Thankful Trails

Wow! Can you believe we are already in the month of November? I cannot believe how quickly this year has flown by!
 
Well you may wonder what I’ve been up to since we last met on the trail and quite honestly, I’ve been busy preparing for the 2023 Miss Rodeo USA Pageant, wrapping up the last few rodeos of the season and packing my bags for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas! That’s right, this cowgirl is headed to Las Vegas for 11 days in December, but there’s plenty to be done between now and then.
 
Currently, I am in Fayetteville, AR preparing for my final photoshoot with Sherry Smith and reflecting on all of the amazing sponsors we are blessed to have. For this photoshoot alone, we will be featuring products from Lane Boots, Lazy P Creations, The Man in Black Leather Studio, Rodeo Hippie, Kendra Scott, Branded Bay Leather Company, Rodeo Queen Designs, Peaz and Karats, Southern Sass and the JoJo Gypsy Boutique… just to name a few. I cannot wait to see what all we capture!
 
Prior to driving up to Arkansas, I was in Huntsville, AL for the Gingerbread Holiday Market, which might I add, was epic! If you ever need a great place to holiday shop and pick out the perfect gift, you need to visit the Gingerbread Market. Stephanie and her crew invited me up to do a meet n greet session for all of the patrons from 1 – 3 p.m. Needless to say, I was glad it was held indoors, because this sudden cool snap would have made for a chilly day if we were outside.
 
Once things wrap up here, I’ll be headed back to Sweet Home Alabama where I will briefly have about 24 hours to unpack, repack, and then hop in the truck again to spend a few well-deserved days off in the Sunshine State of Florida! I like to mix work with pleasure so, I’ll be wrapping up a few extra dive certifications, spend a couple of days at the beach, and then make my way towards Ocala for an all-day drill team clinic during the first part of Thanksgiving week. Personally, I could not think of any more reasons to be thankful as we enter in to the holiday season. How about you?
 
Ironically, Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays because you have the opportunity to spend time with family, friends, and have the chance to reminisce on memories that were made long ago. Those memories that last a lifetime.
 
There’s a lot to be said for gratitude and how far it can truly take someone in his/her journey. Just being thankful for waking up and having breath in your lungs is one of the most awe inspiring, yet humbling experiences of a lifetime, because quite frankly when you get down to it, we are just God’s creation and are mere specs in time. Wow, what an honor to be a part of this journey we call life.
 
I’ve spoken on this before, but I believe it bear repeating. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of life that we forget to live, and I mean truly live. We busy ourselves with worry, doubt, fear, unnecessary anxiety, stress, work, drama, you name it, BUT in the grand scheme of things is it truly accomplishing what our goal here on earth is? Are we thankful for the blessings that God gives, or are we greedy in looking for the next available perk? Only you and God can truly answer that question.
 
As we move in to Thanksgiving week, I would like to challenge each of you to dig down deeper in your hearts, find something, anything, to be thankful for each day this holiday season. You will be shocked at what displaying and truly living God’s word will do for you each and every day. Re-read that last sentence one more time. You are to display and truly live out God’s word. Remember, your actions speak louder than your words. So, are you proud of your actions? Your choices? Your decisions? If not, it’s time to start with making the choice to be thankful today for what all God has truly given you, and if you can’t see that, then you’re looking in the wrong pasture.
 
Until we meet on the trail again, Happy Thanksgiving, and God Bless!
Jessie Lynn