Black Friday has always been a significant day in our family for years! Not because of shopping but because this is the day you load up and start heading to National Finals Rodeo, Miss Rodeo America contest or Reining futurity. I am thinking today of all the young women heading to Las Vegas with high hopes to become the next Miss Rodeo America. In 1997 Joni Johnson, Jessa Johnson, and I loaded a van and horse trailer and took off on our journey to take Miss Rodeo Oklahoma ...(Bobbie Jo Loomis Wells) to Las Vegas to compete for one of her goals in life - Miss Rodeo America.

Everyone goes to win and we were no exception. We had prepared in every way we knew how to. We spent ten grueling exciting days but when it was over and the winners were announced, Bobbie Jo had won the horsemanship (a repeat of her momma) and runner up Miss Rodeo America.

The trip home was long. Bobbie has little feet and she had done her best to dance in boots that she had to stuff paper in the toes of because there are no women's sizes to fit her. She had a hole where her hat rubbed her head and her heart was hurt. One judge told us she was over coached (she has never had a coach) one told us she was too short!

But we know that is not the reasons she didn't win. The reason was that God had something far more for her. She went on to win the Miss Rodeo USA contest, met Coby Wells, and now has two beautiful children and is a successful business woman that astounds me!

Sometimes losing is winning. You just don't know it at the time. Losing made Bobbie Jo cut another gear in her will to succeed and only sent her forward. So as everyone heads out this week, remember that whatever happens - let it send you forward and let God show you His will for your life. Celebrate!! There is no country like this one and our western heritage gives us many blessed opportunities to grow as a person and be what we want to become!

 

Thank you Jesus!