The Arkansas Farm Girl

Priorities  Let's face it, multitasking isn't real. Believe me, I wish it was because then I could get twice as much done. We will sometimes have to choose between all the things we want to do and doing what God wants us to do. Can I give you a suggestion? Always choose God first.  Looking into the Bible we see a man who chose God above all else. Paul had to choose between being socially accepted and being a Christian. Rather than be popular with the "in crowd", Paul chose to put his spiritual walk first. He lived and died by God and His Word. Psalms tells us that if we put God first, he will give you the desires of your heart. Most people think that this means if we put God first he will give us whatever we want, no matter what it is. This is not necessarily true. If you are truly walking with the Lord and seeking His will, your desires and His plans will align. The only thing you will want is whatever God has planned for your life. Everything we ...

My Cow Washing Routine  When I started showing, I struggled to learn how to bathe my cows the way I was supposed to. It's a real struggle and that's why I want to share my routine and a few tips with you. First, you obviously need an animal to wash. Not all animals will like baths at first. They may be afraid of the water spraying them. If you have issues, let the water hose run on them for a little bit until they calm down. Now it's time to lather them up with soap. I apply shampoo and brush it in with a bristled brush, then rinse it out and repeat with the conditioner. When their hair is wet you can brush it toward their chest to train it to stand up. DidI mention that you should have a washing buddy, because you totally should. Grab a friend, family member or faithful dog to keep you company.  Now is when you do as I say and not as I do. Of all the cows I've washed, there have only been two that I could wash barefoot. It requires an ani...

Bible Doodling  I want to share a new project that is dear to my heart. At Rodeo Bible Camp one of my devotion leaders introduced me to Bible doodling as a way to read my Bible more often. I've always been fairly good about reading my Bible everyday but sometimes I get busy or forget. Now that I've started doodling, my consistency has gone way up. Now I read a chapter or passage every day with the anticipation of getting to draw or paint when I'm done.  I've always loved to draw and paint, though I've never been good at it. My pictures may not be the prettiest or my hand writing the neatest, but that's not the point. The point is that I am now spending more time in God's Word. My two favorite things to do are paint pictures depicting Bible stories and write song lyrics that remind me of the verses in the journaling margin. I use watercolor paints so that I can still see the words when they dry. I also love to use stickers and stamps fo...

Should You Show a Cow? This is a big question and one you should ask yourself when you decide to show a cow or any type of livestock. Let me break down this big question into several smaller ones for you.  1. Are you prepared to work? This is the most obvious question. Your animal cannot train itself and if you're not willing to put in the effort you will absolutely regret it when you get in the ring and they won't listen to you.  2. Are you self-disciplined? This goes with the working question because there will be a lot of days when you really don't want to go wash your animal, but guess what. You have to make yourself get up and go do what's necessary.  3. Do you have the money? Some parents help their kids pay for feed and I think that's great, but it's not always the case. I have had to pay for all of my own feed and let me tell you that it is expensive. I put in a lot of hours just to pay for high end cattle feed. 4. Are you perseverant? Working...

Success  Everyone wants to be good at what they are doing. Athletes want high end scholarships, writers want million dollar book deals, influencers want the most Instagram followers and so on. It feels great to succeed. I'm not gonna lie, I love it when I accomplish big goals.  I want you to succeed, trust me, but I have a question. Who gets the glory? When you get that scholarship or million dollar book deal do you say, "Oh, yes, I am great, thank you for telling me." or do you say, "Thank you, but I couldn't have done it without God's help." Yes, you did work hard to get to where you are right now, but it took God's strength to get you there. You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for Him. Only He can establish your plans. So how do you find success with God? Whenever you set a new goal, ask God to help you. Commit both the process and the results to him. Dear God, direct my path let others see you in my success. Amen.