Dear Ropers,

If you haven?t heard our new edition is here! Eddy Blue Norman arrived April 2nd and weighed 8 pounds and 6 ounces. We are all doing great and we want to thank everyone for their calls and gifts. We are blessed to know so many great people!
The last time we left off the results from Tunica were published. Since then we have been to Glen Rose, Texas on March 22nd & 23rd and Ardmore, Oklahoma on April 5th & 6th.

Glen Rose was our first #6 point, which made it a 4 head progressive on 1. This made the roping a little more wide open. It was surely a roping that you did not want to miss! Only 23 teams came back for their last steer and only 11 teams caught. Since we paid 10 holes only 1 team that caught all four did not get a check. You guys will see that our 6 point ropings will not be as tough (since they are 4 head progressive on 1) and there is also a handicap for the teams that are under #6. First place was a 40.81 on four and that went to the 3rd high call back of Rocky Bruce from Oklahoma and Dameon White from Texas. They came to the call back with a 31.18 on 3 and roped a 9.63 on their last steer. 2nd high call back legged to place 2nd (with a 43.16) in the average and high call back had one of those NT?s (not telling!) Our next #6 point will be in Deridder La on May 3rd and 4th then we go to Humansville Mo with a #6 on May 24th and 25th (memorial weekend). So make plans to bring the whole family and come rope with us in May.
After Glen Rose our next roping was close to home at Ardmore Oklahoma. Although I was not there I heard things went over great as they always do in Ardmore. Weather permitted a little wind but quite nicer than the spring storm that we had there last year. I heard Deloyd Burr and Terry Hacker were the guys with all the smiles. These cowboys came from the 5th high call with a 16.08 on two and roped a 6.90 to move in to 1st. They must have put the pressure on because the next four teams went out with a NT. Deloyd and Terry ended up with a tough time of 22.98 on three, which was 5 seconds faster, that 2nd place. We want to send special congratulations to Deloyd for winning a roping! (And we didn?t even have to make it up) He is one up on you John Cargal!
As we come to an end I want to reflect on one of the great stories in the bible. It is the story of the prodigal son. You see there was this young man who asked his father for his inheritance early. His father granted his request and off the young lad went but to only squander his inheritance on gambling women and such. After all his money was gone there was a severe famine and he had nothing. He took a job feeding pigs and found himself wishing to eat with them. When he came to his senses he realized even his father?s servants did not live like this. So he decided to go back and ask for his father?s forgiveness and see if he could be one of his servants. So home he headed and even when he was far off his father recognized him and ran to his son with a kiss and threw his arms around him. The son proceeded to tell his father that he knew he was not worthy, but all his father could think of was dressing him with the finest clothes and killing a fattened calf to celebrate his sons return. This story reminds us of our forgiving Father in heaven. When we mess up and come back to seek his forgiveness he is there to welcome us with loving arms and bless us once again. But, the part of the story I want to bring to light is what happens next. You see the son had a brother that remained faithful to his father. When the brother found out the prodigal son had come back and his father had killed the fattened calf and had treated his brother so well he became overcome with anger. He had never left his father or squandered his money and his father never even offered him a goat to celebrate with his friends. Jealousy & greed caused the brother to not be happy for the homecoming of his lost brother. This is not just a story of our God?s forgiveness but I see it warning us to not let greed, anger or jealousy hurt our relationship with our Lord and our brothers..
When we step back and take a look who is now closer to the father? Even though the one brother stayed faithful to his father he let jealousy and anger strip him away and we see nowhere that he repented for such feelings. The prodigal son was reunited to his father because of his repentance. Let us not be the jealous brother who lets anger and greed strip us of our standings with our Father. Let us examine our own lives and see if we need to come back to our Fathers loving arms or maybe seek forgiveness of our anger, jealousy or greed. This story is found in Luke chapter 15. I encourage you to read it and see what you gleam from this wonderful story.

God bless you,
Buddy & Kelly Norman