A New and Fresh Beginning

The past three months have been both extremely hard and extremely rewarding for our family. There has been both pain and pleasure, uncertainty and certainty, despair and confidence, hurt and healing. These are just some of the things we have gone through during this transition time in our lives. Despite the dramatic change and sometimes discouraging days God has been faithful to grow our faith and breathe fresh air into our spirits. For this we are so grateful. We realise we go deeper in debt to grace each day and consider it a joy!

At the request of several families we have begun a Bible Study in our home on Sunday mornings. We meet and have coffee and fellowship, then Jess teaches. Following that we all have lunch together and just enjoy one another. The fellowship has been so sweet and genuine and our goal is to "do life together". The first time we met we studied Acts 2:41-47 and looked at how the early church came about and how they lived and loved together. We all were encouraged to love God supremely and to love others sacrificially. We don't know where this will go and are just enjoying a week at a time of worshipping, studying, fellowshipping and growing together.

It has truly been a fresh new beginning for us. God deserves all the glory for the way He has provided for us, carried us, grown us and done all He has done in our lives.

Teenagers in the House

As of today we have two teenagers in the house. Lauren turned 13 today and Morgan will be 15 in a few days. As the girls continue to grow up we enjoy them more and more. It is an interesting journey watching them mature and grow in life.

Winter is coming...

The past few days have been in the 40's with lots of rain...feels like winter. As winter begins to arrive it brings an end to the rodeo season. Morgan had her last High School Rodeo this past weekend in Canadian. She is sitting a slot or two out of the top 15 (the top 15 go to the state finals). With a good spring rodeo season she could easily qualify for the Tri-State High School Rodeo Finals next summer. Lauren has her last Wrangler Division Jr. High Rodeo this weekend in Happy. The end of rodeo season is a welcome arrival as mom and dad are tired!! However, Lauren is playing Jr. High Basketball and her season will start soon. All three girls are enjoying school this year. Next month all the girls and Jess will have birthdays. Lauren will be a teenager, Morgan will be 15 and is chomping at the bit to get her driving permit and Jess will a one year away from the big 40.

We get to start moving this week and are so ready. We've been allowed to stay in the parsonage until the end of October but it has certainly been awkward. The girls are so excited to be moving and so are we. Each of the girls will have their own bedroom and Lauren and Landry think that's about as good as it gets.

Overall life is good and our faith continues to grow and our time's together as a family are sweet. God has been good to us and His grace continues to be sufficient and we glory in that.

A Much Needed "Dad's Day"

I (Jess) has always loved cool cloudy and rainy days-guess that's why I've always loved duck hunting. Ever since Morgan was born we have referred to those kids of days as a "Dad's Day". the past couple of days have been picture perfect "Dad's Days"-cool weather, constant clouds and steady rain and drizzle. Some people find these kinds of days depressing and are energized by sunny days. I'm a little different I guess in that these rainy days are what energise me. Even though it's been too wet to work-the weather has really lifted my spirits overall and it has been much needed. We still continue to wonder what the next season of our lives will be. I have no doubt God's call to ministry is still on my life-I'm just not sure what it is to look like at this point. Over and over I have read Prov. 3:5ff over and over and believe what it says and if I trust in God completely and don't try to figure it out all out on my own and acknowledge the Lord in all my ways He will direct my paths. I guess the hard part for Donna and I has been the waiting and fearing we will miss God's plan for our lives. We are trusting God and know He will make it clear in His time. There are a few options we have considered but are so unsure of what we are to do. We are asking God to help us wait and and be patient and not push any doors open and let God open them in His time. With all this on my mind, the "Dad's Day" was welcome!

Chasin girls...

We continue to be amazed at how busy life can be when chasing three girls around. A couple of posts ago I said Lauren was through rodeoing for the year. Well, she decided to enter the Wrangler Jr. High Division of the National High School Rodeo Association. They have their rodeos the same weekends as the High School ones so her and Morgan have rodeos at the same places. So for the next month our Saturdays are busy hauling the girls to rodeos. The girls worked hard all summer in their mowing business to help fund their rodeoing and are having a blast. We love the fact that we all can go together and be there together and enjoy family time while doing it.

Mom and Dad are about ready for the Fall rodeo season to be over in October and have the winter off to rest up for the spring run. Lauren is playing basketball this year in Jr. High so I guess we will spend most of the winter watching her games. Oh well, we only have so much time with them and then they will be all grown up. We know there will be a day when they all leave home and we will long for the squeals and the road trips. Until then we want to enjoy them while we have them.

Less Can Be Better

This morning I read from Proverbs 15:16-17; "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of vegetables where there is love than a fatted calf with hatred." We live in a day and time when more is usually considered better. However, in God's economy less is often better. For instance these verses make it clear that it is better to live with humble means and fear the Lord and have the love of those you share it with than to have affluent means and have much trouble and hatred in ones life.

This principle has come to life in our family the past couple of months. When Jess resigned from the church we immediately lost the bulk of our families income. God faithfully provided a job for Jess building fence but the income is less than half of what his salary at the church was. We immediately began to trim our living expenses to fit into our new budget. There are things we are doing without but our faith is stronger than ever and love permeates our house. So even though we have less than we did we count ourselves blessed and better since our faith has been deepened and our love for one another intensified.

If you are reading this it is my prayer that you will desire God and love Him more than stuff. I pray you will find that even though the world screams "more is better" you will realise that in God's kingdom less can be better and less of the world and more of God and love is always better.

Fall is in the air

We have been having fall-like weather this past week in the Panhandle of Texas. 50 degrees in the morning and lots of clouds and cool days. The cooler weather has made fence building for Jess easier. He is coming home physically tired these days and not just mentally. He's slept better the past two weeks than he has in a long time. Donna and the girls are back in school and going full bore. Morgan's enjoying her first year in HS as a freshman. She had her first Tri-State High School Rodeo last weekend and placed 5th in the breakaway and drew a check. Lauren is through rodeoing for the year and is now playing basketball in Jr. High. Landry is loving school as usual.

God continues to be faithful in providing our needs these days. Jess has been able to work steady building fence and has been able to buy and sell some trailers and horses to help out financially. These uncertain days have deepened our faith and brought to the front of our hearts the words of Matthew 6:33 where Jesus calls us to, "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you". In the verses preceding this verse Jesus urges His followers not to be consumed with their material needs like food, clothing and lodging but rather trust in Him and He will provide for them. We are to instead be consumed with seeking Him and the righteousness He provides us and in turn He will provide our needs--maybe not all our wants--but our needs. We are so grateful to God for providing work for Jess and all our other needs.

Saturday we went to Dalhart for Morgan's rodeo and got to see our friends the Blanks who are now ranching at Clayton, NM. It was good to spend time talking and and catching up and hearing how life is for them.

We have come to realise over the years that one of the ways God enriches our lives is by giving us good friends. We have been blessed with some good friends that have shown their love and support to us in the good times and the bad and for them we are thankful.

Feeding on God's Faithfulness

Psalms 37:3 says, "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." This verse has brought much strength and comfort to our family in these days of change and uncertainty. Thankfully we don't have to hope God will be faithful-His is faithful and our responsibility is to rest in it, feed on it and rely on it. Over the past month we have found God's faithfulness to be satisfying. Jess has been able to do a little day worked and this week started helping a friend that has a fencing business. He is building fence and enjoying coming in physically tired at nights and not just mentally and emotionally tired. We are so grateful for God to provide for our needs in this time.

We are uncertain as to what all the future holds but are confident in the sovereignty of God and so we wait patiently to see what our great and mighty God has for us. For now, Donna continues to teach school, the girls are back in school and Jess is day working and building fence. Our family is happy, content and confident God is in control.

Back to School

Tomorrow summer is officially over for us. The "Little Women" start back to school. We love summers because the girls are home and we can be together and do things together. This summer was full of fun family bonding. We went to lot's of 4H Horse Shows, Jr. Rodeo's and Playdays.

As school starts Morgan will be a Freshman...that's a reality check for us as parents. Lauren will be in 7th grade and our baby, Landry, will be in 4th grade. Hard to believe but time does fly. One thing we are realizing is just how signifigant each and every day with our girls is. We don't believe in just spending "quality" time with our girls but in spending "quantity" time with them. We have come to realise you can't dictate when "quality" is going to happen but that "quality" happens in "quantity". The more time we spend with the girls the more "quality" time we expirience. We are so grateful to God for blessing us with 3 wonderful daughters and we love spending time with them as a family.

As a Freshman, Morgan will be taking a step up in her rodeo. This Fall she will be competing in Tri-State High School Rodeo. Now she will have to compete against girls much older than her. She plans to compete in breakaway roping, barrels and poles. She will have a rodeo every weekend in September and October.

We have been doing something as a family we have never done before--looking for a church. Since Jess' resignation in July we have been visiting different churches in Amarillo. It has been a different experience for us and given us a new understanding of what others go through in trying to find a good church for them and their families.

Jess has been doing some day work and trading to help earn a living during this interim time as we wait to see what God has for us in the next chapter of our lives and ministry. We have found a house to rent and plan to move across town in the next few weeks. Our plan is to stay here in Claude for the time being as Donna has a teaching job here.

A New Season

The winds of change are blowing in the lives of the Little's. Jess resigned as Pastor of First Baptist Church in Claude effective the last day of July. We are uncertain as to what the future holds for us but are confident that our sovereign God has a plan for our lives and purpose for all that happens. We are staying in Claude for the time being and are currently looking for a house to rent and Jess is looking for a job until God makes clear what the next chapter of our lives and ministry will look like.

We have found great confidence and peace from Proverbs 3:5-8; "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all you ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Do not be wise in our own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil. I will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones." And the great promise of Romans 8:28 strengthens our faith daily; "God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes."

School starts in a little over a week for Donna and the girls return to school the last week of August. We enjoy our summers so much and being together that we dread the start of school. But it will come and we will adjust and all will be fine. This is a big year for Morgan as she will be a freshman. All our girls are growing into fine young women who love the Lord, love others, honor their parents and are a joy to be around--and for that we are grateful to God!

State 4-H Horse Show

We spent last week in Abilene at the State 4H Horse Show where the girls all competed. It was a great week but we are in need of a vacation just to recover from the late nights and early mornings of a horse show.





Lauren missed the finals in the Poles by 1/2 a second.












Morgan gets ready to rope her breakaway calf (she missed)

Morgan showed Suzie Q in the Grade Mare halter class and placed 7th.














Lauren turns her cow on the fence in the Working Cow Horse riding Capitol Sally Ann.

Landry showed Capitol Sally Ann in the Registered Mare 5 and over Halter Class. Out of 30 mares she placed 9th. This was Landry's first trip to state and she was proud of her ribbon.

4th of July

Our family went to Odessa to spend the 4th of July with Jess' parents. While there the girls enjoyed being with their grandparents, popping fireworks and working some horses for Pa Pa. Lauren started 2 yearlings with their groundwork and saddled them for the first time. Throughout our stay she worked both colts every day, saddling, sacking, lounging and teaching them to flex. She plans to start riding both of them as 2 year olds.




Lauren and our yearling
stud prospect
"Rawhide".











Lauren and our yearling
filly that we raised
"Jitterbug"

Summer is in full Swing

Summer for the Little's is in full swing and it's hard to believe we are about half way through the summer. Donna and the girls are enjoying being out of school and Jess is enjoying having all the Little Women around. In the summers the girls like to occasionally go with Jess to visit people in the hospitals and nursing home. They are learning to minister to the sick and elderly and those they visit really enjoy having the girls come see them.

Weekends have been busy with Rodeo's and Horse Shows. The girls just wrapped up their Big 5 Horse Show Association series all three girls had a good series. Last weekend was the 4H District Horse Show...all three girls are headed to the State 4H Horse Show in Abilene the last part of July. Morgan will Breakaway, run poles and show Suzie Q in the grade mare halter class. Lauren will show in Reining and Working Cow Horse and run poles. Landry will show in the Registered Halter Mare Class. When the girls are not going to Rodeo's or Horse Shows they are working horses and roping.

Morgan and Lauren had the opportunity to go to the Texas State High School Rodeo Finals in Abilene with their friend Casady. They got to see what the next level of Rodeo competition will be like for them.

Morgan and Lauren just got home today from the Top O' Texas Rodeo Bible Camp in Pampa. They had a great time and learned a lot. Landry has been at Jess' parents house for the past week getting spoiled rotten.

School is Out and Summer is Here!

At the Little House there is a big sigh of relief. Friday was the last day of school and the Little Women like that. It was a good year academically for the girls. Hard work led to all three of them making the A Honor roll almost every six weeks and getting many awards at the Elementary and Jr. High Awards Programs. Morgan was named "All-Outstanding Jr. High Girl" for the year, Outstanding Social Studies and Speech Student, Superintendent's List and President's Academic Excellence Award. Lauren received the "Outstanding Student" in 6th grade for Math, Reading and Technology Application as well as being named to the Superintendent's List.

This past Saturday the girls had their 3rd Big 5 Horse Show of the year. Lauren won the goat tying (finally beating her big sister) and she was 2nd in the Reining and 4th in the Working Cow Horse. Landry was second with her halter mare and improved to 8th place in the barrels. Morgan won the grade mare halter class and went on to win Grand Champion of the entire show. After the judge named her Grand Champion she told Morgan she had a fine horse and wished she owned her. Morgan was also 4th in the Goat Tying and 3rd in both barrels and poles.

Morgan and Lauren are in their third year of mowing yards as "Little Women Lawn Service". Last year they bought an old show pig trailer and we have converted it into a lawn trailer for their mowers and equipment. They are already busy with their mowing and enjoy being able to make some money and control their own work hours. Our summer will be busy with rodeo's, horse shows and the girls mowing business.

"Little Women" Update

The "Little Women" went to the Dever's Open Rodeo this weekend in Perryton. Morgan won the All-Around buckle for her age division and shaved 2 seconds off her best breakaway time. She roped her calf in 4.66. Lauren was 1 pt. away from winning the All-Around in her age division winning 1st or 2nd in all her events. Landry was entered in the barrels, poles and flag race and did good too.

Morgan decided to enter the Miss Rodeo Top O Texas Teen Pageant in Pampa this summer. One of the main sections of the pageant will be Horsemanship. She will have to perform a reining pattern and have detailed information about horse anatomy and health. Here's a picture she had made for the pageant.

Morgan's Blog

Morgan has started her own blog "Chattin with Chiggerbite". Chigger Bite is the nickname I gave her when she was very little. She had a head full of red hair and I told her she looked like a little chigger bite--it stuck! You can check out her blog at

http://morganlittle.blogspot.com/

The Little Women "Cowgirl Up"!

The Little Women had their second Big 5 Horse Show this past Saturday and they had a great show. This was Lauren's second time to enter the reining and she placed 2nd. She was also 4th in the barrels and 7th in the poles (after knocking a pole over). Morgan won the breakaway against over 20 other kids most of whom were boys--as you can imagine she was ecstatic. Morgan also won her halter class with Suzie Q and was 3rd in both barrels and poles on her. Landry was 10th in both the barrels and poles.

Spring Has Arrived!

It's finally Spring here in the Texas Panhandle. The wind machine got an early start (about Thanksgiving) and has continued to pound us. That coupled with a lack of rain has sure been discouraging. With Spring comes the start of yet another Horse Show and Rodeo season for the girls. This is the third year Morgan and Lauren have participated in the Big 5 Horse Show Association. Landry is finally old enough to participate and is enjoying haltering Lauren's reining and cowhorse mare, tying goats and running barrels and poles. Morgan decided not to rein this year but to focus on her roping. She made her debut two weeks ago and had a nice run and roped her calf fast enough to be third had she not picked up a leg (she is roping against some pretty wolfy boys). Lauren had decided to take over on "Sally" and do reining and working cow horse. She is blessed that her best friend's dad is Andy Adams (World's Greatest Horseman in 2006) and trains horses here for some other friends of ours. Andy has started working with Lauren and after working with him for the first time on a Friday she was 2nd in the working cow horse the next day at her first Big 5 Horse Show.

Donna and the girls are counting days until school is out--only 4 weeks to go. Jess is staying busy with church stuff and chasing after his "Little Women". Morgan and Lauren started a lawn mowing business last year (Little Women Lawn Care" and have already started mowing some of their yards.

We are all looking forward to summer and all God has in store for us as a family!

Proud Parents!

This month Claude ISD institued a brand new award called "Student of the Month". They are doing this for the Jr. High and High School. Our oldest daughter, Morgan, was selected for the very first "Student of the Month" award. Visit this link to see her picture and what her teachers had to say about her. Needless to say, we are very proud of her.

http://www.claudeisd.net/newsite/BCISpages/Students/january.htm

The end of January is always a highly anticipated time by "The Little Women". It is then that the stockshow happens and after months of feeding, exercising, working with and breaking ice for their sheep and goats they get to show them and then SELL them. They are always excited to buy their animals but are more than ready to finally not have them. The stockshow this year was a sucess for Landry and Lauren. Landry had the Reserve Grand Champion Goat and Lauren won the Jr. Lamb Showmanship buckle. Morgan didn't do as well this year.

This picture is a classic! The girls are big Texas Tech Red Raider fans. The guy in the middle is our Vet. He is an Aggie and of course the girls torment him all the time about being an Aggie (especially when the Red Raiders beat them). Well, he got the last laugh on sale night. He bought Lauren's goat and then asked for a picture with the girls. Just before Donna took the picture he reached into his pockets and took out two A&M caps and made Morgan and Lauren wear them for the picture. As you can see Lauren is ashamed to show her face. It was really funny and this picture is destined for the wall in the vet clinic.

2008; Looking Back--Looking Forward

As the new year dawns we look forward all that it holds. Donna went back to school yesterday and the girls go back to school tomorrow to begin the last half of the school year. Jess is staying busy with ministry and all the demands it brings with it. As a family we look back over the past year with gratefulness for what God has done in our lives. He continues to bless us as parents with children that love God and others and honor us in such a godly way. It seems as the girls grow older we get closer and closer as a family and we cherish the time we get to spend together. God has also blessed us with friends that He has used used to enrich our lives in so many ways.

Not only are we looking back--we are looking forward to the opportunities this new year holds. We pray God will help us walk by faith and not by sight and that we will trust in Him with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding and that we will acknowledge Him in all our ways and allow Him to direct our paths. We don't know what all this new year will hold but we know who sovereignly holds the year as we live it out day by day.

BTW--we are grateful to our friends the Bradley's for allowing us access to their Spring Creek Ranch to take our annual Fall pictures (like the one here) and the ones our family will be getting soon.