Oak Trees and Tumbleweeds

What do you want to be when you grow up? Where do you want to go to college? What kind of job do you want to have? Do you want to get married? How many kids do you plan to have? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?  These are all questions each and everyone of us has been asked, probably starting at a very young age. We are taught that the future holds something greater for us than the present. And although that is a refreshing reminder when going through a rocky part of life, I don't believe that is something we should focus on, on a daily basis. I believe we should plan for our future no doubt, but I don't think we should only hope to find happiness and joy in our future. Because one day, the future will become the present and we will still be searching for that promised happiness in the future when in all reality, the present holds the happiness we have been searching for all along. "You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." I agree with th...

For my Texas friends that have ever asked or wondered about the way we do things in California, well here you go! I’ll do my best to give y’all just a short synopsis of what a branding at my family’s place is like. Branding season for us is usually around December or January; it all depends on the weather and when other ranchers are branding. Brandings for the family putting them on are extremely stressful, but always worth it at the end of the day when all your cattle are where they are supposed to be, everyone is fed, horses are put up, and you’re sitting by the fire with your family. Branding season is with no doubt my favorite time of the year. Although it is hard work, takes a lot of preparation and you don’t always find all your cattle, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Gathering starts about a week or so in advance of the always tentative date, but where we hold our cattle still requires us to gather that morning. So after all of the coffe...

     Sometimes life gets a little dark and dim. Sometimes it feels like everything is crashing down around you and despite your often frantic efforts, nothing seems to stop the rocks from falling, blocking out what little glimmering, soft light of hope you were hanging on to. Finances are stressful, people are disappointing, and life gets messy. I don't know about you, but I tend to try to deal with everything myself, which eventually absolutely wears me out and hardens my normally loving and giving heart.     The Lord says in Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it." I have gone through periods where I left my heart unguarded, wide open, and let people in that I probably should have kept a distance from and I have also gone through periods where I have shut absolutely everyone out and not allowed people in to my heart that I should have. I have made mistakes, I will admit that without hesitation.{I am not perfect b...

Change.  Change is good, change is scary, and change is necessary. This is something, that although it took a considerable amount of time, I have come to embrace it. How boring would life be without a little change every now and then?! Well, speaking from experience, although change  can be painful, it is so worth it.  I have had a lot of change in my life. Some of it decided by others, some of it decided by myself and some of it was completely uncontrollable. But all of the change had one thing in common: God's plan. I don't know about you, but I am horrible about over thinking, over analyzing, and picking apart every aspect of my life. {And if you think I'm over exaggerating, ask my best friends, as they know this about me all too well.} The thing about over analyzing and trying to plan out every detail of life, is that it is pointless. Completely pointless. Shocking, I know.  God already has a beautiful life planned for you, a life that will surpas...