Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Summer---Winter, Prosperity---Adversity
Looking back to Spring last year there was so much hope and promise to our surroundings. The grass was lush. Last year the white clover flourished in abundance. The horses were so happy with the tender white blooms and the clover leaves. There was food aplenty for all and the horses became fat and sassy. Spring gave way to Summer and Summer finally gave way to hot and dry weather. By August the ground was dry and the vegetation began to dwindle away as horses and cows grazed 24/7. All of us remember the hot dry weather of 2010 around Taylorsville, Kentucky.
Now we are in the throws of Winter here and it would be pleasant to go back to last Spring when riding was easy and everyone was comfortable. Stepping outside each morning seems to bring a chill to my bones. As I step off the deck and into the yard to go run water to the lower field of horses, the wind cuts me into. The blowing cold air quickly penetrates to my skin and standing there for a few minutes is uncomfortable. What does the stress of life do for us instead of do to us. What about the mighty oak trees that have stood the test of time.
Often mighty oaks grow in places where the soil is not so deep. They grow among the rocky hillsides where water is not so plentiful. They have been standing tall in all kinds of weather for years. The strong winds blow them and their powerful branches sway in the wind. The sun beats down on them in the hot Summer but their roots continue to draw a fresh drink of water for them each day. The leaves get blown about. They are exposed to the intense rays of the sun. Year after year the leaves provide ingredients for the trunk and roots to survive another year.
Now think about the box elder tree. Oftentimes it grows in the lowlands where there is rich fertile soil. It springs up quickly and becomes a tree in only a few short years. Its branches are thick on the trunk and it has a canopy of leaves. It looks pretty impressive in its array of greenery and the speed in which it becomes full grown. But, how does it stand the test of time?
The same powerful winds the strengthen the oak can have a much different effect on the box elder. Those same winds will often times break the box elder to pieces. That is true for people too. The same problems that help one person to become stronger could devastate another. Why is this? Like the oak some people grow in harsh conditions and learn to stand strong in the face of adversity. However, others grow up in tender conditions and seem to flourish, but, when hard times surround them they don't have the strength acquired over time they need to withstand the winds of hardship.
Whether we have been used to adversity or prosperity we can all go to the Lord for help in time of need. The person used to adversity likely has approached God most of their life for that needed help. The person who has had a life of ease oftentimes has had no need for God to be by their side to help. While it may be more difficult for some to approach God, we all have access to His ear. Maybe none of this applies to you. But, one thing for sure God is waiting for us to call out to Him.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the One to whom we are accountable. So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
(Hebrews 4:13-16 NLT)
If you are in Summer call out to God. If you are in a Winter season call out to God. Whether you are in prosperity or adversity lean on Him.
Be Blessed and Remember God loves you and Jesus died for you.
bob
Sunday, December 26, 2010
A Christmas to Remember
Christmas time gives our families reason to congregate. That congregation brings lots of laughter, hugs, and memories to be stored for the coming year. The children play and laugh. What joy to see the children playing and having fun. What a joy to see my family again and get to talk to them. We get to sit down together and share a wonderful meal of fellowship.
My own family will meet this Monday for Christmas festivities, eating, hugs, laughter, and making of memories as we again celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. My sister, Mary, had her celebration yesterday after waking up to a White Christmas. Three of her four children were able to make it along with their families. The house was full. Another sister, Eleanor, was also able to be here. Once again the Christmas Story was read from Luke and we sang Silent Night. It just would not be Christmas without that.
Christmas is a time for love to abound. Since the Great Lover of our soul has taught us what great love means, we, Christians now have more understanding of loving others. That does not mean we always get it right. It means we understand love a little better and we share it a little better. In my life I suppose I have tried to love but will never get it right this side of heaven.
Christmas is also a time to reflect on memories of our families. This is a picture of my dad and mom with my three sisters. Our Christmas celebration in days gone by were so happy. Our aunt and uncle also were part of those happy times. How was I so blessed to be raised in a Christian home and be born in a country so great? How have I been so blessed to have such great children of my own? And grandchildren? And nieces and nephews? And sisters so dear? And my friends, my wonderful friends?
My Bible readings for yesterday painfully reminded me of something going on in our great land right now. In Proverbs 29:10 it says, "The bloodthirsty hate blameless people." In this present time and for ages past, Satan has been the father of bloodthirsty people and they hate the children of God. The enemy seeks to destroy Christmas. As late as 40 years ago we saws signs saying Merry Xmas. Today nativity scenes are banned on public property. Even the innocent baby Jesus is not welcomed by haters of God. Furthermore, Crosses, Bibles, and prayer are not welcome in the public square. This is a great time of year but, at the same time a great rift is forming.
Not only is Christmas a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, it is a time to think of why He came to this world. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." (Luke 19:10 NLT) Now, this is really what upsets those who live in darkness and follow their father, the Devil.
Remember, even it this time of love and laughter, we are in a battle. We are reminded, Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NLT) Keep your families close. Love deeply, hug slowly, and always pray for your families and loved ones. Remember your friends in your prayers and all of your own clan. We are living in exciting times because the return of Jesus is near. Yes it is exciting but also perilous.
The prayer of the psalmist is Psalms 83 is appropriate.
A song. A psalm of Asaph. O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God. Don't You hear the uproar of Your enemies? Don't You see that Your arrogant enemies are rising up? They devise crafty schemes against Your people; they conspire against Your precious ones.
(Psalms 83:1-3 NLT)
Be Blessed and Remember, God loves you and Jesus died for you.
bob
My own family will meet this Monday for Christmas festivities, eating, hugs, laughter, and making of memories as we again celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. My sister, Mary, had her celebration yesterday after waking up to a White Christmas. Three of her four children were able to make it along with their families. The house was full. Another sister, Eleanor, was also able to be here. Once again the Christmas Story was read from Luke and we sang Silent Night. It just would not be Christmas without that.
Christmas is a time for love to abound. Since the Great Lover of our soul has taught us what great love means, we, Christians now have more understanding of loving others. That does not mean we always get it right. It means we understand love a little better and we share it a little better. In my life I suppose I have tried to love but will never get it right this side of heaven.
Christmas is also a time to reflect on memories of our families. This is a picture of my dad and mom with my three sisters. Our Christmas celebration in days gone by were so happy. Our aunt and uncle also were part of those happy times. How was I so blessed to be raised in a Christian home and be born in a country so great? How have I been so blessed to have such great children of my own? And grandchildren? And nieces and nephews? And sisters so dear? And my friends, my wonderful friends?
My Bible readings for yesterday painfully reminded me of something going on in our great land right now. In Proverbs 29:10 it says, "The bloodthirsty hate blameless people." In this present time and for ages past, Satan has been the father of bloodthirsty people and they hate the children of God. The enemy seeks to destroy Christmas. As late as 40 years ago we saws signs saying Merry Xmas. Today nativity scenes are banned on public property. Even the innocent baby Jesus is not welcomed by haters of God. Furthermore, Crosses, Bibles, and prayer are not welcome in the public square. This is a great time of year but, at the same time a great rift is forming.
Not only is Christmas a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, it is a time to think of why He came to this world. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." (Luke 19:10 NLT) Now, this is really what upsets those who live in darkness and follow their father, the Devil.
Remember, even it this time of love and laughter, we are in a battle. We are reminded, Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NLT) Keep your families close. Love deeply, hug slowly, and always pray for your families and loved ones. Remember your friends in your prayers and all of your own clan. We are living in exciting times because the return of Jesus is near. Yes it is exciting but also perilous.
The prayer of the psalmist is Psalms 83 is appropriate.
A song. A psalm of Asaph. O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God. Don't You hear the uproar of Your enemies? Don't You see that Your arrogant enemies are rising up? They devise crafty schemes against Your people; they conspire against Your precious ones.
(Psalms 83:1-3 NLT)
Remember to make each new day special for your loved ones and your friends and finish your Christmas celebrations by loving your friends and family with all your heart. Make 2010 a Christmas to remember.
Merry Christmas to you all and to all a good night!
Be Blessed and Remember, God loves you and Jesus died for you.
bob
Thursday, December 23, 2010
What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil
It is called the 789. It is a beauty, isn't it?
We all have friends who stay in touch with us and help to make our lives more interesting. One such friend of mine is Floyd. Now, Floyd just sent me these pictures. These make us wonder why innovation in today's cars has to be so ugly. This is an innovative design that pleases us mature men. Now this is a classy looking car. It starts out in front as a 57 chevy. The side is a 58 and the rear is a 59 chevy rear end. I don't know who the people are that came up with this design but this is a classic. When I first read the email I could not imagine how it would look. But here it is. A one of a kind. To bad too.
This car is a lot like us born back in the 30's, 40's, and 50's. Most of us have minds that are sharp. In fact our minds are so sharp they make commitments our bodies can't keep. I have a sister who is in her 70's and she is always talking about her mind being sharp as ever. To think of it, it is a shame we had to get this old to have the wisdom and knowledge we have. However, I have said if I had known then what I know now I would have been dangerous.
A few years ago I was substitute teaching at our local high school. On the agenda for the day we had a movie to play about the space program of the 60's and 70's. As we watched the movie I found it extremely interesting. I also wondered what the students thought of it. Back in the beginning of the space program I would get up early and turn on the TV to see how close we were to launch time. Then it was off to the barn to hurry with feeding and rush back to the house to see if I could catch the launch. Most times something would delay the launch and I would miss it. But, you can bet when I got home I was turning on the TV to get the latest on the flight. A large percentage of people today were not born early enough to remember all this. Looking back it seems to me the space program brought national pride out in our lives. I do believe national pride is waning.
People want to dissolve our borders. They want to burn our flag. They want the pledge changed. Some want all crosses removed. Where is the America I grew up in? We now honor all kinds of junk that was a shame when we grew up. People are talking about honoring the Wiki leaks man. The more I think about it, the things we grew up to honor are now called bad and the things we learned were bad are now called good. That sounds a lot like a verse in the Bible.
What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
(Isaiah 5:20 NLT)
Think about it my friends. We might need to go back to our roots. We might need to go back to calling on the God of the Bible. We might need to consider turning the clock back to a day where we honored our God and our country, The United States of America. A day when it was fine to pray in school and read the Bible. Let's go back to a day when the Ten Commandments hung in the classroom and in our courthouses all across this great country.
Wouldn't it be great to go back to the morals and ethics of the late 50's? A day before some 60 million babies were slaughtered in The United States and a day when men were men and women were ladies. Yes sir, I would like one of them 789s. It's a beauty, isn't it, the 789?
Be Blessed and think about it.
Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)
bob
Friday, December 17, 2010
Don't Ever Give Up
I want to thank Van Bert Farms for the timely reminder on winter care for horses. You can read it yourself @: Van Bert's Blog
Some of you may be wondering why I wrote two blog posts on peace. It has come to my attention again that Christmas time can be one of the most depressing times of year. Some of us have experienced some real hard times this year. Whether, it is financial troubles, the loss of a job, the loss of a child, the loss of a spouse, a divorce, the loss of a friend or loved one, an unexpected injury to someone we really care for, or it just hasn't been a good year; there is hope. My sister always has a verse of scripture she tells me about when things are going badly. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."
(Romans 8:28 NLT)
Have your burdens got you held up?
This year has delivered some of those experiences to me. In one moment a fall changed someone's life in an unexpected way. I watched it happen in unbelief. I expected them to get back up but they didn't. A call went to 911. The ambulance came. A stat flight arrived and that person was transported for treatment. How do we deal with an incident like this when it happens to someone we care about? One has thoughts over and over about what could have been done differently to prevent such things, but, that is a no win game our mind tries to win to no avail. Sleepless weeks follow and the video in my head keeps playing the scene over and over. Each time I cry out to God as if it just happened. Time helps the healing process, but, what do we do in the meantime?
What about that person's family? How will they deal with this incident? How do they cope, when a phone call changes their world? I have heard it said, "God has a purpose in everything." How do we look at such an occurrence and see God's purpose? It is not always easy. We may never know this side of heaven. This I do know. God is offering us a chance to walk by "faith." Here are a few thoughts that may help us.
In the Bible in the book of Job we are told that when trouble came, Job's wife told him to curse God and die. Now that is certainly not the answer. Dying like that would be for cowards. It takes bravery to keep living when we hurt and people we love hurt. When we do not have the answers self doubt always is there to torment us. Job lost everything including his children in a day. His livestock were gone. But, his children were all gone. How does a man go forward when this happens? Job had friends? Yes, it said his friends came by to console him but they only wound up blaming him for what happened. They accused Job of having un-confessed sin in his life that caused the whole incident. This was not true.
The whole event in Job's life was not his fault. It was not his wife's fault. It was not his children's fault. But all of them suffered and the children were all killed. Satan had accused Job to God by saying Job only worshiped God because God had a hedge of protection around all that belonged to Job. Satan had been before God and asked permission to injure Job so he could watch Job turn on God. But, it did not happen. Next, Satan wanted to ruin Job's health so he would turn on God. Job lost his health, but, he did not turn on God either. Now, we can't blame God for what happened. It was Satan who wanted to see Job turn against God. It was Satan who brought all this upon Job. His purpose was to see Job turn on God. Turn to more words from God with me.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
(James 1:2-5 NLT)
Okay, this present trial is an opportunity for "great joy." This is a test of my faith. This is giving my endurance a chance to grow. And, when my endurance is fully developed I will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. I must say that growth is hard.
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else.
(James 1:12-13 NLT)
Being fully developed is not easy. This verse my sister keeps telling me about in Romans sometimes hurts. I have sometimes wanted that verse out of the way. I know if we patiently endure testing God will bless us. His Word is always true.
Trials and testings certainly gives us the opportunity to pray. It gives us the chance to claim the promises of God when we pray. Pray I did. I asked every body and their brother to pray. Well there have been improvements to my friend, but, there is a long road of recovery ahead. I know beyond all doubt that God has heard our prayers for my friend. Without them they would not likely have survived. God is still on the Throne and prayers still help.
One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. "There was a judge in a certain city," He said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.' The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"
(Luke 18:1-5 NLT)
Don't Ever Give Up!!! Don't Ever Give Up On God!!! Don't Ever Give Up Praying!!! Don't Ever Give UP!!!
'May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you His favor and give you His peace.'
(Numbers 6:24-26 NLT)
Be Blessed
bob
Some of you may be wondering why I wrote two blog posts on peace. It has come to my attention again that Christmas time can be one of the most depressing times of year. Some of us have experienced some real hard times this year. Whether, it is financial troubles, the loss of a job, the loss of a child, the loss of a spouse, a divorce, the loss of a friend or loved one, an unexpected injury to someone we really care for, or it just hasn't been a good year; there is hope. My sister always has a verse of scripture she tells me about when things are going badly. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."
(Romans 8:28 NLT)
Have your burdens got you held up?
This year has delivered some of those experiences to me. In one moment a fall changed someone's life in an unexpected way. I watched it happen in unbelief. I expected them to get back up but they didn't. A call went to 911. The ambulance came. A stat flight arrived and that person was transported for treatment. How do we deal with an incident like this when it happens to someone we care about? One has thoughts over and over about what could have been done differently to prevent such things, but, that is a no win game our mind tries to win to no avail. Sleepless weeks follow and the video in my head keeps playing the scene over and over. Each time I cry out to God as if it just happened. Time helps the healing process, but, what do we do in the meantime?
What about that person's family? How will they deal with this incident? How do they cope, when a phone call changes their world? I have heard it said, "God has a purpose in everything." How do we look at such an occurrence and see God's purpose? It is not always easy. We may never know this side of heaven. This I do know. God is offering us a chance to walk by "faith." Here are a few thoughts that may help us.
In the Bible in the book of Job we are told that when trouble came, Job's wife told him to curse God and die. Now that is certainly not the answer. Dying like that would be for cowards. It takes bravery to keep living when we hurt and people we love hurt. When we do not have the answers self doubt always is there to torment us. Job lost everything including his children in a day. His livestock were gone. But, his children were all gone. How does a man go forward when this happens? Job had friends? Yes, it said his friends came by to console him but they only wound up blaming him for what happened. They accused Job of having un-confessed sin in his life that caused the whole incident. This was not true.
The whole event in Job's life was not his fault. It was not his wife's fault. It was not his children's fault. But all of them suffered and the children were all killed. Satan had accused Job to God by saying Job only worshiped God because God had a hedge of protection around all that belonged to Job. Satan had been before God and asked permission to injure Job so he could watch Job turn on God. But, it did not happen. Next, Satan wanted to ruin Job's health so he would turn on God. Job lost his health, but, he did not turn on God either. Now, we can't blame God for what happened. It was Satan who wanted to see Job turn against God. It was Satan who brought all this upon Job. His purpose was to see Job turn on God. Turn to more words from God with me.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
(James 1:2-5 NLT)
Okay, this present trial is an opportunity for "great joy." This is a test of my faith. This is giving my endurance a chance to grow. And, when my endurance is fully developed I will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. I must say that growth is hard.
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else.
(James 1:12-13 NLT)
Being fully developed is not easy. This verse my sister keeps telling me about in Romans sometimes hurts. I have sometimes wanted that verse out of the way. I know if we patiently endure testing God will bless us. His Word is always true.
Trials and testings certainly gives us the opportunity to pray. It gives us the chance to claim the promises of God when we pray. Pray I did. I asked every body and their brother to pray. Well there have been improvements to my friend, but, there is a long road of recovery ahead. I know beyond all doubt that God has heard our prayers for my friend. Without them they would not likely have survived. God is still on the Throne and prayers still help.
One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. "There was a judge in a certain city," He said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.' The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"
(Luke 18:1-5 NLT)
Don't Ever Give Up!!! Don't Ever Give Up On God!!! Don't Ever Give Up Praying!!! Don't Ever Give UP!!!
'May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you His favor and give you His peace.'
(Numbers 6:24-26 NLT)
Be Blessed
bob
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Peace of Winter
My last stop tonight was to go to the gate and make a visual inspection of the pregnant mares to make sure everyone was accounted for and that everyone was eating and feeling well. Two of the boarded horses approached me at the gate. The came up close so they could smell me and stood near so I could rub their foreheads. Then it dawned on me how peaceful it is tonight.
My sister, Mary, and I had just gotten back down to the house from feeding the other horses. Perhaps I should back up. Our afternoon had been spent mostly in the house until feeding time. This turned out to be one of those days when everything went pretty smoothly. So with the ice covered landscape we spent time inside. When feeding time arrived we put on our usual clothing and boots. Erica, my sister's lab elected to wait for us in the house, but, Tex her brother and Cassie were anxious to be out in the winter wonderland that greeted us as we left the house.
Upon arriving at the barn we began our evening feeding. I started running water in the tanks and Mary began loading the buckets for the horses. It seems as though everything outside has a deep layer of ice covering it. The road in front of the barn was packed snow covered with ice. The snow and ice work to deaden the sound and it is so peaceful. While the water quietly fills the tank I begin to help feed the anxious horses.
You know the Cloth girls are going to be some of the first ones I feed. There is Satin raising her front legs and pointing to the place she wants her feed. As I approach her she starts backing away to allow me to put her feed right where she directed. She is my baby girl and she has become such a pleasure to be around since she first appeared at Whispering Oaks Farm. Now with her feed in place she is happy but Velvet, the other Cloth girl is becoming impatient and nickers for me to hurry up. I pick up her portion of feed and put it where she likes it. Now, the Cloth girls are the happiest horses in the barn.
One by one the process continues until there is a barn full of happy campers who are munching the feed and replenishing their energy levels for the night. Someone said each empty feed sack piled up represents a fair amount of cash. To the horses they represent another happy day at Whispering Oaks. Have you ever watched a horse eat? All you can hear is the crunching of the grain as they contently grind away. I think of feeding time as giving the horses a cup of coffee. It warms them from the inside out. They eat the grain and then the finish with hay. Hay and grass is the mainstay of their diet and they get the necessary fiber and nutrients to maintain their healthy bodies there. The grain is like a cup of coffee. It gives them a boost and supplies energy to run their internal engines.
There is such contentment for me to watch the horses eat. When the horses are happy and well all is well in my world. It seems that on the farm I am isolated from the cares of this world and unease that prevails today. God has gifted me in a huge way to bring me back to spend time with such magnificent animals. My sister has truly been blessed by acquiring such a fine herd of horses. I am blessed to be able to ride them and work with them.
There used to be a saying among the people I went to church with back in the 80's. "Come apart and rest or come apart." Now tending to horses is not exactly rest but there is a "rest" to being around horses and watching them be horses. There is something that happens to a human when we watch large beautiful animals live in contentment. More importantly we have peace in our soul when we have "The Holy Spirit" living inside us. That peace is what makes everything I have said to this point so special.
The Holy Spirit comes into our life to live there with us the moment we ask Jesus to be our Savior. God can and will forgive every wrong thing we have done. Believe me, I have done more than my share of wrong things in life. Now, I don't have to carry this load of guilt that wants to ride on my shoulders when I have asked God to forgive me of all the wrongs I have done. He can forgive me for all the things I should have done but failed to do. That offers me more peace than all the beautiful horses in the world. I can go to sleep at night knowing I am clean in the eyes of God. All He sees when He looks at me is The Blood of Jesus. Thank you Jesus for dying for me to rescue me from all my sin and make me clean and ready for Heaven.
Thank you Holy Spirit for living in my life and being my "helper." The Holy Spirit helps me and comforts me in every situation. When I am hurting inside, He helps. When something happens in a moment to changes someone's life you care for, He is there to help you carry the load. When a long illness takes someone you love away, He can help. When hurtful words are directed at you He will help. When someone gets beaten and bruised He will come alongside you and be your defense and healer. He will make a way of escape. When someone you love walks away He will help.
I really don't know how I could face another minute without the peace of God in my life. I do hope that if you are reading this that you have the same peace and comfort that I do. If not you can get it and best of all it does not cost you anything.
All you have to do is simply place your trust in Jesus for dying on the cross to pay for your sins. Rely solely on Him to forgive your sin and make you ready for Heaven. Would you do it now? Will you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and put your name in His Book of Life?
Back to the gate with Moon and Thunder. As I stand there rubbing their head a flock of wild geese begin honking in the distance. As I begin to scan the sky they appear in their usual v formation honking and telling each other how to advance. They fly ever so steadily across the cloudy sky, sending their message as they fly. The coyotes are quiet tonight. Not a peep out of them. They must be hold up in their den tonight waiting for hunting time. Moon and Thunder are still standing at the gate. Moon sighs a long sigh to tell me she is relaxed. Thunder inches closer. Thunder is a big sorrel quarter horse and he stands there wanting more attention. How can I keep from enjoying the quiet surroundings of Whispering Oaks Farm?
Tonight I feel a deep sense of peace as the day draws to a close. What about you? Do you have peace and contentment in your life?
Be Blessed
Bob
My sister, Mary, and I had just gotten back down to the house from feeding the other horses. Perhaps I should back up. Our afternoon had been spent mostly in the house until feeding time. This turned out to be one of those days when everything went pretty smoothly. So with the ice covered landscape we spent time inside. When feeding time arrived we put on our usual clothing and boots. Erica, my sister's lab elected to wait for us in the house, but, Tex her brother and Cassie were anxious to be out in the winter wonderland that greeted us as we left the house.
Upon arriving at the barn we began our evening feeding. I started running water in the tanks and Mary began loading the buckets for the horses. It seems as though everything outside has a deep layer of ice covering it. The road in front of the barn was packed snow covered with ice. The snow and ice work to deaden the sound and it is so peaceful. While the water quietly fills the tank I begin to help feed the anxious horses.
You know the Cloth girls are going to be some of the first ones I feed. There is Satin raising her front legs and pointing to the place she wants her feed. As I approach her she starts backing away to allow me to put her feed right where she directed. She is my baby girl and she has become such a pleasure to be around since she first appeared at Whispering Oaks Farm. Now with her feed in place she is happy but Velvet, the other Cloth girl is becoming impatient and nickers for me to hurry up. I pick up her portion of feed and put it where she likes it. Now, the Cloth girls are the happiest horses in the barn.
One by one the process continues until there is a barn full of happy campers who are munching the feed and replenishing their energy levels for the night. Someone said each empty feed sack piled up represents a fair amount of cash. To the horses they represent another happy day at Whispering Oaks. Have you ever watched a horse eat? All you can hear is the crunching of the grain as they contently grind away. I think of feeding time as giving the horses a cup of coffee. It warms them from the inside out. They eat the grain and then the finish with hay. Hay and grass is the mainstay of their diet and they get the necessary fiber and nutrients to maintain their healthy bodies there. The grain is like a cup of coffee. It gives them a boost and supplies energy to run their internal engines.
There is such contentment for me to watch the horses eat. When the horses are happy and well all is well in my world. It seems that on the farm I am isolated from the cares of this world and unease that prevails today. God has gifted me in a huge way to bring me back to spend time with such magnificent animals. My sister has truly been blessed by acquiring such a fine herd of horses. I am blessed to be able to ride them and work with them.
There used to be a saying among the people I went to church with back in the 80's. "Come apart and rest or come apart." Now tending to horses is not exactly rest but there is a "rest" to being around horses and watching them be horses. There is something that happens to a human when we watch large beautiful animals live in contentment. More importantly we have peace in our soul when we have "The Holy Spirit" living inside us. That peace is what makes everything I have said to this point so special.
The Holy Spirit comes into our life to live there with us the moment we ask Jesus to be our Savior. God can and will forgive every wrong thing we have done. Believe me, I have done more than my share of wrong things in life. Now, I don't have to carry this load of guilt that wants to ride on my shoulders when I have asked God to forgive me of all the wrongs I have done. He can forgive me for all the things I should have done but failed to do. That offers me more peace than all the beautiful horses in the world. I can go to sleep at night knowing I am clean in the eyes of God. All He sees when He looks at me is The Blood of Jesus. Thank you Jesus for dying for me to rescue me from all my sin and make me clean and ready for Heaven.
Thank you Holy Spirit for living in my life and being my "helper." The Holy Spirit helps me and comforts me in every situation. When I am hurting inside, He helps. When something happens in a moment to changes someone's life you care for, He is there to help you carry the load. When a long illness takes someone you love away, He can help. When hurtful words are directed at you He will help. When someone gets beaten and bruised He will come alongside you and be your defense and healer. He will make a way of escape. When someone you love walks away He will help.
I really don't know how I could face another minute without the peace of God in my life. I do hope that if you are reading this that you have the same peace and comfort that I do. If not you can get it and best of all it does not cost you anything.
All you have to do is simply place your trust in Jesus for dying on the cross to pay for your sins. Rely solely on Him to forgive your sin and make you ready for Heaven. Would you do it now? Will you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and put your name in His Book of Life?
Back to the gate with Moon and Thunder. As I stand there rubbing their head a flock of wild geese begin honking in the distance. As I begin to scan the sky they appear in their usual v formation honking and telling each other how to advance. They fly ever so steadily across the cloudy sky, sending their message as they fly. The coyotes are quiet tonight. Not a peep out of them. They must be hold up in their den tonight waiting for hunting time. Moon and Thunder are still standing at the gate. Moon sighs a long sigh to tell me she is relaxed. Thunder inches closer. Thunder is a big sorrel quarter horse and he stands there wanting more attention. How can I keep from enjoying the quiet surroundings of Whispering Oaks Farm?
Tonight I feel a deep sense of peace as the day draws to a close. What about you? Do you have peace and contentment in your life?
Be Blessed
Bob
Thursday, November 18, 2010
When life gets tough
"When the times get tough the tough get going." "If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade." "Just suck it up and go on." These are all quotes we all have heard one time or another. The problem is for people like me, I am not tough enough to keep going sometimes. I don't have any place for a lemonade stand and I never was very good at sucking it up and going on.
Some days peace flows like a river wherever we go. Lately I wrote a blog post about how peaceful it was at the end of feeding time here on the farm. The last post was "It is well with my soul." We need to cherish those times in our lives because there are times when trouble rears its ugly head. In the past eight days disturbing information came my way. The most recent was yesterday as I was working in the barn.
Yesterday was a busy day. We have a free standing horse stall and a few days ago my nephew, Mike, had used the tractor to move the stall to a different location in the barn made available when all the square bales of hay had been fed. The stall was moved close to the end of the barn. Enough room was left to hang a gate and create an additional stall. On the other side was also a place to create a stall with two gates. You have to understand the barn we use for horses is a modified area once used by those beautiful black and white high producing milk cows. It was the area they had for a feed bunk, (now removed) and for what is referred to as a loafing barn. The cow barn is being converted into a "horse haven." Would you believe "makeshift horse stalls." Hey, we just open all the gates and scrape the stalls clean with the tractor. Can you do that? It works for us and the horses seem to like it, too.
With the stall moved there was still some hay left and pallets that needed moving. My day was spent moving hay and pallets, sweeping and cleaning, and general maintenance of the barn. A gate was hung and so on. Then came the call.
Now I will tell the story, but before I do, we need to talk. We all encounter some hardship in our life. Not all of us respond the same way. Most of us find a way to get past our problems. Some of have a hard time coping. For some of us our problems drive us to God. That is the way it is supposed to work. We have a God who told us in Hebrews. "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT)
When I drove a truck I kept my CB on most of the time while on the open road. That way I could ask for traffic reports and bear reports. For my non-trucker friends a "bear report" was asking where the police are hanging out. When I finished one of these conversations there was something I always tried to say, "Remember God loves you and Jesus died for you." In most states and places this always got a positive response. I remember particularly one time a trucker thanking me for saying those words. His response to me was because he was pretty down and needed to hear that God loved him. That happens to us all. We need to know someone loves us. We never know how much this can mean to someone struggling with life.
Mary, my sister had to run some errands. On the way to leave our local road she encountered flashing lights. Cars were parked and our neighbor was standing along the road. My sister asked what had happened and the neighbor explained through her tears that the resident there had ended their own life. Now this is the second such case I know of in the last eight days. Of course in both cases no one knew the cause or that it was coming.
Yes, I know this blog may be considered by some a downer. We all must face down days, weeks, or even years. Mine seem to come in 3 and 1/2 year intervals. There was a drought for that length of time in Elijah's day. I have been through several lean periods with that time frame. How do we keep going?
I had talked to this person on several occasions when I was out on the road riding one of the horses. I am keenly reminded we can make a difference in others lives by giving kind words and pointing them to our Heavenly Father. We never know what tomorrow holds. So may I leave you with these words?
Remember, God loves you and Jesus died for you.
bob
Some days peace flows like a river wherever we go. Lately I wrote a blog post about how peaceful it was at the end of feeding time here on the farm. The last post was "It is well with my soul." We need to cherish those times in our lives because there are times when trouble rears its ugly head. In the past eight days disturbing information came my way. The most recent was yesterday as I was working in the barn.
Yesterday was a busy day. We have a free standing horse stall and a few days ago my nephew, Mike, had used the tractor to move the stall to a different location in the barn made available when all the square bales of hay had been fed. The stall was moved close to the end of the barn. Enough room was left to hang a gate and create an additional stall. On the other side was also a place to create a stall with two gates. You have to understand the barn we use for horses is a modified area once used by those beautiful black and white high producing milk cows. It was the area they had for a feed bunk, (now removed) and for what is referred to as a loafing barn. The cow barn is being converted into a "horse haven." Would you believe "makeshift horse stalls." Hey, we just open all the gates and scrape the stalls clean with the tractor. Can you do that? It works for us and the horses seem to like it, too.
With the stall moved there was still some hay left and pallets that needed moving. My day was spent moving hay and pallets, sweeping and cleaning, and general maintenance of the barn. A gate was hung and so on. Then came the call.
Now I will tell the story, but before I do, we need to talk. We all encounter some hardship in our life. Not all of us respond the same way. Most of us find a way to get past our problems. Some of have a hard time coping. For some of us our problems drive us to God. That is the way it is supposed to work. We have a God who told us in Hebrews. "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT)
When I drove a truck I kept my CB on most of the time while on the open road. That way I could ask for traffic reports and bear reports. For my non-trucker friends a "bear report" was asking where the police are hanging out. When I finished one of these conversations there was something I always tried to say, "Remember God loves you and Jesus died for you." In most states and places this always got a positive response. I remember particularly one time a trucker thanking me for saying those words. His response to me was because he was pretty down and needed to hear that God loved him. That happens to us all. We need to know someone loves us. We never know how much this can mean to someone struggling with life.
Mary, my sister had to run some errands. On the way to leave our local road she encountered flashing lights. Cars were parked and our neighbor was standing along the road. My sister asked what had happened and the neighbor explained through her tears that the resident there had ended their own life. Now this is the second such case I know of in the last eight days. Of course in both cases no one knew the cause or that it was coming.
Yes, I know this blog may be considered by some a downer. We all must face down days, weeks, or even years. Mine seem to come in 3 and 1/2 year intervals. There was a drought for that length of time in Elijah's day. I have been through several lean periods with that time frame. How do we keep going?
I had talked to this person on several occasions when I was out on the road riding one of the horses. I am keenly reminded we can make a difference in others lives by giving kind words and pointing them to our Heavenly Father. We never know what tomorrow holds. So may I leave you with these words?
Remember, God loves you and Jesus died for you.
bob
Sunday, November 14, 2010
It is well with my soul
This is the song "It is Well With My Soul." The history of its origin follows below. I can add nothing further. Just please give it a read.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
This hymn was written by a Chicago lawyer, Horatio G. Spafford. You might think to write a worship song titled,
'It is well with my soul', you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicago lawyer. But the words,
"When sorrows like sea billows roll ... It is well with my soul”, were not written during the happiest period of
Spafford's life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.
Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because
of Horatio's legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close
friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords' only
son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio
had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was
wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.
Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four
daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest -- DL Moody needed the help. He was
traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in
late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French
steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development
forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned.
He would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford
returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read:
"Saved alone."
On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only
12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters
Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being
torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a
plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had
been rescued, Mrs. Spafford's first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her,
"You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful
and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."
Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved
wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's
voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and
I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio
then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.
The words which Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26. They echo the response of the Shunammite
woman to the sudden death of her only child. Though we are told "her soul is vexed within her", she still
maintains that 'It is well." And Spafford's song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers
was.
It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those
experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the God who sustained them would also be with us.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
This hymn was written by a Chicago lawyer, Horatio G. Spafford. You might think to write a worship song titled,
'It is well with my soul', you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicago lawyer. But the words,
"When sorrows like sea billows roll ... It is well with my soul”, were not written during the happiest period of
Spafford's life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.
Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because
of Horatio's legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close
friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords' only
son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio
had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was
wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.
Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four
daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest -- DL Moody needed the help. He was
traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in
late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French
steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development
forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned.
He would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford
returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read:
"Saved alone."
On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only
12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters
Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being
torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a
plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had
been rescued, Mrs. Spafford's first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her,
"You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful
and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."
Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved
wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's
voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and
I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio
then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.
The words which Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26. They echo the response of the Shunammite
woman to the sudden death of her only child. Though we are told "her soul is vexed within her", she still
maintains that 'It is well." And Spafford's song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers
was.
It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those
experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the God who sustained them would also be with us.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
What a day!
Velvet was finished eating so I gathered her and started toward the paddock she stays in with the other Cloth girl, Satin. I call them the Cloth girls because of their names, Velvet and Satin. I rounded the corner of the barn and I could see the sun was low in the Western sky. As I neared the rope gate with Velvet, Satin started toward us. She came to greet us. I led Velvet into the paddock and started to the opposite side to fill their water tank for the night. The late afternoon is so peaceful, not a sound to be heard. I looked all around and there are no sounds. What peace this is. This is living in a storybook. I can look all around in three directions and see for over a mile. In the Western sky jets are leaving their vapor trails but I hear no sound. The sun a huge ball is getting lower.
As I turned the water on Velvet approached me. She was not even thirsty. She came over to be made over so I rubbed her head. She responded by coming even closer and then she tested the water flowing into her tank. She stood there looking off in the direction of the nearby pasture where more horses live. Let's see, there is Ann's Mountain Treasure, high point yearling filly this year. A few yards away is Flair for Fury who brought home a truck full of blue ribbons this year. She is the World Grand Champion, dark brown chocolate two year old filly belonging to Whispering Oaks Farm. They are grazing the lush fall pasture. Oh, I must have been dreaming because it has been arid here since July. Only a few brief showers since then. Not long ago there was about a one inch shower. It did manage to revive new growth but not much.
Ann and Flair are nibbling at the tender grass that has managed to reappear. I forgot to finish my story about the Cloth girls that live in the paddock. There is Velvet a gorgeous bay three year old mare and Satin our now mostly white five year old palomino mare. WOF Dock's Velvet was high point champion last year. She is still standing by me in the quiet afternoon sun. She stands there as I begin to scratch her back. She is loving it. Her head stretches out as far as she can get it. She turns to look at me and ask me for more of the same.
As I turn the water off and head back to the other side of the paddock the other Cloth girl comes to greet me. Venture's Golden Satin is looking intently at me wanting some attention too.
Winston Churchill once said, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of man."
These two Cloth girls certainly have made that true to me tonight. So there I stand scratching Satin on the neck and she stretches out her head too. Velvet at my back and Satin in front of me, they are both loving my company and are kind of competing for my attention. There I stand between two very fine Rocky Mountain horses. Satin has had a great year too. While the others are home from their training barns, Satin was ridden by me and had a pretty good year. Satin and I accomplished a lot this year and she has come a long way since she appeared on the farm last Winter. Below is a picture of Satin and myself competing in the ACTHA competition at Van Bert Farms in Stanton, Kentucky held in October.
I hadn't noticed but the sun has dropped below the horizon. What a splendid November week this has been. Here it is the eleventh day of November and I am out in a t-shirt. Leslie, who is one of our friends came and rode with my sister Mary and myself today. We were riding in short sleeves and it is November. WoW!
The evening is so very peaceful as I head back to the barn to finish the afternoon chores. WOF Rockin Andi is still hitched. She is another winner home from the training barn. She had a stellar end of the year. Early on she was very sick, but came back to the show circuit with a vengeance. She was taking no prisoners. What a time for them to relax and be horses. It is so good to see them be home from the hustle and bustle of training, transporting, and showing. Now they have time to relax and get ready for the coming Winter weather.
Not a sound anywhere but the crunching sound the horses make eating hay. Water tanks filled, hay in to the horses, everyone is unhitched and ready for the night. So am I. How can I ever tell a story good enough to have you feel the extreme peace I feel tonight? As I begin to think of this peace that has flooded over me I can only say that it comes from God. I remember one other time in my recent life that this kind of peace came over me. That time I was sitting on the Ambassador Bridge coming out of Canada when I was driving an eighteen wheeler for a living. That time it was the peace of God in a big way.
Tonight, I know it is the peace of God. What a special gift from God for me tonight on the eleventh day of November, 2010, Veteran's Day.
Now I hope you have those kind of peaceful days in your life too. May the peace of God that passes all understanding be yours too.
Bob
As I turned the water on Velvet approached me. She was not even thirsty. She came over to be made over so I rubbed her head. She responded by coming even closer and then she tested the water flowing into her tank. She stood there looking off in the direction of the nearby pasture where more horses live. Let's see, there is Ann's Mountain Treasure, high point yearling filly this year. A few yards away is Flair for Fury who brought home a truck full of blue ribbons this year. She is the World Grand Champion, dark brown chocolate two year old filly belonging to Whispering Oaks Farm. They are grazing the lush fall pasture. Oh, I must have been dreaming because it has been arid here since July. Only a few brief showers since then. Not long ago there was about a one inch shower. It did manage to revive new growth but not much.
Ann and Flair are nibbling at the tender grass that has managed to reappear. I forgot to finish my story about the Cloth girls that live in the paddock. There is Velvet a gorgeous bay three year old mare and Satin our now mostly white five year old palomino mare. WOF Dock's Velvet was high point champion last year. She is still standing by me in the quiet afternoon sun. She stands there as I begin to scratch her back. She is loving it. Her head stretches out as far as she can get it. She turns to look at me and ask me for more of the same.
As I turn the water off and head back to the other side of the paddock the other Cloth girl comes to greet me. Venture's Golden Satin is looking intently at me wanting some attention too.
Winston Churchill once said, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of man."
These two Cloth girls certainly have made that true to me tonight. So there I stand scratching Satin on the neck and she stretches out her head too. Velvet at my back and Satin in front of me, they are both loving my company and are kind of competing for my attention. There I stand between two very fine Rocky Mountain horses. Satin has had a great year too. While the others are home from their training barns, Satin was ridden by me and had a pretty good year. Satin and I accomplished a lot this year and she has come a long way since she appeared on the farm last Winter. Below is a picture of Satin and myself competing in the ACTHA competition at Van Bert Farms in Stanton, Kentucky held in October.
I hadn't noticed but the sun has dropped below the horizon. What a splendid November week this has been. Here it is the eleventh day of November and I am out in a t-shirt. Leslie, who is one of our friends came and rode with my sister Mary and myself today. We were riding in short sleeves and it is November. WoW!
The evening is so very peaceful as I head back to the barn to finish the afternoon chores. WOF Rockin Andi is still hitched. She is another winner home from the training barn. She had a stellar end of the year. Early on she was very sick, but came back to the show circuit with a vengeance. She was taking no prisoners. What a time for them to relax and be horses. It is so good to see them be home from the hustle and bustle of training, transporting, and showing. Now they have time to relax and get ready for the coming Winter weather.
Not a sound anywhere but the crunching sound the horses make eating hay. Water tanks filled, hay in to the horses, everyone is unhitched and ready for the night. So am I. How can I ever tell a story good enough to have you feel the extreme peace I feel tonight? As I begin to think of this peace that has flooded over me I can only say that it comes from God. I remember one other time in my recent life that this kind of peace came over me. That time I was sitting on the Ambassador Bridge coming out of Canada when I was driving an eighteen wheeler for a living. That time it was the peace of God in a big way.
Tonight, I know it is the peace of God. What a special gift from God for me tonight on the eleventh day of November, 2010, Veteran's Day.
Now I hope you have those kind of peaceful days in your life too. May the peace of God that passes all understanding be yours too.
Bob
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Fletcher, NC
There is no use for me to try to compete with Annie for looks. She is shown running here and she is putting on quite a show for us. The top picture is of me showing Satin in Fletcher, NC. Never mine my serious look. Satin is quite the horse. We were out today for a ride and I am pretty sure we covered about 10 miles. When we got to the barn she was hungry and so was I. She got her feed and hay first, then I got to the house after all the feeding was finished.
We finished in three classes in Fletcher and was included in two different shows. The first day we placed 7th in a class with 7 entries and all of them were professional trainers except me. The second show or second day I placed 5th out of 7 and 4th out of 5 entries. This is my first show ever.
My sister did much better with the in hand classes. She placed 1st with Ann's Mountain Treasure pictured above on the first day. The second day her competition outworked Ann and she came in third.
All in all this was our first show and I am quite happy with the results.
Stay tuned for more action in April.
We finished in three classes in Fletcher and was included in two different shows. The first day we placed 7th in a class with 7 entries and all of them were professional trainers except me. The second show or second day I placed 5th out of 7 and 4th out of 5 entries. This is my first show ever.
My sister did much better with the in hand classes. She placed 1st with Ann's Mountain Treasure pictured above on the first day. The second day her competition outworked Ann and she came in third.
All in all this was our first show and I am quite happy with the results.
Stay tuned for more action in April.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
What good is winter anyway?
What a glorious day for staying in the house. As I look out the window at the snow, it is enough to give most people the winter time blues. That is what the previous generation called winter time depression. What good is Winter anyway?
Now I would love to write a blog about driving a bus but I can just see I would get myself in over my head. Take for instance. One afternoon I was substituting on a bus route and after picking up high school and middle school I was walking through the bus giving instructions to the students when someone asked; "Were you in the military?" To which I promply replied, "No, but I have been in a few gunfights." Jaws dropped open all over the bus and I had to recant my remark before someone had a heart attack. Now were in the world did that come from? So you see someone with a twisted sense of humor like mine could wade into deep water very quickly by blogging about driving a school bus.
Let me make it perfectly clear driving a school bus is great. The students are where it gets dicy.
Back to the winter time blues.
First thing this morning we had to unload feed, shavings, a gate and lumber for the arena my nephew and neices are preaparing to build. We rode Monday, but it was way too windy, Satin was having a real problem with herself, and that made Amigo antsy. The weather is not co-operating and riding is out of the question. If you follow my sister's blog you already know we had a sick horse last afternoon. His owner came tonight and delievered his first dose of medicine to him. Hope all goes well for him.
With the feeding, watering, haying, and unloading all completed we came back to the house. It is a good day to read my Bible, check email, and browse on the internet.
What good is winter anyway? People my age have lived through many winters. When we come in after a long day's work we like to eat and go to bed for a good nights sleep. Well, winter time is somewhat like that for our habitat. The environment gets to rest. The soil gets to rest and drink up water so the aquifer can refill.
People don't seem to have the luxury to rest in the winter time since most work at full time jobs somewhere. Nevertheless, our environment needs the break. It is a time of refreshing for the soil, grass, and trees. The winter time and spring time is when replenishing and restoring happens. Knowing people the way I do if it was summer time all the time we would wear the soil out. This way the land gets to take a break and get charged back up for the next year.
Honestly, I am ready for some warm spring weater. I can just think of days where the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the grass is growing and it is wet with springtime dew. Just think with me about the sunlight on your bare skin and how good it feels.
I can remember when I was still a young man and getting my horse out before school and taking a ride. I would ride up on our hill bareback with only a baler twine tied to her halter on each side for a bridle reins. There I would have the warm sun on me and it felt fantastic.
Never did fall off when I did that. She was a great horse. I don't think I would be much for riding bareback anymore. I do good to get on with mounting steps. The horses seem to like the way we get on.
Hang in there folks summer is coming! Keep those warm thoughts in your mind.
Till next time.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sometime things are bigger than we are
Today started off like lots of other days. My sister had to make a trip to the dentist and I hung in the house for a little while reading my Bible and checking email. Next off to the barn I go to feed the horses. For sure the water hoses are frozen so they will need thawing. I had brought them in the evening before.
Out in the barn I go breezing through hitching all the pregnant mares and other horses. Some of the horses share stalls so they all get hitched before feeding time. That way there is no competetion for feed. The horses are nickering and getting impatient for feed. I don't blame them, the night was cold and this morning it is windy and cold.
The water hoses still need thawing!
My nephew appears and we get the hoses hung and a heater started. We investigate the 4 wheeler to see why it doesn't start. Ignition coil is not cooperating, that is the reason the plug will not fire. About this time my sister calls and we give her the information to get the coil coming our way. Next my son calls.
He and his two sons are coming down to start cutting riding trails through the woods. That is good news. He was asking how the roads were. I told him Mary had gone to the dentist this morning, which meant the road had been traveled at least once already. I get the horses fed the feed and hay; I decide it is time for me to go to the house for a bit since it is really cold and windy while the hoses thaw out. A cup of coffee sounded really good about now.
I was in the basement tending to some chores there when my cell phone rings. It is my grandson. They had been involved in a crash on the way to the farm. He asked me to come to it. When I got there my son had been run off the road by a driver who had lost control of their vehicle. My son had started over a steep bank with about a 25 foot drop off. Thankfully a large tree caught his truck in the back and another caught the front of his truck. The truck is pretty much totalled. My son and my two grandsons are all OK! The truck, not so much! Sometimes circumstances are bigger than we are.
Everyone is OK! God just answered prayers by taking care of everyone. My sister and I pray for all of our clan every night. Sure the truck is a mess but, everyone is OK! I was sharing with my grandson tonight before they left to go home. Yes, they went to the woods and worked on the riding trail even after the accident. I was explaing the time when Jesus told His disciples to take the boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They did exactly as Jesus had told them but they had so much trouble they would not have made it to the other side. Matthew 14:22-24
In the middle of the night Jesus came to them walking on the water. Jesus calmed the storm for them. The diciples were doing exactly as Jesus told them but they were having great difficulty. Their circumstances were bigger than they were. We sometimes experience the same trouble. We are doing exactly as we should be, but, difficulty overtakes us. Sometimes our circumstances are bigger than we are. These are the times we need to get close to Jesus and ask Him to calm the storms of life.
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
(Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT)
Good day to you all and I pray Jesus calms your storm.
Bob
Monday, February 15, 2010
Wisdom from the farm
Yesterday in church the pastor was talking about the "check engine" light that comes on in your car. When the check engine light comes on it is trying to give us friendly information that tells us we should investigate the engine fluids, belts and electrical system. To ignore this warning could be expensive and inconvenient. There are other ways we can be warned about things we need to give attention to.
Last week we rode three days straight in the snow. When we ride there is one field and an old house we ride by where the horses are always watching more closely. We have come to understand that coyotes frequent this area. The horses are watching for "check surroundings" lights. Because horses are animals of prey they naturally watch for danger. We can learn from this.
Saturday when we rode there were three of us. After making our way to the rear of the farm we heard a tumult of dogs barking. Dogs? Did I say dogs? No it wasn't dogs. It was coyotes. The wind was blowing straight from them to us so they never smelled us or heard us. This sounded like a frenzy of barking with ocasional howl. This frenzy lasted for around a half hour and suddenly all was quiet. They had done what it is they do when they are hungry. Something went down so they could eat.
Now cattlemen that have cows calving this time of year know of the danger and make provisions as best they can to keep their cattle safe. Last Sunday the dogs come dragging in a calf hide that had been shredded along with a hoof. Next morning the cows here were all counted and accounted for. There was a lone cow bawling on a neighbor's farm.
All of nature has warnings. Our cars warn us, the horses warn us, the cattle warn us, circumstances warn us and our friends will warn us when we are about to make a big mistake. Every time I have made a really big and stupid mistake I have had "warning lights" about what I was doing. Because I ignored the warning I made a really big and stupid mistake. Can you relate to my really big and stupid mistakes? Did you have warnings like me?
The book of Proverbs in the Bible is filled with these warnings as many other places in the Bible. Did you know the Bible warns us not to be a co-signer for another person's debt? Reading the Bible is good for us. We are even promised a blessing if we read Revelation. For sure the psalmist left us with some really good words of wisdom.
The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to Your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. (Psalms 19:7-11 NLT)
Have a wonderful day
Bob
Saturday, January 30, 2010
They let their horses die
It all started out when someone came along with a great new idea for change. Someone wanted to feed this new additive to the horses that would make them perform more consistently, cause them to look more alike, and the ones who were diverse would be accepted regardless of their diversity. This new tolerance would be great and solve lots of problems. This new feed was introduced into their herd and everything was going well at the beginning. When the horses started digesting the new feed, they began to refuse the new feed. But the handlers refused to change the feed.
Others kept eating the new feed additive but their performance began to drop. After a few years they began to lag very far behind the other horses that refused the new additive. Their attention span was very short so the owners put lots of toys in their stalls for them. They played with the balls that had been placed in the stalls. When they were taken out to be ridden they were out of sorts because their toys had been left behind and performed poorly. Meanwhile the other horses, that refused the new feed, were excelling in their workouts.
Before long the horses on the new feed began to refuse to leave their stalls for their workout. The longer this went on the worse condition the horses were in. But this new feed additive was supposed to be so good. There were some of the horses that had alternative behaviors but no one was allowed to talk about it.
Shortly, all the horses were taken over by the ruling horse farms in the country. When the large horse farms took over they gave mares shots to make them loose their foals. No one was willing to speak up. Fewer foals were born and raised. There were not enough young horses to do the work so the old horses had to keep working. The older horses were becoming ill because of lack of care. Wild horses from other places were allowed to come and eat the hay and grain that was supposed to be given to them.
When the older horses got to feeble or too old to work, they began to give them shots to put them down. No one said a word. The horses began to suffer from Equine Influenza, strangles, Equine Herpes Virus/Rhinopneumonitis, and west Nile virus. But there were not enough vets to take care of them. Then some of the mares began to lose their foals but there were too few vets to take care of them. No on said a word because the large horse farms kept everyone on the payroll. No one said a word because they wanted to keep getting their check.
Some of the folks on my email list write me back to tell me that my position on current events is wrong. The above story is made up and demonstrates political correctness, pro socialism, anti family policies, government option, illegal immigration, and pro abortion policies. My position on current events is this:
"I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." John 3:3
Time is short, Jesus is coming for us in the Rapture Matthew 24:33
There is no political solution for what ails our country Proverbs 16:1
We need to pray, turn from our sin, and seek God’s forgiveness for our national sins 2 Chronicles 7:14
Regardless of circumstances, Christians must get involved and stand for Biblical principles Proverbs 25:26
“The 1993 Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak was a significant distribution of the Cryptosporidium protozoan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the largest waterborne disease outbreak in documented United States history. The Howard Avenue Water Purification Plant (see Town of Lake water tower) was contaminated, and treated water showed turbidity levels well above normal. It was one of two water treatment plants for Milwaukee. The root cause of epidemic was never officially identified; initially it was determined to be caused by the cattle genotype versus human genotype of the parasite as originally suggested.1 MacKenzie et al. showed that this outbreak was caused by cryptosporidium oocysts that passed through the filtration system of one of the city's water-treatment plant.
This abnormal condition at the plant lasted from March 23 through April 8, after which, the plant was shut down. Over the span of approximately two weeks, 403,000 of an estimated 1.61 million residents in the Milwaukee area (of which 880,000 were served by the malfunctioning treatment plant) became ill with the stomach cramps, fever, diarrhea and dehydration caused by the pathogen. Over 100 deaths were attributed to this outbreak, mostly among the elderly and immunocompromised people, such as AIDS patients.” 1
Because the water was not protected, and because officials acted too late; over 400,000 people became ill and over 100 died.
It seems to me that in The United States we have become easily disassociated with what we don’t understand, what we disagree with, or what we don’t want to stand up for. This is a dangerous way to live in our present society. Just as cryptosporidium can pollute a water supply without being easily detected, scum-bags can penetrate our society, Supreme Court, White House, and Congress because people of the Christian faith and others who know better, do nothing.
Saying God will take care of it and sticking our head in the sand is not the solution. God is all powerful, but, that does not excuse us from right living and responsible citizenship. We are to be stewards of our privileges.
Take a look at the direction Hollywood took. A very valuable medium such as movies went south because Christians and churches withdrew from the arena. Today we have begun to realize this and there are some fine movies being made by church groups. This is happening to the public schools today.
Perhaps you've heard the story of the man caught in a flood who had a faulty view of God. As the flood waters rose, his neighbors told him, "You have to leave; the flood is going to wash everything away."
Calmly, the man replied, "I am waiting for God to save me."
As the waters continued to rise to the second floor of the man's house, a boat came by with rescuers. They said, "Quickly, get in; the flood is going to wash everything away."
Again the man replied, "I am waiting for God to save me."
As the flood worsened, the man was forced to climb onto the roof of his home. A helicopter came, threw down a ladder and the rescuers said, "Climb up. The flood is about to wash everything away."
One more time, the man said, "I am waiting for God to save me."
Finally, the flood washed everything away, and the man drowned.
When he reached heaven, he saw God. The first thing he asked was, "Lord, I was so certain you would save me, why didn’t you save me?"
God said to the man, "I tried to save you; I sent neighbors, a boat, and a helicopter to save you. You just stayed there and refused my help."
If the godly give in to the wicked, it's like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring. (Proverbs 25:26 NLT)
“Arguments have moved to the appellate court level in a California case in which a man talking to two willing strangers in a shopping mall was arrested because the subject of the conversation was God. The case developed several years ago when a youth pastor was arrested at the Galleria Mall in Roseville, Calif., for having a conversation about religion with two other people. Matthew Snatchko, who works with youth at his church, was interrupted in the middle of a conversation by a security guard. A second guard joined the confrontation and told Snatchko he was being placed under citizen's arrest for "trespassing." The pastor said he agreed to leave but instead, the guards grabbed him, roughly shoved him against a storefront window and handcuffed him tightly enough to draw blood. Snatchko later was taken to the police station where he was booked on charges of battery and trespassing.”2
By failing our responsibilities as Christians to stand strong for Biblical principles we regularly are able to read articles such as this last one from World Net Daily. We have failed in our communities to stand up for Scriptural principles. We have failed at the county, state, and national levels as well.
Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:33-34 KJV)
I hear some men of God standing up and telling us about these problems but they are far too few doing it. Some will preach the truth if it “harelips the devil.” I say great job to these men and women. Some of our strong Christian voters never vote for anyone unless they pass the litmus test of their stand for Biblical principles. I say well done and keep it up. When we vote for those who oppose Bible principles we are dooming ourselves and our neighbors. This is sin because we are not to be partakers in the sin of others.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:6-8 KJV)
Unlike these great preachers, men, and women of God; some only vote their pocketbook and never speak up for the Creator God and Bible standards. Some only vote a party line because they have been in that party since their grand parents and great grand parent’s day. Some depend only on the network news media to tell them what to do. Some only look at their benefits when they choose a candidate to vote for.
Look where that has gotten us this time. We have accumulated a $1.4 Trillion dollar deficit this past year alone. Many godless and sinful practices are now protected by our government. Many voted for these current leaders thinking this new “additive” (remember the feed additive?) and “change” was what we needed. Because of it we are closer to socialism than ever before. Christians are quickly losing their right to practice their faith. The above story from World Net Daily can be duplicated many times. Our schools have become a haven for anti Christian conspirators. Far too few are saying anything about it. Even fewer are able to stand against them in a court of law.
To continue to blame everything on George W. is lame.
To keep doing the same thing expecting a different result is insanity.
To keep electing those who want America under the control of a world government is insanity.
To continue to support those who promote a godless agenda, climate change, socialism, cap and trade, gun control, speech control, and a one world government would do well to rethink their position. We can’t stand by and do nothing like the man in the flood. It is our responsibility to stand up for our Bible, our Constitution, and our neighbors.
We can’t stand around and let the foals be aborted and let the older horses die like in our first story.
Will you rise to the challenge to support Biblical concepts? Are you going to let Congress get away with the same behavior or are you going to vote the tax and spend, tax our coal, tax our businesses to death, gun control, anti Jesus crowd stay there another term? Are you going to pass this on to others?
It is time to make them listen to reasonable people who still cling to their guns and Bibles. Tell Congress we are still a Christian nation and we have a contract with our Creator to uphold. It is called the “Constitution,” and it is based on Biblical Standards and principles.
1 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee_Cryptosporidium_outbreak
2 Bob Unruh LAW OF THE LAND Mall to Christians: God talk banned! World Net Daily http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=123535
Thursday, January 28, 2010
In Search of Rosie
While reading a book about the life of A.W. Tozer, God said to me, “Go ride the horse named Rosie and I will teach you about me.” So it immediately was in my heart to do as the Lord had spoken into my spirit. Next Monday I went out in the field of horses and caught Rosie. I took her to the barn and began to groom her for riding. Rosie and I traveled all over the farm that day. The next time I was out in the pasture I began to call Rosie but she shied away from me.
Now God’s lesson begins. It became apparent that I would have to become friends with Rosie. Let me tell you what I have been observing about Rosie. Rosie is four or five years old. However, Rosie is very shy and is at the low end of the pecking order in the pasture. This means that even some of the yearlings boss her around. Yesterday as I was filling the water tank for them to drink Rosie was run away from the water by one of the yearlings two or three times. Rosie wandered down in the field and rolled in the dirt. Afterward, she came back up toward the water tank and the yearling started chasing her and then turned in reverse and started kicking at Rosie. Rosie left.
Every time I try to get close to Rosie two of the dominant horses, Sugar and Amigo approach me and keep Rosie away from me. I can be out in the field and if Rosie starts toward me these two bullies chase her away with ears laid back and teeth showing. Now Sugar and Amigo have different reasons for keeping Rosie away. Sugar thinks she is protecting me and she is very possessive. Amigo is after any goodies I might happen to have with me and attention. Amigo does like me to rub him on his head and neck. Sugar does not really want that kind of attention. This leaves Rosie out in the background. Making friends with Rosie is going to be nearly impossible in this situation since Rosie is shy and really does not long to be caught.
Out with the feed bucket with some delicious horse feed in it I approach Rosie. I shake the bucket and she hears the feed rattle around. I got her attention and she starts to approach me. Guess what, the bullies heard the same thing. Well, Rosie has had a taste from my hand a time or two so she begins to try a little harder to get near. Sometimes I can find her away from the others and sneak her one handful before the bullies notice what is going on. I am still making friends with Rosie. Rosie is friends with the feed bucket, but, she and I will have to become friends. My goal is to make friends with her in such a way that she will trust me.
This is when God started showing me about Himself. God really wants to be close friends with us. He wants us to trust Him in all things. He wants us to partner with Him because of our love and trust in Him. He wants to take care of us. He wants to meet our needs.
My thoughts now turn to John 4 and the woman at the well. Jesus was at the well and the Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water in the middle of the day. She came this way likely because she was poor and thought badly of by the other people in her town. Jesus started drawing her to himself.
I attended a church recently where the preacher had a neatly wrapped sermon. He had all the counter arguments for his topic covered and it would be wrong to disagree with him, according to his neatly packaged sermon. That afternoon, God started talking to me and using thoughts of the horses to explain Himself. The preacher preached and I felt like I had been herded into a corral and was about to be branded, vaccinated, and sheared. The most effective way to get a horse is to call it to you. The next best way is to talk to it while you walk up and catch it. The least effective way to get horses in the barn is to drive them into the barn. When you get them in this way they are stirred up and mistrusting. That is what I felt. This neatly wrapped sermon was a bit too strong and lacking grace. It sounded like a canned “Denominational” message from a seminary. It came across as milking this flock to gain dollars for their goal.
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! (Psalms 34:8 NLT)
How sweet Your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. (Psalms 119:103 NLT)
God gets our attention by focusing on a need in our life. No matter what the situation we can trust Jesus for the right solution.
Have a great day.
Bob
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