Hey, Sweet Things!
My man and I are on our way home from cactus land and I thought I’d spend part of it writing to you. And you know what that means: rambling. Any time I just open up my Mac and start writing to you woefully free of all forethought, you can count on a whole lot of words about next to nothing. So, unless you’re bored to oblivion with what you’re doing, you might want to run for your life now and save the headspace.
As I write to you, I’ll keep you posted on where we are. You don’t think you care but, once you hear some of these names, you might feel differently. They’re nearly life changing. For instance, right now we are going through Hext, Texas (I do not know if the area has an ancient history of witchcraft or what. Nor do I know if, once you’ve been hext, you can be un-hext. But I feel like you can.) One good firm turn to the right will take you to London. In just a few hours, you could be in Paris. These are just a few of the reasons why many people here believe that the world ends at the Texas border.
We have now come to Koocksville. This is the street Keith and I may have been born to live on.
It was just across from this very sign that Keith showed me this proud display of dried catfish heads.
On through Mason.
Over Comanche Creek.
It’s Sunday just before noon and we’ve been in Mesquite country since Thursday. The heat index could turn an ox-blooded man to Jesus. It’s too early for this furnace but who am I to say? God is in control of the thermostat and I’ve become convinced He considers the heat an effective evangelism tool. Keith and I have had so much fun. Simple fun. Like long walks in the morning but not without snake boots…
…and long rides in the evening in the old golf cart. The steamy mid part of the day takes us into town to eat at one of two restaurants in the small community. The second day we eat at the one we missed the first day. They are both so incredibly good that we think about them when we’re back home in the food capital of the universe. We’ve made our second home in this land long enough now for some of the locals to talk to us when they see us. Deeply satisfying to two dyed-in-the-wool city souls who long for the country. These folks around here are the salt of the earth sort. They work hard and forego fancy. Impressively, one of the two restaurants has free wifi so, call them small but don’t call them disconnected.
I love being on a road trip with Mr. Ivan Keith Moore, son of Marcell John Moore, the plumbing legend of Houston. My man is a history fiend. He knows where every battle in Texas history was fought and where the cattle were run and who the cowboys were that ran them. I love to hear the story of how the buffalo were taken from the JA Ranch in Palo Duro Canyon (near Amarillo) all the way due north to Wyoming and, every time we’re in that great State and see buffalo, he likes to tell me that those hefty beasts bleed Texas blood. By no means does he disrespect Wyoming. Nay! It is, hands down, his favorite state second only to – put your hand on your heart – the land of his great, great grandfather’s birth.He just somehow thinks that what he loves most about Wyoming is that it reminds him of Texas…but with mountains. Big ones.
While we drive these long roads, Keith tells me stories about men like Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving, cattle ranchers that Keith believes were prototypes of the characters on Lonesome Dove. Loving made Goodnight swear he’d bury him in Texas but wounds from an old fight wouldn’t heal and ended up killing him slowly with gangrene until he gave up the ghost in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. More practical than sentimental, the folks surrounding him when he breathed his last hastened to put his rigid body into the ground before the animals ate him. A man of his word, Charles Goodnight returned from a trip to Colorado, had his friend’s body exhumed and hauled it back to Texas in a pine box packed with charcoal. I don’t suppose you’d want me to also share tales about a man named Shanghai Pierce who went from a stowaway on a ship in New York harbor to owning some million acres in the Lonestar State.
We take these roads to cactus country to get our heads on straight. We go to hear ourselves think. We go to hear what God might say if you shut up and let Him do the talking. We go to see the black night skies light up with ten thousand stars. We go to hear the birds sing and, this time of year, watch dozens of hummingbirds migrate right through our property. I wish I’d been able to capture six of them at once with my i-Phone but they move like lightening.
We go to sleep late…and to sleep good. I planned to work while I was there for four days but I never did. My bones said, “Just sit and smile and rest.” So I did.
Driving now through Llano. Beautiful Llano. We were going to stop at Cooper’s BBQ but the line was literally out the door and down the sidewalk. Sure smelled good.
“We’re a third of the way home, ‘Lizbeth.”
Keith always keeps me up on the progress. To my man, a road is not something you take. It’s something you conquer.
Lunch here in Burnet, Texas.
Got to meet a darling young couple that serve at a church in Liberty Hill and their six and a half year-old Savannah who was missing one tooth. I do love me a six year-old girl child about more than anything on this earth. Except a certain five year-old boy and two year-old girl that I am particularly partial to. Can’t wait to get home to them.
Keith can’t get a good country western station to come in right now so he just turned up “Staying Alive” by the BeeGees. Out of the corner of my eye, I’m seeing that college boy I danced with under the disco ball 33 years ago. Just when I think I’ve got the man figured out, he goes 70’s on me. We’ve gotten to the part of the song where Keith doubts the singer’s manhood. “Ahhhhhh-oooooohhhh, I’m going nowhere. Somebody help me…”
Well, my man and I are not going nowhere. We’re going home. No place like home. The best part of going on a road trip. And, lucky for you, I’m almost out of battery. All this rambling means nothing if you don’t have Jesus. He’s life to me whether I’m in the city or the country, in plenty or in want, in pain or so tickled I can’t sit up straight. He’s kept Keith and I ring-fingered for 32 years. He keeps life adventurous for two souls that get bored easy. He keeps our boots on tight and our tires rolling. I love Him so much.
Just a few last shots for anyone who’s hung in here by a thread:
Don’t worry, Keith saved it from becoming Dog Dinner. Me on a long walk. A rancher saw me from afar and hopped in his truck to go tell Keith that my car must be broken down and he’d better go fetch me. He couldn’t fathom that a woman with any sense would just be strolling around out there.
A peek at the gorgeous, grass-green San Saba River really close to our place. Keith and I float on inner tubes in this spot in the summer.
Cucumber Cactus. So shockingly gorgeous amid all the gray and green.
A spider sack attached to our porch screen. More spider babies than you can count will start crawling out of that thing in a few days. Most of them will probably crawl into the house but I’ll deal with that next time we come.
Gentle evenings and maybe the number one reason why we come.
You guys are such great sports. I’m crazy about you. Thanks for chatting me home. I wish every single one of you were in this blue Ford truck with my man, our two hounds, and me. We’d try to show you a good Texas time.
No time to proofread! My laptop is sho-nuff shutting down! Talk to you soon.
I also heard “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gee’s with my man Sunday…in church! Much to our surprise we looked at each other and said “isn’t that?…ha!” It was so unusual but it fit the message. The worship team played an instrumental version as a lead-in to the service and as a recessional. Made us all smile and laugh! I laughed when I read your post and realized that God gave us that connection yesterday. I’m from Berean Baptist Church in Burnsville, Minnesota where the snowbanks were up to the crown of the trees in the church parking lot April 3 and by April 10 the snowbanks were but a memory as we enjoyed 74 degrees!
I love these posts too! I don’t get a bit bored. I feel like I’m in the backseat with the pups! I love the pictures and would love to be on an innertube in that beautiful water! I’ve only been to Texas once.
Yall should take a road trip through Tennessee and Kentucky sometime. You would go through a few unusual places near my home town…places like Possum Trot or Monkey’s Eyebrow.
I’ll be glad when those hummingbirds get up this way. Love them. If you like catfish you should stop by Catfish Kitchen in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. It’s the best ever.
Thanks for sharing.
Well well, here is a girl in my neighborhood. I know exactly where Possum Trot and Monkey’s Eyebrow are! Been to both places.
HI Tanya! So glad we’re in the same neck of the woods. I grew up in Calvert City…what about you?
I loved the town names! We’ve got a Paris here in Idaho, too, and we also have a town called Onaway, a city of .2 square miles. The mill workers in Potlatch would stop at the bars here at quitting time. If any of the wives called any of the bars and asked where their husbands were, they would be told that their men were “onaway home.” You think that’s a joke, but it isn’t!
Beth -I love that you take us with you when you travel. :o) My son has inherited my Daddy’s machinist tool box. In the top are a couple of things I treasure. Dad’s favorite verse stamped out with a lable maker. This is the day that Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. And a polorid picture of my Dad (who’s name is Kermit) standing under a road sign from Kermit, TX or NM. It’s a long, long way from our home in Iowa. I don’t know which, and since Dad’s stroke he can’t remember either.
Thanks Again!
LuAnn
I just LOVE these pictures and getting to know a little more about Texas. I have only been to Texas once and that was when I was little girl. My favorite line is “God is in control of the thermostat and I’ve become convinced He considers the heat an effective evangelism tool.” Being from Georgia I completely understand. Thanks for sharing!!!
My favorite part of the post is the naming of the Texan cities and then saying “many people here believe that the world ends at the Texas border” I thought it was funny. I love to travel outside of the states and this statement reminded me of the time my Uncle Bill asked me why in the world I want to travel outside of the USA. He posed the question right before I was taking a trip to England, Scotland and Ireland. But I must say I am looking forward to coming to the Lone Star State for SSMT. I have never had the pleasure of visiting Texas. Maybe I won’t ever want to go anywhere else again. I have not been to Paris, France so maybe Paris, Texas will suffice. Does it have an Eiffel Tower?!? 🙂
LOVED reading your blog that you wrote on the way home….this is good stuff….makes me wish I had ben with ya’ll or at least in my own Honda Pilot on a Texas backwoods road trip.
Thanks for the memories…anxiously waiting for the next Bible Study. Missed the last one and can’t wait to hear you teach another one. No one teaches your studies, like you….I am blessed each and every time.
God bless you, Beth
Oh My Word ~ Keith has a defender90? please tell me its deisel.. Come to the Lo and Go!
Dear Beth,
You take me on trips that I will never be able to do. Reading all the fun comments made me laugh and yes I followed you right to the end. Not bored at all.What fun you make it.
Although….the rattle snake boots, the science fiction size rat and the spiders that make nests the size of a water balloon, kinda scare me off.
Where are we going next???? luv ya Rebecca
Sweet memories…for sure! I don’t suppose the bluebonnets are out yet, or I’m sure you’d put a picture of them for us all on here! =)
Your story gives me hope that one day too, I’ll be able to get-away with my man. But for now, we still have kids at home who keep us pretty busy with all of their activities. As much as I don’t want to rush them out the door, my heart does long for the day when I can have a little more “freedom” to roam the land with the man of my dreams!
Have a blessed week Beth!
Donna,
Our bluebonnets have come and are on their way out! We didn’t have near the number we did last year since we’ve had little rain in our area. The Indian Paintbrushes and pink buttercups are abundant, tho! I really miss the fields of bluebonnets, they’re always my favorite part of Spring!!
Thank you for letting us mosey on home with you. After the week I have had, I needed to slow down a bit:-) you bless me even in your rambling:-). I thank God for your “friendship” and love.
Mama Beth,
I loved this entry. You make seasoned love sound so good… and my appreciation of it is just adding refreshment to my usual day with my baby girl. Thank you for this entry. 🙂
my aunt & uncle just bought a ranch in wyoming!! 🙂
Thanks for rambling with us… Life just keeps going doesn’t it? We love you!
Dearest Beth-
You look mighty fine in a hat! Very youthful! In fact, I was positive you had one of the girls along with you. Love to see that relaxing smile on your face. A natural result of time alone with God!
You are such a gifted writer, Mrs. Beth! And I wanted you to know that I’ve been praying for you as you prepare for LR this weekend.
I absolutely love this rambling. I myself have a place not near as far away, but still for enough away from the city to be able to see the stars so close you think you can touch them, and the moon, even as a sliver, a wonderful night light to get you to the door with not other lights. God is good and His gifts to us are all around when we get the opportunity to slow down and admire and thank Him. Have a blessed week everyone.
Hey, Beth! Missed your post yesterday. We were on the road, too – on our way to the beach! We’re getting in an early vacation before I have to teach all summer. Thanks for sharing the pics.
Love the boots, Beth! Thanks for sharing you fun in the sun time. Sometime, could you post the picture of the dogs from the RV trip last summer? I downloaded the messages a couple of weeks ago and have so enjoyed telling my husband and boys the story of the RV trip. My husband and I have talked about renting an RV and driving around, but after listening to you, I think I might go for the house on the beach vacation. The Lord knows best, though!!
Beth,
I love reading your ramblings…not bored at all! The pictures were great and truly showed a relaxing time. My husband and I are in the ministry and we have gotten to travel to some pretty unique places and can’t wait for where we will be next!
I love your writings and how you can bring the Bible to life and break it down for people to understand. I love to read and there is not one book that you have written that I don’t love!!!
Thank You for your time and energy that you put into everything that you have done! God Bless You and your family!
Ummmm Miss Beth? May I purdy please go on a road trip with you? I think we’d have a blast!
Could very well be one of my favorite posts yet!
Loved it!
Thank you, Beth for taking this Texas girl, now living in Ohio, home! My mom & dad lived in Fredericksburg for 11 years (though we lived in Seguin while I was growing up), and there is NOTHING more beautiful than the Texas Hillcountry in the spring. I think the bluebonnets must be gone by now, but the cactus in bloom, the silvery green of the live-oak trees against the brilliant blue sky are worth every picture. Proof that God makes all things beautiful!
Hi Beth! I heard you are coming to LR this weekend, and wanted you to know that God is at work in a mighty way here right now! I mean crazy, revival-esque kind of way. Three-hour prayer meetings every night, spontaneous baptisms, purification of the saints– the good stuff! I wanted to fill you in on what’s been going on. To find out more, you can check out my blog: http://www.markandtory.blogspot.com, or my church’s blog: thesummitchurch.org/blogs/summit God bless!
All I gotta say is breath taking. God is so awesome to keep ya’ll married that long Praying for My Man to find Jesus and Be on fire for Him. I’m loving Him to Jesus! The dogs are beautiful. Glad ya’ll had fun. God Bless!
How fun. I love this kind of stuff. We moved many times when I was married and I loved just cruising down the rosd. One of those places being Houston in the early 80’s.
You are such a hoot. Love you so much, almost as much as God.
As anxious as we are for you to finish James, I love that you didn’t work and just enjoyed your time together. Thanks for sharing with us – love you so much!
OMG!! Where have you been? I just saw Travis in concert here on Friday night and fully expected to see you there and sincerely thought I did, until the woman turned around. 🙂
Hope to see you in January 😉
Mama Beth,
You’re a mess and I love you. I can just picture you telling Keith, ‘come here baby, let’s take a picture of our feet.’
I see him every once in awhile on TV with Kenneth Copeland and I think how proud you must be of him; and that I know quirky things about him b/c of this blog and I snicker.
Beth Moore I just love you! You are so fun. You are serious about God, but don’t take life too seriously. You are neat and pretty, but don’t act like that’s all there is to life. You are unbelievably deep and yet you say things like “sho-nuff”! And I have no idea what “dyed in the wool” means, but I’m glad you talk like that too! 🙂
Beth, have you ever heard the song RAMBLIN’ MAN written and sung by the late Hank Williams, Sr.? Change the train to a SUV and you’ve got you some lyrics….
I can settle dow-own and be doin’ just fine
Til I hear an old train rollin’ down the line
Then I hurry strai-aight home and pack
And if I didn’t go, I believe I’d blow my stack
I love you ba-aby, but you gotta understand
When the Lord made me
He made a Ramblin’ Man.
Some folks might sa-ay that I’m no good
That I wouldn’t settle down if I could
But when that open ro-oad starts to callin’ me
There’s somethin’ o’er the hill that I gotta see
Sometimes it’s har-rd but you gotta understand
When the Lord made me, He made a Ra-amblin’ Man.
I love to see the tow-owns a-passin’ by
And to ride these rails ‘neath God’s blue sky
Let me travel this la-and from the mountains to the sea
‘Cause that’s the life I believe He meant for me
And when I’m go-one and at my grave you stand
Just say God called home your Ra-amblin’ Man.
glad you got away even if is to Texas! Us Okies know all about Texas!! You did deserve a rest with your sweetie!! God Bless!!
I’m a quirky-road-sign-lover from way back,and cozy restaurants I adore, but I can tell you for sure that one thing I’ve never coveted IN MY LIFE is a pair of snake boots. I’m shudderin’, darlins.
It is fun to just know you in simple ways!
Just one question….is that a gun that is pointing down at ya’lls boots??
thanks for reminding us all to chill out a bit!
Isaiah 59:21 NIV
As for me this is my covenant with them,”says the Lord. “My Spirit,who is on you and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth,or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouth of their descendants from this time on and forever says the Lord.
Thanks Beth,
That was right purty!
Thanks for taking me to catus country 🙂
I truly enjoyed your rambling Beth. You have a delightful way of using words that bring me right there in the cab of the truck with you. I have only been through Texas once. It was a mission trip and we left out of Paducah, Ky and drove to El Paso. I loved it. From El Paso we would go into Juarez and further down into Mexico. I keep wishing that my husband and I could get into and RV and just go across this country. But I think also your rambling again beckons me to slow down and listen to the wind and the birds and the rain dripping outside my livingroom windows. Right now my cats (yes I am a cat lover) are sitting in the front window watching the cars pass. Our world moves so fast and we get caught up in it and have this thing pushing us to do do do something accomplish something but maybe the most important thing we can accomplish is to sit down and enjoy our Lord and Savior. Thanks for the reminder. God’s blessings.
Love, love, love the picture of you and Geli! What an awesome shot!
My grandfather’s grandfather came from Alabama to Texas in 1850. Then my grandfather’s father kept traveling back and forth from Indian Territory to Texas, (his wife was Cherokee)keeping close to the border towns on either side. Before my grandfather died he talked about leaving the Indian reservation for the last time when he was about 11. It was in December and they came down the Chisholm Trail. Two wagons, and they had to stop alot because the wheels kept getting stuck in the mud. He said the boys had to walk so they had to wear shoes and they hated that. When they finally crossed the border into Texas they celebrated because they were leaving a land of outlaws and entering a state where they could own property. They stopped at Woodville on Christmas Day and then traveled on to Matagorada County where they finally settled.
One of the attendees (Michelle Shannon)who will be attending the Little Rock conference this weekend is a Proverbs 31 woman of God… the most giving person! She gives up her time, talents, and more to dedicate and glorify the Lord. Many in our group would agree that she reaches out to those in need. She rushed to Haiti when the people needed help and she felt compelled to return again some day. Her home church even tried to give her a permanent job after seeing her faithful ministry. She is celebrating her ‘Birthday’ with Beth Moore on Saturday, April 16. For her to be encouraged as a woman, who strives to be a ‘PROVERBS 31 WOMAN’ would be a blessing, because her worth is far beyond rubies. She sets an example for all women of God!
Because of Him,
Alissa Noe
I was loving the whole trip up until the creature that Keith was holding and the big spiders nest!!! What was that creature anyway? I am terrified of spiders. I would have had to destroy that nest before I left. I know they are God’s creatures but they creep me out!! I guess here in little Rhode Island we don’t quite have those warm weather varmint!!! Thanks for sharing though. I love knowing that with all the hard work you also get to sneak in some rest and relaxation. So happy you had such a great time.
Thanks Beth, loved the journey.
Hubby and I have visited Texas twice and loved it.
We took your good advice and ate at Gaido’s in Galveston. I still dream about that “loaded” baked potato hah
This Jersey girl is destined for a move !
Retreat time!! You are sweet to give us a glimpse of your time away. We’ll reap the blessings too, as you come home to “James” 🙂 This siesta is so thankful you make space to listen~
thank you for sharing your roadtrip and time with your hubby with us! i just love you, siesta mama! your love for your man, your devotion to the Lord, and your ability to take a weekend off is exemplary! i just got back from session 5 of the esther study and though you say in the video “this will not be your favorite” – it is mine thus far because i am in a season of waiting and it gave me such hope. thank you.
Did the hummingbirds attack???
My Sunday School class (Further Still we’re called – thank you Mama Beth for help with the name) has been listening to Eat Pray Love, a journey through Jeremiah and you have shared a hummingbird story!
Love the rambles! Love you!
I was born and raised in TX. I moved to Ga, met my hubby of 13 years, and 3 kids later I’m still here. Thanks for the trip “back home”. 😉
Heather,
i love you and am so glad to be Texas-raised with you…one of my best girlfriends ever!!!
Thanks for taking us along your journey. I love the pictures! That cucumber cactus is beautiful. I happened to notice a little white Jeep by the barn. My husband and I have a Jeep as our 3rd car. The Jeep was his girlfreind before he met me. She still takes my spot in the garage. It doesn’t have a top. I just love riding around in the Jeep with my man.
I hope you feel refreshed when you return home. Give those cute grandkids of yours big hugs and kisses.
Good night Siesta Mama.
Shannon in Kissimmee, Florida
I love rambling posts, they are the ones that are so personable. It’s nice to know what’s goin on with ya, and be included in your adventures. It’s just like reading a daily email from my best girlfriend. Hope the rest of your trip went nicely! Love you!
Loved the pictures. It is probably as close to Texas as I will ever get. Don’t like heat. It was 77 degrees in Michigan yesterday, In April. That is way too hot, too early. Thanks for the tour.
I always love these posts. It makes me feel such a part of your life and helps me to realize that you are just like me! A real live woman loving a real live man and just doing this thing called life!
love you so Beth!!