The Shed Where Trotsy Lived

 

We only had about an acre of land that our humble home sat on. It was enough. Our back yard had an apple tree, a peach tree, and a persimmon tree that not only shared their beauty with us, but their fruit, as well! Most years there was an abundance. More than we could consume, so often times neighbors would stop in to gather bags of fruit for themselves. 

The Honeysuckle vines that lined our yard gave off an enticing fragrance that beckoned us to indulge in the sweet nectar that came from its blossoms. The picture you are seeing here, however, was, in the beginning, a small "play house" for our girls that later became a shed for a very important animal. It sat on the East side of our front yard (within viewing distance of my first ever business) and was never meant for the long-haul. We decorated it up with a window box positioned just beneath the fake window covering, appearing to be a protector of the window that wasn't really there. A functioning cover that could be opened and closed with ease, but we never did that, because, welllll....there was no window. I just liked the look. Clever. Right? 😁 And of course, it couldn't be complete without the old hanging shovel and pitchfork framing it. I loved this old building, once it had weathered and looked centuries old. The first (and last) building Dennis had put hard labor into building. I would tell him what was in my head, that I was certain we needed, and he would carry out my wishes to the best of his ability. That hasn't ceased over the 50 years of being married.

The old shed didn't get a lot of use, until our Meg received a gift that caused her heart to understand more fully what love really looked like. And that was the time we added an extension to the building that would be called "home" to this new found love. Must have been somewhere around 1995-96. Meg was only 11, possibly 12 years of age, at the time. The surprise gift came in the form of a horse. A very beautiful horse! More specifically, she was an Appaloosa horse that loved a good butt scratch So commanding of ones presence. And now we were faced with a challenge of where, in the small part of the world we called home, were we to put this beautiful creature. There was only one place to consider, really, and we knew it would have to be temporary at best.  Never in a million years would we expect something so...big, to take up space in our less than spacious front yard. 

Taken after Trotsy was finished with it...🤣

Beings this "pet" was a wee bit larger than the common dog, cat, hamster, or bird, she did present a dilemma. So...we asked father-in-law Denzil, and brother-in-law(s) Danny (was Jim there, too?), to help us build a fence around the East side of our yard where the shed (aka play house), stood. They added a lean-to that circled around to the back, so Trotsy would have a place to get in, out of the very cold winters we Oklahomans experienced. Rarely did a year go by that snow and ice didn't stop by for a visit and dump their contents onto us. Some years, we would wave the snow plow in, on its way into the city, just to dig our cars out from under the carport. Which, by-the-way, bent with the weight of the wet snow, as it packed itself onto its roof. Those were the years Dennis had to grab the trusty ladder and shovel some of that weight off. Nor was is uncommon for our yard to have a layer of ice spread from one end to the other during the winters chill as it blew through our part of the state. So, we did need a place to protect her from the cold as best we could. The lean-to was more of a surround-around ground-level porch, including a low step-up in which to keep her hay and grain dry. Dennis also made her a trough to eat from and we purchased a big galvanized container to water her. She was all set.

So many stories could be written about Meg's beautiful Trotsy, but not today. I only wanted to give my readers a tiny taste of what our lives were like in Oklahoma. It was our home for 39+ years. It was where God placed us, with purpose. I remember Dennis and I holding hands on the last day there, as he offered a prayer of thanksgiving for God's provision in the home he provided us to raise our treasures. Our girls. It was a bitter sweet moment, as more than a few tears were shed. But...the only constant in life is change, right? And God's love for His creation. That never changes either, and He promised me he would be wherever I found myself to be. We depended on Him then, and we depend on Him now, in the place we've called home for the last 11 years and 3 months. It's been said that home is where the heart is. And our girls, our heart, chose North Carolina when they became adults. So....

Leaning into memories of years gone by, here you will always find me...in Mary's World.

Truth, or Dare to Believe A Lie

The title in and of itself, is such a huge topic. But only one aspect of it has peaked the activity in my brain waves this morning. There's no anxiety, just wonderings. "Why?" I ask. What causes one to not seek out truth, and all I can come up with is "fear". Fear of being wrong (the what-ifs). Fear of looking foolish. Fear of losing friends.

Fear causes one to be angry when confronted, or challenged, even in the smallest of ways. Fear always accuses those with an opposing opinion, of being "stupid" and of "spouting lies." Yep. I have experienced this, just recently, in fact. I'm pretty sure most of my readers have, as well.

For me....I prefer the pain of being seen as "stupid," to the pain of not knowing the truth. Truth shines a light in our darkness. Truth always reveals a wrong being done. Darkness hides from the truth because the light can be blinding to those of us who have lived so long in the dark. Truth is painful. Yet, truth is worth the pain...

I have been asked, "Why don't you give back what is being served to you?" My answer is simply, "There is no need for that." Why stir a pot when it's already overflowing with hatred? The battle is not ours to wage. My hope is in God, not in humanity. Humanity is flawed, even as perfect as we claim ourselves to be. We do make mistakes. God doesn't.

A spiritual battle is a given in most of our dealings. Why do I believe that? Because we all are spirit beings simply having a human experience. The body may die and decay, but the spirit lives for all of eternity. And because God purchased us back from certain death, from the evils of this world that would try to consume us, our enemy (you know him), will always try to make our lives miserable, contentious, and overwhelmed. He knows our future as well as he knows his, so all kinds of road-blocks will be thrown in our path to keep us from seeking truth. THE TRUTH, not "our truth." Which will in turn bring peace to our spirit. Regardless of the opposing accusations. Nothing will move those who rely upon the God who saves. Perfect peace in the midst of any storm belongs to those who have given up the rights to themselves. No "thick skin" needed. Just truth. THE TRUTH.

"You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ~John 8:32 We now belong to the One who has already conquered death. What more do we need? Words are just words. But when light is shown on them, any deception must back away.

I've never liked a dark room. Maybe this is why.

Constantly seeking the truth, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

This Is Us...

I've gotten to the place where scrolling back to past events, gives me a sense of belonging. One might think that a bit odd. Even strange. But, I'm here to tell ya...strange, or odd, it's heart warming. You see, I keep those interactions that give encouragement, just to remind myself that I am loved. 

I can't believe there is even one person, walking upon this earth, that doesn't need an encouraging word(s) from time to time. Am I right? We tend to forget where love resides when facing loneliness, troubling questions that roam around inside the files, and files, labeled "the What Ifs" that take up space inside that great cavern of brain cells.

Today is not one of those days, yet when I stumbled upon this exchange of love, I knew it was time to share it.

I can only imagine why I was feeling low on Jan. 8th, because I failed to actually record it in my journal. Maybe that was because the cloud lifted after these two came to their mommas rescue. Whatever the reason, can I just say that family (loving family) will always rescue?

Family should be a safe place. A place where fears and the unknown can be shared. A place where excitement about what is to come, or a place where questions that need answers can be asked. Even though we are all "a work in progress", we are perfect "for such a time as this".  Some will agree with me, others, maybe not. But that's okay, too. And if we choose to change what we are at this moment, then that change will hopefully enhance what we have already aspired to. What God has led us to...for today. The best is yet to come, right?

Family should be solid and faithful, in spite of the occasional drama. In spite of the "what was that?!" Family should be a place where forgiveness is always the go-to, and where love embraces when life throws a curve we didn't see coming.

Hold onto the amazing parts and allow the hurtful ones to melt away. 

Life truly is "breathtakingly beautiful"!

Reaching always for that which is true and faithful, here you will find me...in Mary's World. (Oh, how I love my girls! My family!)