Going Hungry and a New Niece!

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, but… I LOVE food.
When we travel, my favorite part of the trip almost always revolves around the new restaurants we eat at and the food we try. I especially love the trips we take to go skiing or when I've run half marathons- because that means I've spent the day burning energy so I can really enjoy eating later. :)

And it's not just eating out that I love. I also really enjoy making my own good food. I think that started when I learned how to bake as a young girl. Between learning to make pies, cakes, and breads, etc. I developed a joy for food (and I also helped my dad develop an extra 10 lbs or so - sorry Dad!)

Yet, as much pleasure and care as I take with my food, I've been allowing myself to go hungry. Not "hungry" as in stomach-grumbling hunger. It's my soul that has been going hungry, but a couple of weekends ago I was filled up.

Toward the end of my college career I met some wonderful women who helped me grow in my relationship with God, frequently meeting for Bible studies and the like.
Since moving to western Kansas I've met some wonderful, Godly women, but I've really missed the fellowship I had with my college friends.

Bethany was one of the great women I met in college. She and her husband, Morgan, are now doing missionary work in India.

The second weekend of April, my sister Katie and I went to Rexford, Kansas for a retreat called Women's Encounter. It was an amazing weekend filled with the fellowship and focus I was needing.

I would encourage any woman, no matter where she's at in her life, or whether or not she knows her heavenly Father, to attend. Trust me, everyone can gain something from a weekend like this. All it takes it is a little time. (And for any men reading this, there is also a men's version called Men's Encounter that I would equally encourage you to attend).

Now the trick will be not to have simply "gorged" myself one weekend, only to go "hungry" in the days to come. The nice part is, now I have a greater network of women I know I can turn to for help in my walk of faith.

April has been a really good month. The weekend after Women's Encounter my brother and sister-in-law had a new baby girl, Lakin Lee Patterson.
Taylor and I went home last weekend to see her and celebrate my mom's birthday as well (Lakin was born the night before Mom's birthday).

We grew up with Massey Ferguson tractors, and Dad wanted to make sure Lakin was a Massey girl early on, too! :)

Western Kansas Fact: When the river would run, people would take stock tanks, throw them in the river, hop in, and go on a float trip. I think this used to be a lot more common than it is now - The past several years there has hardly been any water in the river bed.

This was a Scripture that really meant a lot to me at Women's Encounter:
'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.'  Revelations 3:15-16
This spoke to me because too often I would fall into the "lukewarm" category - going through the motions of being a Christian (going to church, reading my Bible, making my donation) without truly seeking God and His will in my life - that's just what I felt like I was supposed to do. But I want to serve Him with my whole heart, not simply go through the motions.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Lyndee

African Adventure

I've always loved words - reading, writing, etc. I love how words can be crafted together to create a perfect picture in your mind; they can take you places…whether new and exciting or old, comfortable and familiar. They can appeal to every sense making you see, taste, feel, smell or hear, all with a simple description.
Words are powerful, especially when they have real meaning and feeling behind them.

These words are not unfamiliar to me - "I am blessed to have been born in America and have the opportunities and life that I have." I used to think I knew what these words meant.
But after traveling to Africa, these words truly mean more to me than they ever have before.

In the middle of March Taylor and I, along with Taylor's brother, Jayce, traveled to Botswana, Africa for a friend's wedding.
It was a great experience. We flew into Johannesburg and then drove 10 hrs to our destination in Botswana. The wedding was held at the bride's family's wild game ranch, and we got to spend a week there. Mostly we just hung out there with everyone, helped however we could with wedding preparations and took drives around the ranch to look at wildlife. Taylor even got to go hunting one day, and I went along for the ride. He was able to shoot a red hartebeest.

Here are some tidbits we learned/experiences we had while in Africa:

• There are no need for cops in Botswana. You are risking your life if you speed because donkeys, goats, and cows are everywhere, and they frequently stand in the middle of the road. They don't move out of the way just because they hear a car coming either. You either need to have one heck of a big grill guard on the front of a big truck or you need to drive cautiously and ALWAYS pay attention.   The most stressful part of our whole trip was driving back to the airport on our way home. It had rained a little the night before and it seemed like every animal was near or on the road drinking the water out of the potholes.
• You don't need a clear stretch of road to pass someone - people there (or at least on the outskirts of Johannesburg) make their own passing lanes. If someone going faster than you came up behind you, you were expected to move over on the shoulder of the road and the car would pass, going right down the middle of the road even if there was oncoming traffic. Oncoming cars would also move over onto their shoulder leaving the middle of the road open for the passing car.
• There is a thing called "Africa Time." Basically this means that time is unimportant. There is no rush - things get done when they get done, and that's all there is to it. It's such a different concept from that of busy, rushing, time-conscious Americans.
• They cook a lot of their food, especially the meat, outside over  hot coals from a wood fire.
• We were in the Kalahari desert and there isn't really soil there, it is all fine red sand.

I could go on and on, but suffice to say it was an adventure and a very good experience for us! But one of the biggest things I felt I gained from the trip was a true appreciation for being born in America with endless opportunities available to me. The poverty and lack of economy or opportunity we saw in Botswana really made us understand how much we have and how much we take for granted.

This was someone's home. We passed a lot of places like this on our drive to the game ranch.

This is a Kudu. We got to eat some Kudu while we were there along with Impala, Red hartebeest,  and Gemsbok

The ranch was completely off the grid. The electricity ran off solar panels, and this was what they called a "donkey." It was their hot water heater. You built a fire in the hole at the bottom  and it heated your water for showers.

The wedding reception was held in a big marquee tent. They decorated it beautifully. 

Congrats Grant and Landi! Thanks for making us part of such a special experience.

Taylor and I are so grateful to Thomas and Hanlie van Zyl for inviting us into their home and taking care of us while we were at Phirima Game Ranch.

Easter marked the end of mine and Taylor's "no processed carbs/sugar" Lent. At times it was a little challenging, but for the most part Taylor and I both were really glad we did it. We measured before and after Lent and each of us took off about an inch from our waists, rear ends, and other various body parts. I lost about 3 lbs and Taylor lost about 6 lbs. The thing that really left an impression on us was that we both felt like our brains functioned better without the carbs and sugars in our diet. I also felt less tired during the day and was able to wake up more easily in the mornings. Now that Lent's over we'll allow some sugars/carbs in our diet, but we're going to try to keep it to a minimum.

This is a Scripture and lesson I really appreciated lately:
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2
The accompanying lesson addressed this issue: we, as humans, continually seek ways to make ourselves powerful, to gain control. But what so many of us fail to recognize is the most powerful thing we can do is get on our knees and pray to God. He is Almighty. He can do anything. He can perform great miracles and change people's very hearts. Rather than seeking power ourselves, we need to open ourselves up to the power of God by seeking Him in prayer.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Lyndee

$100 - What's It Really Worth?

$100…To me that amount of money could be any number of things…a trip to the grocery store; 9-10 bags of feed for my calves; a couple pairs of jeans (or depending on the type maybe just one pair with a  little extra left over); a steak dinner for Taylor and myself at a nice restaurant; or even 20-25 trips to my favorite coffee shop in Garden City. But at the end of the day none of these things will significantly impact my life.

Several days ago, I had a very humbling experience. In my mail box I had a letter from Tirana, Albania. It was from the little boy, Gerald, I am blessed to sponsor through World Vision.
Around Christmas time, I had responded to an email from World Vision asking if I would like to make an extra Christmas donation to my sponsor child. After spending a better portion of the day kicking the idea around, I decided to go ahead and make a donation of $100, and I was notified that Gerald's needs would be assessed and the money would go toward the greatest need of him and his family. Then within a few months I would receive a picture and a thank you letter telling how the money was used.

When I opened my letter, I saw a picture of my little boy standing in front of a box of food and other assorted items.
It shames me to think how easy it would have been for me to say, "No, I'm already giving a monthly donation. I don't need to send any more money," and I could have easily blown that $100 in any number of unimportant ways.
But thankfully, I got to share the blessings God has given me and actually make a difference and help provide for the greatest need of Gerald, his mom and dad, and two siblings.

Now all I can do is pray God would give me wisdom to do His will and remove any greed from my heart - the greed that would play through my head saying, "No, Lyndee, you're doing enough; you don't need to do more. Keep this [money, time, etc.] for yourself."

On a different note - the no-sugar/processed carbs for Lent is going pretty well. My cravings haven't been too terrible (although I do eat a fair amount of the non-sweetened dried fruits when my sweet tooth kicks in). And even though sometimes I feel like I'm eating more, I feel a little more trim. Taylor and I also feel like we're more alert. I've noticed that even when there's a night where I don't get as much sleep, I don't feel like I'm completely dragging the next day. I'll still get tired at night, but it's not like I'm riding the struggle bus during mid-afternoon or needing a coffee pick me up that hour after lunch. I'm thinking I may have to make a deal with myself after Lent is over to set aside 3 or 4 days out of the week and continue to make them no-sugar-days.

Western Kansas Fact: Pastures can be deceiving.
I grew up in an area where you figure a cow needs 4 acres of grass to sustain herself. The grass grew tall, and often we had to cut it during the summer. Out here, it does take more acres per cow, but the grass can be pretty surprising. Even though it may look short and insubstantial, native grasses like buffalo grass are very nutrient dense and make great pasture.

As I wrote this post, this Scripture kept running through my head.
Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap good measure - pressed down, shaken together and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. 
Luke 6:38
This Scripture reminds me that God doesn't intend for me to hoard the gifts He has given. He wants me to trust that He will continue to provide for my needs, so I can be generous with others especially when that generosity ultimately brings glory back to Him.

Next time I'll tell you about Africa!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Lyndee

P.S.  Every morning I read a daily devotional and then send it out in an email to a small group of people. If anyone would ever like to receive this, send me your email and I can add you to my group list!

A Bright Idea!!!…Or Not

 You know those times when you come up with a really good idea (for example the time when Annie and me realized setting up a lemonade stand would be a great way to make money)…only to later find that, actually, your "good idea" wasn't so good after all (you mean a lightly traveled dirt road 7 miles out of town isn't the best place to sell lemonade and fill our piggy banks)?

This year for Lent, Taylor and I came up with one of those "bright ideas" - we decided to give up processed sugars and carbs for Lent.
Ok, so I actually do think it is a good idea, and I'm glad we're doing it, but I'll admit, it's been a challenge.
For a while I had planned to take all the things we couldn't eat during Lent out of the pantry, and then I realized that would include nearly everything in it, so I just put away the easily-snacked-upon/most-commonly-used items and left the rest there.

Before...

After removing items from one shelf - excluding the cereal I left there-my box for these items was full. If I had taken everything off the shelf above, I would have only had salt, tea, spices, baking powder and slivered almonds left.

We came up with this idea one night when we were talking about wanting to get a little more fit/trim up  the more problematic areas on our bodies. We wondered how much of a difference it would make to remove the processed sugars and carbs from our diet (we're allowing natural carbs and sugars like fruit and potatoes) while adding minimal amounts of extra physical activity on top what we typically do in a day (a set number of sit-ups, pushups, and squats everyday) So at the beginning of Lent we weighed and measured. Then on Easter we'll check back in and see what the difference is. Hopefully there is a difference - Taylor and I both said we feel like we compensate for the no sugar by snacking more…Oh well. :)

There will be one week during Lent when we don't follow these rules. It was kind of a last minute decision, but we decided we are going to go to South Africa/Botswana. Our good friends, Grant and Landi recently got married here in the states. Landi is originally from Botswana and they are having a wedding ceremony at her parents' home in March. Her parents own a wild game ranch where people come and hunt exotic animals. We're going to be staying at their ranch while we are there.
Taylor and I are pretty excited. It's going to be a completely different experience from anywhere we've ever been before. When we decided to go, we told each other, excitedly and somewhat nervously, it's going to be an adventure!
While on this adventure we want to be able to really experience the culture and the food, so we'll be taking a break from the no sugar/carbs thing.

I tend to be geographically challenged so here's a map of Africa for anyone like me

Last night we got our first significant snowfall of the winter. We probably had about 6 inches or so. Taylor stayed up all night at the feedyard clearing alleyways so feed trucks could feed in the morning. At 5:30 a.m. he came back to the house, dressed in some warmer clothes then we both went back to the feedyard and started shoveling snow out of the feed bunks. With everyone working together, we were able to have them all pretty much done by 10 a.m.
All I have to say is whoever invented the bunk blower (an attachment that goes on a tractor and blows most of the snow out of the bunks) is a genius. It really cuts down on the amount of shoveling you have to do by hand.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15
Here is part of the lesson that accompanied this Scripture: "Satan does not build a church and call it the first church of Satan - he is far too clever for that. Instead he tries to infiltrate the theological seminary and the pulpit - invading the church under the cover of an orthodox vocabulary - but emptying sacred terms of their true biblical meaning or denying their truth."
I feel like this is very true today. I pray that we would study the Bible and know His word so God can guide us and help us to recognize evil in this world, even in its hidden form.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and have a wonderful week!

Lyndee

Yoga Master

"Flexibile" and "Lyndee" are not synonymous. I can't touch my toes; heck, even sitting up straight while cross-legged is uncomfortable for me. So I decided I should try yoga to help make me more limber. I knew my yoga abilities would be minimal, but I figured it was worth a shot.

So the other day I bought a video for beginners, and I started out by watching the lesson of the correct yoga positions and movements. 

Near the end of the video there were several "relaxation" poses, and suddenly, I felt like I had severely underestimated my yoga potential. Because surely anyone who can relax so well during the "relaxation" poses that they fall asleep, has to be some sort of yoga-master, right? :)

Maybe not, but I felt like there was at least one part of yoga I could do well. :)

Sadly, this is as close as I can get to my toes with my legs straight

Sometimes I become very discouraged by the state of our nation. So often the people who are supposed to be our leaders seem to only be concerned about themselves and/or their bank accounts rather than the real needs of our country, and the rising levels of deception and corruption seem inversely correlated to the levels of the national spirit and pride of most Americans.
That's why I was so encouraged when Taylor and I went to see American Sniper a couple of weeks ago. Even after being in theaters for over a week, we still had to buy tickets online beforehand and get there 40 minutes early to stand in line so we could get a good seat. Not only was the movie extremely well done, but it gave me a lot of hope to see so many people interested in honoring our armed forces and showing a sense of national pride.
I'm so grateful to all our veterans, current and former, for their service to keep us safe and protect our freedoms.

Right after the first of the year Taylor and I went skiing with his family in Crested Butte. It was a fabulous trip with wonderful weather for skiing, amazing food and drinks, and a great time with family.

As enjoyable as the trip was, I have loved the last few weeks because we haven't had to go anywhere or do anything. I've been able to catch up on some paperwork and deep cleaning around the house; I've had time to start a couple of new bucket calves; and Taylor and I have had time where we could truly relax together. One of these times was a Sunday afternoon where we accomplished absolutely nothing. After church and lunch, the movie The Blindside happened to be on, and we just sat together on the couch enjoying a good movie in each other's company. I'm so thankful for simple moments like these.

Western Kansas Fact:  People truly appreciate moisture here. 
Growing up where it rained frequently, a lot of people would get upset about the rain because it might ruin their outdoor plans. But here, rain is simply a cause for joy. Nearly any time we get moisture, even if it is just a quarter of an inch, someone in church almost always makes a point of giving thanks for it.

Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a master in heaven. Colossians 4:1
This Scripture lesson talked about how slavery is not something practiced here in the U.S. anymore, but   the Scripture still applies today. We all need to think about how we treat others, especially those people who serve in leadership or employer positions. Recently Taylor and I hired someone to help us with the grow yard, so this Scripture took on new meaning for us. I pray God would grant us all wisdom every day as we interact with others and help us to always be just and fair.

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!
Lyndee

Since last time...

I don't consider myself an extremely competitive person. I do like to compete and play games, etc., but it's not going to ruin my day if I lose. Mostly I just like to know, win or lose, I've done the best as I can.
However, maybe I just save up my competitiveness for other areas…

I used to feel like it was a mark of pride to be busy. It was like I was in some sort of secret competition with anyone I met to "busier" and thereby more "productive." I realize that way of thinking is just foolishness. What is so good about being super busy?
Don't get me wrong - I am not someone who likes to be idle. Ask Taylor, simply sitting still during the middle of the day when I feel like there are things I need to do can absolutely drive me up the wall.
However, I realize now that simple "busy-ness" shouldn't be the goal. Instead I think it's better to work hard and work well, but to also allow yourself time - time to spend with loved ones, time to relax and enjoy the moment, time to keep perspective on the important things in life.

This year has been a pretty hectic one for Taylor and me, and at times I felt like we were in a sinking boat in a sea of obligations with only a thimble for a bail. We made progress but not enough to feel like we were getting ahead.
Even so, as I sit here now, looking back over the year, I feel like we've done a pretty good job of handling our responsibilities without losing track of the most important things - our faith, our marriage and our family.

New Year's resolutions sound so cliche, but as we move into 2015, I'm praying it will be a year where Taylor and I can manage our time well, continue to work together as a team to accomplish all the tasks that are set before us, and continue to keep our priorities straight.

Sorry it's been so long since my last blog post, but here are a few things that have been going on in our world…

At the beginning of November we went to Kansas City for our brother-in-law's birthday to watch a Chiefs game. It was the first one I had ever been to. It was neat, but also bitterly cold. Taylor and I had to keep getting up and moving around to get feeling back in our feet.

My entire family came out to be with us during Thanksgiving. It was so great to spend the holiday with everyone rather than just one side or the other.

At the beginning of December we went to Las Vegas for the Nationals Finals Rodeo. Vegas is always a fun town, but best in small doses. We were there for three days, which I consider to be just about the right amount of time. While there we ate some great food, went clubbing, watched the rodeo, went to a Jeff Dunham show, a hypnotist show, and the Cirque Du Soleil show "Mystere." I think my favorite part was eating supper at Yellowtail in the Belagio. We sat out on the balcony, enjoying delicious food and drinks overlooking the fountains.

Watching the fountains in front of the Bellagio

Our impersonations of Walter

Christmas is one of my favorite seasons, and it always saddens me how quickly it is over. This year we spent Christmas Eve with Taylor's family, eating a nice supper together, going to Christmas Eve service, and opening our presents with his side.
On Christmas morning, Taylor and I exchanged gifts with each other. I was so excited to give Taylor his gift I woke up at 5:15 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. :) Finally I was able to give him the gun safe I'd bought him!
I loved my gifts from Taylor, too, but my favorite was the tickets he had bought for me and my mom and sisters, and sister-in-law to go see "Wicked" in Denver in June. He took me to see it once in Kansas City a few years ago, and I absolutely LOVED it. Now I can't wait to share the experience. I know they're going to love it too!

Western Kansas Fact: Anyone in western Kansas without a job is simply lazy. This may be an oversimplification, but if so, it is only to the slightest degree. There are an abundance of jobs available here. Garden City recently had a new store development open with a Dick's Sporting Goods, Hobby Lobby, Petco, and a few others. One of Taylor's friends took a management position with Dick's and he said that when the store opened, of the 60+ employees they needed to operate the place, only about 1/2 that many had even applied. Through our own personal experience and with talking to other business owners in the area, nearly everyone will tell you the greatest limiting factor is finding good help.

There was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7
The lesson that accompanied this Scripture made me think about how little room we as a society make for Christ in our lives. We celebrate Christmas, but during the time we prepare for and celebrate the holiday, how much of that is truly spent worshipping Christ? I pray I can think of this Scripture frequently throughout this coming year, and make more room for Christ in my life every day.

Hope 2015 is a blessed year for you all!
Lyndee

Honored Guest & Corporate Farming

Fresh baked bread and pipe smoke; chicken and dumplings and Werther's Original hard candies; a big snowy hill perfect for sledding followed by hot chocolate; beautifully crafted quilts and a vast array of expertly cared for plants - these are just a few of the more prominent things that come to mind when I think of my grandparents' farm. As a kid a fair amount of my time was spent going to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We were there a lot while Dad was helping Grandpa with the farming, and a couple times a week we would get picked up and dropped off the bus at their house.

Twenty years later Grandma and I had a role reversal.  Taylor and I bought some hay from my brother, and my Dad hauled a load to us last Monday. Dad's plan was to bring out the load, spend the night and head back the next day
Grandma had been wanting to find a way to come see Taylor and I, the home we've built, and our new growyard. Dad's short trip out and back presented the perfect opportunity, so my 91 year-old grandma loaded up in the semi with dad and rode 7 hours to come see us. It meant the world to us that she was willing and able to make it all the way out here, and I truly enjoyed getting to show her the different aspects of the life we've built. Grandma had never been to a feedyard before so it was fun to ride along as Taylor drove her around showing her over 20,000 head of cattle.
All I can do now is hope that when I'm 91, I'm still able to get around and take long road trips to see my grandchildren. :)

Me and my grandma, Alice Patterson

On a different note - for many people today "corporate farming" does not bring about a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings. In actuality, though, well over 90% of farms are family owned even if they are "incorporated". And just recently, mine and Taylor's operation became incorporated - Stabel Land & Cattle, Inc. We did this basically to simplify the organization of funds and activities. It doesn't mean we're any less involved or that our practices have changed, it just changes the way the government views our operation. I hope people will think of Taylor and I, our passion for cattle, and our love of this lifestyle, the next time they hear the term "corporate farming."

Taylor and I also registered a brand recently. Keep in mind we both graduated from K-State with degrees in Agricultural Economics, so we recognize that we have a nerdy and odd sense of humor, but  we both felt pretty witty and amusing when we registered this to be our brand:

+ or - $… makes me chuckle every time :) 

Earlier this month we had our annual family bonfire back at my mom and dad's. This was one of my favorite pictures from the evening of my niece Dawson enjoying a nice, messy s'more. 

And the after effects…

Western Kansas Fact: Winter can be a cause for apprehension.

The word "blizzard" brings to mind homesteads back in the 1800s where folks had to tie ropes from their houses to their barns in order to find their way to do chores. I've never yet had to tie a rope, but the open plains, and the high winds out here combined with snow in the winter make that concept easy to understand. But blizzards can quickly kill a lot of cattle. We've been hearing a lot of predictions about a very wet winter, and it's kind of concerning. I'm praying hard that the snow doesn't come in the form of blizzards.

The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. Romans 8:26

Sometimes I feel really close to God and other times, less so. I know God hasn't gone anywhere; it's me that has moved away. I used to picture God at these times, waiting patiently for me to turn around and come back to Him, but this Scripture lesson reminded me that the Spirit isn't just waiting for me. Even when I have allowed myself to be distanced from my God, the Spirit is there in my place, petitioning my Lord for me. It is there for me in my weakness.

Hope you all have a marvelous rest of the week!

Lyndee