Poems of a Christian Cowgirl is a collection of poems written for people who enjoy the cowboy way of life and want to feel a closer connection with God. Containing stories and experiences, as well as beliefs and views on life, Poems of a Christian Cowgirl taps into your emotions and speaks to your soul in a rustic Western elegance of someone who knows this life and the hardships Christians and cowboys face in the modern era.

I will begin by telling you a little about the person who I am and how I came to write these pages..... Today, I own and operate a real working cattle ranch along with a Country Western Bar and Grill, Western Wear, Feed and Saddle at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. I grew up in a small farming community in rolling hills of rural Ohio. I enlisted in the Military at age 17 and was selected by the US CID to do covert operations in the North Carolina region of USACIDC. I worked as a CID Agent for 7 years and then left the CID but continued to work with special operations for an additional two years. After 10 years of working as a covert undercover officer. I decided to change direction and become and retired a North Carolina State Trooper. The following poems and short stories were inspired by true events or friends who have touched my life in some matter and have forever changed my life. It is said that friendship is clairvoyant. With a true friend words are never needed. What you enjoy doing together will come natural and such a friendship shall stand throughout the ages. I hope you find such a friendship in your life and then you savor each day and share it with that someone special in your life as you go. Whether we realize it or not, everyone we know is very special to us. When we look back on our younger years, we will remember The people who went to school with us, the people who made us laugh, the people who hung out with us when nobody else would, and the people who made our lives much better simply by being a part of it. That's the wonderful thing about friendship--you always feel loved and cared about. The most important thing to remember is to always appreciate the friends that you have.... Seek out and find the time in each day to see the Beauty and Love in the world around you....

The following pages contain poems written by my mother, Mafalda "Maffy" Medda, over the last twenty-eight years of her life including her oldest poem, "Diamonds and Furs," dating back to 1985. It was her passion to write poetry and her dream to become a published author. When she passed away unexpectedly on February 22, 2013, her poetry was left unfinished. Her dream quickly became my passion. Therefore, I spent the next twenty months after she went to be with the Lord compiling her collection of hand-written poems into this poetry book in order to make her dream become a reality. -Mirka Denise Thomas-Thompson ABOUT THE AUTHOR My name is Mafalda Medda Thomas. My nicknames include: Maffy Thomas, Maffy Tee, and Mafalda Medda. However, when I was growing up, I was lovingly called the little leftover by my parents. When I was born, my mom believed she could no longer have children. When I was born, there became an eleven year difference between me and my youngest sibling. I became the eighth child in my family. My mother had four boys and four girls. The native land of Sardinia that consumed my dreams and caused me heartache as a young child is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and an autonomous region of Italy. I dont know the reason but God didnt evenly distribute artistic gifts where my family was concerned. He gifted me with the love of learning, the love of the arts, and the love of everything in the artistic field. In school, I had the privilege of being an honor student. Unfortunately, the Medda family lacked the financial ability to provide me with an education beyond the sixth grade. When I reached adulthood, I found myself taking classes due to a desire to learn in many different areas. I always had a passion for learning and a love for knowledge. With still somewhat shaky English skills, the first undertaking to begin my education in English was reading Gone with the Wind. It was a huge challenge on my part but I loved and enjoyed the opportunity to read and comprehend every single page. On September 2, 1989, I had the privilege of being invited to travel to Washington, D.C. in honor of my poem, Creation. In 1997, a more recent composition of mine, A Gift for Jesus, brought tears to my eyes. This poem was printed out on green card stock, was adopted by a local art gallery, and sold successfully during the 1997 Christmas season. My hobbies include poetry, music, reading, oil painting, butterflies, and artistically bettering existing products on the market. I love teaching people from young children and senior adults to my Shih Tzu, Candy. Candy and I participated and won first place in a local dog training contest for a three-part trick where I taught her to sit, beg, and roll over. Mafalda Maffy Medda Thomas 07/26/1998

As a pastor of Mountain Top Cowboy Church I have discovered that there is little material designed specifically for cowboy churches or cowboy ministries. Although I have been in the ministry for 16 years I had never considered writing a book however the Lord had other plans. In October of 2009 I broke my leg while competing at a 40 and over bull riding which required surgery. I do not believe that it was God's plan for me to ride a bull at the age of 46 but my books are an example that the Lord will use every situation we are in for good if we will allow Him to use us. During my time of recovery I started writing poems and short stories about my rodeo days then it turned to cowboy poetry. In the beginning it was a way to pass the time and deal with my situation. As I continued to write I began to relate my poems to scripture and it was then that the Lord truly began to use them to reach others. After sharing a few with my church I discovered that they could be a useful tool in cowboy churches and ministries or those in the western culture. My first book of poems and proverbs On The Trail was just another example of the Lord's Grace and Mercy in my life. He Holds The Reins is a continuation of that Grace and Mercy. Now that I am On The Trail with Christ I allow Him to take the reins of my life while I ride toward heaven on the narrow trail.

As a pastor of Mountain Top Cowboy Church I have discovered that there is little material designed specifically for cowboy churches or cowboy ministries. Although I have been in the ministry for 14 years I had never considered writing a book however the Lord had other plans. In October of 2009 I broke my leg while competing at a 40 and over bull riding which required surgery. I do not believe that it was God's plan for me to ride a bull at the age of 46 but this book is an example that the Lord will use every situation we are in for good if we will allow Him to use us. During my time of recovery I started writing poems and short stories about my rodeo days then it turned to cowboy poetry. In the beginning it was a way to pass the time and deal with my situation. As I continued to write I began to relate my poems to scripture and it was then that the Lord truly began to use them to reach others. After sharing a few with my church I discovered that they could be a useful tool in cowboy churches and ministries or those in the western culture. This book of poems and proverbs is just another example of the Lord's Grace and Mercy in my life; it is because of His love that I am On The Trail

READ and HEAR edition: Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door, the second book in “The Next Door Series,” tells the tale of a young boy whose biggest challenge during his summer of cowboy training is the know-it-all-cowgirl next door. Conrad can’t wait to start cowboy training at his Uncle Clint’s ranch, but he soon realizes he has a lot to learn – including don’t squat with spurs on and never wave your red sweatshirt at a bull. To make matter worse, Imogene Louise Lathrup, the cowgirl next door, shows up and is all too happy to point out Conrad’s shortcomings. In the follow-up to their smash hit Pirates on the Farm, author Denette Fretz and illustrator Gene Barretta team up once again to tell a humorous tale about loving your neighbor. Kids will enjoy the cowboy terminology in the back of the book, while parents will appreciate the letter from the author that includes questions that encourage discussion about what loving your neighbor really means.

Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam ... are stressed.

Common Core State Standards for Grades 2-3: Language Arts Instructional Strategies and Activities is designed to help teachers teach CORE standards using research-based, effective instructional strategies in combination with ready-to-use activities. These strategies include identifying similarities and differences, writing summaries and taking notes, creating non-linguistic representations, and suggestions for homework and practice. There are a variety of suggested texts as well as identified text exemplars that can easily be used with the suggested activities. The activities accommodate most teaching styles and can be used by the new teacher as well as the experienced teacher with very little advanced preparation required. While the activities in each chapter are listed as single suggestions, they can be used individually or combined to strengthen your current units as you implement the Common Core State Standards in your daily planning and instruction.