"Hi-Ho The Derry-O"

Guess what I did yesterday...go on, guess. You'll never get it right, I'm afraid. Some of you know I grew up in the country around tractors and livestock, but I had never actually driven one ALONE until yesterday. Saturday Richard and I went out to the ranch (what we call the Savage place bc of the original owners) and he showed me how to drive the 4440 and shred. We shredded a pasture and I have to say it was very relaxing. While you're in the cab (air conditioned with a radio...yeah, real rough, huh?), you have a lot of time to yourself and it is great for thinking, praying, making decisions, and just contemplating life.

So, last night we went out to the Old House (another part of the family's land where Richard's mom grew up), and he went one round with me and then let me have the tractor and do it ALL BY MYSELF while he and his dad worked on the plow. I loved it! There's something very satisfying about seeing this field of mess turn into something very neat and tidy.

I felt like a child, giddy over a job well done. I was so proud of myself.

As I was driving, I started thinking about my blessings and how good my life is. Even though things haven't gone exactly as I planned (ha, what a joke, right?), I realized I have so many other things to be thankful for and one of them is my husband. I have said to him many times, "I'm not sure what I did to deserve you, but I sure am glad I did it." I started thinking of how many other husbands would trust their wives enough to let them handle a job like shredding a field with a big piece of expensive machinery. It made me ever-so grateful for Richard's belief in my abilities and that he treats me like an equal, and not like a passenger in our marriage.

I only got about half of the field shredded before dark, but I must say I look forward to going out again to finish up and see what other thoughts God reveals while I bounce around in the cab of a John Deere.