A life worthy of living

      I have to tell you something that someone said that made me well...shocked? Not excactly. Surprised would more be the word i'm looking for.
      When my daddy picked me up after a weekend spent with friends and church family in Potter Valley and the rodeo, we went to see my Grandma who stays at the care home in Willits. As we walked down the hallways with her, we stopped to say "Hi" to one of the othe residents we have met numeral times, and always seem to go away with an encouraged heart after seeing him. (He is the type of person who try's to thank the Lord for everything in life, and always sends the Lords blessing your way when you are leaving. You know, the kind that you always end up smiling at even if your sad yourself, and your smile ends up staying with you even after you have said your "good-byes") Anyway, we had said hi and were about to move on, when my grandma decided to introduce my little brother to him whom he had yet to meet. My dad started talking to him and told him he had 5 boys and 2 girls. The man looked at me then my dad and said "So this is your seccond wife?" (Reffering to me) I laughed so hard! I tryed to supress it as to not embarass the man at his mistaken asumption. But I couldn't help it. Once I had quited the laghter, along with my dad, he explained that I am his daughter and he had one more little girl, but my mom was at home. The man told us that when he was married, he had a wife who had had more than one abortion even without his knowing of it. Only he did not use the word abortion, but instead murder. I was at first shocked, and suprised at the way he worded it. But that is really what it is. Only, our culture has excepted this as "a parents rightful choice" never considering it for what it really is. Do we really murder when someone has an abortion? We have been as frogs, slowly starting at a convincing, seemingly innocent warm, but ending in a deathly boil. From 1973-2008 nearly 50 million legal abortions have occured in the U.S. According to Abort73.com. God has said that the being in a mothers womb is a living, wonderfully created child. "For You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; mavelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." Psalms 139 :13-16 God knows who we were, are, or will be, before we are even born. He has a plan for our lives, even before we are brought forth on this earth. Who are we to say that a child in his/her mothers womb, is not even a person. That they are merely a blob of tissue untill the full 9 months of pregnancy have been fullfilled? Did you know that abortions have taken place even up to this point? To take the life of one so blameless and innocent, and take away they're chance for living, is appalling. And not only to do it, but to say that it is ok and indoctrinate young mothers that it is even the right thing to do. I know everyone has her "reason" for when and if they make this choice. Whether it be that she is afraid of being left alone in the world to fend for herself and a new baby taboot, or that she "had not planned this pregnancy," or maybe that she thinks she has enough children already. Whatever the reason, it does not compensate for the fact that it is a child, a human being, even from the point of conseption. It brakes my heart that so many do not even know what they are doing, that they have been brainwashed into the worlds ragime of indoctranation that this is ok. and normal even.
    I was so moved by the way the man at the care home had said with such honest conviction and belief that abortion was and is, truely murder. The murdering of sweet innocent babies. I pray God would open the blind eyes of so many who don't even fully understand or recognize what they are doing and turn to Jesus in repentence and a saving knowledge of Christ. The sad thing is that many are christians even as thay make this dicision. If you wish to know more on this subject of abortion and the facts reffering to it, the website I was on seemed pretty accuate.  Abort73.com I do not write this to make you feel ashamed or without hope, but rather to help open our eyes to the truth. The absolute, undiluted facts. Without this we will not feel the need for change. And change...this is exactly what we need. 

   Please know I say this in all love for you, my dear readers, so that you will know the truth regarding this so you do not make a heartbreaking decision. Many of my friends who read this are far from the point of needing to even consider one way or the other. However, I would wish you to be aware for future refrence. May the love of Jesus permenate your hearts today.
-Kayla A.

A small town with big heart



The Potter Valley Rodeo was a fun afffair with all the locals gathering for they're 'One big event' (as my best friend Anna called it) in the small countryside town. Here are some friends I hung out with for the weekend :D I didn't get a pic of Anna and I yet, so I'll have to take one next time, but these are some of her siblings and they're friends.



This is on Sunday, when they do the bigger stuff life bull-riding, wrangling, and the sort.

On Saturday it is more of just the locals and they're activities. Here they are having a log cuttting contest. This is the Potter Valley competing side, with some of the men from our church. And guess who won? Yep! It was us!

Bull-riding is pretty dangerous and you have to be kinda crazy to be a competiter in it, but to watch it is rather exciting. Here the bull is trying to ram the man ahead of him, as he runs out the gate. (Sorry the picture is so blurry, I had to zoom way in and my camera does not to so well with it.)  

This one was quite "Bull-headed" as they call it. It took about 15 min. to finally get it back into the corral. It just refused to budge. They had to finally release some other smaller steer to try and heard it back in. It took a while though, and everyone thought it pretty comical. (All except the wranglers, I'm sure) lol



I'll let the picture speek for itself....



Oh, here is my friends daughter playing on the trampaling. Isn't she cute? I know, It probably seems like this has nothing to do with the rodeo. But my friend very genorously let me stay at her house Sat. night so I could be there to help with the rodeo breakfast in the morning, and see the rest of the rodeo. So, here I was playing with the girls after the Sat. rodeo.

Ha, ha, ha, ha! They are so cute! :D

This is in the car as Julie drove me back to Willits Sunday afternoon. It was so fun to help out and play a small part in our church minnistry. I hope to do this next year and the year after and the year after that. I just love our church family! Thank you all for the part you played in the volenteer work for the rodeo. I pray we may all shine as lights to this dark world, even with things like being willing to lend a helping hand in the rodeo to make the load lighter for everyone. It was so good to see everyone just pitch-in and work together as if we had been all our lives. The brotherly love that radiates from one person to the other is so encouraging to see. And if it is an encouragment to someone who is already a christian and a part of the body of Christ, think of what a testiment it is to the on-lookers who do not have Christ's spirit yet in them. 


This is just a start of the things the Summer season will bring, and I for one look forward to it with all my heart.
Blessings, -Kayla A.

Rodeo, and the Love of Christ

This weekend is the rodeo! I have always loved all the horses, country, rodeo etc.. Kind of stuff. Unfortunatley where I live you can't have horses or any kind of large farm animals. We're up in the hills, but this one of the strange rules of our Brooktrails reigon. (My daddy said it's 'cause of the noise assosiated with them.) :( Anyway, any and every chance I get to be at farms, ranches, any place with horses etc. I jump at it. I'm a country girl. My Aunt laughed at me when I told her the story of the rooster butchering at our friend's house, and how halarious it ended up being in the end. (I have the story on an earlier post if you want to check it out.) Anyway, she thought it was funny because when I was little, (about 2 or 3) we lived in Petaluma. And well, one time I was in the car with her and my uncle, when all of a sudden, I sarted screeming. I am, as I write this wanting to delete it all, but hopefully it will give you a good laugh, so I will humiliate myself with the consolation of making you smile...My uncle thought I was hurt and he was really concerned, so he pulled over...only to find out it was a fly! I thought it was a hornet, and back then I didn't handle that kind of thing very well, (actually not well at all.) As my aunt told this story to her friend right in front of me, I declared that story had had WAY to much milage! She only laughed and told me I would NEVER outlive it. However in contrast, only last week I was talking to a friend when she told me I had a bee in my hair, we were both trying to get it out, but it was stuck. Once finally out, I kinda just laughed at the difference in the way I handle this kind of thing, now that I have lived in the country for just over 11 years. I LOVE THE COUNTRY and couldn't imagine myself living back in the city. Although I can't have a ranch or farm of my own, I enjoy spending time with other people who do. Maybe someday we will. I have prayed that if it is God's will we would move to a place where such a dream could come true. But for now, I will be content in my little nook of the hills where even here God's glory and splendor surrounds me every day. I thank God for His wonderful design in everything He has made! This morning when I woke up I was a bit disapointed that it was overcast and chilly. I was worried it would last into tomorrow and Sunday. But as I sat on the edge of my mom's bed, waiting for her to be off the phone so I could talk to her, the skylight above me burst sunlight onto my skin, warming both my body and soul. I was reminded of how much Jesus really loves us, and cares. He would take care of the weather, and my heart. I prayed that He would make it warm if He willed it to be so, but even if not, I would still be joyful, and make the best of it. And you know what? It is now warmer! Not that I by my prayer made it so, but Jesus does care, and Him letting the sunshine show it's face made me smile, and remember just how much He listens to His children and cares. I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial weekend! Id'e love to hear what you are doing!
Remember today just how much you are treasured and loved by Jesus!
-Kayla A.    

Pretty Ain't it?!

Missonarry to your own back yard

"Go Therefore and make disiples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." Amen" Matthew 28:19-20
     
      Does this mean you must go to another State or Country to minnister and preach the word of God? I belive that it is for some. If God has called you to such a minnistry. For others, God might really just want you to shine the light of Christ in your daily life. One of my good friends told me a story of just how much people watch us, even when we don't realize.  She told me she and her family went into our local movie rental store, and after selecting a few dvd's, went up to the store counter to check them out. The man behind the counter asked them "Are you guys christians?" They answered "Yes" and the man went on to say, that he was not, but could tell when people were. He said there was something diffferent about them than everyone else, and that they sort of "warm vibe" about them. It led into a small conversation on christians, and my friends mom asked him if he had grown up christian. He told them he wasn't a part of it any more but was raised Jahovahs Witness. (DEFINITLY NOT THE SAME AS CHRISTIAN) Sometime within the conversation, her mom said the gospel message and aferward she said it looked like he had never heard it quite that way before. She has been praying for him since, that God would open his heart even more. You do not have to travel across the planet to show others who Christ is. There are people right down your street or in your town that need to hear the story of redemtion just as much as anyone else. Don't get me wrong, God has and does call many to go to some place other than the homefront. I just want to remind my fellow brother's and sister's in Christ that we have a job to do right where we are. Right now. As we go here and there, do we shine the light of Jesus? Or merely get on in life, forgeting the real meaning of what this life really is.

      Sometime last week, I was in my bed praying before drifting off to sleep. With a start, I realized that I had gotten off track with where my heart was going in regard to my life mission and goals. I had been just kinda living from day to day trying to do the right thing, yes, but the real reason for it being lost in the midst of to-do lists and the many things that constantly pull at me from every side. In the back of my head I without even realizing it,  sort-of thought, "Oh, yes, I want to be a light to the world for Jesus, but there is still so much more life ahead of me. Maybe someday later I will go do this or that for Christ. Right now, my life is buisy and surely God does not expect me to stop all that I am doing!" Like I said before I ws startled at my unconsious thoughts. We do not have a guarentee telling us that we will live for a set amount of years, or that Christ will come back on such and such a date. The bible tells us that, No man knows the time or the hour in which Christ will return. And our life is a vapor, which today is and tomorrow is gone. So, we must live for today, for the now. What if one of us died unexpectedly, in the very prime of our life. (God forbid that this should happen and I pray not, but these things do sometimes occur, so we must live life to the fullest in God's way, and in His will, so at the end of our life we will have no regrets.) So, when you go to the store today, smile because God loves you, even when the circumstances of this life get rough. And when you go to do something that otherwise you would not choose of your own accord, because let's face it there are some things that are plain NOT FUN, but are needful to do, because we have resonsibilities etc...Give it to God and do your best as unto the Lord. I have SOOOOOOO much to work on, I struggle with the same things you do in some ways I'm sure. Even just a second ago, my mom asked me if I had cleaned out my cat's box, mind you I HATE THIS JOB! And I told her I would in just a second, all  the while trying to not get irritated at the inturuption and reminder of the dreaded job.
  

         So, as our lives are watched by people we don't even know, day-in-day-out. Let the example they see be one worthy of the name of Jesus. May you grow in the likeness of Christ and shine His light today Blessings, Kayla A.

The Days of Summer, Slumber & Blissful Sun

This is me, climing onto the top of my daddy's old truck top, from the tree...don't tell him I did that! Just joking, lol!

In the afore said tree

I copied this idea for taking a pic in the car mirror, from a friends blog. I did it while we were driving, so my hair was blowing all over my face! LOL

Sun shining through our maple tree....Ahh, it is so prettty in the springtime!

Josiah took this one, while telling me "This is to prove how much you read!" I have to tell you though, it is a life saver when you have to wait in the car with the kids, while your mom runs in to the store.

Ah, here we are sleeping on our deck, unable to sleep, and having fun playing with the camera and me telling them stories. (Nice faces right? Ha, ha!)

A bit better?

My bro and I are playing baseball in our front yard, while Jos, takes pics. He did pretty good with this one :)

"Oh, sorry, I'll do better with the next pitch..." Hahahahahah! His face was priceless as the ball missed him by a hair. SO, these are the kind 'o' things we do to have fun when the weather turns warm, and the sun shows it's face. :D What do you do at this time of year???

Mother's Day

Well, how was your Mother's day? Our's was good....even after all the obstacals of the morning. First, we were going to go to church. And we were in the car, driving, but my dad kept saying, "the brakes are horrible!!" So he pulled over...to find the brake fluid container empty! So we turned around for home (only about 3 minutes away so far) And once home he refilled it, checking for leaks, etc. It all looked to be ok, so we decided to go to our local country park, and play some baseball and have tuna sandwiches. Because by the time we had the car all fixed up it was WAY to late to go to church:( :( Much to my dismay. But I put on a cheery face for my mommy and the day went on...

                                                

Then we went to see my Grandma in town and then to our nabours for a BBQ. As you can probably see, my baby brother LOVES corn on the cob!

What a smile!!

YUM......

Jeremiah on the much loved bike

Girly, girls having fun together

Did I say girly? Well...yes, with a bit of spunky country fun :)

Happy Mother's day Mommy! And to all mommy's who visit this blog, a be-lated happy mother's day to you! So...what did you do on this day to celebrate your mom? Tell me your story, Id'e love to here what you did! Many Blessings!
-Kayla A.



My kind 'o' stuff...[random though it may be]

Just thought it would be fun to put on some of my fav. things...One of which is Iced coffee in a mason jar. If it were my choice, mason jars would be our main source for cup useage. I Just Love Them! :D

And I love wildflowers...Yes, they are in a mason jar too. :) lol

My favorite book, the Bible. And my pen to mark it up!

My mom took this one of me blowing a wishy flower...(Dandalion fluff)

This is the veiw from my window! From where I took the pic you can't see the mountains, but normally you can. They are especially beautiful when they are covered in snow! :)

This is the book I am currantly reading...Becky has been practically begging me to read this 16 book series! Yeah, you heard me right, 16 books! But I'm sure it won't take all that long to read them all, considering my love for literature. :) So I relented, and have finally started in on them...although I am a bit confused by the part I'm in right now. I think I have the characters mixed up or something! But I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually! LOL

May the Lord bless you all! -Kayla A.