Relationships

Our Troubadours of the 21st Century

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There is a small magnetic whiteboard on my refrigerator.  The white plastic apparatus, clinging by electromagnetic magic to the fingerprint smudged stainless steel veneer, catches my eye every time I turn on my lights in the morning.  The whiteboard has become a beacon, a challenge, and a reminder of things to think about I didn’t know I should consider.

Why?  Because my future son-in-law puts quotes on the board and leaves them there.  Sometimes I see him writing them.  Other times I’m surprised with a new message.  But they’re always powerful; they’re full of the angst and strength of young lovers and budding poets and young men and women discovering the world.  They remind me of the troubadours of the High Middle Ages.  And, they remind me that humans are passionate…that I should take care with the souls of those whom fate has placed in my family on Earth.

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Homestead and Garden

2011 Ranch Hand Guide: #5. You Can’t Keep Trouble From Visitin’, But You Don’t Have To Offer It a Chair

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The country life is so different from the life I lived in the city.  The one thing both places have in common is they both have their own kind of trouble. Some of it just shows up and is hard to avoid, yet there is that certain kind of trouble that we bring on ourselves.  I guess I need to rely on one of our former presidents Teddy Roosevelt for some help with this one:  If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.

The Seed

One of the worst situations I can recall since I’ve been living out in the country happened the summer my dog, Mae (Pay It Forward), made her appearance on our front porch.  It never occurred to me that a mean dog could show up as well.  One rainy afternoon, a full-grown pit bull appeared in our backyard.

We called the police (it’s a small town…that’s what you do), and the policeman told me that they had recently passed a law banning pit bulls in my county unless the owners complied with the provisions stated in the resolution; I lived on the county line, and the policeman guessed that someone had just traveled there to get rid of the dog to avoid the $100,000 liability insurance required to keep it.

The policeman stated that the dog appeared to have been abused and was a trained fighter.  I was scared and sick to my stomach when I heard the gunshot in the dark.  The policeman guessed how upset I would be.  He came in and told me how sorry he was that he had to put that poor stray down in my yard.  It had attacked his partner. Trouble visited that night, and it was something that I could not control.  (Note:  I have nothing against pit bulls.  This dog just happened to be one of the many unlucky pit bulls that had a heartless owner.)

Germination

My dog, Mae, spent her first summer with me as an outside dog, but because we don’t have a fenced yard, we decided to kennel her when I went back to work.  We still spent lots of time outside, so when she took an interest in the farm road in front of our house, I saw how Trouble was interested in visiting again.  My dog was great, but she was stubborn and would not come when I called her.  She thought it was a game and would run away…sometimes down the middle of the road.  I can’t tell you how many times I would have to stand in the middle of the road hoping the cars saw me just so I could protect her.  I know.  That was stupid.  I realized I was offering Trouble a chair by continuing to overlook this flaw in my dog.  No.  It was a flaw in how I trained my dog.  This was my fault because she was my responsibility.

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Oklahoma culture, Photography

Silent Sunday: 2/6/11 ~ Images From Other Oklahoma Websites We Like

Zach Gray is a really special asset to Oklahoma. From Ada, he currently resides at Stillwater. Both his blog and Flickr site are something else. If you'd like to see photos of the Bedlam game that have a great perspective (as good or better than some of the major sports outlets), visit his Flickr site by clicking this photo. If you'd like to visit his blog, you can get there by visiting his Flickr profile. Zach, your work is beautiful!
We've not yet introduced you to Dee Nash and her "Red Dirt Ramblings" blog about her garden. This photo caption from her site mentioned that she and her watering can were waiting for Spring. Click this photo to visit her site and her "Ramblings." Dee does a great job and we're glad to have her as part of the Red Dirt family-hood. (We've added her onto our blog roll today so you can find her if you want to go there from here.)

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Foodie Page

Super Bowl = Super Food!; Part 2

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Well I have to agree with my mom…there are a lot of reasons besides watching football to get together for the Super Bowl.  I do like football, but I prefer college over NFL so I really don’t have a team to root for.  I love to cook and entertain and can’t wait to have a  place big enough to have more get togethers!

I decided to try out some hearty recipes for entertaining as well.  My menu includes:

GW’s Deer Chili
Black Bean Salsa
Sausage Stars (not in the cook book)

I am thankful for guy friends who like to hunt otherwise I’m not sure where I would find deer meat!

 

Yumminess cooking

GW’s Deer Chili
By Katy Davis

1 lb. ground venison
1 link venison sausage

olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c. chopped onion
2 jalapenos , minced
1/2 c chopped red and green bell peppers
1 c. smashed tomatoes (or diced)
chopped cilantro
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
4 c chicken stock

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over medium/high heat.  Add the ground venison and brown. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper.  Break up the meat.  When meat is browned and seasonings well mixed, add the onions, bell peppers and cook until vegetables are soft.  Add the tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos and garlic.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring the mixture to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer.  Cook uncovered until the mixture begins to thicken, approximately 45 minutes .

I only had the ground venison and that was enough meat…I also added alot of extra cayenne pepper (my mom told you we love cayenne!) so it was spicy!

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Faith

Simple Sabbath: The Kingdom of God

Luther in Worms

When Martin Luther stood confidently before the Diet of Worms in 1521, he was emboldened by his devotion to the Word of God. Luther lived much of his early life oppressed by the guilt and burden of religion. But a careful reading of God’s Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit offered him freedom. Luther achieved liberty by faith in Jesus Christ. His voice sparked the Protestant Reformation. Yet, Luther faced an almost certain death unless he would recant and soften his position on the authority of Scripture. His response was this:

I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.

Here I stand; I can do no other, so help me God.

Some 450 years later, another Martin would initiate a fire of change in America. Martin Luther King, Jr. became an iconic figure of the Civil Rights movement. Dr. King preached nonviolence in a war against segregation and discrimination. He was committed to non-retaliation; he preached the merits of love and a passion for peaceful, civil disobedience. And the backlash was intense – Dr. King was sharply criticized by both blacks and whites. He was beaten and struck with bricks; his house was bombed, and ultimately he was assassinated.

Both Martin Luther and Martin Luther King, Jr. suffered persecution as they prompted and promoted change.  But it was not only they who suffered—men and women who chose to follow these great leaders suffered consequences for their commitments to truth and justice. They understood that to share a leader’s vision meant that they might share in his persecution as well.

Admirer or Follower?

I have been greatly intrigued by the biographies of both of these great men.  Studying the contexts of their lives and the effects of their ministries inspires me.  I am staggered what they endured.  I admire them greatly.  But to be honest, I don’t know if I could have followed them. Why? I am a chicken at heart.  Daily, I pray for the grace to overcome obstacles that cripple my pursuit of truth. I want God’s will. I want to do more than admire the right path; I want to follow it.

The study of the Kingdom of God proposes a question for each person. Are we satisfied to be admirers of Jesus, or are we willing to become followers?  What are the implications of being a fully devoted follower of Christ?

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Showcasing Red Dirt culture ~ authored and managed by contributors with connections to the great state of Oklahoma.