Merry Christmas

Blessed is this day for the time of our visitation has begun.
The Lord Almighty has arrived as an infant born in a manger.

He came not to judge
But to save us from our sins and iniquities,
Give us life in abundance,
Fill us with joy beyond measure,
And grant peace of soul beyond understanding
For all who choose to believe and know Him.

Happy Birthday, Jesus Christ, our Messiah!
Merry Christmas to one and all.

From all of us at Roseland Plantation:

Steve, Christina, Jennifer, Martha, Alejandro, and Donna

May you enjoy a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

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I had been trying to post just our Christmas card for everyone to see, but Blogger.com insisted on rotating it, as you can see below.  This has happened to me many times before; I finally gave up in frustration.  If anyone can help, please write me.  Thanks, steve@historicroseland.com

 

The Recipe

Our guests at Roseland frequently compliment us on our breakfast.  We serve a proprietary fresh fruit cup, unique juice, and heavenly scrambled eggs among other menus.  Our guests love it.
“It’s perfect,” they say. 
Sometimes our guests also ask, “What do you do that makes your breakfast so good?  What is your recipe?  What special ingredients do you use to make it so delicious?”

Clearly, our guests can perceive the love we pour into our work.  They can see the attention we pay to presentation, and they can taste the care we take during preparation.  The love shines through the end result.
“It’s the love we pour into it,” we respond. 

But our guests have difficulty accepting that’s all there is to it, so they often probe further, “What’s your secret?  Are you using special farm fresh eggs?”
“We use regular eggs from the store, mix it with milk, whip it, and then cook it in the pan.  We add no seasonings,” we reply.
“That’s all?” they ask in amazement.
“Yes, that plus a lot of attention to detail and love,” we reiterate.

Learning the simplicity of our recipe actually enhances their appreciation of the breakfast; it doesn’t diminish it.  Knowing how carefully we prepare the food emphasizes to them how important they are in our lives.  In short, it shows how much we care, appreciate, and love them.

It is the same with God and His creation.  He created everything in this Universe with great care for our pleasure.  He made everything beautiful and perfect before we ruined it.  But we can still see the attention, love, and care He poured into it for our benefit.  Isn’t it incredible that the Creator of this Universe would be so concerned with our needs?  Isn’t it overwhelming how important we are to Him?

Many have difficulty accepting that God did what He did because they can’t understand how He accomplished it.  But just as it is unnecessary for Roseland guests’ enjoyment of the breakfast to know our recipes, it is unnecessary for us to know how God made the Universe.  We all can enjoy a Roseland breakfast or marvel at God’s superlative creation without knowing the details of its preparation. 

Sometimes we are fortunate and do learn the recipe.  It seems so simple as to be impossible.  So we ask, “Is that all?  That’s it?” 

If our guests are impressed by the simple elegance of Roseland’s recipes, how much more should we be awed at the simple elegance of God’s creative genius when we do get glimpses of how He created the Universe!  In both cases knowing the recipe only enhances the experience rather than detracts from it. 

You see what’s important is WHAT God did, not HOW He did it.  And this is what He did and is continuing to do:
1.    He created a perfect world for us
2.    He gave us free will to enjoy that world with Him and to love Him
3.    He made us managers of his perfect Creation so we, too, could be creators like Him
4.    When we messed up and totally destroyed His perfect creation, He didn’t just erase everything and start all over again, but He chose to fix it and pay a price we cannot comprehend
5.    Though it may be difficult to perceive at times, He is constantly at work in each of our lives to perfect us so we can participate in his perfect Creation once it’s been restored to perfection.

What an amazing, awesome God worthy of all our praise!  So let us praise God and thank Him for His incredible skill, love, and attention to detail.  Let us accept Him and His Creation for what it is, even if we don’t know the recipe.   And let us never forget how important we are to Him!  Merry Christmas to all and may the peace of the Lord be with you.

And please do come to enjoy our delicious Roseland breakfasts…

The Free State of Van Zandt

We meet the greatest and interesting people here at Roseland!  The other day a group of long-time college friends – I must use the word “old” with great caution at my age - decided to join us for their periodic retreat.  Though they have scattered, they continue to get together once or twice each year and enjoy each others’ company.  They rotate the location, first in one person’s home town, then the next, and so on.  That way the burdens of hosting and travel are shared equally among the participants. 

One of the guests, Mike, is a history buff.  He asked me, “Do you know about the Free State of Van Zandt?”
History was never my favorite subject in school.  I can’t remember where I put the car keys five minutes ago, let alone the names and dates associated with people long gone.
“The Free State of Van Zandt?  No, I’ve never heard of it.”
“Yes.  Roseland is located in what was once called The Free State of Van Zandt. You should look into it.”  With that we changed the topic of conversation, but clearly the gauntlet had been laid down.

That was obviously a challenge no self-respecting man could reject, and I decided to check out the Free State of Van Zandt.  I figured it had something to do with the Civil War (here in Texas it’s also called the un-Civil War, War between the States, Second War of Independence, War of Northern Aggression, or War of States Rights).  I started researching. 

Information is not hard to come by, but the truth is.  Tall tales and colorful local history competed for my attention.  Early history is preserved through oral tradition and tales of questionable authenticity learned from personal friends.  Newspapers and such were non-existent in those days, but even if they were, can we ever be truly sure that they are accurate? 

Names familiar from the names of local towns come to life as influential families, courageous settlers, and perhaps scoundrels.  Stories resound with undertones of pride and success mixed with pragmatism and individual determination.  This is a brief summary of what I’ve learned about the Free State of Van Zandt:

Van Zandt County was originally carved out of Henderson County by the Texas State legislature in 1848; its boundaries were re-drawn in 1850 leaving its present boundaries.  The county had acquired the moniker “free territory” shortly after its formation.  The term however had nothing to do with the matter of slavery, but resulted from a fortuitous situation that allowed Van Zandt County and its residents to inherit none of the excessive debt burden carried by its parent Henderson County.  Hence the term “free territory” originally meant “free of debt”, not necessarily “free of slaves.”  In fact, the institution of slavery plays a significant and interesting role in Roseland Plantation’s pre Civil War history.  Furthermore Texas, as well as the owner of the plantation at the time, had joined the Confederate side.

President Lincoln abolished slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but the order did not reach Texas until June 19, 1865.  This date is commonly celebrated as “Juneteenth,” the day of Texan emancipation by descendants of the slaves.  But back to Van Zandt County… 

In 1867 Texans decided to formally re-join the Union, but this did not sit well with many local residents in Van Zandt County.  The citizens of the county held a convention and declared themselves free and independent of the State of Texas, of the Southern Confederacy, and of the United States of America.  Subsequently they formed an army to fight for their liberty. 

In response General Sheridan, the Union officer in charge of reconstruction in the territory, sent a troop of cavalry to put an end to the rebellion.  The county, being heavily wooded, made it possible for the army of the Free State of Van Zandt to apparently repulse the invasion in short order with no casualties simply by sniper fire alone – using tactics similar to those the American militiamen had used to defeat the British during the Revolutionary War. 

Victory appeared quick, painless, and sweet to the residents of the Free State of Van Zandt.  The army proceeded to celebrate their victory in Canton.  It was a hearty celebration and most were overcome by the effects of excessive liquor consumption during the celebration.

However, Sheridan’s troops had not been defeated; they had merely regrouped.  At the height of the celebration by the army of the Free State of Van Zandt, Sheridan’s troops surrounded Canton and captured the entire army.  The Federal soldiers built a several acre stockade prison walled by logs rammed vertically into the ground.  This prison held the entire rebellious army. 

The prisoners were model captives and showed no inclination of causing trouble for Union.  Therefore as time passed the number of Federal guards on duty was reduced until there was just one guard to patrol the entire perimeter. 

When the rainy season came, the ground became soft, and the prisoners took advantage of the situation.  They loosened some of the surrounding posts, created a hole in the fence, and escaped to neighboring territories. 

Thus ended the saga of the Free State of Van Zandt, but the spirit of the community lives on.   Though the county may be subject to external authority, citizens still cherish their independence and resent external intervention.  County citizens still proudly remember their heritage of freedom from authority, and proudly resist any encroachment on their liberty – especially from Washington. 

More detailed histories are available at http://txgenweb3.org/txvanzandt/vzcfreestate.htm  (for Van Zandt County) and http://www.lsjunction.com/events/events.htm (for Texas).

Christmas Teas

Every year Roseland Plantation hosts a special Christmas Tea.  These Teas are truly memorable:
 
•    We delight the taste buds with our home made scones, sandwiches, and desserts.
•    We satisfy the eye with the royal elegance of our table settings.
•    We capture the imagination with beautiful seasonal flowers and decorations. 
•    And we top all this off with Roseland’s famous historic plantation tour.

Come join us for one of our 2010 Christmas Teas on December 5, 6, 7, or 8.  Get into the holiday mood without the rush and pressure of the season. 

Christmas is about Peace and Joy.  Experience both at our Christmas Tea. 

We have already received many reservations and space is limited.  Come, be our guest.  One, two, four, or more; no minimum group size requirements.  More information is available at http://www.roselandplantation.com/hightea.html under “Special Seasonal Festival Teas.”   …or you can simply call us at 903-849-5553.

God bless and happy holidays.

Steve

What Happened?

Wow!  It’s November already!  What happened to September and October?  Where did it go?

October is our busiest season of the year, and this year it has been busier than ever:

• We hosted weddings every weekend.  
• We held the annual Rose Festival Teas – a very successful event this year.  
• We hosted many reunions, weekend getaways, silver and gold anniversaries, and other special events.  

There was not a moment to catch our breath. 

This October was the best month Roseland has ever experienced, and here it is the middle of November already!  We’re looking forward to Thanksgiving celebrations at Roseland, then the Christmas Teas, then Christmas and New Year celebrations and weddings.  I bet in a couple of months we’ll look back and ask “What happened to November and December?”

So come to Roseland and join the festivities, renew old friendships and family ties.  After all ‘tis the season to be jolly!  …and Roseland is the place to experience it best.

Bittersweet

Note:  I started to write this mid-September; then life happened…

Seasons come, and seasons go.  My favorite seasons are summer and spring.  Summer brings sailing, swimming, long days, warm weather, and lots of outdoor activities.  Spring is beautiful, heralds the coming of summer, and symbolizes rebirth after trials. 

My least favorite seasons are winter and fall.  Winter is simply bitter and cold with much darkness and short daylight - more so up North than at Roseland, thank God. Colors fade into drab browns and grays with momentary splashes of brilliant white when snow falls. 

East Texas winters are not nearly as depressing as the winters up North.  Winter for the most part is actually a very pleasant time of the year with relatively mild temperatures, a fair number of sunny days, with just enough greenery to tease the eye and provide a fleeting reminder that all is not dead. 

To me fall is the saddest of the four seasons.  It signals the end of summer, my favorite time of year, and the coming of winter, my least favorite time of year.  As with fireworks, nature seems to provide us with a grand finale of colors after the long summer show, then the stage closes. 

Fall represents a time of closure, a time of re-grouping, of preparation for the trials of winter.  Summer toys are put away, winter clothes are brought out in anticipation.  “Button down, store up, prepare,” we are taught. 

September has been such a month, and last week in particular has been such a week:
•    We closed to pool – the water is too cold for swimming now.
•    Some leaves began to turn.
•    Illnesses of elderly family members foreshadowed a tough winter coming.

…those were the bitter parts of fall, but then there were sweet parts, too:

•    The roses we planted this year burst forth in colors and fragrance beyond imagination.
•    Jennifer and Johnathan were married in early October.  What a joyful occasion that was!
•    Brayden continues to grow.  He is such a joy!
•    I visited our church family in Denver and recalled the delightful days Debbie and I had spent with them.
•    The gang from Houston came to visit us for a family celebration.
•    God continues to send us guests who leave as family we have known all our lives.  We share experiences, whether that be sorrow, illness, joy, or memories.

We keep receiving blessing after blessing after blessing.  The Lord is good.  The Lord if faithful and true.  Life is bitter yet sweet:  Bittersweet.  So let the winter come, it’s only a few months until the rich sweetness of spring engulfs us once again.

Praise God!

Flying Armadillo

Who has driven through Texas and not seen armadillo road kill?  Because of this I’ve always pictured armadillos as blind, dumb, lumbering tanks too stupid to avoid vehicles.  Not necessarily so!

Armadillos are an amazing group of mammals from South America.  There are twenty different species of armadillos, all closely related to sloths and anteaters.  They have a hard bone shell and short strong legs well suited to digging.  They eat insects such as ants, beetles, and grubs.  Their tongues are sticky, like an ant-eater’s to better catch the insects.  Armadillos do dig little annoying holes in the yard to get at these delicacies, but the holes are not particularly destructive. 

Texas is populated by the nine-banded armadillo, a cute little creature.  We have a locally resident armadillo family at Roseland.  I’ve seen it many times in the evening and at night slowly crawling along the ground, digging for insects.  Usually it ignores me; it has poor eyesight.  But it does have good hearing and sense of smell.

One afternoon, as I was taking wedding pictures, I noticed an armadillo in the yard next to the rose garden.  I sneaked up on it, and clicked a picture.  The shutter’s small clicking noise must have alarmed it because it took off into the air and quickly disappeared.  It literally flew about 15 ft!  Don’t believe me?  Take a look at the following pictures.

Here are some interesting facts about the nine-banded armadillos of Texas:
•    Contrary to popular belief, the nine-banded armadillo cannot roll into a ball to escape predators.  It must rely on its armor, speed, and agility to survive. 
•    The female always gives birth to four identical young from the same egg.
•    Some females have been known to delay birth for up to two years after fertilization to compensate for stressful situations.
•    Armadillos are excellent swimmers (they do the armadillo paddle which is similar to dog paddle).
•    Armadillos can go a long distance underwater, typically walking on the bottom; they can hold their breath for up to six minutes at a time.
•    Armadillos have been known to float long distances by gulping air into their intestines, essentially creating a balloon inside a shell.
•    The nine-banded armadillo is not a threatened species (its population is actually growing), but its ownership in the U.S. is regulated.  For example it’s illegal to own one in Maine, and Montana classifies it as livestock with the same requirements and restrictions as cattle.
•    Armadillos are edible (must be cooked thoroughly as they can carry leprosy); can be substituted for pork, chicken, or beef; and is part of the local diet in many parts of South America.
•    Armadillos have been used for research into leprosy, multiple births and other reproductive issues, HIV studies, skin and organ transplants, cancer, and more.

Armadillos are cute.  And yes, they can fly!  Come to Roseland Plantation in Ben Wheeler, TX, and see our flying armadillo.  You can learn more about armadillos at https://www.msu.edu/~nixonjos/armadillo/index.html. 
 
One day, perhaps, I’ll tell you about flying pigs, too…