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
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