Selling the Cows

People have told me that the year of firsts is the hardest after a loved one passes. First birthday, first anniversary, first Christmas. I won't lie, Christmas was hard, but it was also good. It was purposely different. We did different things and ate different food. We celebrated at a different place. We made it through. I know those firsts hurdles will be hard, but we expect them to be and so I think we are kind of prepared for that hard. There's a different kind of hard that no one warns you about. It's the common things that sneak up from nowhere and clobber you with their hard. It's the day to day sucker punch hard like the empty desk chair, not smelling morning coffee, no random morning Facebook messages. It's the usual, routine, blind side hard that I really am starting to be edgy about.

We have been very blessed by neighbors, family, friends, co-workers who have been there at ready to help with the hard. They have supported us for months of bad health and hospitals and late night calls and ambulance rides. They have mowed yards and covered work and listened and weaned calves and fed the dog. Even at their very best, with their big hearts and kind words, they cannot hold back the stampede of hard that comes some days without warning.

Yesterday, the neighbors fed the last round bale of hay. This coming week, more neighbors and friends will come and help load the cows and calves and take them to the sale barn. It is winter and the grass is gone and now, so is the hay. In all honesty the calves should have been sold months ago and that was the plan. The cows are bred and will have calves in the spring. That was also the plan. Saying goodbye was not the plan.

 

This is just more hard. None of us will be there. Mom has plans to go to an out-of-town doctor appointment. Derek and I will be at work. We are thankful for these neighbors and forever indebted for their above and beyond kind of love. We just can't. There is no real emotional attachment to these cows. I'm a country girl at heart. I've hand fed an animal, cared for it, showed it, and then walked it to be loaded on a truck headed to the meat packer. It's part of it. This time is different. Mom was explaining to the neighbor why we can't/won't be there to help them load the cows and calves and she said it best: "I will not miss the cows, but I sure will miss the Cowboy."

 

We know this is all in God's plan. We know He carries us through the hard and assures us that the easy will come. We have the truth of His word and are claiming this promise found in  Matthew 11:28-30  (NKJV).

 

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 



 



2017 Review of Goals

Goals:

1. Find a church home
2. 45 by 45 (Lose 45 pounds before my 45th Birthday)
3. Work on Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps
4. Finish something I started
5. Become more active in our community
6. Learn new things
7. Do something I've never done

Sept - Dec
Life happened. Sept 2nd, Dad had his first medical incident and was in and out of the hospital from then until December 7th. We had his funeral and then came the holidays. I had life to live a new job to learn, my focus shifted, and I'm okay with that. For the most part, with help of an awesome husband, amazing friends and family,  I kept myself together.I loved on my family and I am being kind to myself.  I will not let the last 3 months of the year overshadow the first 9.  Priorities. 

August (Goals)
*Learn new job
*Unpack & Decorate apartment
*Organize & De-clutter

July (Goals)
* Survive Still Standing
* Pack everything, attend reunion, find a job, find an apartment...Amazed  & Blessed

June (Goals & Results)
*Read Shauna Neiquist's, "Present Over Perfect" Sooo good!
*Complete 30 Day Shred & Continue Morning Work-Outs
*Organize Spare Bedroom aka Junk Room Done!
*Enjoy Summer/Celebrate Derek's Birthday/Watch Baseball Check, check & Check!!

May (Goals & Results)
* New Beth Moore Bible Study -Loved this!!
* Walk Across Texas - Finished this up! My team is awesome, even if we didn't win!!
* Jillian Michael's Beginners 30-Day Shred - I didn't complete this, but I did do 20 days which is farther than I have made it in the past. I am proud of the work I did and I will get it finished in June!

April (Goals & Results)
* Continue Bible Study - 4 more weeks to go! Really am enjoying it so far. Great Bible Study!
* Walk Across Texas - I am a team captain for this 8 week program. I have set a goal to walk at least 150 miles over the next 2 months. I think this will be fun and it will be helpful to have 7 other people on my team pushing each other. We are in 2nd Place so far!! I am proud of my team and I am going to step it up a little. We got this!
* Read ____________ (???)
* Re-establish Morning & Before Bed Routines I am most proud of how this turned out! The mornings especially. The before bed can use some work, but I'm getting there. I will share my plan in a blog post later.

March (Goals & Results)
* Continue Bible Study - We are on week 4. I really want to be more accountable to the scripture memorization that goes along with each week. Maybe I will find an accountability partner for this. I have continued with this study, but as a group we have struggled to find a meeting time that we can all consistently attend. Also, I have not memorized the scripture as I intended.
* Walk 100 miles & work up to jogging 1 Mile - I don't know that I can accomplish the jogging part in a month, but I do know that I will never accomplish it if I don't start some time. At the beginning of the month I did work on building stamina and jogging. However in the end I only walked 48.54 miles. I still lost 0.6 lbs and 3 inches. I guess the bright side is I know what I need to do to maintain my weight.
* 30 Day Ab Challenge - Found this on Pinterest. My mid-section is the area I feel needs the most work. I completed 18 days of this challenge. I think this may be the real reason for the 3 inches I lost.
* Miracle Morning Challenge - I am excited about creating an improved list of affirmations and a dream board and changing my morning routine. I hope to improve attitudes and faith walk. Eh...
* Read Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace" - I have read bits and pieces of this book for reference, but I don't remember ever reading the whole thing. I read one chapter.
*Anti-procrastination Month - I have several things that I have been putting off: Name change on SS card, Renewing License to Carry, Scheduling annual health check-ups... Most successful of the March goals. I did do the paperwork to change my name on several accounts and my social security card and I had my annual check up. (BTW, one of the test was abnormal I have to go back this week for a follow up appointment. Prayers, please!) I did not, however, get my License to Carry renewed.

February (Goals & Results)
*Start a new bible study - began a 12 week "First Place 4 Health" study with 7 of my bank friends. We are trying to both meet once a week for those who can and use a Facebook group for those who can't.
*Stay off Facebook for 1 month - After reading One Month to Live in January it became apparent to me that I spend way too much time reading about other people's lives instead of living mine.  God has given me talents and passions. Those are the things that will bring my life joy and meaning. That is how I should be spending my time. - I did it! It wasn't as bad a I thought I might be and I will share some things I learned in a future blog post.
*Walk 75 miles - Sounds like a huge goal to me! I let myself slide on things too often. I hope this goal will keep me focused and on track.- I DID IT!!!! 75.17 miles. I lost 2 more lbs and a total of 7 inches!
*Crochet Class - This is being offered here locally and my mother-in-law of 6 months is taking it too! I am excited about learning something new and getting to know her better. I  really enjoyed this class! I plan to continue meeting once a week with these ladies to chit chat and learn more stitches. A very relaxing way to pass the time and avoid evening snacking!

January (Results)
*completed One Month to Live book/study with new friends
*focused on moving more, eating fewer carbs - LOST 5 LBS!!!!
*helping plan a health fair for the community

Ronnal E Bruton, Ron, Mr. B, Daddy

 

 

1945-2017
Ronnal E Bruton was born at the home of his grandparents in Bynum, Texas on November 26, 1945 to JW & Willie (Waller) Bruton. JW was serving in the US Army in Illinois at the time of his birth, and Willie’s brothers sent a telegram to JW that his daughter had been born. Ronnal still had the little bracelet that his daddy brought, across the country to meet his first child.
He grew up in Dallas, Texas but he spent as much time as he could at his grandparents and cousins’ homes in rural Hill County. During school, he was a member of the ROTC and would tell stories about parking cars at Fair Park and getting to attend sporting events and concerts for free. He also raised and showed pigeons. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School.
He and his cousin, Frank Watson, roomed together in college even though both of their mothers were sure it was a bad idea. Two college degrees and only one broken bone later it turned out to be okay. Ron graduated from John Tarleton College in 1969. Later, when the college became Tarleton State University, he was given the opportunity to get a new diploma and class ring with the new name. “No thanks” he said, proudly, “I did not graduate from Tarleton State University, I graduated from Tarleton College!”

 

    It was during a summer internship for the USDA Farmer’s Home Administration, that Ronnal met a pretty girl, Phyllis Smith, who was waiting tables while home from college for the summer. He asked her to go with him to the rodeo in West, Texas and a week later he asked her to marry him. After a year long engagement, they were married on July 25, 1969. They welcomed their only child Carrie Melinda in July of 1972.
For 33 years, Ron worked as a County Supervisor also known as a Loan Officer for the Farmer’s Home Administration which later became the Farm Service Agency. He and Phyllis and Carrie moved all across the state for his job collecting friends and memories as they went – living in: Stephenville, Corsicana, DeKalb, New Boston, Belton, Big Spring, Lingleville, Mineral Wells and finally Morgan Mill. Through his work, he served farmers and ranchers in 18 different counties.
Ron loved to calf rope and team rope and did so every chance he got. He enjoyed having cows and raising calves. He also loved to “wet a line” as he called it. He didn’t need to catch a big fish; he just wanted to catch fish. He could sit for hours jerking perch. He loved to talk and tell stories, and he loved family.

    Ronnal was community minded and very active in the church wherever they lived. He had a heart for kids and has so many that claim him as a second dad. He was a 4-H Adult leader and would serve as the announcer for the stock show. He hauled kids and livestock many, many miles. For years, he worked the side entry gate at the Big Spring AJRA rodeo and learned to know many of those contestants and their families well. Any time anybody needed something, he was there. In fact, “He was there” is a pretty good description of his love of others. If someone he cared about graduated or got married or passed away or participated in an activity and he was able, then he was there. He and Phyllis would load up and drive across Texas to watch a cousin show a pig or a friend’s daughter play softball or to take his parents to the family reunion. The church needed to rent a van to send kids to camp, he was there. Somebody needed to run a weed-eater before Vacation Bible School, he was there. Can we bring out 30-40 kids from the youth group to your place for a hayride in below freezing temps? Sure, he was there. You need help moving 300 miles away? No problem. He was there, pulling a trailer.
He was always a man of action and a problem solver, but he was learning that praying for someone is often the best way to help. His love of Jesus, his love of family and friends, his willingness to serve and joyful spirit will be his legacy.

 

 

Hats of funeral attendees - hung up at the church for Dad's memorial service.