Cowgirl Medicine, Cowgirl Therapy

OK, I realize there are life-threatening problems that go on in this world. Irealize people face disaster. There are major problems that go on in peoples' lives that are beyond imagination. I've had my own disastrous things in life, and understand what that means. This little blip I suffered with lately, in this perspective, really means nothing.


But hey, I'm just being honest, it kind of hit me hard, where I'm at as a person, and concerning a thing that's meaningful to me in my life. Something that's been meaningful for a long time.


I fully know that God cares about major crises people deal with. I also fully believe He is able to help completely as we live through bad circumstances.


But He also cares about little things that might be meaningful just to one person. He knows our hearts, He knows our feelings, He knows what our hearts' desires are. Even a personal interest or something about the way a person is can be used for the Lord's work and bring Him glory.


I just don't know what that is yet in my case with this cowgirl thing goin' on. It's been almost a life-long thing, and has come back full-force in the last few years.


Today, I went to the thrift store. (Oh, no .. not AGAIN! ha ha) I know this is just a bunch of "stuff" in this store that I don't really "need," but I truly think God was sending me some encouragement. Several weeks back, I found a cowgirl purse over there, but it was stained and smelled like smoke, so it was cheap. But I bought it anyway, due to the cowgirl theme. Then the other day, I happened to find a western-print shirt, wondering whether to perhaps cut it up for a quilt. But you really don't see a whole lot of western- or cowboy/cowgirl-themed stuff over there. Yeah, jeans and boots are common, but something particularly of that nature - not really.


Then last weekend hit with its major blow to this cowgirl's heart. Today, I went in there just to see what was what. You never know what you'll find. Now just let me show you what-all I found, and see if you don't think God might have had a little encouragement in mind!


First I found a nice shirt to wear to the fair, which will look great with jeans and boots. (Not the ones below, they're too small!) This one is red and sleeveless and cotton-ey and cool. But we'll see if I get the nerve to wear it - I usually don't do red, or sleeveless!


Now here is a picture of two western-print shirts. The one on the right is the one I found the other day. The one on the left I found today, it has horses-and-riders all over it! I am seriously considering quilt pieces.






Here is the cowgirl purse I found a few weeks back. I'm just basically giving it a home where it's appreciated - it's the one that is badly stained, etc.






However, here is one I found today, and I think it will actually get some use!






And if you need more room, it has a zipper feature around the edge, which allows for some expansion. That's a plus for me, with all the things I think I have to have on hand!






And check out this bright green checked material inside! If that doesn't wake you up I don't know what will! And it has pockets for keys, cellphone, etc.






Then I saw this one, particularly cheap, made out of western material. Cowboys all over one side ...






And a steer-roping scene on the other side!






You don't see horse magazines in this store very often at all. Mostly it's food magazines, ladies' magazines, sports magazines, National Geographics, crafts, etc., etc. I walked in today, and there was a literal STACK of "Western Horseman" (my favorite), plus two "Performance Horse" (another favorite, and later, I discovered a third issue in the other big stack) and a "Horse and Rider!"






And I do mean a STACK!!! We'll have to see what-all I can glean out of these. When I was younger, an older couple gave me all their old Western Horseman magazines - very old. Well, several years back I had given up on the horse interest and gave them away. Only kept a few OLD ones. Boy do I wish I had those back. But I've been able to enjoy reading this magazine again lately, and now here's a whole slew of them!






Then, there was this li'l fella.






He has a story. While I was tromping around the store looking at stuff, a really little boy was riding this stick horse through the store yelling "Yee-ha! Yee-ha!" It was cute. Then I got back in another area of the store, and here lay this stick horse on the floor, with his bridle off, abandoned and neglected. So I took it all up to the counter, and a lady and I got it all put back together. I said, how much is this? It was pretty scruffy-looking and had one handle broken off, so I figured it wouldn't be much. She went and checked, and it was insanely cheap, like most of everything in this store is. I said, "I'LL TAKE IT." I will give this poor "pony" a home! You know, a lot of my junk right now is emotional and mental. If giving this little stick horse a home makes me feel better, then so be it! Then I got home and realized ... it's a Palomino. Trigger was a Palomino. Well, what do you know. :) So he needs a little fixing up and trimming some loose threads and scraggly yarn, but other than that, he'll be a dandy decoration!


I'm threatening to go out and ride him in the yard or enter him in the team sorting, but that would be a little over the edge. Ha ha, I'm kidding! I'm not THAT bad!!! So this cowgirl had a little unexpected, generous "therapy" today that I think might help her come back around!