The real me....

Okay... Here it goes. David (godscountryboy.blogspot.com) posted the Real You challenge recently. I have struggled just with starting this post because I am the type of person who is constantly stuffing what they really feel, and put a nice smiley mask on. I will try to be as honest as I can....

Some of my biggest fears:
 I am very concerned with what other people think of me. I am always afraid that they will find out who I really am and could never like me if they knew.

One of the biggest ones for me is..... That I will never meet a man who will love me enough to want to spend the rest of his life with me, or, if there is one, that I will not like something that he does/likes, and could not see myself spending the rest of my life with him. Recently, I have come to realize the enormous commitment that marriage involves, and I cannot see myself loving anyone yet like Love is needed in a marriage. However, I also desperately want to get married.... (For the girls who understand this fear, pleeeeaaaase pray for me)

I doubt the love of God and am constantly afraid that He will give up on me (even though I know the scriptures about this).

I distrust the love of my family and, overall, distrust the commitment of all my friends. (This is my problem, not yours, by the way, for any friends of mine who read this....)

And..... One of my worst character traits is irritation/anger. I hate it, have prayed about it, and am not sure what to do.....another area for prayer.


Okay, I think those are my biggest baddest problems/fears.....besides the millions of "little" ones that I also struggle with.  All I can say is .... Please pray for and continue loving me.....

Just Like Jesus....

I am an avid fan of Max Lucado and I have recently been reading his book Just Like Jesus. Many of the things he says convict me and also help me to see the Bible and it's principles more clearly. I have been wanting to post more things that a important rather than just pictures and fun stuff, but finding computer time is so hard for me. I actually have a little time tonight though, so I will attempt to do a post on what the more meaningful parts of this book (for me) are.......

Chapter 1
A heart like His:

Christ love us just the way we are, but He doesn't want us to stay that way. He wants us to be just like Jesus. In the Bible, we see many picture that portray the heart of Christ.  He had a heart that was pure and peaceful. Even though He was loved by thousands and His disciples constantly were worried and arguing, He was content to live a simple life that refused to be guided by vengeance. He refused to be guided by anything other than His high calling.

Our hearts, on the other hand, seem so far from His. We are a greedy, cranky, earthbound lot that is so focused on self we frequently forget Him. However, as surprising as it may seem, we already have His heart. God promises that, when we give our lives to Him, He will give Himself to us and make our hearts His home. He lives in us, but the reason we still so often act like ourselves instead of  Him is because we are content to live with our souls saved but our love unchanged. We are connected to Him, but not altered. He has ambitious plans for us, and longs to remake our hearts. He wants to make us just like Jesus.

Tune in  next time for.... Just kidding. But I really will try to continue posting these chapter by chapter.

Pictures from our house the other day.

 We spent time in our front yard the other day and these are some pics from then.....

Pictures from our most recent horse show!!!!

Wow.... we are having soooo much fun with the horse shows. On the last weekend of March, we had a tree day show. It was at West World in Scottsdale. Mom and the girls did great with all the horses except one. Mom, Lis, and Jessie are at a show today which Lisa is photographing in Maricopa, and, so far, they seem to be having a lot of fun out there. In two weeks from today...(I am soooo excited), Mom and us girls are going to Riverside, CA for 2 1/2 days for a show over there. Dad and Dave, our ever-faithful-always-available Barn Boys, are going to generously stay here at the ranch, and, once again, hold down the fort. Okay...pictures...... I can't find any from the other two days...this is just the first day. Will try to post some of the other days later.

Jessie ;)

The Hitching Post aka Dustin

L to R... Amy, Kailey, Jess, Alena, Dustin, Mrs. C.

Kailey, Jessie, Me

Jess and Mooch

Lis

Amiee (a different one) Mom, and Lis

Lisa and Electra

A rather..um.. nervous Jessie :)

So awesome!

Life is so amazing! I was talking to a lady friend at church a couple of weeks ago and mentioned how
I was kind of discouraged because my Walk has seemed really  roller-coaster-like. I have had many highpoints where I have felt so close to my Maker, and other times where I have drifted and not really been on fire for Him. She told me that it was actually a good thing that I felt this way since it showed me that my spiritual life is active and growing insead of laying dormant like I am afraid it has for so many years. Anyways, I just wanted to post this to give glory to God for the slow but sure reworking He is doing in my life......and I am grateful that He promises to never give up, even though I am soooo unworthy and have so far to go! 

"He has put a new song in my mouth
 Praise to our God;
 Many will see it and fear,
 And will trust in the Lord. " Ps 40:3   "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Gal.5:25

A Fun Picture Of Us Girls

We went up to Chino Valley the other day to look at some more horses. On the way home, We saw this little shop and Lis wanted to get a pic of us in front of the sign.

Fiesta Bowl Parade Pics!!!

Dave

Linda and Paul

Yours Truly

David

Jessie

Mommy

Pat

Mrs. R

Mom and Mickey

Richard

 

 

 

and Pat again!