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

Thankful

We are going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year....

We Sold part of the land on our ranch!!!

I know that sounds funny to be thankful for, but it means we can stay here for many, many more years.  We also get to keep the house & headquarters, so that is a big blessing.  Try moving a HUGE shop.... yeah right. 

For those of your who don't know, we bought this ranch 7 years ago.  Buying it was a feat of God in itself.  The couple who owned it were older- in their 80's.  He was getting alzheimers and wasn't doing well, and she broke her hip.  They needed off the ranch and near their son.  Yes, a beautiful ranch that the sons and daughter didn't want.  (the siblings had their own places which I understand, but I don't think I could have done it)  

When you are selling a ranch you don't have many serious lookers, so they knew we were serious and kept coming back to us.  Dad was so smart and wrote up this beautiful letter letting the couple know that we were a family operation that would just love the blessing of buying this ranch.

We got it.

We think it was the letter.

We were able to buy it only because my dad had another good job as a mortgage lender.  (he says he works to pay for his hobby- ranching. :D)   Well, 7 years ago mortgage was booming. 

And as we all know, it crashed after that.  Although we really worked hard, and Dad did all he could, we just couldn't keep up with the mortgage on the ranch. (the only way to get a ranch is if you are a millionaire or inherit it)

The ranch had plenty to keep us and more, so after much prayer we decided to try and sell a part of it.

After 2 and a 1/2 years of different parts, to different parts or the whole ranch we have sold 2/3 of just raw land.  Believe me, we had any and all options up for sale at the end.  Whichever God sold we were going to take it. 

And God worked out the perfect one.

And it is SUCH a blessing. 

And it is all God.

And I still can't believe it.

And I am going to miss the pastures we are selling.

And we are going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

And only God could have kept us here for many more years than we should have been.

And even though we aren't out of the red zone, we are close enough to (with God's help!) handle it.

And we have had lots of rain to keep us through the winter.

And we have a bunch of heifers (female cows that haven't had a baby yet) to stock up with.

And we have plenty of room to expand our herd, even though we sold land.

And only God could have kept us here so long.

And I am so happy and sad at the same time.

And I am so excited to see this finally happen.

And I can't wait to get a dishwasher!!!  (Washing dishes by hand isn't bad, it is just SOO time consuming!)

Ahhhh, life is full again.  Our time of renewal is here.  It has been a loonnnggggg couple of years.  In all things God was good.  It was a time of growth and I am thankful for it.  I am just glad to be finished with it.  I hope.

Living in the Amazing Power of my Lord,
Rebecca

While I am Waiting

Ahh, here is a wonderful piece I found when going through e-mails.  Waiting is a virtue we have been perfecting with the ranch.  At least, I hope we have been perfecting. Thank goodness for a Patient God!  Love, Rebecca

 

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience While I'm waiting
I will serve You While I'm waiting
I will worship While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

~John Waller

George MacDonald

Well, things are still up in the air with the ranch thing.  Please just keep it in your prayers.  We don't want someone to come and buy it only to struggle.  It needs to be something they can handle as well.  After being bummed that things aren't moving faster, we are all remembering that it is OK.  God brought us past where we thought we could go.  He has Blessed us many, many times.  It was disappointing, but I think we are fine with it in our disappointment.  There is nothing that we can do.  It is not any different than what it was a month ago.  God was providing for us then, and He will provide for us now.

On a happier note, I am meeting a lady tomorrow to sign papers for my first wedding shoot!  I am excited and nervous about that.  God was good to me and brought me an older couple with a small wedding.  Nice for the first time. :)  My photography friend and mentor is coming with me as well!  God really blessed me with her. :D

Here is a quote from one of my favorite authors, George MacDonald in his book The Landlady's Master.

"At other times they went on with the usual employments and games of children. But there was this
difference between them and most grown Christians- when anything roused thought of question, they at
once referred it to the words of Jesus, and having discovered His will, made haste to do it. Their faith

was not theological, nor did they ever stop to consider whether their beliefs matched the tenets of the

Shorter Catechism they had learned. Practicality was the only code between them: could something

be done? If so, where was to be found the first opportunity to do it? "

This passage (the whole book!) really encourage me to remember to include seeing the daily action that Christ showed us.  Include it along with studying what He was meaning.  This book reminded me that Christ did both.  He practised and He taught.  I find it easy to get wrapped up in pondering it, rather than doing it.  I mean doing it as in seeing the World through His eyes and how I can show the world His love. 

Anyway, I hope it encourages you as it encouraged me.  If you haven't read George MacDonald, I recommend him.  He has some huge nuggets in his books.  (the bits I have read)

Love in Christ,
Rebecca

Praise God from Whom ALL Blessings Flow

I have a big praise to let everyone know about, as well as asking for some mega praying.  (Is there such a thing as mega praying???) 

We had a wonderful family come and look at half the ranch on Sunday.  It is a family of 5, with the oldest 2 children grown and married with children.  The youngest is still at home and is Josh's age!  They are homeschooling, are Christians, and are a sweet family.  They have registered Angus cows (!), raise horses (!!), do 4-H, show steers, and do rodeos.  The greatest thing is that they are really interested in making the whole neighbor thing work.  I mean really work.  They don't want to be your "average" neighbor.  They are wanting a good friendship.  They are only interested in part of the ranch which means that we would both be able to run about 170 cows.  A good amount. 

After a plethora of e-mails back and forth, they are coming out Sunday to join our church for Lunch, and then they will stay and we will talk some more.  Please be praying that we would be able to work it out so that we can both do what we are able to do.  Time wise, this couldn't be better.  We were both needing to get something worked out ASAP.  They have a lease that is expiring, and we need to get something moving!  (Doesn't that sound like God?) 

One of the things that was talked about was that instead of us selling the headquarters and have to build and move, they would buy the raw land and they would build and move.  (instead of us both moving)  Because the relationship is such, they could use our corrals until they get theirs built. 
At first we were a bit unexcited about this option.  As Mom and Dad talked it over, we realized that it would be a bit of work, but not bad to get this place fixed up the way we want it.  Plus it would save us the headache of building and moving.... :)  We would build a new house, just slowly and with us working on it which would save us a lot of money and we can build it just how we want it.

I had to share our praise with you and let you know.  I know many of our friends have been praying with us for a looong time. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.  For those of you who don't know, you know how to pray for my family!  No, nothing is on paper and signed, but we feel like that is where it is headed.  Please be praying for open doors if this is where God has us going.


In His Strong Arms,
Rebecca

Thankfulness

God is AMAZING!
Here is a small list of some of the Blessings He has given my family:

~Our bulls averaged 2200 including a bull that died!  (We normally want 1800-2000 for them, so this is great!)  GOD is so GOOD!
~We only have 1-2 more bulls left to sell
~Our Milk cow calved so we have fresh milk again.
~We have a 10 year old car that is still running well
~We all have what we need
~Our family was rejuvenated by another family recently, something we were all needing.  We are full of Joy again and ready to tackle what is ahead.
~We were blessed by a gift from a friend to take our family photo (she has a studio so these will be good!) we haven't had a family photo since Caleb was really little, so this is a nice blessing
~We have had healthy calves born so far.  We did lose 2 to the cold weather (-34 below!!) and God is providing us with exactly what we will need for next year!
~We have had LOTS of inquiries on the land!  We have had a few out to look, and a few that we are trying to get dates set for them to come and look.  (Please be praying for that)
~Everyone is strong and healthy. 

Wow.  Some of these may sound silly to you, I know.  But it has been a hard year and all of these things are great and wonderful blessings to us.  This year is going to be a good year, I know.  Thank you Dear Lord!

A Blessed,
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

Photography

We had a nice, quick blizzard this afternoon.  Typical NM weather.  It snowed hard for half an hour then was finished.  We could hardly see the barn.  It was quite charming. 

Anyway, I went out afterwards and brought my camera along. 

The Kittens came along, but just for some fun in the snow.

One of the trees by our house.

The Lilac bush by the barn.

A few shots of the corrals that didn't turn out quite like I wanted them to, so I turned them black and white. 

Well, what do you think?   Which is the best?

~Rebecca