you joy and peace, and cut back on things that bring you down. This has been shown, by numerous studies, to lengthen your life, by lowering blood pressure, and the levels of stress hormones in your body that tears it down over time… Take a walk with a loved one, or a dog (same thing actually) and really LOOK around you. Look at the rainbows in the diamonds of dew on the leaves or a spider’s web. Watch a comedy or read a funny or uplifting book. Feed your brain good things!

Take your first steps toward a more peaceful way of living today, and try to make it your way of life…

Well, we are saying good-bye to another old year, and hello to a new one. We’ve seen quite a change since last year started. So many things have happened. The Stock Market was running wild and the gas prices were way out of control. Now things have changed drastically. Stock Markets have crashed all over the world, and the big gas companies (we are in an oil drilling area) have all stepped back and have stopped drilling or at the very least, cut way back because it costs more to drill for the oil than they will make from selling it. One of the big companies around here, Flying J, has gone bankrupt this past week, and many of the small oil producing companies that they bought from, haven’t been paid for the past month so many of them will probably be go under soon.

There are wars and rumors of wars in many places, and the seas rage… the earth trembles with earthquakes more and more in unusual places. Gee… it sounds like something out of the pages of the Bible.

Well, God told us what would happen, but most people don’t want to hear it or acknowledge it. He also gives us hope and promises of help in times of trouble, and I’ve a feeling that we are going to need all the help we can get in the future we are stepping into.

He has told many people, all through time, what was going to happen, AND it ALWAYS happened sooner or later. People need to read His Book, the Bible, to learn HISTORY (His Story). It was the letter He gave us so that we could learn of Him and not have to make up a God of our own as so many people do. Many people are still doing that, throwing out the parts of His Book that they don’t like and dwelling on the parts they do.

He did the best He could do for us. HE made us, and HE makes the rules, and the rules say, if you sin, your Spirit dies and you end up in hell. THEN, He said, I love you, though, and I will send a perfect sacrifice to pay for YOUR sin, so that you can have the choice… accept the ticket to Heaven that He paid for, and turn from the sins that you have been doing. Ask Him into your life so that His Holy Spirit will enter your heart and HELP you clean up your life because you can’t do it yourself. Follow Him, putting Him first in your life and He promises that ALL the things we need (not necessarily want…) will be taken care of. (Matthew 6: 25- 34)

A New Year is a good time to start a New Life… and each day, as they say, “Is the beginning of the REST of your life.” He’s always been faithful to me, and I know He loves you. Have a God Blessed year !!!

Late yesterday afternoon, Hubby took me to the big town, bought me some hay and put my wedding ring in to be fixed, both of which were the best Christmas presents I could have had.

I always ask for hay, since it is so expensive, and to me, it is like being given more time with my horses… not having to sell them because I can’t feed them… so it means a lot to me. I didn’t know that he’d gotten a bonus that was big enough for him to get me these two wonderful gifts, and I had really been praying about having enough hay, with a few little prayers about the ring. He got me enough hay for two more weeks which should hold them until I get paid.

I haven’t been able to wear my wedding ring for the past couple of months because the prongs that hold the diamond in the engagement ring part were so worn that the diamond could have fallen out with a simple bump. Praise God we found that out before it happened!

Worn prongs

Since I’ve worn it for over 33 years, I have really missed having it on my finger. My son had the idea for me to find a ring that I could wear so that I had something there and that helped a lot. One other time I’d taken it off to have it fixed and had some kind of nervous attack… it was really weird. I have been wearing my mom’s “mother’s ring” with a plain wedding band, and it’s been ok… just not the same because I’ve loved my ring since I first saw it.

Proper prongs

When we were engaged, Hubby and I had gone to Roger’s Jewelers to look for one that would be something like one my girlfriend had gotten, and when I saw the simple, single antiqued rose with the diamond in the middle, I totally fell in love with it. The black antiquing in the golden petals set off the glittering diamond like it had been laid on black velvet. The wedding band that came with it wrapped around the rose of the engagement ring. I’ve never seen a ring that I’ve thought was prettier throughout all these years. It is much simpler than the one my friend got, but I like it much better. I’ll post a picture when I get it back.

After that, we went to the bookstore (Hubby’s favorite place, and he had gotten a gift card for it) and then tried to go to Applebee’s® because we’d gotten a gift certificate for dinner, but they were packed and we didn’t want to have to wait forever to eat. We ended up at a Farmer Boys ® Restaurant and had dinner there and it was very good.

As we were leaving town, we drove by a bunch of people protesting our country’s involvement in the wars we are in. My husband got rather upset, because he remembers the hurt of the way he was treated for being in the service during the Vietnam war. There hadn’t been time to roll down the window, as we drove by, and say something, or I would have told them that those men over there are brave and honorable, and are fighting for their rights to freedom of speech that lets them hold their protests. They should be supporting them instead of cutting them down and saying evil things about them.

We talked a lot on the rest of the drive home, and I learned a lot more about my special man’s life, so it was a very nice evening together.

I hope that you have time to spend with a loved one this weekend. Share your thoughts and learn more about their life; their loves, hates, and other feelings. Take time to listen…

It’s twenty minutes to midnight and I finally got a chance to sit down at the computer. Christmas is almost over. I just came in from feeding the horses and it is REALLY blowing out there… hard enough that I had to lean to walk against the wind while carrying the hay to Cory’s stall. At least once in the stall, it was nice and cozy, so his hay won’t blow away.

I put Dancer and Tuffy’s hay by some other outbuildings so that they can eat without their hay blowing away either. They do have a stall available, but I’ve only seen them in it when it is really hot and they want to stay out of the sun… I don’t think they like the creaking of the tin walls or something when it’s windy.

The stars shone so brightly that I could see the sweep of the Milky Way, which only happens when it is extra clear and dark. It made me think of a very interesting television show that I watched a few days ago. It talked about this lawyer that had a computer program that star researchers use, and how he had used it, along with all the references in the Bible about the star that the Wise Man followed, to pin-point what he thinks was the Star of Bethlehem. It was a fascinating program, and I plan to purchase it for our Church Library (I’m the librarian.) If you are interested in checking this out, his website is: http://www.bethlehemstar.net/.

It turned out to be quite a day. Last night, at about 1 a.m., I found that there had been a hole in my purse and my lower partial (which I had taken out because of a sore on my gums) had fallen out and the dog (probably Sadie) had chewed them up… This is NOT GOOD!!! I had recently had the dentist check to see how much it would cost to make a new set, and the part we would have to pay, even with the great insurance I have, is WAY more than we could handle. This partial is of the four lower, front teeth, so it is VERY noticeable. I guess I needed to be humbled a little or something. There is nothing I can do about it, so I guess I’ll just have to live with it until the Lord makes a way for me to get some new ones.

I finally got the last gift wrapped and went to bed, and when I got up this morning, my cowboy son called to ask if it was alright if he came by to bury one of their old dogs who had passed away. Cheyenne had been a rescue dog that they had found and befriended a little over 9 years ago. She acted as though she had been abused before they found her and was terrified of most people and just a bunch of skin and bones. My daughter-in-law finally got her trust and, like most abused or neglected rescue dogs, she won the COMPLETE love and devotion of the beautiful animal.

Cheyenne looked as though she was probably a cross between a Golden Lab, and a German shepherd. She looked like a Golden Lab, but with German Shepherd coloration. She was beautiful, and once she learned she could trust some people, she was very sweet, though still a bit wary around strangers. She was really good around my grandson from the time he was born. She was several years old when they took her in, and had been showing her age quite a bit lately. Cheyenne will be greatly missed by those that loved her. My son buried her out in the side pasture where several other doggy friends we’ve had over the years are buried.

The rest of the day went pretty well, though. There was tons of food, (tomorrow, I’ll give you the recipe to Nana’s Candied yams) lots of love, and fun opening, and watching the little kids open, presents. The Corgis helped clean up the wrapping paper, as usual, and enjoyed their jerky treats and the many handouts of food and leftovers during cleanup time.

It’s a good thing they don’t get to eat like that all the time or we’d be rolling them around from place to place. Corgi’s DON’T have very long legs, so if their bellies get to big, they tend to drag the ground… remember the picture of O.C. when she was pregnant with those eight pups?!

I hope your day was a full and satisfying one, and that you were able to give God your problems and count your blessings. .

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your day was a special one filled with love and joy.

We always go into town to my sister’s house (used to be my mom’s before she left for Heaven), and join with the rest of our extended family for the whole day. There is always a ton of food, (not great for someone who is trying to change their lifestyle away from dwelling on food…) and the company of many friends, as well as family, as people drop by off and on during the day.

Three of my kids will be there this year, and four grandkids, as well as nieces, and grandnieces. The two of my sisters live next door to each other, so all of the dogs come over, too. That’s a minimum of 12 adults, 6 little kids between the ages of one and 8, and 8 dogs. Needless to say, it gets quite crowded at times.

One of my sister’s dogs is a one year old German Shorthair dog that is HUGE. Actually, she belongs to my BIL. She is all legs and energy, and, like most puppies, she’s not always careful about others when she is playing. You have to be careful that she doesn’t knock you “head over heels.” She’s such a silly girl, too, in the way that she drinks water. She puts her head way down to the bottom of the bowl to drink, so she sprays water all over the place when she’s done. She usually ends up having to go outside after a little while, though she has been able to stay longer as she’s grown older and gotten a bit more disciplined (like all pups…)

My sister, the kids call her Mimi, has two little Chihuahua mixes named Dolly and Kisses, and the other sister, the kids call her Naunie, has an older yellow lab named Daisy, and a black and white Shih Tzu named Mia. Our three corgis have all gone to Mimi’s since they were tiny pups whenever we go in, so they play quite well with Dolly and Kisses. None of them are too happy with the bouncing, careening, gigantic (as far as they are concerned) Molly, though.

One of our Christmas traditions is to all sit around the living room before opening presents, and talk with the children about the real reason for the season, and sing some songs, including Happy Birthday to Jesus. I’m writing this on Christmas Eve, so I will have to let you know how the day went in tomorrow’s blog. I’ve got some last minute wrapping to get done tonight.

May the knowledge and joy of what God did when He sent His Son so long ago, bloom like a beautiful rose in your life, and may you have a wonderful, joy filled day. Again, have a very Merry Christmas!

There is another treasure waiting for us in Heaven… Today, my husband and I attended another funeral. This time it was for a good friend of my husband’s… one he had worked with for many years. About a month ago, we saw him for the last time, and, as usual, he was smiling and joking around, and Hubby had a really good time talking to him and reminiscing about old times.

He’d been living in a little place beside his sister for the past several years since her husband had passed away, and while they talked, she came over to me and quietly told me that he had recently had surgery and the doctor had opened him, then closed him back up, because cancer was all through him. She said that they figured that he only had a few more weeks to live. Even knowing that, he still was joking and kidding around with my husband and having a good old time. That’s the way he was… always had a smile… and so did you by the time you left his presence.

At the funeral, we read the 23rd Psalm. The minister talked about how all people, both good and bad, go through “valleys’ in their lives, but that during the bad times, we need to remember that life has both downs AND ups. We need to keep in mind, during the “dark valley” times, that if we keep our eyes looking up toward the “Light” of God, then He can lead us through that “Valley of the Shadow of Death.” John wrote, in a couple of the books of the Bible, that Jesus was the Light of the World. (John 1: 4 – 14, and I John 1: 5 thru 2: 10)

I guess that is what takes away the sting of death for me… knowing that Jesus is the Light that shows the way to Heaven. By following this light, I WILL make it there sooner or later, in His time, and see those “treasures” that I have talked about before… my mom, dad, friends, etc. that have followed Him to the homes He has made for them there.

As I think of the reason that He was given to us so long ago in that manger, especially during this time of year, I have to thank God for His gift to us… the gift of light and life that Jesus paid for. It reminds me of that Randy Travis song called “The Gift,” where it says, “He had the Birthday… WE got the gift.”

For many, this time of year is very hard to get through… in times past, it has been for me. It seems that this is a time that brings back those bitter sweet memories of those that have gone through that “Valley of the Shadow” before us. To those who are hurting during this season, I ask that you try to remember that God is there to help you through, if you ask Him too. He can show you a glimpse of that light, even if it is just flickering faintly in the haze ahead of you, and if you keep on looking, He will guide you through and out of the other side of the valley.

May God shine the light of His Holy Son into your heart and warm any coldness from pain, until it eventually melts away. To those of you who are having a good, or even great, year, find a way to shed some of that joy on others who don’t have as much as you do right now.

Psalms 19: 1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands…” and this is exactly how I felt tonight when I went outside to feed the horses. We’ve had a lot of rain lately, so the air is cleaner than it has been in a long time. The moon was non-existent during the time I was out there, and since we live so far away from any town, there was no light to dim the effects of the stars out there tonight. It looked like someone had thrown a bunch of glittering diamonds out on a black velvet cloth.

The constellations (mainly Orion’s Belt from here) were so clear and beautiful, and reminded me of what the shepherds must have seen when they were out watching their sheep at night… Especially since we had seen several flocks of sheep today as we made the hour’s drive to the “big town” to get some shopping done for groceries, horse food, and a couple of frames for some pictures I’ve finished and plan to send as gifts to family.

I was very tired tonight by the time I finally got everything put away, and dinner was made. I finally drug my old body out to feed, looked up and got such a lift! Breathing the clear, clean, cold air, and being greeted by nickering horses really revitalized me. I just had to say a prayer of thanks for this wonderful life that I’ve been blessed with.

When I think that the God that made those glittering gems in the heavens, sent His Son to pay my ticket into heaven because He loved me so much, I am just totally astounded. It is so amazing to be blessed with a wonderful family, so many friends, and to be able to live out here where I feel so close to Him so often. It’s also wonderful to have the corgis and the horses… Yes, I am truly blessed !!!

I know that there are many problems going on in this world, and I’ve had my share of them over the years, but, with God’s help, I’ve always come through the storms of this life. I’ve learned to trust in His love and care.

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May you have a God blessed day, with stars and beauty in your life. If there is a storm raging around you, please keep your eyes on God and trust Him. If you are putting Him first in your life, then He promises to help you through it and bring you to peaceful waters.

I know God has given us promises about providing for what we need IF we are “seeking His ways first in our lives” ( Matthew 6: 33 & 34). I try to put Him first in my life so that I’m doing my part, but sometimes I’m not sure when what I’m praying for and what I “need” are really the same things. For example, I know that the horses have come to us for a reason, and I really needed some hay, but I also prayed about what I was going to have to give to my grandkids because things are really tight this year with the cost of hay taking so much of our income.

Very little kids don’t understand things like that, but, Praise God, they also don’t really need very expensive things either. I had been blessed earlier in the year and had gotten some things for my older grand-daughters that I had put away, but still had to figure out something for the younger ones.

What is really wonderful is that God HAS provided for my needs… I got a check I wasn’t counting on getting for quite a while and it was bigger than I had expected, too. This has allowed us to get enough hay to last almost a month AND provided for a little extra money so that I can get a few small things for my very young grandkids. You don’t know what a HUGE blessing this is for me.

I also found some notes that I had taken many years ago when my mom was still here. I had wanted to write down many of the stories that she had told us over the years, and had been talking to her and writing down things about her life. I had hoped to write a little book with her story in it someday, as it is an amazing life that she led. Anyway, I hadn’t seen these notes in many years, and I opened a box and there they were. They are still in outline and note form, but I was able to make copies of these to give to my grown children and I know that these will be a very special gift for each of them.

May God provide your needs, and maybe a little extra…

Today I want to finish the subject I’ve been writing about the past few days… how people and God’s promises are like roses in many ways…

People have a tendency to want to do things their own way… (force open the rose before it is time to bloom), but when we do, we really mess it up. If we do mess things up, but turn and ask Him for help, God will graciously come and do a miracle a lot of times IF we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, repent and turn from our sins. Remember, sin is doing what we aren’t supposed to do according to God’s Word, OR not doing what we ARE supposed to do.

Wouldn’t it be better to follow Him from the beginning, and “let the rose open” in HIS time instead of messing things up first and THEN asking for His help.

If you have a Rosebud that God has given you… a person that He has given you to love; a friend, child, husband, etc., that you want to see in full bloom NOW, remember the Rose of Sharon that was given to Mary… He grew in God’s time… He had to FEEL the thorns of life to know what they feel like to us, and He is STILL patiently waiting on GOD’S time to receive the fulfillment of HIS destiny… To become that King that will bring peace to this world…

It must be hard for Him to see all the sin and suffering that is going on down here, but Jesus is waiting until God is ready to take the Roses from the garden in this world to the banquet feast of Heaven…

We need to trust God to bring that Rosebud that we love to its full bloom… We are the gardeners and caretakers, as the first man was in God’s garden… Maybe we were always meant to be caretakers of the things that God gives us to do… We are to: water by giving them the living water of life through our modeling, feed by teaching them the Word of God, and pull out some weeds (like when our kids are little and we are bringing them up before they leave our care.

One thing, though, that we need to remember is that God said that once the weeds have grown up with the wheat, and become part of the field, HE will do the reaping and separating in their lives. All children will sin and have to make their own choices as they grow up, but even after they leave OUR care… they never leave HIS!

We are to continue to do our part of the job: water — feed — care for (show HIS love through our lives) those Roses. We need to be VERY careful about pruning (judging), and let the MASTER gardener do that part of the gardening.

Sometimes, as we tend the Roses that God has given us to tend, we may get pricked by the thorns, but that doesn’t mean that we should quit tending them… They still need the water and food of God’s love to come to full bloom. This is very important to remember, especially if you do foster care.

Roses are beautiful when they are cared for properly. Wouldn’t you love to be able to put a beautiful Rose, or two… or a dozen… in our Lord’s hands when He calls us to that Heavenly Banquet?

As a last thought… Roses are to share as well… Once they have bloomed in our hearts… like the promises of God’s Love, Joy, and Peace, the gardener usually gives them to others to enrich their lives.

Go and pour out the perfume of the Rose of Sharon on those lives He brings to you, and don’t show them the thorns of self…

Yesterday I talked about our Christmas Tea which had a theme of roses. I compared people to roses, each different but beautiful in their own ways. I also think that God’s promises to us are often like roses. We can’t force them before their time or we will mess them up as well.

Sometimes the promises God gives have thorns to protect US from trying to pick them before they are ready… to teach us patience or other lessons we need to learn before we are mature enough to handle the promise. We are God’s children, and like children, we need to mature enough to be responsible when we receive a promise. You wouldn’t give a car to a five year old not matter how much he begged for it (at least not if you are a wise parent) even though you may promise to give one to them eventually.

Some of the promises that God gives us, were given at the time of His son’s birth which I celebrate this season. Other promises that He has given are still to come, like Jesus’ promise to return. The following are a few of the promises we have been given.

Peace: John 14: 26 & 27 The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, which I will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you… Peace I give to you… not as the world gives. Don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

Love & Joy: John 15:10 & 11 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, as I have obeyed my father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy will be in you AND that YOUR joy may be complete.

Our family: Prov. 22: 6 Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (When “old”—not necessarily when a teen, when they are often thorny and may hurt us for a while)

Healing: Prov. 3: 7 & 8 Do NOT be wise in your own eyes! Fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

Mary was given a promise. The promise was that she would bear the Son of God, and that he would be the Messiah. Jewish people, at that time, thought that “The Messiah” was coming as a reigning King that was going to wipe out their enemies and bring peace. They didn’t think about the writings of Isaiah 52: 13 thru all of Chapter 53, where God’s chosen one is shown to be a suffering servant first. These scriptures describe, clearly, Jesus’ life and crucifixion, over five hundred years before it happened. The promise of the reigning Messiah is one that is still going to be fulfilled when Jesus returns.

Still, this must have been very confusing to Mary… King’s aren’t born of poor people… They aren’t born in stables… OR, maybe they have been. Let’s take a quick look at some of the Jewish people’s leaders (God’s Roses…)

There was Joseph, who was born 11th in the line of his family, at a time when the first born was given the blessing. He was given a promise in a dream. He was a cocky, bragging boy, (trying to force the petals…). He had to go through years of prison for things he didn’t do to become the man God used to save His people.

Joseph’s story is found in Gen. 37 & 39 – 50. In Gen. 50:20, Joseph says, “You meant it for harm, but God intended it for good. To accomplish what is now being done – the saving of many lives…” Sometimes, God can use the hard things in our lives (thorns) to protect us, as Joseph was protected from murderous brothers when they decided not kill him but to sell him into slavery.

Saul started out as a young man, out looking for his father’s donkeys, when he was called and chosen to be king. He also tried to force the growth by doing it his own way. He never did stop trying, and never turned back to God. He started to consult witches (totally forbidden by God) and ended up being a twisted bunch of thorns. The blooms of his promise died and he ended up insane.

David, Esther, Moses… so many of the people God used had lived hard or sinful lives, but were given a promise from God in their early years and after a time… in God’s perfect time… when they continued to submit to Him or turn back to Him when they made a mistake, He came through and they became the man or woman of God that touched the people in their world for His glory.

It probably took Mary awhile to come to understand that God OFTEN uses the simple things of this world to bring about the highest changes. Very seldom, if at all, do people understand the way that God is going to work (or is working) in their lives. God’s ways are NOT our ways… He asks us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight …”Proverbs 3: 5 &6

This is getting pretty long for tonight, so I will try to finish it up tomorrow. I hope it is making sense… This message really spoke to me and touched my heart, and that’s why I wanted to share it with you. Have a wonderful day with the roses in your life…