Dixie and Dolly

Dixie had been standing patiently on the trailer for some time when ST pulled up with Dolly and Code of Honor in his trailer. Code of Honor, my sister's awesome chocolate stallion, and Dolly had been living together for some time now. Little did they know they were being separated. ST led Dolly off his trailer and handed me the lead rope. I walked ahead of Dolly and she followed me right into our trailer where I tied her off and swung the side gate up against her. The rear door was closed and we were homeward bound.

Run horses run, it's time to play

It was well after dark when we got home and with all the mud I just pulled the truck up in the driveway and parked where Dolly and Dixie would be unloaded. I led Dolly into the barn and put her in the one box stall we have. She was home. I returned to get Dixie. Dixie is the near 16 hand chocolate palomino 3 year old filly my sister has. She is tall and lanky and such a beauty to behold. Dolly is about 16 hands high and dark brown chocolate. Since I had never seen her before I knew nothing of what she looked like until we came back with the feed to feed them. I took a look at her and was in awe of this beautiful chocolate mare my sister acquired. Dolly seemed unsure of her surroundings but was quite glad to get some coffee (feed). That is what I call the feed, a cup of coffee for the horses. Especially in the winter.

 Dolly

Dixie

In the days following Dolly and Dixie have always played together when we turn them out in the field with the other horses. They are both new here and both seem to sense that they are the two new girls in the herd.

Dixie and Dolly running together.

This morning when all the feeding was finished and the horses had cleaned their buckets I began to lead them back out to pasture. I saved Dolly for last because she is so reluctant to come to me. I open the stall door and motion with my hands for her to come to me. She keeps refusing. Finally she did not come to me but I walked to her and took her by the halter. I led her to the cross ties and hooked her up. I went to the feed bin and got a scoop of feed. I began to hand feed her little handsfull of feed and brushing her coat. She began to settle down and as I was brushing her she began to relax. She cocked her rear leg which is a sure sign she was relaxed. She did not get let out of the barn today.

This afternoon I returned to the barn to check on her and I took her by the halter and she lowered her head to my side and stood there while I rubbed her head and neck. I scratched around her ears and she was giving every indication that she was more reassured of her welfare.

It seems to me we all need some reassurance. Recently I was talking to a dear friend. That friend spoke of wanting to have a dear beloved person beside them at their time of departure from this life. I have heard this before. You know, I had not given much thought to that notion until that conversation. We all have fears of some kind. We all encounter times in our lives that we need a friend. We need a close friend. We need a friend that will stick closer to us than a brother.

After we ask Christ into our lives to live in it with us we have a friend like that. Jesus is our friend and He will indeed stick closer than a brother. Sometimes we need to let Jesus come up by us and give us some of His tender care.

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 KJV) That friend is Jesus Christ our Lord.


Dolly was afraid. God told us 63 times in the Bible to fear not. And, we still fear. All of us have fears, but, our Father told us to fear not.

Dolly had good cause for concern. She has had three owners or relationships. She had a boy friend she was crazy about and she has been seperated from him. She has been moved to a new location. She has a whole different set of horses she runs with. She has new horses with a new pecking order. She is pregnant and only has one friend, and they are friends because they came in on the same trailer. Her life has been turned upside down.

That kind of sounds like some of the problems we face as humans. Can you relate to any of these circumstances?

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NLT)







That is all for now friends. Until next time, take care and be blessed.

Bob

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Not so very long ago I was driving an eighteen wheeler for a living. Early one morning as I was driving up I55 from Memphis to Chicago, I got a call that a dear family member had passed away. Right away I notified my company that I needed to be in Taylorsville, Kentucky on Friday because of the death in my family. I delivered my load and had to spend the night in the Chicago area. That was on Wednesday. I got a call for a load headed to Columbus, Ohio so I said I would take it. Within an hour that load was canceled and they were trying to give me a load headed for the East coast. That load I refused because of my situation. Within an hour I was put back on the first load. Now I had to get to Taylorsville on Friday. There were no other options for me. I got to Columbus on Thursday night and slept for a few hours. On Friday morning my company called and was trying to force me to take another load headed for a destination far from Taylorsville, I was between a rock and a hard place. If I had to guess I would say that lots of folks are between a rock and a hard place right about now. What about you?

I am not the first to be between a rock and a hard place and if you are there right now, you are not alone. In 2 Chronicles 20 Jehoshaphat found himself between a rock and a hard place. Several armies were marching against him to destroy him and his country. What would you do in this situation?


Here is what Jehoshaphat did.

• First of all he ran to God for help and begged for guidance
• Then he fasted and ordered everyone to fast.
• Next he stood before his people and prayed to the God of Heaven.
• In his prayer he worshiped God and praised Him.
• He reminded God of His mighty deeds
• He reminded God of His promises to his country.
• Jehoshaphat declared his faith in God's deliverance.
• Jehoshaphat reminded God of how weak he really was and how powerless he was to deliver himself.

God honored Jehoshaphat's response and sent deliverance.  This is the beginning of a new year and it would be good to respond to our problems the same way Jehoshaphat did. Fasting still gets God's attention. There are several ways to fast. There is a complete fast and a Daniel fast where we give up certain foods. There is a one day fast, a three day fast, a 21 day fast, and a 40 day fast.

Chances are our problems did not come up overnight, but fasting gets God's attention. There are other men of God who had great burdens and problems. Nehemiah had problems and here is what he did.

When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said, "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of unfailing love with those who love Him and obey His commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for Your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against You. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!
(Nehemiah 1:4-6 NLT)

Now when we get a bad doctor's report, a phone call, or a troubling letter we can choose to stick our head in the sand, be fearful, or we can fall on our knees before the God of Heaven who can do more to take our burden than we can ever do.

When my brother in law passed away I sought the Lord as what I should do. I asked God to get me back to Columbus, Ohio if He wanted me to quit this job so I could attend the funeral. God got me back to Columbus, Ohio the place where I got the truck. I was on the lot where I first entered the truck, there I would leave it. I would not be written up for abandoning the truck if I left it there. The company did try to force me to take another load and they did write me up for "quitting under a load." Who cares about that. I did get back to Taylorsville very late on Friday afternoon. I was able to be there for my sister. She was counting on me. God got me through this. I later got another driving job that proved to be the best driving job I ever had.

So tonight what has you fearful and troubled? Remember what Jehoshaphat and Nehemiah did.

1Co 10:11  These things happened to them as examples for us.

Isa 41:10  Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.

Jas 1:2  Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.

Now what more can I say? 1Pe 5:7  Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

Good night dear friends.
bob