Fall enters softly as the Welcomed Raindrops

Fall 2013 comes sweetly over our very precious little valley and hillside.

Open your doors to a morning touched by dew and destiny through the eyes of the GateWay.

 The little bur oaks we planted have offered a few acorns this year, and we are in hopes of more next year as they send their roots deep into this porous soil.

 The sunsets on days offering rain are spectacular... Texas skies are incomparable in our view.

 Lantana will always attract the swallowtails just before the monarchs migrate through.

 Cattle in the grassy valley will always be one of our greatest indicators of truth when it comes to storms over the area. Our one little longhorn is glad to have the company of 44 Farm's young heifers for a while before they are all moved to a more lush field across the way.

 Horsemint is one of our favorite end of season beauties. They send their purple spires Heavenward as if royally praising the ONE WHO gives these latter rains always available here from September through October. We do thank the Father from Whom all good and perfect gifts are given.

 The bounty offered here is not only that of a tangible quality... more often than not it is the kind that no amount of money could buy. It is the peace that comes from hearts settled on truth and absolutely sure of the place one holds in the scheme of the universe. The identity of the ONE WHO made all things and called them "good". 

May you know and feel the richness of the season.

May you be blessed as the season of Thanksgiving and Nativity touch your soul with Peace that passes understanding of these often chaotic times in which we are living. The true meaning of "peace" is "the authority to come against the one who creates chaos"... 

May you know that you know that you know.... exactly who you are and what is TRUTH.

Shalom friends and yet to be friends.

Spring of 2013 Jehovah Jireh

Texas is hot again this spring, but not as hot as the past 4. We thank YOU Jesus for Your abundant provision for this land that we call home.

 We've had wedding parties, business trippers, and graduation families at our homes. What a welcome group each one has been. It seems that weekend of the Western Heritage, all three college graduations and then all the other things added in make it difficult for people to find lodging. Once again, the LORD set up the ones who were here at our homes. What joy each was! 

 We had a community couple get married this month and the bridesmaids stayed in the 2 bedroom on some of the most crazy weather nights of the season... I suppose the OK tornadoes as well as the Gandbury one have us a little extra cautious. Luckily it was clear that one of those bridesmaids had a savvy mind when it came to preparations. Hence... no worries for me. 

 In spite of the heat and lack of water, the poppies and the purple verbena still made a show for our people. We are always grateful for the color up on the hillside. 

 Lord, may I never take for granted any thing You allow in our life. I know that one of the greatest gifts You allow is TIME.... we thank YOU for the time that you give to each of our guests and we ask that You let them take some of the peace You grant here back to their homes. 

 As the times we live in are changing so rapidly, we ask that You make us aware of the seasons and give us grace and discernment to be the people You call us to be. We ask blessings over those who have walked our hillsides and that Your providence follow them as they leave our hillsides.

Just as the unexpected wheat sprang up from under the oaks signified to me that it is YOU WHO make the plans and provide for our needs, make us aware of each moment and each treasure that may go unnoticed if not for Your impetus to our vision. Thank You Father.....

AND...

Thank you to each of you who have prayed as you were here in our cottages. 

So often the guest book reflects the truth that was spoken from the beginnings of GateWay GetaWay...

THERE TRULY IS PEACE IN THIS PLACE....

thank you for praying for it's continuance.

Grace and peace to all who read these words and see our cottages.

The New Offices for our guys business are finished!

Across the street from the cottages there should always be someone available:)

 Our first neighbor gathering at the offices for Providence and GateWay turned out to be a great and warm success. Men in the kitchen and women in the living room while children played all over the offices. Next year, again will be at the cottages, but this year we needed the blessing of our neighbors in our new space. Thank YOU ALL! God is so gracious to us with you who live, work, and play around and with us.

 Father God may we always know the there is only one "fear" that is ok with You. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding. May we here in the GateWay always reflect Your Light so that the city on a hill will be visible to ONLY those You allow in our path. 

 Perfect February day for a group wanting to take pictures for brochures... Yes... we do many things besides just host you, our wonderful guests, family and new friends. Picnics, reunions, meet in the middle rendezvous with couples wanting a short getaWay (heheheh)... we can do it!

But mostly, it is

SANCTUARY

SOLACE

SOLITUDE

SERENITY

and

SWEET REST

in the LORD...

These are the draws that we find from those who find our place.

May it always be so! Thank You Jesus!

What a year this 2012 has been! 

 We hope each of you has had the opportunity to enter His gates with thanksgiving and that tragedy has been far from your home even as we grieve for the homes struck so senselessly these past weeks!

 As the storm clouds rolled over our hillside, we remember the storms that crashed onto our friends in the Northeastern parts of our states. Sandy was a demon wreaking havoc and chaos. Nothing restrained her fury. We continue our prayers for these "neighbors" as we approach Christmas here in the Gap.

 2012 brought elections and we had the JOY of hosting some of the National, State and Local candidates. We know it is only God Who raises up leaders and it is our responsibility to "render to Ceasar what is his and to GOD what is HIS!"

 We love it when our guests sign our book, AND when they leave us such sweet notes of confirmation for our GateWay homes!

 Pampas grasses..... hummm what do I say.... I always called them POMPAS.... somehow there is just something that fits here.... Fiscal cliff???? What in the world???  Regardless... I love the pampas this year!

 Finally... as we embark on a new year 2013, we here in the gap are praying that we all keep in our hearts the fact that there is only ONE GOD and He is not us! whew.... aren't we all glad of that!

 Yes.... let's enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with song... 

May you know the blessings of Truth, Health, Peace and Joy!

and

May we see the circumstances of the world as they really are! Through the eyes and perspective of the ONE WHO CREATED ALL THINGS!

Spring brings so many welcome sights and so many return guests!

 This year the wildflowers of TEXAS are incredible and even if my well meaning husband wants to grate up all my poppies from the drive area, the few blue bonnets and the hard to start Indian paintbrush are making a debut in many of our cottage locales!

 At sunset, the native Texas redbuds are still our reliable rosy glow on these lovely Spring evenings.

 Round up of the 44 Farms bulls is done on horseback... this year using Jag, the new and amazing mare.

 For our quick turn arounds, I have 2 awesome helpers with broom and vacuum! So fun to have family cottages and family share time. We even get to leave chocolate bunny surprises for our Easter guests... Hope they especially enjoyed the hand written notes of the little ladies who love surprises!

 Fossil hunts, scavenger hunts, sandpile digging and just plain ole country fun are always happening somewhere around these cottages of ours.

 Flowers on the ground our in the pond are too lovely for words!!! so many new kinds! and if anyone wants the most incredible sight ever... go over to the adjacent Buffalo Gap Cemetery where Forrest and Mabel Reynolds have planted blue bonnets for years... the entire area is covered!!! Even if our unique and wonderful Forrest is no longer with us... there is an ocean of blue that has become his legacy!

Easter has many traditions at our home.... hope each of you have your own as well.

One of the best gifts we give our families is a Godly heritage that reveals the hearts of love for the ONE WHO made us and called us to His family!

Happy Springtime friends.... join us sometime soon!

Fall's splendor and Louisiana Friendship

October brings stunning sunrises over the GateWay, and the colors of Fall

dress our area from the skies to the the earth! God is good!

 Early October begins bow season in the area, and with it came some new friends from Louisiana!

 I'm truly believing that God sets up divine appointments in these cottages, and this family is evidence of that fact for me!

What a happy time they shared (after the bugs who wanted to join their time were bombed!!).

 Fall brings the monarch migration, and even though the majority of the butterflies had gone, our guests still got the joy of seeing the final flurry flutter through our butterfly bushes.

 The full moon of October graced their stay as well..... almost magical in it's clear glow over the landscape. 

Thank you friends for allowing us to post some of your pictures... but more than that... thank you for sharing a bit of your hearts as we got to know you and be convinced that this time was meant to be!

Long HOT summer of 2011

After an incredibly HOT recordbreaking summer of 2011 it was awesome in September to see CLOUDS

promising rain!!

 They held true to the promise and in ONE DOWNPOUR... all our tanks which had gone completely dry were filled

 We had been filling tubs with water to make sure our deer and the jack rabbits had water as ours was the closest place. Even bobcats were using the little green tub we filled daily in front of the one bedroom cottage.

 Although we couldn't keep the grass green, the golden natural grasses will for sure come back next spring.

 We had 114 days of 100+ temps here in our little Lemons Gap home. LORD please let this never be repeated in our area. The drought was hard on everything!

As we go into the Fall, we look forward to the KISS of the cool breezes and the promises of rain. May each of us be aware always that water and rain are two treasures that ONLY come from the Maker of Heaven and Earth... We give thanks!