God's Love

As some of you who follow me on Google+ know, I was lucky enough to go with my dad to a trip to Portales.  He went to work a booth with his job at the NM Ag Festival, and I went along for the fun and to spend time with him.

I really like traveling, going places, seeing things, meeting people, and being with the ones I love.  That's why our bull sale season is always a fun time for me (travel!).  On top of the travel and time with Dad, I was really looking forward to the Ag Fest.  I mean, anything to do with cows has got to be good, right?!

Unfortunately, it was pretty slow there.   Maybe the beautiful weather had everyone home doing odds and ends before NM’s windy spring hit.  Who knows?  But it was very, very slow.

When you are in a situation like this (at least for me) you start thinking about ALL the things you could be doing at home!  Especially with the lovely weather!

BUT

(Yes, that was a huge conjunction with no sentence for my dear, English-loving friends!)

BUT

God had something in mind for me.  He blessed my socks off!

Josh and I have been working together on my horse Queenie.  We took her to a trainer for about a month, and now she is home for us to finish her training.  I must admit I am proud of her.  For all the bad things we did (unknowingly!) when she was younger, she has a lot going for her.  Still, she is a green horse (green meaning untrained) being trained by green trainers!  We had some GREAT help from a friend, and she gave us a lot of great exercises to be working on.

However, we were getting to a point that we had learned almost all those above-said exercises.  We were almost to a point that I didn't know how to move forward.  I know what kind of a horse I want by the time we are done- one that can work cattle easily, listens to what I want, and responds right away and enthusiastically.  However, getting that horse from point “A” to point “B” was something I didn't know how to do!!

So what does my Loving God do?

He opens the doors for me to go to Ag Fest with my daddy, in spite of battling a cold a few days before leaving.

He places me at a slow-paced Ag Fest where the sessions looked more interesting than just sitting there.

God gives me a session called- get this..........“Advancing the Green Horse”.

Yup.  That’s right. “Got a green horse?  Want to keep working it but don’t know how?”!!!! "

I was able to sit for about 4 hours watching and listening as this great horse trainer showed us several different exercises for getting your horse from point “A” to point “B”!   They all made so much sense- get your horse to do this in the pens, and he’ll then do this in the pasture.  So exciting to this Cowgirl!

God even blessed me with time to ask a question about an issue that Queenie was struggling with and getting it personally answered by him!

Really, this story isn't about horses, or horse training, or Ag Fest.  It is about God who is a loving Father and took the time to show me that He is watching me, taking care of me, and staying one-step ahead of me!

Are you there right now?  Are you in a situation where you have no idea what to do next?  Where to turn?  Keep your eyes open.  What may look like a boring, wasted ride somewhere may be your ticket of answers.  With God, who knows!

And if you are on that boring, wasted ride and nothing happens.  Look around you.  Maybe it was NOT what you needed but that you needed to go in order for someone else to be blessed.   My dad really had a pretty wasted trip when he could have been at the office working on some big things- but it is what I needed.

As God showed us in Christ’s Birth, God doesn’t mind moving a whole nation to get one person somewhere!  Keep your eyes open, you just might see something.

In Christ’s Love,

Rebecca

Rain & Lady

We have had a total of 1 inch and 3 tenths so far at our house!  We are praising God for the rain we have had, and asking for more to keep the grass growing.   Remember how I said that our feed bin had stayed full?  Well, right before we got a bit of rain, it went empty.  God knew that we wouldn't need any more because we would be growing grass from the rain.  Praise Him for keeping it full as long as He did!!!

A side note on all the beautiful thunder storms we have been having. Our dog, Lady, hates all the noise rain storms make.  She just sits there and shivers.  Hates them.  Right now she is ready to pop her puppies out at any time!  So we had a scared, scared pregnant momma everyone was comforting while the thunder was going on.  Unfortunately she doesn't share our joy of rain..... 

Yes, our dog should be having puppies soon.  Anytime now.  She is so big right now!  HUGE!  All she has to do is come up to one of us and we will sit there and rub her tummy for hours on end.  Yeah, she's spoiled.  We are really excited though.  We are in need of a good male dog to keep the headquarters "secure". *ahem*  We also have some friends who live out in Edgewood near some lots that nobody owns and those lots are notorious for having...interesting....characters out there.  We need another good "Hank Head of Security" dog for them as well.  Plus the owner of the father wants a dog for his daughter.  We need her to have 3 puppies.  She only had 1 puppy last time!  That was the fattest pup you ever did see. 

Alright, we are hosting church at our house tomorrow so I need to get going.  Goodnight!

Rebecca

Rain?!

We are actually getting something we haven't had since November (if our calculations are correct).  Moisture.  We are Raining here!  So far we have had about 3 tenths and it is still stormy.  Thank you Lord! 

Another beautiful thing we get to see today was a rainbow.  I thought it quite funny that I had just read about God's promise proclaimed through our beauty.  One of God's unfailing promises.  Praise Him for those- for I can't keep my promises like that. 

Wondering at our GOD,
Rebecca

Prayers Please!

~Hey there!  We are heading out tomorrow for a bull sale to sell 3 of our bulls.  Please pray for safe travel as we go, and that our bulls would sell well.  We are pretty excited as we enjoy going off and being away from the house.  :)

~I also ask that you would be praying as we have someone interested in the ranch.  Actually, we have a lot of people interested in the land and/or ranch.  Please be praying that God would make it clear to us what we need to do, and that everything will work smoothly.  We have been cleaning like crazy!  Mainly because we are leaving for the bull sale.  God has just been amazing and took us a whole year farther than we thought we would be able to go!!! Is our God good, or what? 

~Our calf's name is Millie!  Here are a few pictures of her with her Momma Dolly.  Dolly is doing so well with us milking her!  It has been so nice to not have to deal with a cow that wants to kick you every second. 

The second day we go out to milk and... the calf wasn't there in the pen!  I mean, you can't really go anywhere, it isn't a huge pen and we can see all of it from the door of the barn!  We laughed at ourselves and walked around the feeder... No calf. 

We got a bit worried wondering where she would be able to go.  I stepped around the tank to go look in the other pens and there she was!  She just thought that nice black tire would be a warm spot to sleep next too! 

Sure scared us.

Dolly is so gentle and doesn't mind us petting her calf or her out in the pen. 

Alright, I am going to go curl up and go to bed.  It has been a long day.

What do you think of the Calf's new name? 

Your Sister in Christ,

Rebecca

Dolly had a baby

As you know (or will find out in two seconds) we have had milk cows for a while now.  We started out with an older milk cow named Clarice, and recently traded a beef cow for a younger milk heifer.  (Clarice was past the prime of her life)  Our youngen' is Dolly.  She is about 2 1/2.  We had let Clarice dry up about 5 months ago, and while enjoying our time off from milking, we were missing the milk.   Dolly had been bagging up for a while and we were expecting a calf any day now.  We were wanting to keep an eye on her as Jerseys are real delicate and tend to get problems if you don't take care of things. (we have learned the hard way) 

Well, Josh and Dad had fed the cows yesterday (Sunday), and noticed that she was really bagged up.  (I mean her udder was full of milk which means she will be calving soon).  On Clarice we had had to milk before she calved as she got too full and had problems.  Dad mentioned it to us tonight as we were visiting, and since it was still daylight and a pretty evening I went out to go check on her and everyone else.

 I walked out past the barn to the pasture she is in and the pen they come in for water and say a cute little black calf!  Now, one of the black cows we have out there was standing next to it so I thought it was her calf.  Not sure who we had that was due to calve anytime, I went a different route to get to that pasture.  (them mommas can get real picky about how close you are.  And in general I can run faster then they can for a short distance, but I have never really wanted to push it) 
As I came around the corner of the pen and looked out I could just see Dolly go running into the pen with the calf in it.  Mooing.  That's about when the light bulb came on and I realized that.... DOLLY HAD HER CALF!!!!!!!!

Yup, Dolly is a proud mother of a cute little black heifer.  Name is still undecided but we will let you know as soon as we all agree on it.  :D

We had to milk Dolly out some as she was producing more than the little heifer could eat.  She did really well.  She kicked a little, but Dad would just tap her with a rope and she decided to hold still.  Considering that she was really full she did great!  We will have to keep milking her until we get her milk under control, but I think we can get it going.  Yeah!!! 

Man, I am so looking forward to some good, fresh, pure milk!  Isn't she so cute?

Love in Christ,
Rebecca

Random Pictures

Here are a few random pictures from my repertoire.  Thought I would share some of the cute ones with you...

^Sarah and Caleb cooking in the kitchen^

^Tinker and Button^

^Button found a perfect place to take a nap. Made one girl happy^

^Hang on to that sister!^

^These two are pathetic. Even when they are taking naps they have to be together.^

^Can you see Button's foot?^

(Under Tinker's head)

^Pretty Clouds from the East^

^Ever heard of Ferdinand that Bull?^

^This is actually my bull^

^I am telling you, that sister relationship is fun^

^Enjoy Life!^

Love in Christ,

Rebecca

Winter on a Ranch

It is New Mexico, so winters here are really not bad.  It has been getting pretty cold- cold enough to freeze the ice so that we   Joshua has to go break ice.  It can get pretty thick too.  Anywhere from an inch to half a foot.  Try lifting that out of the water after breaking it....  Not fun after the fourth tank.  :)   Poor Josh was getting REALLY chapped hands even with all the gloves he was putting on.  He didn't complain until we started noticing.  We found a pair of long gloves (up your arm) that are made of PVC plastic- or something like that- to protect him from the ice and cold water.  Now his hands stay protected through all the abuse. :)

Here are a few pictures from last year;

Of course, when you have snow you have to take the opportunity to play in it!!

Joshua breaking ice while Daisy "helps" warm it up and cool her off.

Loading a big hay bale onto the back of the truck while Daisy supervises.  Them cows eat a lot, ya know.

Our cousin and Josh feeding hay to the Mommas.  Amazing how those cows hear the feed truck. 

Even more fun to watch grown cows run!!!

Although it is nothing to crow about...

It is a lot of fun on the Ranch, and we pray daily that God continues to let us live it.

Love in Christ,

Rebecca

Still to come, The Case of the Mad Momma