I don’t know if it was my drive from the big city to a small country town on Saturday that rekindled a lost love, but this weekend I fell in love with Texas all over again. And I feel like, because I love you all, I would share why I love my home state so very much. So, if you can put up with some fluff, allow me to brag on Texas for a minute, will you?
1. THE WILDFLOWERS.
Y’all. As mentioned above, I went to an antique show this weekend that is hosted every year in the little town of Round Top, Texas, and this time I happened to drive alongside, what appeared to be, bluebonnet fields forever. It took my breath away. So much so that I had to remind myself to keep my eyes on the road, not on the fields. I wanted to stop and take a picture so bad, but since my drive lent itself to tiny two-way roads, there wasn’t really a good place to pull over. But then, OHBUTTHEN, I came across the most glorious field of all with a little gas station across the road. Clearly I took that opportunity to snap a picture. I braved snakes, and animals, and insects galore, but marvel in this with me for a minute, won’t you?
BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE STOPPED, TOO. Texas wildflowers are unmatched. We live in a favored land.
2. Y’ALL.
Yup. Just the word. I love it so much. In fact, when I’m feeling really passionate I tend to use just the word, “Y’all.” And I use it as a complete sentence. It usually means I’m speechless. I even own a shirt that just says, “Y’all”. You’ll never visit Texas without using it at least once, and if you move here? Well, you’ll be ruined forever. And all the Texans said amen.
3. THE SUNSETS.
Texas sunsets for the win, always. Need I say more? We may not have the best landscape in the world, but surely the Lord gave us the sunsets to make up for our lack of mountain ranges and sandy white beaches.
This was really a sunrise on my way to church one morning. Stunning.
4. Speaking of sandy white beaches . . . GALVESTON.
I just witnessed an eye-roll from everyone, I know. But y’all. (Can you hear the passion in my y’all?) Just a couple of weeks ago during spring break, my family from Colorado came in town and we rented a house in Galveston for the week. I was the first to dismiss this idea, because Galveston… But I was proved wrong at every corner. Galveston was beautiful! I repeat, Galveston was beautiful! I don’t know if being there in March had anything to do with it, but it wasn’t humid, sticky and was without a hint of the nasty seaweed that gathers and clumps together in the summer. Don’t believe me? I’ll let the picture do the talking. (Side note: Only Texans can knock Galveston. True story. It’s because we have a love/hate relationship with it. But if anyone else tries to knock it? Rude.)
You can thank the sunsets in Galveston for wooing me every night. It would be safe to label me as a sunset chaser. Obsessed much?
5. My PEOPLE.
Long story short, Texas is where my people are. (Well, MOST of my people anyway.) And by people I mean my family, my friends and my church. Home is where your people are. It’s just a fact.
6. Because I mentioned church… BAYOU CITY FELLOWSHIP.
Listen, I realize my ALL CAPS may come across as me yelling, but I promise you I’m not. It’s just one more way to show my appreciation for my state. But seriously, I told a friend just last week that some of the most godly people I’ve met in my entire life go to my church. Servants at heart, strong leaders (and not just in the church, but in their homes, too, where it really matters), and HUMBLE. Some of the most creative and gifted people go to my church and it is so understated it’s humorous, and I mean that as a compliment. Of course I love my pastor dearly and have mad respect for him, but a church isn’t just the pastor, the worship, the teaching, it’s the people! And the people there, well they’re just good.
I’ll be honest, sometimes working a full-time job and then having to be up very early on a Sunday morning to be at church to serve rubs me the wrong way. I can say with confidence that it is my joy to serve and I wouldn’t trade that for a second, I love to do it, but yes, you would agree that it can also be tiring. One morning a couple of weeks ago I was feeling especially lethargic and had a less than stellar attitude while driving to church, but then I saw this. It’s not common for me to see the sun peak out like this when I get there, and it put a little pep in my step. I was so grateful. And that day? Well, church HAPPENED.
7. TEX-MEX.
If you’ve never experienced true tex-mex, my deepest sympathies to you. You won’t find a better fajita or enchilada than in south Texas. But don’t be fooled, not every Mexican restaurant is created equal. So next time you visit, ask a local and be treated like royalty.
8. Just HOUSTON.
I live just on the outskirts of the city, but I still live in Houston. It may not have the weather of San Francisco, or the scenery of Boulder, or the sights and sounds of NYC, but it’s Houston, and it’s unique, and diverse, and you can pretty much eat any meal from any culture at any time. And the people are nice to boot. It’s just Houston. And it’s just greatness. It’s one of the only places you can go…
From the hip city full of personality…
To watching a Texas-sized thunderstorm roll in during a cool spring evening…
To the country with the cows…
And then find hidden trails nestled in between big city roads and suburbia.
Texas, thank you for being you. You have my heart forever and ever.
Thanks for sharing the beauty of your home state!
So your post totally made me remember that on jane.com there are the cutest tank tops that say “ya’ll” real big on them. Beth, you need to run right over there and order two or three!
🙂
Love from Missouri,
Aubrey
I enjoyed this post! What a beautiful state! I am a Tennessean who just can’t help but feel connected to Texas. Can’t we call ourselves twin states? No? When I was a little girl my family made a road trip from TN to the Southern Border of Texas. For years after that my grandest expression of affection was, “I love you all the way to Texas and back.” Maybe it was then that Texas found a home in my heart. I don’t know when it was or what it is about Texas, but it no doubt owns a little piece of my heart. Great post. Thank you, Lindsee!
I laughed silly reading your post! I lov it when someone lovs their location. I married my husband, 55 years ago, & fell in lov with his home on Edisto island, SC, where we now live. Isn’t God good, to place us in beautiful places? Don’t forget to watch the RED BLOOD MOON, happening on Passover, April 15th. Look it up on the internet, 4 Red Blood Moons on the Jewish feast days. What is God saying in the heavenlies?
I love Texas, and have always loved Texas. I have never lived there, but always wanted to. Everything about it,…the cowboys, the lone star, the bigness, the drawl, 2-steppin’, the heat, bluebonnets, it’s history, ALL of it! Thanks for the post, Lindsee. And God Bless Texas!!
I loved your post, Lindsee, but I must lovingly and respectfully disagree with you on one point. Central Idaho sunsets will beat Texas sunsets everytime. If I could post a picture here, I surely would. I know if you could see them, you would agree. Love ya!
Julie, I love a good sunset ANYWHERE. So yes, I’m sure I would love it, no doubt!
Oh, Lindsee, I love this post. I’m not from Texas; however, I sure can appreciate it. We can all get frustrated at where we live. It is much better to see the good stuff. It can be found in every state of our great country. The good stuff – open your eyes to it. It makes your day better!
Thanks again for the reminder.
Thank you for sharing a little bit of Texas with all of us! I lived in Texas for only 3 short years but I absolutely LOVED it! Spring was the most beautiful time, the blue bonnets (or is it blue bells?) are my favorite flower! Whenever I have a chance to go to Texas, I go…and I would live there but my family, friends and church are in Indiana and Kentucky….
Have to say that without the word y’all, us southerners (Georgia & Mississippi roots for me) wouldn’t know how to address a group of people. Being an army brat, I attended school in the more northern state of Virginia. In high school, I used the word “y’all” in an English paper. The teacher returned my paper with a note to replace y’all with the correct pronoun, so I did and replaced “y’all” with “you all” as directed. When my paper was returned yet again with a similar note attached, I had to go to the teacher and tell her I was stumped. You can just imagine my surprise when I found out that the word “you” could be both singular and plural. Have y’all ever heard of such a thing?
Driving to Bible study yesterday, I went by a yard full of those wild violet weeds and the yard almost looked purple! It was quite pretty.
I nearly spit my coffee out laughing over the Galveston comments. It’s so true! I hate Galveston, but I get really offended when out of staters cut it down. Why is that??
It is official, after reading this Lindsee, I am so very homesick! I am homesick for Houston, where I was born and raised. I am homesick for Texas sunsets, for Galveston (I live in Florida now), for my home church in Houston (where I spent my youth and teen years and into college years and where I married my sweetheart!), for Tex-Mex food, for my people -my sisters, and family and friends, for “Ya’ll”, and for the bluebonnets. I so miss the bluebonnets! And Lindsee, my husband and I went to SHSU! We haven’t been home in several years, but I am hoping to come home possibly this summer!
Kathy, we have so much in common. I love that y’all went to SHSU!My alma mater as well. Grin.
Grin!
Lindsee,
You are an incredible photographer! Thanks so much for shaing.
This totally make me want to move to Texas! My husbands company is moving and we dont know where yet… I really hope it is Texas 🙂
Dear Lindsee!
I know I’m a little late for this post but you totally made my day with this! I’ve been thinking about Texas a lot lately. I was not born here but I moved to Houston from Mexico when I was 5. That was 24 years ago. I’ve never lived anywhere else. And I looove love love it here! Every single one of those points resonated with me. Especially “y’all” ! 😉 I want one of those shirts! Especially since I am moving to New York City in July. I was accepted to medical school and it’s a dream come true but a little bitter sweet since I’m leaving all the above for a new place and not anything similar to Texas. God has a great plan for me and I want to be obedient and go where he leads me. I hope to come back when school is over. I sure will miss this great state of ours! The greatest state there is, in my opinion. Thank you for the amazing photographs and this blog! You are amazing! God bless you!