Just Like Old Times

Every so often, I feel like it's necessary to just reemphasize how much I love the ranch and how I grew up.  My grandma wrote this brief little piece about the San Simon and how it came to be:

http://genealogytrails.com/newmex/lea/san_simon_ranch.htm

Just thinking about how hard my great-great-great-grandpa worked to make a living motivates me every day.  I can't imagine life without the ranch and I pray nothing ever happens to it.  Living on the ranch taught me how to work, how to treat people, and how to love life.  It's a way of living that I demand for my own kids and wish everyone knew.

Someday it will be a whole lot to ask of someone to give up whatever they have and move to the ranch with me, but I know it'll be more than worth it.  As much as my dad grumbles and complains about cattle and dealing with the oilfield, we all know deep down how much he loves his life and wouldn't trade his simple way of living with my mom for the world.

If I could talk to him today, I'd thank Mr. CW for giving his family something that is now so unique and so different from most of the world.  When I was little, I used to cover my ears when we branded and cry about hearing "the baby cows cry."  Now, that'd be a welcome sound for these ears!  It's funny to think how much I used to hate the early mornings, the dust, and the constant 60 mph wind.  Now, all those things are all part of home and home is very, very good.

Revenge

Taking a break from my story.  Let's just start out with this:

"I urge you, walk in a manner that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called...Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

That's Ephesians 4:1, 25-32.  This verse has served as a reminder for me to not allow things that happened in my past still be on my mind torturing me today.  It's so easy to claim you have the "upper hand" on someone because you may have done the right thing in one moment.  Likewise, it's really easy for me (and I'm sure lots others) to allow one mistake to take hold and convince me that I'm a bad person.  However, dwelling on either of those thoughts does nothing to help us build up each other as we're so earnestly called to do.  

Hell, look at all the positive this verse contains:

• Don't give the devil a chance
• Turn the sinful life around
• Be positive, don't gossip (can I get an amen?)
• Get over it
• Love each other

Dang y'all, look at those last two.  Before we can learn how to treat people decently, we have to learn to let go of whatever we're allowing to make us angry and be so dang mean to people.  Oh yeah, and notice in there that we're "sealed for the day of redemption."  I'm pretty sure if God's seal is on it, it's a done deal.  Lucky us.

I'm nowhere near being the "good" person I'm supposed to be, but I'm so thankful for lessons like this that give me confidence to keep on keepin' on.  Happy Sunday!