Saltyoats Mountain Ranch:

Hooray for Lil' Will!!!

2011-05-06T22:26:00.006-04:00

Will arrived on the evening of May 1st, and we were all so happy to finally meet the little guy!

It was amazing seeing all the overwhelming emotions of joy and relief mixed up together the first moments after Will got here. Mom and Kevin had tears in their eyes, and I'll never forget how Darleen looked up at Kevin and says, "Kevin, he's here! Look he's here, Kevin!" in such an 'Oh, can-you-really-believe-it?' sort of way...It really was amazing!

Look, he's a thumb-sucker!

Addie loves him to death, It seemed like once she saw Will she didn't want to let him out of her sight! Here she's observing him very closely. : )

It's really funny, she's just learning to give people kisses but doesn't really like to much (except for her daddy), but with little Will she'd come up to whoever had him and look at him and give him a kiss, then go just to come back again a few minutes later...She must've done this at least 10 times, it was very cute!

"And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength" (Isa. 49:5).

Byron at Alert...

2011-04-04T21:16:00.010-04:00

We are all missing Byron here at home. It seems like all the good qualities about him have been standing out a lot to me lately. I keep remembering all the things he would tell me, things I had tried to help him learn for years, that were convicting to me. It is humbling when a person comes back and teaches you what you have tried to teach them... We got a letter from him a couple days ago, and it was funny, I was expecting to hear what a hard time he is having. So he writes and says how great the food is, and all this stuff about what he is doing, etc. And my favorite part,

" I found out that gatorade and propel are allowed, so please send me some..." : )

Here is Byron's squad, Bravo 1st, singing a 'jodie' while they head somewhere. (Picture taken from the ALERT blog. To see more go to: http://www.alertacademy.com/alert/blog/ )

So...what about my boys ranch???

2011-04-04T20:24:00.011-04:00

I have been learning a lot of things lately...Mostly though seeing how much fear is in me that I never knew about, and how wrong it is. And all the time God says, "Child, you have no idea how big I am." Ever since I was pretty young, I knew that God has a very unique calling on my life. I was so confident then of all these big plans and exciting things that God would do, never thinking about how impossible it all is!

As I've gotten older, I've questioned alot of things. What should I believe God for, and what is just my own desires? I have wondered if I've just always had stupid ideas, and God just wants me to throw out everything I want and be real 'spiritual' of doing all the things I can't stand the idea of.

My protective strategy, "never hope for anything, and you'll never be disappointed." The driven person that I am, that one is kind of hard to do. :) I now know it also is not right, but shows a lack of trust in God. After all, pain and disapointment are not something to be afraid of, just one of God's ways of bringing us closer to Him.

Should I hold God to this ideal of what I imagine He wants to do with my life then, and believe that He is going to do it exactly how I imagine He wants to? God never gave me a calling so that I could make it happen, the whole point of God's calling is that it is His to do with as He wishes, my life is not for me anymore. Not that I do not have a will, but that I want Him more. God doesn't want my little spiritual sacrifices, He wants my undivided loyalty, with no competing affections.

There is nothing (place, person, or thing) in this life that we can hold onto forever. It is those very things that God asks if we will let die that He plans to bring life from, that is why He goes after what's precious to us. What dies in the hand of God, is what lives forever and nothing else will. God can do anything, I have to believe that. It may be that God's picture of my life is a whole lot different than the picture I see now. I know that God can bring about extremely exciting and impossible things, and He will. But I have to believe that His picture is better than mine, and I will like it better, too. My "boys ranch" might not ever be, or it might, my heart is still in that direction.

I have to trust God enough to hope for good things knowing full well that He will give me better.

"There is none on earth that I desire beside Thee."

"For our God is a consuming fire."

His lil' Sure-shot, Jo

Plato's Bananas...

2011-02-28T22:20:00.007-05:00

...and I'm worried before I finish all these crazy essays I might go bananas too! One thing I can be glad about, the more retarded the assignment, the more good laughs we can get out of it...

(Another thing, I'm off next week, and half way through, now I'm really happy about that!)

I had this homework that was really frustrating, where I was supposed to "pretend to be Socrates or Plato" and write letters as them. And I'm sitting here thinking, "why would I want to pretend to be that retarded". Anyway, with Mom and Kay's help, my assignment quickly turned into a hysterical fit of laughter. That's when my brain speeds up, and comes up with all sorts of things that don't make sense, which was exactly what I needed!

Are not banana peels akin to the heart of any true lover of knowledge? And are they not unified with the virtues of the sweetness inside them? Indeed, I say, even the lowest of the lovers of knowledge must certainly affirm this unity.

(Credits go to Kayleen for "inspiring" this one : )

All I had to do was change up a few words, and there ya go, the words of a true genius!!! Y'all probably all think I really am going crazy...well, you can pray for me just in case!

(A more coherent post coming soon... : )

Addie and Multiplying!!!!

2010-09-25T16:35:00.007-04:00

No, it's not Adding and multiplying...it's Addie, and more are coming soon!
Both Darleen and Kayleen are now expecting new little ones! So Addie has a new little brother/sister, and cousin! And I am aunt to 3 cute, rambunctious (I'm sure they will be, they're better that way!) little ones!Darleen's due in May, and Kayleen in June.

I'm so excited, I'm thinking Exponential numbers here...(hmm...In __ years, I'll have __ little nieces and nephews!!!!)So, now I'm an aunt to the 3rd power!!!
Now All I gotta do is get Byron married off!!! Just kidding Byron, Sorry I just had to throw that one in for you : ) (Just in case y'all are wondering, that was a joke...)

(Addie is 8mos. old now, they have just started feeding her soft foods)

God bless y'all and pour out on you as much Joy and as many blessings as He has on me!
-Jo-

Congratulations Kevin and Darleen! Congratulations Stephen and Kay!

Big Sky Summer...

2010-09-03T19:43:00.027-04:00

This summer has been full of new experiences for me! Everything from cleaning at least two toilets per day for weeks on-end, to trying to get a room full of excited 3rd graders to go to sleep, kayaking for my first time, getting 8 girls ready after swim time in 10 min ("ok, yall each get 10 seconds in the shower, since we're already supossed to be there and only one of you is ready...""Never mind, forget the shower, you can do that when you get home, lets go!" :-), and last but not least, backpacking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness!

These two girls were staff kids, and loved going around tickling the counselors!

The start of my first week, heres most of the staff...

Caeley and I during sharks and minnows, she was worried about her hurt toe...

I was LIT (work team) director the third week. Here's us and the kitchen crew on cabin dress-up day.(I'm in orange) Y'all will never see another picture of me like this, cause I really can't stand hawaiian stuff or sunglasses...

you gotta do what you gotta do... :-)

The second week was so much fun, with eight 8 year olds it was great!

This boy,Kolby, reminded me so much of my little Benji I couldn't help but love him

Here's my team with "pinky" after a really fun game of "pinky's revenge" where we search for the hidden colors all over the camp. It was almost as fun as being a guard for "mission Impossible" where I'd patrol my area with a flashlight and radio trying to keep the cabins from reaching their destinations...

Bringing in the canoes...

(the kids were begging to tip, so we did, but I had them swim back to shore, so here I was left with two canoes, now drifted accross the lake, and some string stuff I happened to be holding for one of my girls, which came in handy. I tried paddling with one hand while holding the other canoe, but that didn't work too well... ) Have you ever tried paddling two canoes at once, solo? A bit tricky, but great fun!

Harnessing up for the Ropes course...

Here's a bunch of pictures I took at Glacier National Park...

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!"

"the LORD is my ROCK and my Fortress"

This is a marmot, they make a funny whistling sound that sounds like a person

I was taking it easy on Sunday afternoon before my last week of counseling, and somehow within an hour I was going backpacking in the Bob Marshall wilderness, something beyond my wildest dreams, and we'd be heading out the next morning! There went my restful weekend, but I don't think I was ever so excited before!

(the bandana right below my cullotes here was to keep my cut from getting re-cut while bushwacking, no its not some style!)

Dan was such a good leader, I learned alot of things just watching the way he dealt with challenges. I think his obsession with caves rubbed off on me a little...he was really an encouragement to me in my walk with the Lord, too. I think he said he's been leading wilderness trips for close to 30 years.

Jessie was the co-leader, and she did a great job I thought! She was the reason I was able to go...

Here we are after 8 days, back at the trailhead.

Here we are at the peak of silvertip, I never knew I could climb something so steep and slippery. It felt like everything was sliding down from under me. The gravel was sure fun "skiing down" though!

Now, after getting home I had to get used to our schedule, and jumping right into school. (helping the little ones with theirs, and CLEPs).

I love a good challenge, but right now what I see ahead of me instead of huge, majestic mountains covered with limestone boulders, caves, and wildflowers, is huge mountains of every uninteresting subject of study waiting for me, and at the end of the trail...--the amazing incentive!-- a piece of paper saying I am now an intelligent human being!!!

More than anything, what I see right now is, that my God wants to be the center of everything to me, and how could I settle for what I want, when what He wants is so much better!

"Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is None on earth that I desire beside Thee!"

Photo credits: Amanda Minatra, Derek Loewen, and Jessie Bos.Thank you!

Pioneer Project: Reshaping a Felt Hat

2010-04-06T20:12:00.010-04:00

Not only are Cowboy hats the best looking, they are also the most practical hat ever invented. I've always used wool hats, and love them, but after awhile they tend to go limp (tip for wool hats: spray it with hairspray to stiffen).

Mom and Dad recently got me a Stetson 4x beaver felt hat, it's very nice! Beaver hats are higher quality and last alot longer, and you can reshape them to the style you want! The # of x's stands for the ratio of beaver fur, more x's is better. They say a 100x can be dipped in oil and not get stained!

To reshape your hat, what you'll need is:

-a hat : )

-a steamer, electric kettle, or pot of boiling water

-a soft bristle brush

-stiffening solution, hair spray, or starch

This hat started out with the traditional crown, but I want to wear it farther back on my head like the old cowgirl hats, so I'm changing the crown.

Remove any stains, and brush any dirt off your hat.

Turn out the brim (it can shrink I guess, anyway it gives you something to hold the hat by)

Push out the creases to a rounded top and hold your hat over steam. You want it to get pretty wet, so it will be pliable to work with (You'll want a steady, good stream of steam).

Begin by running your fingers along where you want it to crease. For the "telescopic crown" like this one, you will need to put the hat on and adjust the angle of the crease based on how low you want to wear your hat. Wearing the hat while its damp will also stretch it for you if its snug.

You'll have to keep doing it over the steam to keep it pliable.

Depending on how creased you want your brim you can either run your fingers along it for a rolled crease, or you can push it against your stomach and use your thumbs. To make the front drop down place the hat flat with the front of the brim off the table and push down while holding the sides in their position.

There's tons of ways to shape a hat, just play around with it till you get the look you want!

I put a rope in the inside crease to make it even all the way around.

When you finish shaping the hat, spray it with your stiffener and brush off the excess so it doesn't leave residue.

They say you can also do this with wool hats, but they don't hold the shape as well or as long.

I got Colly to model the finished product for me, she looks cute in it I think.

To add a chinstrap, use either an icepick or set rivets in each side. Cut some leather to the length you want, run it across the front and pull through each side so the lengths hanging down are even. String both sides through a bead, then tie each individually.

(credits to Nathan Bates for some advise he gave on reshaping hats.)
To see some useful info on hats go to: http://www.canadiancowboy.com/hats.html
They have some movie clips on reshaping hats, among other things. (disclaimer: I don't necessarily endorse everything on the page, or the mens hairstyles : )

2010-03-08T20:05:00.002-05:00

One of our goats had twin kids friday. When I went to feed them I saw something and thought it was dead cats. The momma rejected them, she hadn't even cleaned off the mucous. Just about a week ago we had another goat who miscarried twin bucks, so I was very relieved these were still alive...I also found one of our wethers dead the same day, so I was frustrated at myself for not having done more to prevent all of it. Mom came up quick as she could to help save them. This little doeling we named fawn.

we call him spunk

I've had to get up like every 2 hours the last couple nights with them, now I know how Darleen and Kevin must feel... : ) Thankfully though, I had Colly to help me!

she's kind of small, huh?

Mom getting some milk down them

We had to take them on our picnic on saturday, and we had Grandmom Waltman, too, who is visiting us this week.

3 simple, sure solutions for a clean room!!!

2010-02-26T21:30:00.017-05:00

Atention, Everyone! I have found the solution to keeping a perfect, clean room...

Well, actually I found a list of "plans" I wrote a couple years back, I thought it was so "ingenious" I had to post it...

7 Problem Solving Steps

1.Identify problem!!!

very messy room

2.Gather information

-clean clothes/dirty clothes on floor

-beds unmade

-books scattered

3.List options

plan A: move everyone out... : )

plan B: throw stuff away

plan C: put clothes in drawers/books on shelf, etc...

4.Advantages/disadvantages

plan A: clean room, but messy front room due to new residence in there!

plan B: clean room, but not for long...when you have to replace it!

plan C: clean room, but takes cooperation/effort, some are unwilling.

5. Consult for insight on situation

Mom says: -put away clothes immediately after delivery, or

-Joleen develop a new servant spirit to clean it up

6. Make decision

(which plan do you think worked the best???)

7. Evaluate whether solution worked

(see photo below!)

(actually, this was taken quite a bit later)

(just in case you're wondering, I'm sure I was just playing around when I came up with that! ; ) ?

And now here's me with my cute little niece!

She looks so cute in this green dress!

The thing I really like about "hand" pictures like this is they show such a level of dependency.

I think the older I get the more I'll know how dependent I actually am on others, and God, most of all. Its very humbling for me to think about...but maybe that's why we have to come to God "as little children". Those who can't see that they have needs they can't meet, can't recieve. Just a thought.

Colly and Ben set this up and wanted some pictures of it. It's kinda neat, but I had to get a tripod 'cause it was so dark.

Benji was a crusader. Here he is praying...

Well that's all, folks!

His lil' Sure-shot, Jo

2010-02-01T22:30:00.002-05:00

Brandon is now doing custom casting work (making lead soldiers) and has started his own site for his casting company. I must say, any figures I've seen being sold from "high quality" and very expensive companies have been inferior to his and Byron's work...they both put alot of time into making their pieces masterpieces. I've not seen any metal figures painted as detailed as theirs. Brandon recently got a set of moulds for making crusader chess sets, and they're almost finished with the set he gave Kevin for Christmas. It's pretty impressive!

You can see his site at: www.bkcasting.blogspot.com He should be putting up some pictures soon to show the figures he can make.

Baby Adddie!!!!

2010-01-14T23:06:00.004-05:00

Adelaide is here, weighing 8.12lbs.!! She's quite the big little girl, and cute as anything!

One VERY happy family

She was sucking her fingers here...

Shewas very active in the womb, as Darleen could tell you, sometimes it was like she was doing boxing practice! She is gonna be one active little girl, just like Darleen I'm sure, and a little beauty!

I love her...she's a wonderful little thing!

Here and there...

2010-01-13T00:39:00.004-05:00

This winter has been especially busy for me, there are lots of here and there jobs that have to be done just to keep things together.

I made Colleen a medieval dress for Christmas...which I must say was very time consuming, I think I spent a good ten hours on the embroidery (I did it all by hand, and made it as authentic as possible). I'll have to show the ribbon I embroidered on here...It all turned out very quality, I think.

Last year our neighbor, Mr. Ray, joked that we'd have to jack up our tree to put a gift for him under there...so, I decided to humor him a little and wrapped up a big box with a little piece of candy in there. I think he liked it : )

And...some big news...Kayleen is now courting Stephen Easley, though I never would've thought it possible to say this, He is truly deserving of her. They are definitely and exemplary couple. You can see the official announcement at our family blog.

Kevin had been honorarily dubbed "Kevy-dear" by Brandon, so we had to give Stephen an honorary name, too. How do you like it?

I think Darleen is going into labor now, she's having steady contractions. I can't hardly believe it, I think Kevin and Darleen will be cute parents. I can't wait to see the "bonnie wee thing"! I think it's a boy...we'll see verrryy soon! See ya, folks!

"...Boast in the LORD!"

2009-12-15T14:26:00.036-05:00

"...and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US"
(Matt. 1:23).

In Revelations, God's words to the Church of Ephesus speak of their labor and good works for Him, but though they're doing "all the stuff" he warns them to repent, because they have left their first love. When they failed to love the one they served, all they did became powerless and in vain. We need to know the God we serve, the things about Him that define His nature. It is Him who we live for, not some abstract idea, doctrinal statement, or form of religiousness...but The Living God! (Next time you read your Bible, try looking for all the things describing God. Revelations is one of the best places to start...)

"Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" (prov. 30:4).

Our God is...

-True

"But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king" (Jer. 10:10). "And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth" (I John 5:6). "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war" (Rev. 19:11).

-Holy

"He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name" (Luke 1:49) "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy" (Rev. 15:4). "Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Rev.4:8).

-Righteous
"the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him" (Ps. 92:15). "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid" (Rom 9:14). "Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!" (Ps. 71:19).

-Alive

"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Rev. 1:18). "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John 4:10). "I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me" (Ps. 119:93).

-Without beginning or end
"from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (ps. 90:2). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev. 22:13).

-Just Rewarder

"just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints" (Rev. 15:3). "doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?" (Prov. 24:12). "there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me" (Is. 45:21).

-Sovereign Ruler over all

"Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all" (I Chr. 29:11). "For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods" (Ps. 95:3). "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:6).

-Kind
"For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever" (Ps. 117:2). "the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared" (Tit. 3:4). " Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD" (Ps. 107:43). " thy lovingkindness is better than life" (Ps. 63:3).

-Pure
"Every word of God is pure" (Prov. 30:5). "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (I John 3:3). "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Ps. 12:6).

-Non-threatened

"But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him" (Dan. 11:6). "none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" (Dan 4:35). "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above" (John 19:11).

-Merciful

"His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation" (Luke 1:50). "The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands" (Ps. 138:8). "For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds" (Ps. 57:10).

-The One with the Two-edged Sword

"out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword" (Rev. 1:16). "These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges" (Rev. 2:12). "the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword" (Heb. 4:12).

-Protector

"he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked" (Ps. 97:10). "for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (Gen. 32:30). "he kept him as the apple of his eye" (Deut. 32:10).

-God of the Invisible

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Rom. 11:33). "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen" (R0m. 1:20). "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen" (I Tim. 1:17).

-Hope for sinners

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast" (Heb. 6:19). "That at that time ye were without Christ...having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12). "the LORD will be the hope of his people" (Joel 3:16).

-Life

"I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). "It is the spirit that quickeneth...the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).
-Light

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (I John 1;5). "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness" (John 12:46). "The entrance of thy words giveth light" (Ps. 119:130). "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).

Did you Know? The first words in the Bible spoken by God are "let there be light".

-Powerful without limit

"O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?" (II Chr. 20:6). "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down...and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 12:10-11). "God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God" (Ps. 62:11).

-Without respect to persons

"there is no respect of persons with God" (Rom 2:11). "...call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work..." (I Pet. 1:17). "there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts" (II Chr. 19:7).

-Source of all good

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17). "The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure" (Deut. 28:12). "thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good" (Ps. 104:28). "there is none good but one, that is, God" (Matt. 19:17).

-Sees and knows all

"For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether" (Ps. 139:4). "in thy book all my members were written...when as yet there was none of them" (Ps. 139:16). "even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17). "he knoweth the secrets of the heart" (Ps. 44:21).

-Pursuer of our hearts

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee" (Jer. 31:3). "I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine" (Is. 43:1). "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32). "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27).

-Conqueror

"O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory" (Ps. 98:1). "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (Rev. 6:2).

-Gentle

"Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great" (II Sam. 22:36). "his tender mercies are over all his works" (Ps. 145:9).

-Always the same

"For I am the LORD, I change not" (Mal. 3:6). "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM" (Ex. 3:14).

--------
I challenge you, in all your searchings, don't forget, He is the True One, there is no true truth or goodness that contradicts who He is. If anything you do, believe, or desire contradicts His nature, do not be afraid to let Him change it, Let Him be your First love.

"lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Prov. 3:5).

"That we may Know Him that is True, and we are in Him that is True, This is the True God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
(I John 5:20-21).

This is why we are here, not just for the fun of it, not to "make the world a better place", or be some intelligent thing, or spiritual giant, but to show who He is.
Don't forget the righteousness of Him who is your Master...that is what we are here to reflect.

My new little fella

2009-11-21T21:43:00.003-05:00

Well, I got my donkey today!!! He's awfully nice, isn't he!?! He's called a jerusalem donkey, cause of the stripe.He's two years old, and hasn't been worked with much, so we've got alot of training ahead of us since we're both new at this. He's skiddish, so I haven't pet him yet. (see that crate gate behind him, a few minutes later he broke it trying to jump over...we had to make a new one : )
I like the way he carries himself, he's very calm but sure.

I haven't decided which name to go with yet. I've been thinking Duddy for Bryce. Before he said to me, in his hinting way, "If I had a donkey, I'd call him duddy." Then he says, "I Know! He'll be yours and my donkey and we'll call him duddy." But everyone else says he's too pretty to be a duddy and they came up with other names...Which name do you think is the best?

2009-11-06T18:43:00.015-05:00

We recently got a house about 1/2 a mile from us, so the last month or so we've been up there working on it. Another thing is, it has about 2 acres of wooded land in the back...so everyone has their plans for that...I think so far we've got plans for a treehouse, a bunch of ziplines (these are so fun), airsoft warfare area, some hideouts, a smokehouse, and best of all I get to get my donkey finally! We might raise some steers, too! To see some pictures go to: http://waltmanfam.blogspot.com/2009/11/house-remodeling-before-pictures.html

I don't have any recent pics at the moment so heres some random ones from '06

I think Bandy looks so handsome here

Colly and her angel she made

look at bryce's face...

Thats Byron in the water, it's crazy how much bigger he is now...

cute little Benji

Here's a recent one of Benji, I've been teaching him some softball (though I'm terrible at it myself :)

Don't overload yourself!

so long, Jo

2009-10-15T20:12:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure what to say. I've been having a tough time this past little while and I'm not even sure why. And I'm alot of times too proud to ask for any help. But, you know, God is always seeing me through, even when I don't know it. And He wants to keep bringing me along, more than I could ever want Him to.

It kind of reminds me of this goat we had. We didn't have a fence, so I had to keep her staked out. Seems like I spent most my time moving her, getting her water, feeding her, untangling her--she'd get wrapped up around the stake so bad--always there was something. She'd get mad at me for untangling her, or leaving her too long, but she always perked up when she saw me. She knew I'd take good care of her. Sometimes I think thats how God is with me. Maybe it just helps me understand a little...

I'm really only writing this for me, so I hope you don't mind :-)
His lil' sure-shot, Jo

Pride comes before a fall...

2009-07-07T09:08:00.006-04:00

"He thought he had attained to some power...never knowing that all the while his life was hanging in the balance."

A tale of two chickens...

2009-05-23T15:04:00.007-04:00

This is a story involving some interesting characters both innocent, not so innocent, and just downright guilty.

There is a certain character, who you'd be likely to see--in fact he's kind of tough to miss--prancing around, strutting his stuff, ruffling his feathers, and crowing for all he's worth.

Frank the Magnificent

There's another very different character,who stays where he belongs, with his group of followers. He's not the most showy bird you ever seen, but there's no doubt he's the general himself...

Meet Zeb

Zeb gets onto Frank for crowing too much, so Frank just gets up on the gate and crows up there, or goes around outside the pen. I guess it gives him an important air, after all Zeb can hardly even get over the fence like he can!

And if Frank thinks anyone is infringing on his territory (what he actually has I don't know), he ruffles out his feathers and prepares for the challenge. That guy has some major ego issues! I guess he thinks he has to show off to prove himself a good rooster. After his new stunt of chasing people around and pecking at them, I don't think he'll be around much longer.

You have to admit, he's got a NICE crow, too bad he won't be around to use it.

As for Zeb...I think he's content with his little band of hens.

Yes, Jesus Loves me...

2009-05-19T21:44:00.003-04:00

The Bible tells me so!

On the sidebar you may notice I added some music...

check out these two new sites

2009-05-04T22:57:00.003-04:00

Kayleen has a new site she is doing to give insight for common health problems. She's found some very helpful research on alot of different things. She should be adding more soon. Go to: www.kayslittleroses.blogspot.com
Byron just started a blog, you can check it out here (and I'm sure he'd love some comments!) : www.templardbwaltman.blogspot.com

It's me, its me, it's me, O Lord...

2009-05-04T22:02:00.007-04:00

...standin' in the need of prayer!

Prayer is a powerful thing, deepening our walk with God, enabling us to really know Him, giving us a power in our lives that comes only from Him, tearing down strongholds, and our prayers for others outlive even us. Please remember to pray for me!

If you can't read the card,double click, it should pull it up big. Just in case, heres my prayer requests again:
-that the power and Spirit of God would be in me!
-to learn to fear the Lord, and cast out all other fears (1 Sam. 12:24)
-that I would learn to trust God, not only to work in my own life, but in the lives of those I pray for (phil. 1:6).
-that God would put in me a love for Him and others like never before, teaching me to love others instead of protecting my own pride (Matt. 22:37-40).

Thank you all!

2009-04-28T16:15:00.001-04:00

To see pictures from Darleen and Kevin's wedding go to: http://waltmanfam.blogspot.com/2009/04/kevin-and-darleen-weston.html
and:
http://kevinanddarleen.blogspot.com/2009/04/wedding-slideshow.html

God Bless Y'all!

New Year, New Challenges!!

2009-01-01T20:48:00.003-05:00

As I look back over the past year, I see the hand of God at work in my life. He is very good, and faithful, and true...

Have you ever looked back over the challenges you've faced and actually been glad for them? Even though you might not want to do it again, it's almost good looking back at how God brought you through with flying colors, and the extra depth it added to your life.

Have you ever looked forward to the challenges ahead, knowing you will know God more when you have finished the next climb.

Have you ever even been thankful for the shortcomings in your life (not necesarily that you have them), but that, somehow, God uses them to bring you to Him.

This last year has brought some changes for us:
-Darleen will be getting married in Feb.
-Grandpa Waltman, the only grandpa I've ever known, died Dec. 28. He was a good Christian man. I am thankful for having had a grandpa like him!
-Byron somehow got the "notion" that I would like to have a donkey...He found a very good priced one to give me for Christmas! I still haven't seen him, the people are having to keep him with their calves till one of their Jennies foals...I'm really excited, I've been saving for a horse for years and years, and had decided to start with a donkey for numerous reasons...I will get a picture on here as soon as I can see him!Thank you, Byron!

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, to behold His beauty, and to inquire in His temple" (Ps. 27:4).

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God...that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (I John 5:13+20).

God bless your year, and pour you out a blessing second to no other, may He pour out His own Spirit on you this year like never before! God Speed to y'all!

Ranger Bill: Warrior of the Woodlands...

2008-11-11T21:09:00.004-05:00

" ...struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster, in the air, on horseback, or in a screaming squad car. Ranger Bill, his mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission. And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done."

"Whether therefore ye eat , or drink , or whatsoever ye do , do all to the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31).

Growing up, Saturday morning was Ranger Bill radio time for Mom... Go to http://www.rangerbillclub.blogspot.com/ to hear the episode of the week, or to read more about Ranger Bill. The theme music may be familiar to you if you've listened to any of the old moody broadcasts. God Bless Y'all today!!!

2008-10-07T12:16:00.000-04:00

Check out this silent film set to Copeland's Hoedown...It's pretty funny! I got a kick out of the first part, especially...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvxiUi6lFro

Don't MESS With TEXAS!

2008-08-21T11:42:00.002-04:00

OK, the half smile doesn't quite work!!

(I think I'm 14 in this one, maybe 15)

They're the BEST I ever had!

2008-07-08T01:20:00.000-04:00

(Fall '04)
Siblings...what would we do without 'em! (die of boredom, probably!)
Here's a quick "intro" to my brothers and sisters...

Kayleen Dawn--July 27, '83

Kayleen...
cooks for a family of ten
likes tending to her garden
loves to tease
is good at almost everything!

--May 16, 08---
I am amazed to see [Kayleen] learning step-by-step to trust God with all her desires and fears, taking each of these to Him. She is a background worker, and wil probably never get recognition, neither are her pursuits super "extraordinary". But, like I said, there is a magic in those ordinary days...She is a woman who fears the Lord! She will be greatly rewarded..."
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They had to say goodbye to 'Chief Ka-do-ha' I always knew Kay had a romantic streak, but Darleen!!?! Ha! (Chief Ka-do-ha is a wooden statue, by the way :-)

Darleen Holly--October 2, '84

We are super excited for Darleen! If you noticed in the picture, there is someone with her...His name is Kevin Weston, and we are glad to have him as part of the family! (I've always wanted an older brother). It has been amazing watching God show His faithfulness in Darleen's life, as she learns to lean on Him more. To see Kevin and Darleen's story go to: http://weblog.xanga.com/photomania/664935168/atten-friends.html
http://www.xanga.com/kevalltheway/664927671/great-is-thy-faithfulness.html
http://iwouldratherhavejesus.blogspot.com/2008/07/love-and-life.html
http://waltmanfam.blogspot.com/2008/07/love-stories.html

Here we are all piled in the back of Darren's Jeep. We LOVED that thing! Darren and Julie were always two of our most favorite Cuz's! I guess this would've been in '97...

Darrell Byron--July 10, '92

(No, he didn't eat it!)

Byron is our all around handy-man and can fix anything from a broken chair to...well, I guess most anything! He is great with woodworking, and also a born leader.

Byron's name means "strong", and thats what he is, not only physically, but also as he grows "strong in the Lord"! Sidenote: Byron can do right at 20 chin-ups...that's tough!

The men of our Texas Bravo 6th praying over Byron as he is being promoted to LTC (Nov, '06)

Brandon Keith--May 10, '95

Brandon...
has a very unique sense of humor
wants to have a ranch in Arizona some day
Is very sensitive to others
loves studying facts about medieval history
is super fun to talk to, once you get him going!

--Oct. 25, '07--
(a cold day)
"...Byron and Brandon decided to try jumping in the pool this evening, just for the "fun" of it! It was so funny to watch, they both jump in, and as soon as you see their heads coming to surface you hear these "ah! Ah! Aaaah!" yells, then they run to get their towels, then decide they got enough laughs to be worth jumping in again! The water goes everywhere, and they're yellin' and hollering! It was great fun watching!"
------------------------------------------------------

(Watch out for those Waltmans!! Fortunately, I had the camera...)

Colleen Marie--March 12, 98

Colleen is quite the artist and intelligent thinker (She's always trying to figure things out!). She has a very tender heart to the Lord, and has been consistent in her prayers at bedtime since she was six years old!

Her favorite nickname is Collyflower, however, she has been given tons of nicknames in her time (i.e. collymaroo caneck, caneck!, collycob, colly-ar-ee, and most commonly, Colly). Her favorite thing to do is play with Benji, and Bryce, and no doubt she plays a lively part...

Benjamin Wesley--April 25, '01

The best way to describe Benjamin, is...he's a hoot! He can talk your ear off, with tall tales and stories of ev'ry kind...this is something he did not have to learn!

--Feb. 6, '08--
"There's a big ruckus going on in the other room...I keep hearing Colly going, "Ah! It's coming toward me!" . Then Benji says, "don't be scared, Colly. I'll protect (per-tect) you. It's ONLY a baby mouse"...[the cat] had caught a mouse and was playing around with it on the kitchen floor. Colly got up on the counter" Benjamin was telling her to get on his back, and he'd carry her out of the room. "of course, Byron had to seize the moment to get Colly with all kinds of tall tales about rats and mice...Brothers and sisters are great fun!!
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(Benji and I at Palo Duro Canyon, '03. Benji's always been my little cowboy!)

James Bryce--January 28, '05

Bryce...
gets lots of attention
loves to make people laugh
copies everything Benji does!
Likes to sing

He doesn't say y'all, you guys, or you'uns, he says, "you y'all"

When he was 2+, his favorite song to sing was "in a military style" from the elephant march on the Jungle Book...He would change his voice for the high and low pitches, it sounded pretty amazing!

Thank you to Dad and Mom for investing their whole lives into each one of us...
Darrell and Kimberly--July 2, '82

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children" (Isaiah 54:13).

Principle-Based Training

2008-06-03T20:25:00.001-04:00

(Benjamin with Lew Sterrett)

Lew Sterrett is an amazing horse trainer and speaker who uses horses to ilustrate our relationship to our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason his method works is because its based on the principles of God's Word.

I have realized that God wants to capture my heart, he doesn't want "lip-service" as Mr. Sterrett refers to it.
God will pinpoint areas in my heart that He wants me to surrender to him, every desire, dream...just as Lew Sterrett pinpoints left front foot,right hind foot...gaining the horse's body, piece by piece.

"...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).
------------
June 3rd, '08
"...If you were to ask me the turning point in my life, I would tell you it was in October of the year I turned eleven. I still remember watching that horse with its stinky attitude, as its master tenderly fought to win its heart.

"It was the guest night of Family Camp at the Gladewater roundup, and Lew Sterrett's horse was teaching on pride. :-) I was struck for the first time with the horror of my sin...I thought Mr. Sterrett must have singled me out, but now I know it was God who singled me out, and called me by name. For the first time in my life I knew in my heart that I was a sinner. I could've known it in my head all I wanted, but only when God 'searched my reins and heart' did it penetrate. At that point, I had a choice...'As for me...[I] will serve the LORD.'"
His little sure-shot, Jo :-)
(an excerpt from my journal)

For more info about Lew Sterrett's ministry, or for video clips or pictures, go to: http://www.miraclemountainranch.com/sotm/aboutsotm.html (or check my links)

"Gone Fishin' "

2008-04-29T20:58:00.000-04:00

Colly's been begging me to post another one of her stories...So here's another Quilted Yarn from the Collyflower Patch!

Gone Fishin’

It was a sizzlin’ hot afternoon, when Spotty and Rusty decided to go down to the creek for some fishin’. They gathered their fishing rods and headed off on their way. When they got there they sat down and dipped their toes in the cool water. It was chock-full of fish!

They were reelin’ those monsters in quicker’n you can say Mississippi, so they stopped for awhile to catch their breath. Then Spotty said, “I know, let’s go swimming! Last one in is the rotten egg!”

In the meantime, Snowy was picking berries just a ways off. All of a sudden, he heard someone yelling “Help!” He looked and saw his two friends. Rusty was struggling to catch a breath, while Spotty tried to push him up from underneath. “Oh no I’ve got to save Rusty!” said Snowy, and he plunged in after him. Once they got him to the bank, Spotty, who was frustrated, said, “I thought you knew how to doggie-paddle!” “How about you try again, Rusty? Spotty can show you how.” suggested Snowy. And this is how Rusty learned to doggie-paddle.

That night they had some delicious fried fish and Berry pie--with Snowy’s help, of course. And they ate happily ever after.

~Collyflower (Colleen, age 10)

(Little Tennessee River, Murfreesboro, AR)

...Walk in the Steps of that Faith of our Fathers...

2008-04-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

What is the one thing that the faithful men and women of old have in common? Is it that they did great things? Is it that they were prayer warriors? Maybe they just spent more time in the Bible? I think it is because they walked with God.

As I look around and see others with such "extraordinary" life callings, I've thought to myself, "O God, they have such great sounding life purposes, it sounds like they're really gonna make a difference! Why doesn't my calling have a ring to it? It just sounds so ordinary!!"

Alot of times we'll want to do something great, or we want to get to see results, but our motive is to make ourselves look good. --Hey, I think I know that word. Could it be p-r- (capital) I-d-e? Pride! That's familiar!-- But Jesus said there is no higher calling than to Love our God with all that we've got! In fact, most of His life He spent doing what we'd call ordinary things...

In James 2 it says that, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. "

Both our greatest pleasure and our highest calling in life is to walk with God.

If you would like a better quality, or larger, copy of this image, let me know and I'd be glad to send you one!
Image copyright of saltyoats, use with permission.

I Corinthians 13

2008-01-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

(If these aren't big enough to read, just let me know... :-).

*All graphics copyright by saltyoats, use with permission.

Pioneer Project #1C1031: Ol' Time Sarsparilla!

2007-08-15T19:22:00.000-04:00

Sassafrass trees spread like wildfire here in TN, so we've had opportunity to make some sarparilla! This is probably the original truly American drink, and is said to be a natural pain killer... It has been thoroughly replaced by modern day Root Beer (the "sugar-fied" fake version, modified for the "american pallette" :-).

1. Identify your tree

The Sassafrass is probably the easiest tree to identify, due to it's three distinct types of leaves. That's right, 3-in-1! One is single pointed, another, like a mitten, while the last one has three distinct "fingers".

2.dig it up

You've got to get to the root of the plant, either by cutting off a piece of root, or taking up the whole thing. You'll know when you've hit the roots, you can smell it! This can get tough, Sassafrass trees can grow 50-100 ft. tall!

(I usually pick the saplings :-)

3.turn the root to shavings

The Sassafrass root has about an inch of soft flesh, but the middle is almost rock-solid. Unless you are planning to spend alot of time shaving off bits of wood, or using an axe--hmm, maybe a chainsaw would work! ha!--the soft flesh is the part you want.

4. Boil out the sap

Put your shavings into a pot with equal parts shavings to filtered water (you will need about four cups of each to make one cup concentrate). Simmer for two hours.

5. Strain

Strain through a milk strainer with a cloth disk in it (they sell these to be used for milk), or use a cheesecloth tripled over. Make sure the dirt doesn't make it to the other side! This will take awhile. If the sap isn't going through you will have to dump it back into the pot to rinse out your strainer under the faucet (you'll probably have to do this several times).

6. mix

This recipe* is for one cup sap in a half gallon jar.

1/4 cup whey (we use plain yogurt, thinned)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup lime juice

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix together and add filtered water 'til you've got a half-gallon. cover and set at room temperature for two days. Re-strain, Transfer to fridge for two weeks (I usually shorten this step :-).The sugar is "used up" for "food" in the fermentation process, like yeast for bread. This is NOT alcoholic!

7.Enjoy!

You can mix this with carbonated water, or drink it plain. Due to our "fallen" tastebuds, we prefer mixing it with half or more ginger ale, then add lots of ice! It definitely has its own distinct flavor! (you can also use the leaves to make tea, they are very mild in flavor).

God gave us raw resources to make things with, however, He is the only One who can create something "new", He can create something from nothing!

The "project #" above is a reference to the verse, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). Amen! So He created us to enjoy--and display--His glory in all that we do?! God made every single thing to show HIS GLORY, for He left His mark on everything He made--every sassafrass tree!

God's Strength to y'all, to Glorify Him!

His Lil' Sure-shot, Jo

*nourishing traditions cookbook, pg.589.

The word "pioneer" means one who travel the paths never taken.

Grab hold of the REAL THING!

2007-05-22T20:15:00.000-04:00

Is it possible to be a cowboy who’s never seen a cow? Here’s a cowboy song…you can find out for yourself!

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande,

But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned.

I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow,

Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how;

And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now.

Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay,
Yippy-I-O-Ki-Ay.

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande,

And I learned to ride ‘fore I learned to stand.

I'm a ridin' fool who is up-to-date,

I know ev’ry trail in the Lone Star State,

'Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8.

Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay,
Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay.

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande,

And I come to town just to hear the band.

I know all the songs that the cowboys know,

'Bout the big corral where the dogies go,

’Cause I learned ‘em all on the radio.

Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay,
Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay.

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande,

Where the West is wild ‘round the Borderland;

Where the buffalo roam around the zoo,

And the Indians make you a rug or two,

And the old Bar X is a Bar-B-Q.

Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay,
Yippy-I-O- Ki-Ay.

Well, now that you know about this “cowboy” let me ask you another question. Is it possible to worship, rather than our Lord, the feeling of true peace and fulfillment that comes from knowing Him? I found out for myself…

God made us so that when we do right, we find fulfillment in our work, but especially so with our relationship with Him! When I search for this fulfillment, rather than searching only to know Him, I just can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. (After all, even our “genuine” love is pure filth!)

In a roundabout way of saying it, do I just love the “prestige” of “being a cowboy”, or actually being a cowboy? Do I actually want to Know Him, or do I just want the rewards from knowing Him? I want to grab hold of the real thing!
His Lil’ Sure-shot,

Jo

You know, it seems like the things that are the most amazing to me, are the ones I just can’t seem to understand…

(to hear the music to this song go to: http://www.harrywarren.org/songs/0220.htm btw, the “extra English verse” is not actually part of the original song :-)

I'm gonna leave ol' Texas now...

2007-05-07T21:39:00.002-04:00

I would write about the move, but I can't do much writing, so I'll just put some journal entries from the time.

--------------------------------------
April 18, ’07
The house is pretty much emptied out, they finished loading everything up around 6:00. Since then we’ve been cleaning carpets, sweeping, touch-up paint, and lots more. Right now I’m sitting on the wood floor in the now empty dining room, the floor has just been mopped and looks so shiny.

We are supposed to leave at 4:00 A.M., I want to get up an hour early to (go out)…one last time in the back of the field.

("my barn" the milking barn, in TX)
Mom has a list about a mile long of stuff we have to do, but everyone was so tired that we’re gonna do it in the morning. I figure it’s about midnight and I’m about to just fall asleep!

When I get under pressure, I tend to try to…get “everything done as quickly as possible”, spending twice as much energy as necessary, Instead of asking the Lord to help me get it done quickly and efficiently. I got a ‘gentle reminder’ when rushing around, trying to find some or other item, and was in the way of one of the loading crew, who told me (w/his african-american accent), “that’s alright, little lady. Please don’t be in no hurry, ‘cause I ain’t in no hurry neither.” He prob’ly didn’t know it, but that was just what I needed! I’ve gotta hit the sack (well, actually, the floor!) His Lil’ Sure-shot, Jo
------------------------

(Darleen's Red Devon calf, he was Aurora's 2nd, and nick-named by myself as "Silent Cannon", for a number of reasons)

April 19, ‘07
We are here in TN, got her at 5:30. But at 4:30 ‘cause here it’s an hour earlier. I don’t know what God is gonna do, but it sure must be great, to take so much effort (according to my measurement of the word :-). I keep thinking sub-consciously that we’re going back home to Texas, even though I know we’re not. But when they say, “we’re home,” I can’t even begin to imagine this as home. But we’re all here together, that makes it home, right? I don’t seem to know anything right now, but I do know one thing: God knows what He’s doing, I can trust Him! And what seems to me like the death to every vision, is actually…the increase of the “crop”.

Let’s wait and see what God will do with this!
His Lil’ sure-shot, Jo
------------------------

(TN house, after painting)
April 20, ‘07
Today we got a black lab, her name is Bell. She can shake hands, sit, and supposedly, fetch. She was practicing her skills by finding, catching, and ultimately, eating, mice from our row of brambly berry bushes. She would hold her paw up when she first found ‘em like a good bird-dog always does.

Dad and Byron put up a shed, and have finished everything but the shingles. I cleaned up the roadside along our property line, and got 2 whole bags of trash, mostly coke and beer bottles. Then we went and we found an old fishing reel to put up in the bathroom (we’re gonna decorate it with fly-fishing). Right now it’s got the ugliest bright-colored flowerdy wall-paper, But we’re gonna paint it tan. We will also have to fix up the kitchen—it’s awful! But you aught’ a hear some of our neat ideas for it! Oh, and Bandy and I are gonna do some wood-carving, and carve out trout soap for our fishing bathroom for practice. As you can see, we’ve got BIG plans, but I know God’s plans for us are extra big!
Mom was telling me how that in our Texas home the bedrooms were so much bigger, and the living area was so much smaller. Our hearts, in a similar way, were “bigger” for straightening out our own relationships, and had little room for focusing on the needs of our community. Now, with rooms half the size and living space doubled, it seems we’re ready to open our hearts and our home to others in a lot more ways! It’s blessed to give, and it’s blessed to receive, but one thing is, you must first receive in order then to give. Anyhow, we have nothing to give that was not first given to us! I know I have received much! Always His Lil’ Sure-shot, Jo

Howdy from Texas, the Land of The Bonnie Blue!

2007-03-27T22:13:00.000-04:00

I wanted to use this Howdy one more time, in two more weeks I won't be able to.

Here are the words to an old Cowboy song I know:

I'm gonna leave ol' Texas now,

They've got no use for the long-horned cow.

They've gone and fenced my cattle range,

And the people here are all so strange.

I got my horse, and I got my rope,

And I hit the trail upon a lope;

I'll bid adios to the ol' prairie,

No lookin' back 'til I reach Tennessee.

To all my Texas "Compadres", some of the strangest people are also the best and most amazing! I am thankful for each and every one of you, for each person that we come in contact with, adds to the person that we will become. Thank you for helping me grow, listen, and see Him more clearly. I know that every one of you have (unknowingly) left an impression on my life--however great or small--it will be with me wherever I go!

God bless you, my Texas!

His Lil' Sure-shot, Jo
song lyrics slightly variated by Joleen

"Quilted Yarns from the Collyflower Patch"

2007-03-19T21:14:00.000-04:00

left to right: Billy, Rusty, Chocolate, Kit, Spotty, and Snowy (who belongs to our Dear Mrs. Honey-Bee!)

The Magical Stuffed Animals

There once were some stuffed animals who came to life. There were two dogs, one rabbit, also a cat and a bear. Their names were: Spotty, Rusty, Chocolate, Kit, and Snowy.
One night they were playing hide-‘n-go-seek-in-the-dark. A bully-bear jumped up behind Kit and said, “Boo!”. She thought that it was Snowy, but it was a bully. When she knew who it was, she yelled for help! Spotty the dog heard the whole kafluffle, and ran over to where Kit was. He then bit the bully, who gallivanted off as fast as he could!
All the others ran over and asked, “What happened?”. Spotty said that a bully-bear had come and scared Kit. Then Chocolate the rabbit said, “Let’s do a show for Kit to show what we can do. I can bounce, Spotty can run fast, Rusty can haul wagons, and Snowy can swim fantastically! They even invited the bully-bear (whose name was Billy) to watch their show. He won the honey-pie eating contest and was very pleased with himself! They had a great time together, and Billy the bully-bear was their good friend from that day on. And they played happily ever after.
~Colly-flower

Colleen (Collyflower, so "dubbed" by myself :-) turned 9 years old on the 12th! To see more about Colleen's birthday click here. Happy Birthday, Collyflower!

Alert Cadet Awards

2007-01-19T10:56:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, the 13th of January, '07, Darrell Waltman, Byron Waltman, and Brandon Waltman were awarded their ribbons for completion of Phase 1 of the Novice Handbook, Good Conduct, and Phase Scripture Memory. They completed on December 23, '06 within the six weeks given.

Dad, I'm very proud of you! I've learned more from the example of your life than from any other person...

Byron, I'm amazed to see you becoming more of a man all the time! You're consistency in Journaling has been a challenge to me. Always shoot high, God will always be right there to 'load up your ammo'!

Brandon, you have worked so hard on your scripture memory...I know that it will stay with you throughout your whole life. You have definitely earned those ribbons, and I'm proud of you!

Romans 6:5-7

2007-01-16T13:20:00.000-05:00

If you would like a better quality--or larger--version of this image, leave a comment and I'll try to send you one...)

all graphics copyrighted by saltyoats, use with permission.

Trout fishing in the Oachitaw Mountains

2006-12-31T19:08:00.000-05:00

This is a journal entry from our recent trout fishing trip. We didn't get any pictures 'cause Darleen has the camara with her up in Wisconsin. She is photographing the wedding of Jedidiah Beeman and Rachel Vande Hei, both of whom are Godly Christians who love the Lord more than anything else, and have given their lives to his service. The Beemans have been close friends of ours for a number of years, and we are very excited to see what God is going to do in Jedidiah and Rachel's lives! (to see more about them go to: www.rachelandjedidiah.blogspot.com , or check out Darleen's site, she will probably be posting some photos on there soon).

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December 29, ‘06

We just got back a couple hours ago from our 2-day trout fishing trip in Murfreesboro, Ark.. Yesterday, when we got there we ate a quick lunch, then set off to do some fishing. The limit is 5 per person, and the age limit for w/out a license fishing is 15. Being over that, I was not allowed to fish…but Dad did let me catch one, and count it as one of Benjamin’s. Just so we don’t go over his fish limit, right?! (No, actually I just reeled it in :-)

Instead, I went exploring and climbing the mountains. I took Brandy (Brandon) and Benjamin along, and got to be ‘horse-ie” for about half the time. By the time we got to the 2nd (and final) mountain, Benjamin had concluded that “he didn’t like climbing mountains, he just liked to look at them.”

When we got back to our fishing spot, I helped with putting on hooks, weights, and bait, and “uncatching” fishing hooks that got caught in the stream (on rocks, I guess). The river we were fishing was called the “Little Missouri.” We caught 14 fish that day.

Today we didn’t do a lot of fishing, but we all hiked one mountain (I think Dad really enjoyed that!)

Byron, Brandon, and I started out by exploring a ways downstream—while Dad and Benjamin fished—looking for a submerged beaver’s dam that was supposed to be there (I guess it really was submerged!)

After I’d determined I was going to cross the stream, Byron took the Initiative—followed by Brandon and myself—and we started to cross at the only part shallow enough. There were large, mossy, and very slippery rocks all the way across, and a strong current. Of course, we couldn’t just walk across, but kept low to keep our weight low, and so we could use our hands as extra points of support. That’s a universal law, I believe, like the law of gravity—Without the use of balance, there must be 3 or more points of support. It reminds me of that verse that says, “A 3-fold cord cannot be broken.” The 1 most important thing to remember when crossing a stream, though, is to always test your footing, you never know when there might be a hole or crevice in the rocks, or your foot could slip! This reminds me to always test my beliefs—using at least 3 points of reference from God’s Word—to make sure I’m standing on “solid rock”.

Once we got to the other side, we climbed up the almost ninety-degree-angle bank, then back across the stream, a lot quicker this time. (With all the details of “our method”, it prob’ly sound like it took an awful long time crossing. Actually, we got across pretty quickly , and without much trouble). I would guess it to be about 50-foot wide. Benjamin caught 1 trout today, so we brought home a total of 15 of 'em.

All in all, we had a great time! Crossing streams and climbing mountains is definitely one of my favorite things to do, especially when it’s with my brothers!
Signing off,
His Lil’ Sure-shot,
Joleen

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Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T09:42:00.000-05:00

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn" (book of Luke).

JESUS...what a Pure, Powerful, Wonderful Name!

2006-12-12T15:10:00.001-05:00

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

If you would like a better quality--or larger--version of this image, leave me a comment and I'll try to send you one...)

all graphics copyrighted by saltyoats, use with permission.

Lil' Sure-shot

2006-11-26T19:36:00.000-05:00

"She was given the name Phoebe Ann Moses at her birth in 1860, and during her life was variously known as Annie Mozee, Mrs. Frank Butler, Missie and Little Sure Shot. At her death, however, none of these names were memorialized. On a simple stone in Darke County, Ohio, there is inscribed:

Annie Oakley

1926

At Rest

"Her life was not the life of a person "at rest." Her fame as the "World's Champion Shot" made her a living legend. Annie was born in 1860 near North Star, Ohio, in Darke County. Her family, always poor, was reduced to gnawing poverty at the death of her father. Annie and her five brothers and sisters were "bound" to neighbors who provided care in return for work. After two years, Annie rejoined her mother and trapped and hunted small game to help sustain the family.

"At 15, while visiting an older sister in Cincinnati, she won a 50-dollar first prize in a sharpshooting contest at Schuetzenbuckel Park. The marksman she defeated was Frank Butler and within a few months Annie Moses married Frank Butler and adopted the stage name, Annie Oakley. By the time they joined Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show in 1884, Butler and Oakley had become nationally famous. For the next 17 years Annie astounded audiences everywhere with her uncanny marksmanship. She could shoot pennies out of the air or the ash from a cigar while riding a horse or from behind her back. Her ability to shoot the spots out of a card permanently gave the name "Annie Oakley" to any prepunched complimentary ticket.

"She was admired in America and in Europe because, though petite and totally feminine, she demonstrated her superiority in what was traditionally a masculine skill. After severe injuries suffered in a 1901 train accident she recovered and starred in a number of popular plays. For the last 10 years of her life she and Frank Butler mixed business with travel. With health failing they returned to Ohio, and in the fiftieth year of their marriage Annie Oakley and Frank Butler died in November of 1926.

"At a time and in a nation where pioneer life was still part memory and part reality, Annie Oakley seemed to, and perhaps did, epitomize in a dramatic way the unsung virtues of the pioneer woman."
--Annie OakleyWorld's Champion Shot by Richard W. Haupt

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As far as I know, history does not record whether or not Annie was a Christian, but I do know that she lived by a set of values and morals that many Christians, now, don't even understand. Her husband, Frank Butler--what's known of him--was also a man of Integrity.

When a rumor was started that Annie had been involved in a large bank robbery, Annie stated that her "highest ambition in life" was "to be considered a Lady". After alot of hassle with the newspapers--and about fourty-nine law suits--the rumor was proven false. The Butlers had won all but one of the law suits, and Annie's good name had been cleared.

Annie has always been a heroine of mine, but to her quote I would add that "my highest ambition in life is to be considered a Lady" in every respect, and, truly, to be one, who is Beautiful and Pure in the sight of God. Annie was called "Lil' Sure-shot", but I want to called...His Lil' Sure-shot.

Always to be...His Lil' Sure-shot, Jo

btw, I will be posting a pamphlet-sized book that was written by Annie, titled "Powders I Have Used". It is very interesting.

Romans 6:3-4

2006-11-10T12:48:00.000-05:00

(If you would like a better quality--or larger--version of this image, leave me a comment and I'll try to send you one...)

all graphics copyrighted by saltyoats, use with permission.

Just do it!

2006-10-29T20:31:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, I “mess around” with graphics in the spare time (that I don’t
have :-) .I am very excited about the project I have recently started of putting Romans 6 to picture graphics! I got the “inspiration” from a girl who put the entire book of James to graphics! This was a tremendous blessing to me. Have you ever noticed that the more learning types you use in learning something, the quicker—and better—you will learn it…there are four built-in learning styles which every person has (different people do better with different styles): Visual (seeing it), Auditory (hearing it), tactual (touching it), and kinesthetic (doing it). I was amazed as these picture graphics helped me to visualize what each passage is really all about! Even though I tend to be more auditory and kinesthetic, these graphics helped me so much that I was sometimes able to do one picture (usually three verses) a day, and was able to finish the entire book of James in about six months! I would definitely say that it is now my favorite book of the Bible, so far…For those of you who would like to see the graphics of James, here is the link to her gallery: http://sojgraphics.asmallapple.net/gallery/.

As for Romans 6, I don’t think I can get one a day…but I’ll try to do one each week. I would strongly recommend to each one of you to “write” these passages of scripture (and many more!) on the “table of your heart”, whether it takes seeing it as picture graphics, hearing it (w/audio Bible, maybe), writing it (on paper, or outside in the dirt :-) tactual people learn well w/this), or learn it while doing activities (I enjoy learning it while biking, hiking, and running)…Whatever it takes to make God’s Word a part of your ordinary life...do it!! You’ll be glad you did!

His lil' sure-shot,
Jo(leen)

Romans 6:1-2

(If you would like a better quality--or larger--version of this image, leave a comment , and I'll try to send you one...)

all graphics copyrighted by saltyoats, use with permission.

Montana Ranch??

2006-10-28T21:41:00.005-04:00

Some of you may be wondering, “What’s the deal with all this ‘Montana Ranch’ stuff. You live in Texas, right?” Yes, I live in Texas, on only 5+ acres of land, for that matter. “Well, then, What’s all this Montana stuff about, have you ever even been to Montana?” Well, yes, I have been: At night in my dreams, and in the mornings in my prayers--But never in reality.
By now you must be thinking, “Ok, this is crazy…” So, let me tell you a little bit about my Saltyoats Mountain Ranch.

God has given me a desire to work with kids, boys particularly. What I hope to do is maybe not all that amazing, but to just "be there", like a bridge that is always dependable, no matter what. To work alongside them, play alongside them, listen to their tallest of tales, and...just be there! Not as if they are some great "ministry", but people, just because I care. More than anything, what I want to do is "show them the hope that they have never known". I want to use practical skills training to introduce the Gospel and deeper principles of God’s Word. Saltyoats Mountain Ranch is a not-yet-existing boys ranch which, I hope, will be a training ground for these boys as they begin their quest into manhood.

I pray to God to give each of them the strength and vision to be the men--and women--of God that He has called them to be, so they can lead a full and satisfied life, and have the practical skills needed to raise their own godly families. I want them each to be able to love God in a way all their own, after all, God gives them each a new heart that is like no other in all the world! May they each experience the Freedom in Christ—in their daily lives—to do this, and always to fight “as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.”

His lil' sure-shot,
Jo(leen)

If God gave me this vision only for to pass it on to someone else, Only He knows. I do not know what He plans to do with it, but I know He put it there for a reason. I know I'll be more than happy either way! For who am I to choose my own way? The way is His. Let Him bid me go or stay, this I know, His is the best way!