Farmtastic Faves – Barking to the Choir

July 15, 2018September 30, 2018 My Farmtastic Life1 Comment

This farmgirl loves a good book – whether that book makes you laugh, cry, refreshes your soul, dances with your imagination, or teaches you a history lesson. Books are just the bees knees. We’ve had our Farmtastic Faves section for a while, and we think it desperately needs a Farmtastic Reads section. So in an effort to share one of my absolute all time favorite things – STORIES – here goes.

First up in the Farmtastic Reads category …

Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship – Gregory Boyle

I must admit, up until about a year ago, the chances of me making it through any nonfiction book were slim to none. For years, my reading was limited to mystery fiction, and I wasn’t really open to exploring much else. It was my guilty pleasure. Last year, a wise soul turned me onto Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, then Love Wins by Rob Bell, and well my bookshelves – virtual and real – are so much broader, deeper, and richer for it.

With my reading horizons expanded, I’ve found that I am usually reading a book or five (thank you Kindle), and in that mix is always something that speaks to the broader sense of humanity, spirituality, and the divine. On the recommendation of a friend on Instagram, I added Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship to my list.

Filled with engaging, uplifting, and at times gut wrenching stories of men and women coming out of gang life and into the fullness of seeing their own value and divinity, Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit Priest affectionately known as Father G, reaches straight into the heart of our shared humanity. He deftly weaves his personal observations and experiences with lessons that we can all take to heart.

You know it’s a good book when you and your highlighter become besties as you try to soak up every last nugget of truth, hoping that just a tiny bit of the goodness you are experiencing will stick to your core.

Father G doesn’t mince words. He sheds the formality and the perfection facade common in many religious circles and writings, not afraid of using strong language and slang to make his point, and to simply remind us all of the realness and the emotion of life. Father G strips away the sterileness that modern Christianity can often be wrapped in, and shares the gritty truth about trauma, loss, and hope. In short, he takes us back to the original story of Jesus – connectedness and kindness, compassion and love.

My emotions ran the gamut while reading this book. At one point, so moved by a former gang member’s story of loss and redemption that I found myself crying. At other times laughing out loud at the sheer smart and witty dialogue of these former gang members who were coming to see the beauty of their true selves, often for the first time.

You’ll also get a feel (or more accurately all the feels) for Homeboy Industries, started by Father G in 1988 as an answer to the question, ““Can we improve the health and safety of our community through jobs and education rather than through suppression and incarceration?”1

Barking to the Choir is a neon reminder that we make it far too easy to write off the other in our world – the gang member, the mentally ill, the poor. We’ve come to believe everything is a simple choice, while forgetting the impact of heartbreak, trauma, and fear on the human spirt . That we are all fragile, and strength comes in our kinship, in our ability to see and be seen for who we really are. Father G puts these truths front and center and reminds us all that we are the choir.

This is Father G’s second book, and believe you me within an hour of finishing this one, I ordered his first one, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. Come on Amazon Prime speedy delivery, this farmgirl has some soulful reading to do!

1 – History of Homeboy Industries

Featured image Amazon.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

Independence In the Middle

July 8, 2018July 8, 2018 My Farmtastic LifeLeave a comment

As we celebrated our nation’s Independence Day last week, I was struck by the beauty that happens when we all take a break from being so staunchly in our respective corners and join each other hand in hand in the middle. Stars and stripes. Parades and fireworks. Sunshine and barbecues. For a moment, with all of our beautiful differences, we were one.

And then it was July 5.

More than ever, we are in love with being outraged. We argue about immigration, tariffs, guns, the economy, religion. If there is a side to be had, we will find it. We have become amazingly adept at drawing lines and determining who is in and who is out. We see it on the right and on the left. No one is immune.

Where is the middle?

Conversations about meaningful and important topics have become difficult because we go into them having already determined that we are right and that the other side is wrong. While we might ask, “Why do you think that?”, all too often we have stopped listening and are ready to pounce with our rebuttal before the question has left our lips.

Trust me, I know this is not easy. Especially when both sides feel like they have so very much at stake. But the real beauty is in the middle. In trying to understand why someone feels disenfranchised or left behind. In trying to understand why someone is adamant about their position on open borders or immigration reform.

We all come from a distinct point of view that is formed by our experiences, our environments, our tribe. And we can’t all be right, which also means, hilariously enough, that we can’t all be wrong. So how in the world do we move forward?

We all take one giant step toward the middle.

I think back to my school days and remember the dreaded group project. Oh my stars, I cannot stress how much I absolutely detested group projects. In this crazy exercise, we each had to do our part to succeed. Torture, sheer torture.

Inevitably, I would volunteer (ahem … demand) to take on much more than my share because I just knew if I trusted others that the project would go south and my grade would suffer. But let’s just call it what it was, I was terrified of losing control.

Some folks in my class loved having me as a partner; it meant less work for them. Others, I’m sure, were not so thrilled as we vied for control. But how much more would I have learned if we collectively shared our work and our ideas? How much more meaningful would those relationships have been with my classmates if I had taken a step toward the middle?

And if in the end we had gotten a B, or heaven forbid a C, instead of an A, what would I have really lost? Imagine if if in my compromise I had gained knowledge, friendship, and let go of some stress in the process. Success isn’t always an A. (And yes my overachiever self has had to work years to come to this place.)

I see our love of taking sides in a similar way. We all want control. We all want to be right. And when we think that’s in danger, we retreat to our corners mad as hornets. Here’s the deal, I know the problems facing our world and our country are not simple. Congress is in gridlock, we’re marching in the streets every month for some new injustice, and we have become professionals at being outraged.

But in the end, if we’re honest, outrage is easy. And quite frankly, exhausting. Action is so much harder. Listening is harder, yet. The first move is taking one step toward the middle. Having real conversations with your neighbors. Understanding the deep down why of their beliefs. Finding just one little thing you can agree on and then building from there. Maybe even find a joint cause and volunteer together. It’s amazing how you will see the heart of another when you are giving back shoulder to shoulder.

We are not all going to get what we want. It’s impossible. But together we can embrace a little of that Independence Day spirit every day, when we find our common ground and move forward, one step at a time.

Featured image © MNStudio – stock.adobe.com. Standard license.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

Heat Wave Wisdom

May 28, 2018July 8, 2018 My Farmtastic Life2 Comments

The other day, I was in the grocery store chatting it up as I was waiting in line. The conversation inevitably turned to the weather and the impending, much-earlier-than-normal heat wave. When the lady in front of me said with a smile, “It’s going to drive up my electric bill. It’s going to be tough, but we’ll make it work.”

It was a seemingly innocent statement, but it stuck with me. Yes, I know that the more you have to run the air conditioner the higher the electric bill. (Trust me, I know August is when the meter runs constantly.) But there was something simpler, more earnest in her statement.

She was having to consciously think about choices. How much does she run the air conditioner? How much will her bill be? What would she have to trade in order to get the amount of cool, comfortable air she’d need? Would she have to work extra shifts to cover the unexpected expense from an early heat wave? Was this a sign that her entire summer would cost her more?

We continued chatting about the upcoming weekend, the glorious freedom of a Saturday without plans, and then just like that we went our separate ways. But it’s been nearly a week, and I’m still thinking about her.

I’m also thinking about my own situation. That a heat wave is more of a nuisance and less of financial hurdle. And then I think about all of the other seemingly mundane things that I do on a regular basis.

I fill up my car with gas, buy groceries, turn the air conditioner down to frigid to sleep, take the critters to the vet. I don’t stop to wonder if I should fill up the car all the way. I don’t weigh out what I should and shouldn’t’ buy at the grocery store, although Cowboy would tell you it’s so much cheaper when I stick to the list. I just do what I need to do.

And then it hits me, all of this day-to-day living that I don’t have to think about is a gift. Sure, Cowboy and I work hard, but so do most people I know. Working hard is not a guarantee. It’s not a free pass from thinking about the little things.

Don’t get me wrong, Cowboy and I have to make a budget and live within our means. We talk about things like how much money gas costs or what we should budget for necessary house maintenance or how much hay the horses will eat in a year. But we don’t have to make hard choices like having enough to eat versus melting in the hot Texas sun.

I am reminded that we live in a community of amazing and diverse people. And sometimes there are those amongst us that need a hand, and we should be willing and able to give it. It can be as simple as picking up a few extra canned goods at the grocery and donating them to your local food bank, or leaving an extra nice tip for a waitress who is working her tail off to serve you. It’s things like checking on your elderly neighbors and just spending a few minutes of time to make sure they are okay and to show that you care.

We’re all in this life together, and sometimes it just takes the simplest sentence in the grocery store line to give us the reminder we need, to jolt us out of our comfort zone. If we will just walk around with our eyes wide open, we will find so many ways to share, care, and give. And you just never know when that simplest act of kindness can change someone’s day or even their life.

Featured image © Cherries – stock.adobe.com. Standard license.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

Mom, The Constant

May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 My Farmtastic Life2 Comments

I’ve often written about my dad, and if you follow me on social media, you’re sure to find goofy pictures of us laughing and cutting up. We have a special bond – from our love of the chocolatey goodness of a Yoo-hoo to our matching knock-knee walks to our shared wacky sense of humor. He’s been my buddy since the beginning.

Growing up, he was undoubtedly the fun parent. But, you see, I’m a lucky girl and I have two amazing parents. On this Mother’s Day, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share a little about the woman who was always behind the scenes. Mom.

My Farmtastic Life - Mom, the Constant — Our little family – the three musketeers.

In as much as Dad was the fun one, Mom was the teacher, the caregiver, the carpool driver, the disciplinarian, the fashion police, the organizer. In short, she was the constant, the stability.

Bless her heart, she was room mom until I was in the fifth grade – making sure all of the kiddos in my class were cared for. That woman deserves a gold star for the sheer amount of sticky children and parental organizing she endured.

My Farmtastic Life - Mom the Constant. Read more about Mother's Day and its importance to our family at www.myfarmtasticlife.com — In this photo, I love mom’s smile. I love that I am in her arms. I love that we are together.

When I was in second grade, she even volunteered to be the class art teacher when my small school didn’t have one. And while this sounds like a normal mom-thing to do, let me assure you that this was a huge deal, as Mom is probably one of the least artistic souls I know. Glue, construction paper, paint, glitter – they are not in her wheelhouse. You need help with math or grammar? She’s got your back.

She was willing to step in and take on something she was not familiar with, didn’t enjoy, and honestly scared her a bit, just for me. In my eyes, that is love in a million ways.

Whenever I had a cold, Mom was there. Was in a school play, Mom was there. Was in the youth group orchestra, Mom was there. Was scared or afraid, Mom was there. She cheered me on to do well at school, and begged me to go easy on myself when I cried over getting a B.

When it was clear that gymnastics or sports weren’t my thing, and trust me when I say they were so not my thing, she helped me find my creative side with piano and art lessons. And when the piano teacher said that I had talent, but we would need to invest in a piano to develop my skills, Mom made it happen. I still have that same piano and thanks to untold hours of Mom driving me to lessons and listening to me bang on those keys at a rapid fire pace, I can still play.

Mom also taught me right from wrong, the value of telling the truth even when it’s hard, and the importance of being kind. She showed me what compassion looked like when she spent months caring for her own dad after he had a heart attack – balancing the care of me with the care of him.

And while Mom might not have the same rip roaring sense of humor as Dad, she loves a good laugh. I remember more than once climbing up into bed with her and tickling her sides while she would squeal with laughter. To this day, whenever I can make Mom laugh, it feels like I’ve just received a gift.

Yes, it’s true, oftentimes Dad gets a lot of the glory. Mom has called us the mutual admiration society for years, but the truth is that she is the foundation. She’s solid, steady, full of love and always there. Even now as a forty-something grown up, when I need someone to tell me it’s going to be okay, that I can do it, or just need an ear to bend, I pick up the phone and call Mom.

So on this Mother’s Day, I want to say thanks to my mom for being the constant – constant care, constant protector, constant love. May we all be so lucky to have that constant in our life, and may we all take the time to say thank you.

P.S. A version of this post was published in the Glen Rose Reporter. This farmgirl is delighted to serve as a community columnist.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

What Am I Willing to Trade?

April 1, 2018 My Farmtastic LifeLeave a comment

With all the news about data breaches and the latest revelations about the social media platform to rule them all – Facebook – I’ve been doing a bit of soul searching. And the question I keep coming back to is: What am I willing to trade?

When it comes to trading actual dollars, hard cash money for things, I tend to stop, think, and ask questions like:

Is this of value to me?
Will this make my life or someone else’s life better?
Is what I am getting worth the dollars that I am trading?
Who is this business that I am supporting with my dollars?

But with the ease of interacting online, I must admit I often forget about the transacting part of the equation. Make no mistake, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others, are not free. But rather than primarily transacting in your dollars, they are transacting in your data.

You are making a trade – your information for the ability to connect, share, and tell your story in the digital world. Every like, every follow, every photo, every connection, every comment – it’s all data. Their revenue models all depend on your willingness to trade your data, so that they can, in turn, sell companies advertising spots, which can then be targeted to you based on your interactions. This is no big secret. It’s simply how it works.

The question then comes down to this: Is the trade you are making worth it to you, personally? Let’s also be clear, the social media platforms are heavily invested in making your experience relevant to you because, yes, the more time you spend interacting with their platform, the more ads that can reach you.

If you’re like me, you’ve whiled away more than one afternoon getting sucked into the vortex of social media, mindlessly scrolling away, clicking random emojis to show your approval or disapproval, reading articles that catch your eye, and generally just staring at your phone as if it holds the answers to the mysteries of the universe. What’s worse, and I hate to admit this, but when I’ve posted, I’ve often become downright obsessed to see if someone has liked or commented on what I had to say or share.

So now not only am I trading my data, but I am trading my time.

Sadly, I’ve been to dinner with Cowboy or friends and found myself unable to leave my phone alone, or waiting at an appointment or riding in the car and neurotically scrolling and clicking. It’s like a drug – a little adrenaline rush to see if someone has interacted online. Each time I’m rewarded with a brief little fix. But it doesn’t last, and ultimately I want more.

I justify my social media habit by saying things like, “But it’s a great way to keep up with friends, see pics of their cats and dogs.” Or even better, “But I have to do it to gain followers for my blog.”

So now I’ve traded my data, my time, and real life experiences with actual humans in front of my face for online ones.

And I just don’t know that the trade is truly worth it in the way I have been making it. I’ve let the social media platforms make the rules. I’ve let myself be sucked in and lost. But there is also something important to remember here – this is not about going backward. I’m not looking for some let’s-make-the-world-great-again-solution. Social media is here to stay, so the question is how do we make it work for us instead of us working for it?

And if we are being honest, social media does good things too. It’s great to see friends’ photos of their growing families. It’s inspiring to cheer people on as they strive for their fundraising goals. It’s positively fun to watch small businesses and crafters and makers of all kinds flourish.

For me, I’ve had to dig deep and do some soul searching for what is and isn’t important to me. Being present with Cowboy, friends, and family is tops. I’ve also gone through my social media profiles and removed a tremendous amount of data, like following a bazillion pages and made sure my privacy settings help me to connect when and how I want to. I’ve removed apps from my phone so that when I interact on social media, it’s an active choice to sit down at my computer.

Are the social media giants going to stop trading in data? No, and unless we are all willing to trade actual cold hard cash for their services, we shouldn’t expect it. After all, despite their lofty vision statements about connection, they are businesses. and businesses have to stay afloat – which means they are about making money. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what you are willing to trade.

Can you still find me on social media? Yes, but more often than not you’ll find me on the farm living my real life.

P.S. – Yes, I’m well aware of the irony that this will be posted on social media. I hope this is one of those times when it is for the greater good.

Farm Life · Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

The Sun, the Soil, and Springtime

March 3, 2018 My Farmtastic LifeLeave a comment

This week, I noticed the tiniest little leaves of my mint plant poking their heads through the soil, the pastures brightening up with dotted patches of green, and the hint of warm air on southern breezes tickling my skin. I absolutely love this time of year when new growth comes complete with vibrant colors, textures, and smells. (Okay, it might also come with Flonase, Zirtec, and Claritin, but it’s oh so worth it.)

And it’s not just us humans who are soaking up the season. Around the farm, the horses and donkeys are a little more playful, as they romp around in the hunt for all things green. The cows are mooing and playing around the water troughs. The cats are seriously bird watching. And the dogs, well they are napping, as always, but they love it best when they can nap on the porch with the sun warming their bellies.

It’s also the season for one of my favorite sounds of all time – the creaking of the screen door springs as the he pups push it open with their noses, and the fast recoil and slapping sound as it bangs against the door frame. There is nothing better than fresh breezes flowing through that door, airing out the house from winter and inviting us to find a moment to soak it in, and maybe even play a little. Do a jig around the kitchen floor. Sip the perfect cup of tea. Hum a tune.

My Farmtastic Life - Our beloved old fashioned, creaky springs, doorframe slapping wooden screen door. Read about our door in the The Sun, the Soil, and Springtime at www.myfarmtasticlife.com. — Our beloved, old fashioned, creaky springs, doorframe slapping wooden screen door. Another one of Cowboy’s magnificent creations!

While I’ve always loved springtime, I don’t remember appreciating it quite so much when we lived in the big city suburbs. Oh sure, it was time to head to the nearest home improvement big box store to load up on bright and showy annuals to tuck into the landscaping. And yes, we maybe lingered outside a bit here and there. But we weren’t connected to the seasons like we are on the farm.

With spring comes the much needed rains that turn the grasses green and allow the farmers to grow the hay we’ll buy later in the summer to feed our equine crew. Wildflowers will pop up all over the farm in a kaleidoscope of colors and the bees will buzz from plant to plant to work their magic.

I’ll try my hand, yet again, at a few raised garden beds and learn new things, like that mint I planted last year, oh my stars, it’s now everywhere. (Experienced gardeners feel free to chuckle about this one. When I asked one gardening friend of mine if it would come back, he just looked at me with amusement and said, “Oh my god, yes. You won’t be able to get rid of it.”)

And while Cowboy and I still operate in the real world with day jobs, trips to giant grocery stores, the occasional fast food meal, this farm life has connected us to the soil and to the land in unexpected ways. It has made us stop and think about what you put in the ground, what you take out of it, and how you care for it. That the soil is in all of us, it connects us. That this life with all of its bumps and bruises, seasons of lack and seasons of abundance, is truly a gift.

So as you go about soaking up the sunshine and the breezes and reveling in the deep down soulful joy as the earth literally springs to life, take a moment to breathe it all in. To find your connections – to your neighbors, to your garden, to critters. And maybe just maybe, find a patch of grass to stand in, feet bare, toes wiggling.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

The Hermit and the Butterfly

January 28, 2018 My Farmtastic LifeLeave a comment

This year is a big one for Cowboy and me. We are celebrating 20 years of marriage. A big milestone for sure, but we also tip our hats to both sets of our parents who are celebrating 44 and 50 years. Marriage runs deep around these parts.

All those years ago, our wedding invitations were emblazoned with the phrase, “Today, I marry my best friend.”

We had dated for several years before tying the knot, but to be honest, I developed a bonafide, heart stopping crush on him the first time I saw his denim blue eyes and slightly crooked smile. Too shy to talk to him, I’d find reasons to pass him in the hall at school just so I could see him.

But even from the beginning when my breath would catch just trying to talk to him, friendship with a healthy dash of humor has always been our heartbeat. To this day, there is still no other human on this planet that I’d rather spend my time with than that car-loving, mr.-fix-it, critter-wrangling man.

Which brings me to what has often been one of our greatest differences. He could easily be a hermit. He’s a loner. He’s perfectly happy working away on a project, minding his business. While he can be sweeter than southern iced tea, the man simply doesn’t like to socialize much. Those who know him best, know that he has, what we all affectionately call, a people limit. In general, the fewer the better.

Me, on the other hand, well I love people, sharing stories, and connecting. I mean seriously, my first grade teacher didn’t call me the mouth-of-the-South for nothing. So I’m often itching to go galavanting somewhere, to see or do or taste something new, to meet up with friends, or to just take a break from the farm.

Not Cowboy. Nope. Not one little bit. What he does have is a deep down in his bones kind of contentment and satisfaction. He knows who he is and what he wants. And over time, I will be darned if that man is not rubbing off on me. I swear, at least once a week I break out in laughter as I look at him and say, “You are successfully turning me into you.”

And as you can probably guess, he just smiles.

My Farmtastic Lie - Cowboy and Ranger — One of my all-time favorite pics of Cowboy. That man continues to capture my heart each day, and boy can he make me laugh.

This winter, I have found that I can go weeks and weeks, barely leaving our beloved farm. I am perfectly content to putter around, drink up the sunshine, and just be. Cowboy is so proud.

Cowboy and his contentment have taught me so much. The realization that you can define for yourself exactly who you want to be. That you can love so deeply and be so connected to a place, a person, a passion that the noise from the outside really doesn’t matter. It’s not about loading up your days with busy.

It’s been in this season of freezing temperatures and shorter days that I have truly settled in. Had a chance to reflect on this major milestone we are approaching, of who we were and who we are. And I am grateful.

Once a social butterfly, I now consider myself more like a faithful old hound dog. Learning that it is not about the quantity of activities but about the quality of them. Knowing that when it comes to the heart of the matter, it’s about friendship and kindness, and well, just simply being who you were always meant to be. May we all be so lucky to have someone rub off on us, someone who can show us the way.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

Resolution Revolution

December 31, 2017January 1, 2018 My Farmtastic LifeLeave a comment

It’s that time of year when we reflect on the past 365 days – the glorious moments, the critter-filled challenges and antics, the experiences lived and the moments missed. It’s also that time of year when we look hopefully and optimistically into the next 365 days with dreams that we will make it count, challenge ourselves to be and do better, and, if you are like me, that tiny little nagging voice in your head that says, “Will you really live up to your own expectations?”

Oh yes, those little internal voices. Gremlins. Mine have had a lifetime of criticizing, chastising, and just downright tormenting me. That is until 2017 when the tide began to turn. It was a year of change, the time when I finally learned the meaning of enjoying the journey, and the beginning of being a-okay with my serious lack of perfection.

As one dear friend once said to me, “You suffer from the dreaded triple-P syndrome. You are a people pleasing perfectionist. You see, I recognize this, because I too am in recovery.” I laughed. I had an aha moment. Someone had named it for me. That was years ago. And so I kept that little jewel tucked away, hanging onto it and truly not knowing what to do with it.

I’d occasionally trot it out with friends to chat about my ailment. I’d make minor strides to try to keep myself in check, but truly on the inside me and triple-P were besties. We knew each other far too well. And because we knew each other so well, we had no intention of parting ways anytime soon.

Then 2017 came along and things began to shift for me. For some reason, I decided to heck with resolutions, because who am I kidding, I never kept them anyway. Instead, I made a vision board filled with words and images and thoughts that inspired me, that laid out the life I wanted to live. It was fun – I cut, pasted, and scrapped until my heart was content. I framed it and hung it on my wall. It’s still there. It still speaks to me.

Something started with that vision board. I started thinking about the person I wanted to be, the things I wanted to try, the possibilities. But not the possibilities that were like my typical New Year’s eve rush of resolution panic, but true possibilities. I started listening, listening to my insides. My not so perfect but oh so me insides.

Then came springtime, and things lined up just right; I had my soul listening ears on, and I hired a life coach. I did it on a whim. I saw her website, and thought “Why not?” And before I could talk myself out of why I didn’t need to spend the money or convince myself that I’d be the same me at the end of it, just with less cash in my pocket, I signed up for an exploratory session, and IT. CHANGED. MY. LIFE.

I met with my coach every other week for 6 months. I discovered who I wanted to be, who I didn’t want to be, and how to harness the little voices in my head and turn them from tormentors into cheerleaders. Now let’s be serious, it was not all roses, rainbows, and unicorns. There were tough moments. Moments of doubt and frustration. But my world slowly went from black and white, to shades of grey, to full on technicolor magic.

When I look back on 2017 I see where I went head to head with some of my most ingrained thoughts on what it means to be spiritual, what it means to live my best life, what it means to follow my creativity, what it means to plan but still hope and dare and most of all find deep down, soul loving joy.

For maybe the first time in my life, I started to believe in me. In the possibilities all around. Oh and trust me, I have oodles more work to do. I mean when you spend a lifetime letting your gremlins drive the car, sometimes you still have to take a stick and whack them into the backseat.

My Farmtastic Life - Find the good in 2017 and work for the joy in 2018! — Find the good in 2017 and work for the joy in 2018!

So on this New Year’s Eve, as you sit and ponder if 2018 will be different, I encourage you to listen to the messages that are swirling around you, the good people in your life who are encouraging you, and take a chance on something that just might make all of the difference for you. Sure, your gremlin voices might party like it’s 1999 tonight, but tomorrow they will totally be passed out in the back seat.

P.S. When looking for a life coach, you need to find someone who clicks with you, as you are building a relationship. Trust is critical. You’ll also want someone who has their certification and is a professional. Because I think she’s absolutely the best, I can’t recommend Kelsey Joy highly enough, and I look forward to continuing to work with her in 2018.

P.P.S. I’ve learned tons throughout my journey 2017, and I’ll work to create some short vignettes to share those lessons with y’all. I can’t wait to continue to get my learn on in 2018.

Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

Happy Christmas, Merry New Year

November 26, 2017 My Farmtastic Life3 Comments

Trees are going up. Lights are twinkling. Menus are being planned. Parties are in full swing. Giving is on our minds. Across this great big world, no matter what you celebrate, it’s the holiday season – from big cities to suburbs to small towns to rural communities.

In our family, it’s Christmas. Growing up, our tree glowed with colored lights and candy canes. Christmas pageants and plays afforded some slightly off-key singing. And Santa’s milk and cookies were always snickerdoodles. (Interestingly enough, those were also Dad’s favorite.) It’s a time filled with memories, from the emotional to the hilarious, like the year our new puppies pulled the tree over by leaping for the aforementioned candy canes.

Now well into adulthood (ahem … dare I say entering middle age), we continue to count on those traditions and build new ones. When Cowboy and I were newly married, Christmas was one of those times when when our families filled our home with the things we needed most like silverware, mixers, critter essentials, jeans, and boots.

We are grateful for all of those gifts that helped to make our house a home. We still treasure them. I mean how many parents don’t blink an eye when you ask for four mineral block holders for your horses for Christmas? Or horse steps so you can get your vertically challenged self closer to the saddle? (This last one is totally my issue by the way, not Cowboy’s.)

As we build on new traditions, we’ve begun to focus on experiences, like taking family to see a Christmas musical or hunting out the best Christmas lights, which also requires that the perfect mug of hot chocolate be brought along for the ride.

We’ve also become very aware of those that could use a little extra compassion, a helping hand. We’ve got amazing friends and family, and over time we have been shifting our gift giving to those organizations that need help to make this world we all share a better place. It’s fun to see which causes friends and family care most about and donate in their honor. Even our just-barely-a-teenager niece has gotten in on the act, finding an organization she thinks honors those she cares about. Those moments are priceless.

Which brings me back to this world we all call home. Let’s be honest, it’s been a tough year, especially if you spend any amount of time watching the news. From natural disasters to man-made ones, to politics that have divided more than united, 2017 has made us all a little weary. Our collective spirit could use a dose of holiday joy.

So when someone wishes you Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, or just plain old Happy Holidays, let’s remember to take it with the grace and love it was intended. We could all stand to give each other a break, and realize that when someone is wishing you a merry or happy anything, they are simply sharing their best wishes for you. They are not entering into a religious or philosophical debate or argument. They are purely wishing you peace, joy, memories, and giving – all of the beauty that comes with this holiday season.

When you look around the world, we could all use a little more love, humor, and kindness. Share your memories, share your well wishes. And above all, share the love. Happy Christmas and Merry New Year from our farm to yours.

My Farmtastic Life - Christmas cat and dog — This is how we roll with Christmas at the farm – nothing a little stare down won’t fix. Seriously though, love all around.

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Lessons & Thoughts From the Farm

What’s in a Word?

October 30, 2017November 26, 2017 My Farmtastic Life4 Comments

As we welcome November and the promise of cooler weather, turkey leftovers, and family gatherings, we also enter the official spokes-month for gratitude. A time when we take a personal inventory of all that we are grateful for – from people to things, jobs to homes, children to critters. All of us have something to be thankful for, even in our darkest moments, and for many of us we can swell up with a feeling of being blessed.

But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this word blessed. No doubt it’s trending right now – you can find it on everything from dish towels to picture frames. And it’s a perfectly good word. But it’s also a word that I think we sometimes get mixed up with grateful.

You see, blessed is a passive word, whereas grateful is an active word. Someone gives you a blessing, but you have to take an action to be grateful. Being grateful is a decision. We are fond of saying that God has blessed us. And trust me, I wholeheartedly believe He has, but maybe just not in the way we think.

Now if you feel like I’m on the edge of blasphemy here, please stick with me. I promise this will turn out okay.

Let’s say you have a beautiful home and a good job. It’s easy to say, “I’m so blessed.” But here’s the flip side. Is the person who lost their job not blessed? The person who is working two jobs just to make ends meet less blessed?

Or think about how often you’ve heard the phrase, “I’m blessed with good health.” Great, but does that mean the person who has cancer is not blessed? That they somehow incurred wrath from somewhere?

I can hear you thinking, “No way. That’s not what I meant at all.”

And I’m with you. What we really mean is that we are grateful for our homes, our jobs, our health. And we would never want our gratitude to be confused for the belief that we have somehow received divine preference over our neighbors.

Blessings are something that we, the collective humanity, share. Nature and life itself are blessings. Things we can all enjoy. I, personally, don’t believe they are doled out to a few, and I don’t believe they always look like we would expect them to.

And while this may seem like a game of semantics, words really do matter. (Yes, I was an English major, so humor me with this one for moment.) Think about someone whose world is falling apart. If you are busy talking about your blessings, things that are received, where does that leave them? It leaves them feeling like they are walking around under a dark cloud, out of sorts, out of favor.

Rather, share your gratitude. Your zest to acknowledge all that is beautiful, from the smallest to the greatest moments. Trust me, I am a recovering blessing user myself. I used to liberally smatter blessings here, there, and everywhere. But after reading an article about the importance of our words, I realized I was truly filled with gratitude. I wanted to wish people a beautiful day, a day with at least one moment of happy, and leave blessings to the big guy.

So as you start to make your plans for family dinners, school activities, and get togethers with friends, I encourage you to think about those words that are most meaningful for you and those you love. How will they impact others? How can you share your gratitude?

P.S. A version of this post was published in the Glen Rose Reporter. This farmgirl is delighted to serve as a community columnist.

My Farmtastic Life

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