Oklahoma History Lesson for Adrian Walker!! :)

Oklahoma - where the wind does sweep down the plain - and in the hilly areas, too. There are beautiful wheat fields - beautiful to those driving by - dusty and dirty to those of us driving the combines or hauling the wheat to the Co-op in the OLD truck. (I'm speaking for my family!) My frugal Dad always  "fixed" never bought "new"!! He's a good man.

And as for the red dirt you should read my blog from August: for-all-my-okie-peeps

I have many more stories like this!!
 

A state not unlike Kansas. (except for the red-dirt thing)

So, Adrian - this is for you: 

      Sooners is the name given to the settlers in the Midwest. They entered the unassigned lands - which were in the center of the lands ceded to the US by the Creek and Seminole Indians after the Civil War. By 1883 it was bounded by the Cherokee Outlet on the north, several relocated Indian reservations on the east, the Chickasaw on the south, and the Cheyenne-Arapaho reserve on the west.

        In 1989 President Grover Cleveland officially proclaimed this land open to settlement with the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889.

 

         Sooners were often deputy marshals, land surveyors, railroad employees, and others who were able to legally enter the territory early. These people plus many others crossed into the territory illegally at night and they were called "moonshiners" because they entered "by the light of the moon."  These Sooners hid in ditches at night and suddenly appeared to stake their claim after the land run started - way ahead of legal settlers. - the guys who jumped the starting gun to claim their acres. (which is a very interesting bit of history.)

Then, Adrian, there is a whole other history lesson on "Boomers"!! 

My Dad was raised on a "centennial" farm - which is a farm that his family acquired in the land run. And as far as I know, they did it legally and didn't "jump the gun"!!!  

(the information about the Indians and the dates were found on Wikipedia)

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 6

Day 6:

I am so thankful for my book club! Even though I'm not there anymore, I still think of them as "my" girls!! I miss them but am so very thankful that moving 2-3 hours away has not made them forget me! Love my book club friends!!

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 5

Day 5:

I'm very thankful that in all my life, I've always had a roof over my head. God has blessed me greatly with the home I live in now. Randy is a good provider and this house was his home when I met him. I love it and I love the yard. Sometimes I miss my little house in Ringwood - but not often. I'm slowly adjusting and this is becoming home.

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 4

Day 4:

I am thankful that my parents are still alive and that they are still able to live on the family farm. I know it may not be long before other arrangements need to be made, but for now, they are content. My Dad is planting wheat this fall! Which is wonderful. He did have someone else cut his wheat, which was a good decision but a surprise to all of us.

My Mom, she doesn't do so well. I know it's hard on her that my brother and I both moved away in the same year. I do try to talk to her several times a week and so far have been able to go visit them once a month. - and my brother goes by to see them once or twice a week.

I pray these twilight years are easy for them.

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 3

I am thankful for my family.

I have four great kids

3 great in-laws

5 beautiful/wonderful grandkids

1 great step daughter

her wonderful husband

her beautiful/wonderful kids (more grands for me!!)

and Andru - who lives with us!!

Does life get any better than this???

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 2

Day 2:

I am thankful for my husband! God has blessed me greatly with a wonderful Godly man!

It was nice living alone. I liked being able to do what I wanted when I wanted! I enjoyed my friends, my job. But I came to the realization that I didn't want to be alone for the rest of my life. Then God led a wonderful man into my life.

Thank you God for Randy!

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 1

Day 1:

I am grateful for My God for seeing something in me that no one else could ever possibly see,

for giving me strength when life gets tough and makes me weak,

for courage when I am afraid,

He gives me peace when my life becomes chaotic,

He helps me to be kind when I don't want to be,

He shows me grace so that I might learn to be gracious,

and He gives me dignity - when I want to throw fits!

This doesn't even begin to touch all He does for me - all He calls me to be.

But I will spend my lifetime striving to be the woman He wants me to be

and call on His forgiveness when I fall short.

This is my prized possession.

My instructions from Him.

This is my favorite verse. 

Philippians 2:5

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."

I know I often fall short of this attitude.

That's okay because He understands

and 

He knows my heart.

Thank you, God.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM (a day late)

Grateful 

means that you appreciate what someone has done for you and you want to express your thanks. 

 

Thankful

means that you are relieved/pleased that what you hoped for has actually happened.