The Old Vinson Home Place

Last summer I went with my brother, Charles to visit the old Vinson farm. I was just a baby when grandma moved from the farmhouse into Mangum, so I have no memories there, but I love hearing stories from my family, from siblings and cousins who talk about the farm and grandma and grandpa Vinson. I never knew my grandfather so the photos, pages from his personal journal and stories about him are precious to me. I learned that he was something of a poet, so I know where my yearning to write poetry of all sorts came from. The town of Vinson, 20 miles west of Mangum, OK was named for Henry Benjamin Vinson, townsite owner and my great-great grandfather .

Wonderful, lonely, old house nestled in amongst the rattlesnakes and mesquite bushes

When I excitedly showed my aunts, uncles and mom the photos on my laptop it was so sad for them to see it as it is now,
but I love the layers on the old roof, the sagging boards, remaining windows and the rusty tin.

A roost for huge turkey vultures now. I'd like to tell you that they're hawks, or bald eagles...something majestic,
but they serve a purpose and they have pretty nice digs. 

I'll post more pics another day from when we saw great uncle Parker's house.

A bloom in the dry soil of West Oklahoma 

Kinda reminds me to bloom where God's planted me

Sister Weekend!!!!

 My sweet sisters and I had a wonderful weekend together! We haven't gotten all of us together since our kids were little, and I don't think we've had a weekend together alone since when WE were still kids playing twister and monopoly. Ah yes, monopoly, the game Jana always won. We let you win, girl, that's all. ;)

How do you like our toes?

We went to the Dallas Arboretum, and I have to say it had to be close to the experience of the Keukenhof gardens in The Netherlands, and a tiny taste of Heaven's garden. It was GORGEOUS! The day was gorgeous, the flowers were gorgeous, and I got to spend the day with gorgeous sissies! You big Sissy!

 

We had fun last weekend re-bonding, eating, watching a movie, soaking in the hot tub and 
left with promises to do this every year from now on. 

We women need our sisters, whether they are blood or just best friends who resemble what we'd hoped for in a close sibling. 

I am so so blessed to have sisters and a couple of friends who put on the sister skin for me. Who else but they can listen without needing to fix it,  just be there for you...hopefully non judgmentally with unconditional love like the Father above? They squeeze you...and pray for you...and...love you. Thank you God for my blessings-my sisters and sisterfriends! If you don't have a close sister - then be one to someone. If they  come to your mind, they probably need you!

I think this verse speaks about being that kind of friend. We can think "woman" as we read it:

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."  -Proverbs 18:24

Counting My Favorites

Some of my Favorites are.....

Little Grandsons and Animals...

New Baby Granddaughters and Buttery Soft Skin...

Perfect Roses...

The Color Blue, I love blue and old, Old Wood...

Mountains, the majesty, the enormity, the peace...

Miss Patty Dog and Snow...

My Kindhearted, Smart, Wonderful Kids...

My Honey's Hands and The Word...

A New Godly Generation...

Silhouettes of Bare, Leafless Trees...

All my favorites serve to remind me that I often say I must be one of HIS favorites, otherwise how, how, how, could HE forgive ME and cast my failings as far as the east is from the west and choose to remember them no more?? Actually, there's absolutely nothing that I can do to make myself acceptable to God. THAT is why He died in my place and raised from the dead to pay my penalty. 
I can never be good enough on my own.
The Lord God is who I owe gratitude for the blessings of each new day 
and every favorite that comes into my life.
You can be one of His favorites too.

Psalm 103:8-18

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

15 The life of mortals is like grass,

they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting

the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18 with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.