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TEXAS PLAINS PRESS
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The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5: 22-23
“You must have a vision within yourself for yourself. A vision will pull you forward. If you don’t have a vision, you will be stuck in what you know and the only thing you know is what you’ve seen.” Iyanla Vanzant’s wisdom seemed to marinade, for many seasons, in the nooks and crannies of my soul. In painfully peeling back the layers, it was as if my tired, broken wings had soaked up a warm, healing balm that would magically repair and restore a new pulse. Like a new pair of glasses, the torn stitches of my spirit, allowed the perfect amount of light to rush in and drench all that it illuminated—giving clarity and detail to my enormously injured vision. Little did I know, while I was limping through isolation, murky obscurity and magnificent guilt...God was choosing and preparing another soul to float into my complicated, fractured and narrowed field of view. There is NO place that God is not...the perfect kindling that was essential for this Phoenix to rise from her ashes.
Fast forward a few years, and all of sudden, in the space of a few shallow breaths, a fabulous miracle came raging into my universe. A soul, wounded in all the right places, would come to reunite, heal, and help us both to understand that the gold that we were both seeking was hidden in the darkness.
Our story is one that few own. Someday, it will be written, but for today, the 1st edition of the Texas Plains Press will serve as a gift, in honor of the birth of Our Savior, Jesus.
Henry had lived his entire life among the salt grasses and coastal ranches of south Texas. Through enduring the injustices of the times, a possession of the kind of grit needed to make something of himself, and a God-given talent in working with horses and cattle, he carved his own, highly respected and deeply special place in this world.
Upon this massive shift in both of our lives, over many months of prayer, and frequent trips on the LONG “turquoise trail”, Henry found himself looking at the Gulf Coast in the rearview mirror of his loaded pickup as he ventured north to the Red River Valley. Again, God had effortlessly moved life’s puzzle pieces, and in the heat of July, Henry accepted the Assistant Rodeo Coach position at Vernon College. He had traded the salt air for the red landscape of Wilbarger County. It certainly wasn’t an easy feat, leaving the ranchers that had trustingly
depended on him for decades.
He carefully tied up loose ends, until he was confident that “his” people were well– prepared for their own shift in this plan. The support that rang out in favor of Henry’s new journey was a consensus among those he had built lasting relationships with; his family and lifelong friends expressed a genuine love and showered their blessings on him.
With the indomitable spirit that lives within Henry Zarate, fences were built, pastures were planted, water troughs constructed, cattle were bought and new life was breathed into Arrowhead Hill Farm. To see the green pastures dotted with cattle and hear the hoof beats of horses as they are trained in the red dirt, a tangible sense of reclamation, and thanksgiving began to replace our wounds. Like a tree that has been disfigured and then produces beauty far better than it was, not only did the 100- year old farm been given another chance.. But...both of us had as well. Our lives were now filled with things that we had only dreamed of. Transcendent moments of pure gratitude.
In this Christmas season before us, our prayers of hope and wishes for you, exceed the possibilities of what YOU can dream. Be good to yourself, live humbly and give grace and forgiveness, even when it’s the most difficult, for this life is fragile and much too short to live otherwise. God bless each and every one of you, and ALWAYSremember the reason for the season. Lift your eyes each morning and give thanks, even on the darkest days.
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Welcome to Vernon Barn Dance for Henry
BARN DANCE AT THE RANCH
SPRING RAINS!
CHECKING CATTLE
RIDING ON THE PEASE RIVER
TEXAS SUNSET
Lil' CINCO
COLORS OF THE EARTH
POST QUICKSAND ADVENTURE - Big Mama and I went down within seconds...but all is well!
Benefit Roping
Henry's good-bye party in South Texas
VISITED BACK EAST WITH MY PARENTS
A lil' tunin'
SPRING/SUMMER GRAZIN'
MSU - UNDEFEATED!!!
CHRISTMAS
NEW PATIO
TEXAS GAME WARDEN GRADUATION
MY BIG BOY
SOUTH TEXAS VISIT
LESSONS
BRANDING
SETTIN' POLES
PUTTIN' IN CORNERS
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