Dear friends,

As January came to an end we are gearing up for a spectacular 2003 season! With no AATRC ropings in January we used the month to get started for the year. Our first 2003 roping was held February 1st & 2nd. Those results will be in next month?s newsletter along with the results from our free church roping. You can always pull up the results from our AATRC ropings, about 3 to 4 days after the event, at AATRCROPE.COM. We hope to put more cash and prizes in the hands of amateur team ropers this year. While the high point prizes were always nice it seems to be more of a winner take all. Therefore, our goal for this year is to have more winners with more money and more prizes!
Coming up is our #4 pt in Tunica, Ms on March 1st and 2nd. This will be about our 5th roping in Tunica and they all have been great. So make plans to attend and call Sam?s Town early for the great AATRC team roping rates. For more info go to our ads in the Superlooper, Dally Times, Ropers News, Spin to Win or visit our website. Also in March we will be in Glenrose, TX on March 22nd & 23rd with a #6pt roping. This will start our first of five #6pt ropings this year. If you have not read, we are adding #3?s to our membership this year. This will not change our #4 pt ropings. We will still have ten #4 pts for 1?s and 2?s only and they will be ran the same as last years ropings! The only thing that will change is we are adding a few ropings that include #3?s and the #3?s have to buy a $25 AATRC membership. When you attend a #6 roping there will be a handicap and it will be progressive on 1, you will not drop a time. Now at the end of the year we will have a finals for our #4pt ropings and also a finals for our #6pt ropings. If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call at 580-653-2467.
As I end this newsletter I want to leave you with a story. One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that was going on inside himself. He said, "My son, it is between 2 wolves. One is evil: Anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith". The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one I feed." The author is unknown to this story but in the book of Galatians the 5th chapter starting with the 16th verse the author Paul writes about these two wolves (natures). ?So I say, live by the Spirit (God?s Holy Spirit), and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.? It goes on to tell the acts of sinful nature and then of the Spirit. We should all stop and come to the point and ask ourselves what do we feed. Take a moment to look over a few examples I have made of each, I have included a list of scriptures that back up what God?s word says about each. But please don?t take my word for it take these scriptures and study it for yourself!
Feeding the Holy Spirit:
*Seeking the Holy Spirits wisdom (Galatians 5:16)
*Reading & doing God?s word (bible) (James 1:22)*Being happy for your brother for what he has (Romans 13:9)
*Repent of your sins and ask God?s forgiveness (Luke 13:3)*Forgive someone who does you wrong (Matthew 6:14)
*Making and seeking peace (James 3:18 & Galatians 5:22)

Feeding your sinful nature:
*Relying on your own wisdom (Galatians 5:17)
*Reading pornographic material (Galatians 5:19)
*Dwelling on what others have that you don?t (Galatians 5:20)*Ignoring your sins (Romans 6:23 & Hebrews 10:26&27)
*Resenting someone who does you wrong (Matthew 6:15)
*Dwelling on conflicts and disputes (James 4:1&2 & Galatians 5:15)

In conclusion I will leave you with 2 verses from 2 different books of the bible that support living by the Spirit leads to eternal life and living by your sinful nature leads to death:

Romans 8:5&6 ?Those who live according to the sinful nature have their mind set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.?
Galatians 6:8 ?The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.?
What wolf are you feeding?Buddy & Kelly Norman