It's Showtime

Let's start at the beginning. As a homeschool mom, I am always searching for opportunities for my kids that will enhance their social and community involvement as well as provide a chance for spiritual, mental, and academic growth. We joined 4-H this year and have enjoyed and learned from their opportunities. Several months ago I talked my family into going to their livestock day to learn more about 4-H's livestock programs. I was thinking chickens...we could do the chicken project. Well, my son was interested in the chickens, but my daughter and my husband came home talking about the steer project. Really! A cow! Have I mentioned I'm a little scared of cows. Yes, they intrigue me, but hose big animals are a little scary to me!

In June we brought home a 700 pound steer that K named Red. Within 5 minutes of being home, he broke through 2 fences which resulted in a 6 hour stand off in the field until experts arrived to help us get him home and reinforce the fences. Red finally decided that his new home wasn't so bad and within 3 weeks was beginning to learn to lead.

My girl researched and worked to figure out the right food, what supplies were needed, how to train this large animal, how to work with his hair, and show stances. Over the past 2 months she has spent hours upon hours training Red and working with his hair. Everything she has done, she has learned on her own and by talking to a friend who has some experience.

On Friday, we headed off to the Jr. Beef Round Up which was to start the steer project. I was a nervous wreck. This was a whole new show for all of us. The only things we knew about showing cattle was from what we had read and what we had watched on you-tube.

We arrived in Clemson, overcame some confusion in checking in, and got a very nervous Red unloaded (did I mentions he has not seen another cow in 2 months), got him weighed, and headed to the "stall" space which ended up being a tie out space with shavings in an open building with fans, radios, blowers, and cows everywhere. Yes, Red freaked out a little, my girl was anxious, and my stomach was in knots. Instead of help, all we got were stares. We finally got Red settled down, and we headed to set up our living space for the weekend. So thankful our trailer has living quarters which allowed us to stay at the arena.

Friday evening we sat with Red in the barn (apparently that is what you do at cattle shows) and Kristen took him for a walk. Red did better but of course was still nervous.

Saturday morning came. We headed out to the barn to feed, wash, and groom Red and prepare for the showmanship contest. Keep in mind this whole time, we haven't made any friends in the barn, everyone is doing their own things with no respect for other people's space or feelings. We were first-timers learning as we went. So thankful for the positive encouragement from a friend and my sister's reminder that growth comes from the uncomfortable places.

Finally, it was show time. Red was nervous and so was my girl. It would be their first time in the ring, and K had no training other than her own research. It started out OK, but Red quickly acted up and K just tried to maintain her composure. As her mom, my heart sank as she struggled to control her animal and combat disappointment and frustration. I knew their were tears as we quickly got out of the stands to go encourage her. So thankful my sister and brother-in-law were there for her.

Saturday evening we decide to leave for a while and go out to eat. We all needed a break from the cattle world. We came back, checked on Red, and K took him for a walk. He was acting up and she was tired, overwhelmed, frustrated, and just completely raw. We had a mother-daughter heart to heart complete with tears while her daddy worked with Red. I headed back to the trailer while K and her daddy finished with Red.

Sunday morning came, and we all had a new resolve. As I took my Victory Sports shirt out with I Cor. 15:57 on the back, I told K we were taking a little Victory Sports and Jesus up in that barn. Red was calm when we got there, and we actually had someone speak to us. We fed and washed Red and headed to the worship service. I was so thankful they had one because I desperately needed that encouragement. After the service, we needed to speak to one of the staff. Apparently a conversation I had with an assistant the day before (I had mentioned that we were struggling first-timers) had made it to this man. He immediately introduced us to a God send! This man took us under his wing for the rest of the day. He talked with Kristen, introduced us to kind people, explained how things work, helped K with Red, and gave lots of advice. Apparently we had set up on the wrong side of the barn with the cut throats from out of state. Anyway, everyone was more at ease. Red was still acting up a little before the steer show, but my girl had a different attitude. She lined up and walked in that ring with confidence. Red did better too. The highlight of the weekend was the smile on her face as she and Red walked out of that ring.

So, yes, the experience was painful.There were smiles and frowns, laughter and tears, struggles and triumphs. But, in the end, there was the joy of overcoming adversity and a family that stuck together relying on God for help and strength.

Thoughts from Jericho

Have you ever been faced with a daunting task? One that seemed just a little too big. One that made you feel uncomfortable, unqualified, and completely out of your realm. Magnify that feeling, and I'm sure that's how the children of Israel felt as they looked on the big walls of Jericho and thought, "How are we supposed to conquer that?!?"

Since life has slowed down a bit after school got out for summer break, I have enjoyed a little extra time in the Word other than my quick devotion and verse here and there during our busy school days. And let me just be honest in saying, God knows I need that extra time in His Word to keep me grounded and focused on His promises which I all to easily loose sight of.

Raising kids, homeschooling high schoolers, maintaining house and property, running from one sport to the next, juggling responsibilities, and the list goes on  can all seem a bit taxing. And some of you are facing challenges and responsibilities a lot more daunting than the normal day to day trials.

As I have been reading in Joshua, I came across one of my favorite verses, Joshua 1:9; and I desperately needed a reminder of this verse. It says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." What an awesome promise this is, and this was the promise God gave right before He was going to do tremendous things that would require total faith...like walk around the walls of Jericho. Really! Just walk and shout...Don't attack...Don't fight...Just walk, trust, and obey. God was going to fight the battle for them.

Here the children of Israel stood looking at the huge walled city. How? How were they going to tackle this? But God! He had a plan. It was a plan that would require total faith and obedience. A plan the would show His faithfulness, His power, and His might.

The children of Israel prepared to fight. They had God's promise that He was with them. But, as the Jesus Storybook Bible puts it, God's plan "wasn't about fighting; it was about trusting and doing what God said." So for days the children of Israel walked around the walls of Jericho. They waited on God's Word and for God to move- such faith to walk and wait- not taking things into their own hands that surely would have led to defeat. They waited and then obeyed when God said to shout. They trusted and obeyed which led to great victory. A victory orchestrated by God to accomplish His plan. Oh, to have that faith!

Oh Father, help me! Help me have the faith to trust, obey, and walk while waiting on You to work to accomplish Your plan through tasks that seem too big.

Take 2...Let's try again

This blog may have been silent for almost 2 1/2 years, but the life of this family has been anything but silent! I always heard that your life gets busier as your kids get older, but as I hustled after my children when they were younger, I never understood how that could be...until now! The life of traveling out of town to co-op classes; attending to church, family, and community responsibilities; adding karate and travel softball to the schedule;  preparing for 4-H projects; and bringing new animals to the homestead have made life feel out of control at times. How do you find a balance??? Over the past months the words, "If we can only get through the next 2 weeks..." have been verbalized countless times to my husband along with realization that it was time to re-prioritize. 

Seasons of our lives can be constantly changing. Even though the past 3 years have been extremely busy and challenging, they have also allowed many volunteer, ministry, and teaching opportunities. Anyone who knows me understands that I love missions and ministry opportunities. Knowing that some of these things would have to be cut. the thought of re-prioritizing was not one that I looked upon with excitement. I prayed for guidance and direction through this process. The thought that always came back was there are seasons...seasons to raise your children, seasons to homeschool, seasons of sports, seasons of ministry...and my season of homeschooling and having my children at home is winding down. With that realization staring me in the face during my daughters 9th grade year, my priorities became very clear. My children are my first mission. If I fail to minister to them, I am neglecting my main mission during this season in my life. God chose me to be there mom...I have the privilege of striving to lead them and guide them. I have the opportunity to be in their lives and not waste a minute. I have the responsibility of doing life with them through the ups and downs of teenage emotions and striving to help them find balance and meaning in life. 

So lets just be honest. The life of a homeschooling mom is not glamorous. We are with our children for the majority of the day. They see us at our best and at our worst, and we see the same in them. We are the target of their frustration, and they can become the target of ours. The sad reality is that sometimes it is so much easier to minister to others than to minister to our own, and I admit, that has been the case with me more times than I care to mention. As we come out of one of the busiest and hardest years of my homeschooling career, I am looking forward to some time this summer to rest, recover, and equip for the coming school year. There will be long drives to karate and softball practice. There will be many weekends at the softball field. There will be many hours in the yard not only training in respective sports but training horses, chickens, and a cow. There will be many opportunities and activities that will require a "Sorry, but no," answer from me. But this is my season...my season to embrace the next few years before me children fly the coop and become adults. Oh how I pray for the strength to find joy in each day, for direction in navigating the road of teenage emotions and attitude, for discernment in making the most of everyday despite what trials arise, and for our family to be a light to those around us and abound in love.