Joey & Rory - Chain Of Love

Most Important Lesson I have learned in Rodeo

As a first generation cowboy, or as Floridians would say “Cracker”, I have had to seek guidance to become the Cracker I am today. From learning to ride a horse, to gaining weight, it has been a challenge, but one that I would face again any day for the knowledge I learned along the journey. It has only been four years since I started rodeoing, and on December 2, 2010, I will celebrate two years of be in the family of bulldoggers, a family unlike any other. Most people are unable to recall how many buckles or saddles they have won. I on the other hand, only have a hand full, but am proud to wear each one of them. This includes the Champion Buckle I won last April with a time of 6.2 in the steer wrestling at Green Cove Springs, Florida, which is no doubt the most difficult arena to bulldogg in Florida. Ultimately, there were two choices as I entered that rodeo. First, I could gable and take a gable and win the rodeo or maybe even miss for a chance to go to nationals, or just be another bulldogger and go out there have fun and just merely get the job done. I did not have any buckle proving my rodeo success by my third year of high school and decided that winning this rodeo was going to become my ultimate goal. I also desired a shot at Nationals and winning the Green Cove rodeo was the only way to see this goal come to fruition. State Finals was all business knowing I had to be one of the top four. I had to throw each steer as well as be in the top for the average. After my run and the third round was over, I knew it would be a challenge for the competitors in front of me with their draws, but they overcame it. I received second in the average and seven points away from nationals. I often think of all the runs I made my senior year of high school and everything I could have done differently. Those seven points that I lacked were one steer – one that I missed. Following State Finals, I often asked God why it was that I tried so hard, but never made it to the big dance? I practiced more often than most other bulldoggers, while some did not practice at all. I, on the other hand, was in the practice pen at least four days a week. I found that God was and continues to prepare me for better things in this life than to be a High School National qualifier. I not only want to be “one of the five” in steer wrestling, I want to be “one of the five” in life, in God’s eyes. So on that day, when I have reached my ultimate goal of heaven, I know that my entry fees have been paid, with or without a gold buckle.

A Cowboys Prayer

If you rodeo you have heard this a million times. It still sends Chills down my back when I here it. Does anybody know who wrote it?
**A Rodeo Cowboy's Prayer**

Our gracious and heavenly Father, we pause in the midst of this festive occasion, mindful and thoughtful of the guidance that you have given us.

As cowboys, Lord, we don't ask for any special favors, we ask only that you let us compete in this arena, as in life's arena. We don't ask to never break a barrier, or to draw a round of steer that's hard to throw, or a chute fighting horse, or a bull that is impossible to ride. We only ask that you help us to compete as honest as the horses we ride and in a manner as clean and pure as the wind that blows across this great land of ours.

So when we do make that last ride that is inevitable for us all to make, to that place up there, where the grass is green and lush and stirrup high, and the water runs cool, clear, and deep -

You'll tell us as we ride in that our entry fees have been paid.

These things we ask - Amen.

Things I have done since I broke my Collar Bone!

I wrote this about a month after I broke my Collar bone, but just found it and thought I would share it with you!
Things I have done.

1) Been bucked half way across the pasture by a colt.
2) Gotta down treadmills, weight benches, and a whole bunch of other stuff at work.
3) Unloaded feed a lot.
4) Rode plenty of horses.
5) Worked on the tractor.
6) Be unsuccessful at pushing the law mower.
7) Put up about five of dads signs.
8) Moved a sign across the street and down the road.
9) Cleaned stalls.
10) Saddled horses.

Things I cant do according to the Doctor.
1) Everything above and to many to list.

Things the Lord kept me from doing while I didnt no.
1) Steer Wrestle!

Thank You Lord for protecting me from hurting myself even worse!!!

Are you a Sinner?

As I was listening to the radio at work on Friday, I heard Josh Thompson`s "You ain`t seen country yet." Good song, but what about his song "SINNER?" It hit me like a freight train would. As I listened to him sing, I thought about my life. Not so much about what I have done wrong in my life, but what I haven`t done in my life. No, not what things I have done wrong, but what I have done right. At least I did the last half of the song. I realized that no matter what happens in my life the Lord will always be there for me. It isn`t about how far we can get away from the Lord, but how close we can get to him. You can ask about anybody when they spend time in the word of God everyday, they are more generally happy. Happy and not afraid to share the word of God. So why is it that as Christians we don`t seek Christ, but flee from him? Honestly, I think because we are afraid of what good might come of it. I know that is the case for me at times. So how can we as Christians over come this? By doing what we don`t wanna do!! Seek the Lord and spend time with him daily! It might be hard at first....wait all the time to set aside everyday to spend with him, but do it.


Website of the week is:

www.gracelanding.com

Striving For Excellence

Often times we are faced with uncertain times. Times that are hard to understand, times that we wish not to face, or times when our lives are not going as we please. Or for me now a time when I am hungry for my passion, Rodeo. It has been a challenging first semester at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. I came here with a broken collar bone from the IFYR, and by the second week of practice I had sprained my knee. Followed by a concussion by the end of September. It had been my second concussion in a little over two months, so for once I listened to the doctors and took a month off from riding and practicing. When I was able to practice the pen was too wet due to rain and practice was called off for a week, and now the steers are gone till the first of February. It has now been four months since I have jumped a steer, four months to long that is. I tried to take advantage of not practicing, now I know that doesn`t make a whole lot of sense. Look at it this way you cant compete to the best of your abilities with out a few key things. One being completely in tune with your horses. Riding in the woods and just "tuning" on them just helps them to relax and let them realize that not every time they get saddled they aren`t running there heart out for you. Second, is being fit. Lets just say at 5ft 8in tall and weighing in at a whooping 148lbs, I am not the most ideal bulldogger. while balancing College, homework and a job. I have also been doing my best to better tune my body. I don`t want a 6 pack like some guys. I want to be able to handle steers one thing that I have heard many times while practicing with Ivan Nelson and Darby Hunt is "If you had a belly like mine, you would be better off" and in alot of cases there right. I am focusing on my arms and legs right now, those are my weak points and most important for bulldoggers. Third, is spiritually strong I can tell a big difference in my doggin when I am tune with the Lord and what he wants from me. This has been the biggest struggle for me. Never in my life did I attend a public school until college. It was a big shock to me. I am getting better about my prayer life and reading of Gods word, but still not where I should be. I am very thankful that the accountability partner that I had in middle school and high school is still there for me and still calls to check on me through out the week. Through my reading this week I was up lifted about my bulldoggin and in general. In 1 Timothy 4:6-8 is says "<sup>6</sup> If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,<sup>a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">[a]</sup> you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. <sup>7</sup> Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. <sup>8</sup> For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." Keyword being trained not just in the word of God, but in everything you do. I have asked myself lately and in the words of Rope Myers "am I Physically strong, emotionally strong, and spiritually strong." what about yourself? Are you? To all my fellow "Crackers" I cant wait to see YA`LL in just less than two weeks.



Goals for the week:

1. Work horses.
2. Slide Steer Saver.
3. Get more in tune with God.
4. 2,000 Push ups.
5. 3,000 sit ups.
6. Ball basketball at least three times.
7. Lift weights at least three times.



Give this a look to!
http://crosstrainingjournals.blogspot.com/

Friday, April 23, 2010 Am I mentally Ready? Am I Physically Ready? Am I spiritually Ready?

Am I ready? I have been asking myself that questions for almost two weeks now. A lot has happened since, I wrote on this deal. Not because have wanted to, but the past month has been so overwhelming with school, the only reason I am doing this at 4am is because I am stuck on my 12 page paper I am writing for my college class. Any how lets go back over a month, Since I last wrote on this I have been to 2 Georgia-Florida Rodeos, 3 High School rodeos, and 1 PRCA. Not bad, but it hasn`t been all that great I take part of that back One of the high school rodeos I was second in the Average, and the other I won in Green Cove Springs. Now the GFYRA, thats a different story Because my last four rodeos for them I have missed my steers. Don`t ask me why just there its just that way I guess. Now enough with the rodeos, Practice has been real good, April in Florida is historically dry, not the case this year we have had a couple different weeks the in April that practice has been little or none because of the rain. None the less, practice has been very vital for me. Number one I am 15 points behind the number 4 man, and I have to be in the top 4 to go to nationals. Second, I will get better thats just the way it will be. Practice has been all about getting up and over the steer and not leaning, Plus lots of right arm. There is still a lot of work to be down before State Finals next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

I haven`t just been asking myself am I ready since the Green Cove High School Rodeo when it became clean I was still in the hunt for nationals. How am I going to prepare even more for the most important rodeo of my high school career?

1) Physically- I have started working more, bur adding to that I have started playing basketball at college. Not, so I can get good my only goal is to be able to play a pick up game every once in a while when I am old. A couple reasons why one reaction I might not be able to shot 3 pointers all night, but if I can read where the ball is going and react. Thats preparing me mentally for Finals, I am nearly just sharping my brain and its reaction time. Two, endurance as I said practice has been slow some weeks because of rain. Just needing to stay in shape to practice.

With being such a small bulldogger, I have been work my upper body that last week realizing that, I need lots of right arm and lots of explosion. After talking to a fellow bulldogger about lifting weights in the Gym he recommended that I do sets of 6. Weird, right most trainers say sets of 8 or 10. He explained to me that as a bulldogger wants Explosion not endurance. If we needed endurance like a basketball player than we would do sets of 10. Its a new world and we need explosion. Been working on all my stomach muscles so I can "float" those feet better and truly "place" them where I want. Lots of sit ups!!!

2) Tonight O wait its 5am now so last night as I was working out I kept thinking how can I prepare for Finals Mentally? As the Barrel racing Finals are going out in Oklahoma City, right now I was talking to a friend of mine and she had a rough day, I told her to hold her head high. After telling her how last weekend went at the GFYRA she told me Chris "You'll get them at state. and Hold Your Head High and remember who your riding for" it sounds about like something I have told her before last night. As long as I am riding for the Lord I will succeed no matter what the out come. Its hard saying that when right now you are losing by 15points and there is only three runs left in the season. You just got to rely on Him and He will lead in the direction desired by the most high King. SO Lord, I am Ready To glorify you and your Kingdom at Finals and beyond!!!

On a Side Not my sister finally had here baby Her Name is Ella Elizabeth and is cute as a button!