Merry Christmas!

Hi, Everyone!

It's finally Christmas Eve! Rusty and I and my family want to wish you and your families and your horses a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Jesus is the Reason for the Season and He's the Greatest Gift of all!

God bless,

Pam

Winter Fun

Winter is here! It's time for bundling up in layers of clothing, driving on snowy roads to the barn to see my Wild and Woolly critters!!! I just LOVE Rusty's winter coat! It's great to sink my hands into that thick hair. In this picture, Rusty and Eclipse (his best bud) certainly know where the treats are! What great friends horses are!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I have so much to be thankful for! While we were having our pumpkin pie today, each of us mentioned one thing we had to be thankful for. We went around the table many times and did not exhaust our blessings! God is so good to us!

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving! May you never run out of things to be thankful for!

Happy Birthday, Doug!

This is my wonderful husband who celebrates his birthday today! I really have a lot to be thankful for. God has given me a partner for life who understands me (and my "horse obsession") and loves me anyway! We've been married 28 great years. He's my best friend.

Happy Birthday, Doug! You are so very special to me!

New Saturday Night Services at the Orchard

I want to take a moment and post my thoughts about our first Saturday night service at the Orchard last evening.

I was on Welcome Team last night and I saw a lot of new faces! We were all praying for a big turnout but we got more than we expected. We set up rows of new seats to help take care of the overflow! God did exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think -- just like He said He would if His children would pray. We also saw people returning to the Orchard that stopped coming because their work interfered with Sunday morning worship. It was wonderful to see those people come back!

Personally, I like the new service. Pastor Scott calls it the "Guilt-free" service because you can sleep in on Sunday morning, go golfing (or horseback riding) without missing church! So, that's exactly what I did today. I slept in (just a little) and went out to spend time with my horse. This could be a great arrangement!

Getting closer to the Dream

Today was quite a day!

After coming home from work and having lunch, my husband, son and I loaded our three cars and started moving boxed items to our new storage locker. What a job! It took the three of us three trips to move the boxes we had packed. Our home is a lot less cluttered now which is important for potential buyers to see.

I must tell you about a strange happening during the move that could have been a disaster! On my second trip to the locker I had forgotten that Doug had placed the KEY to our locker on top of my car and drove all the way there. After entering the storage facility, I remembered the key had been on top of my car! I was very upset with myself and hoped the key had fallen off in our driveway! But, Lo and Behold, when I stopped at the locker the key was STILL ON TOP OF THE CAR!!! I could hardly believe my eyes!. My son, Al, was also flabbergasted by this. All I can say is "Thank You, God, for looking after such a scatterbrain as me."

More Thoughts on Waiting

Today I was impressed with another thought about what it means to Wait on the Lord.

Rusty and I work on an exercise where we trot a figure-8 pattern. When his balance is right, I cue him to canter and we canter a larger circle and then come back to the trot and do it again. Once we've done this a couple of times, Rusty says "I know this!" and starts to anticipate my canter cue. It's like he's saying "We canter now, right? Right?" When he does this, I bring him back to the trot and we continue the figure-8. Each time he gets ahead of me I need to check him. Once he is listening to me, then I can cue the canter and we get a balanced, beautiful canter!

I can so easily get this way with God. I say, "This is it, right, God? Right?" Then He pulls back on the reins and says "Not yet." Just as Rusty must learn to wait for my cue, so I must learn to wait for God's OK. As I've said before, this involves a lot of trust. God has shown me over and over again that I can trust Him. What I think is right may not be His will for me. BUT I can trust and know that His will for me is the best thing I could ever have!

I keep my hand in His and He keeps His Hand in mine and we get there together.

I want to thank Janet R. for her insights that led to this post. You are a blessing and an encouragement to me! P.

Waiting. . .

Doug and I are in the process of getting our house ready for sale so we can purchase property where I can keep horses. I've always wanted a home where I can keep my horses on my own place. We've seen some beautiful homes. Waiting is the hard part.

The Bible has a lot to say about waiting. Psalm 14:17 tells us to wait on the Lord and He will strengthen our hearts. Daniel 6 tells of a long night in a lion's den as Daniel waited on God. I choose to trust Him and wait for His answer. I must remember that waiting is GOOD for me because it reminds me I'm not in charge. God is. No one was ever disappointed while waiting and trusting in God. Why, Abraham waited decades for the promise of Isaac's birth to happen! And it did happen, just as God said it would.

God is never late. So I'll wait.

Where has the summer gone?

September is here (actually over half-way to October). Summer just flew by! We had our hot days, our rainy days, our floods and our mosquitoe plagues! But I enjoy every day I can be out at the barn with my horse. I'll tell you, though, I can't wait for "fly season" to be over. The cooler days of Fall are just right for riding! Soon the colors will change and the trees will be awash in reds, golds, and browns.

The last week of August my husband and I took a vacation to the Grand Canyon. Once I can get my computer and my digital camera to cooperate, I'll have some pics to post. We had a great time in Arizona! Flagstaff is a beautiful town with warm sunny days and cool nights. The Canyon itself was breath-taking! We went out and back by train and that was a lot of fun! I'd like to travel by train again sometime. Everyone at Amtrak was so nice and helpful! Sleeping on the train was very different! (My advice -- the lower bunk is more comfortable!)
So is trying to brush your teeth, take a shower, wash your face, etc...

They fed us very well on Amtrak. The food was excellent and lots of it! Every meal we got to meet someone new. We talked with fellow travellers from all over! That was wonderful!

I enjoyed my vacation very much but missed my horse, too. Rusty was glad to see me when I got home.

Expect the Unexpected

Hi, All!

I just spent an anxious weekend. I had gone out to ride Saturday after work and found that Rusty's left eye had swollen almost completely shut. I showed this to Marie and after she had examined the eye said it was a vet call. She told me you should never take chances when the eyes are concerned.

I borrowed Marie's cell phone and called the vet. Praise God my vet was on call that Saturday afternoon. (The office was closed for the day.) Dr. Kevin said he'd be out so I waited... and paced...and waited... and brushed Rusty... and waited... ( you get the idea). Actually Dr. Kevin came out rather quickly but to a nervous horse-lover it seemed like a loooooooong time.

Dr. Kevin gave Rusty an injection of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory medicine and gave me some ointment to apply to the eye twice a day. I'm very fortunate that Marie will do this (for a small charge) because I cannot get out to the barn twice a day. So, this was on Saturday.

Today, Monday, I went out at my usual time and lo and behold, Rusty's eye looked great! I was so happy and relieved to see both eyes shining brightly at me! I had done a lot of praying over the weekend and Marie applied the ointment twice a day.

Having something wrong with your horse is like having a sick child. You do all you can and you pray a LOT. I still don't know how his eye got injured in the first place. These things happen. But I'm very grateful to Dr. Kevin, Marie and of course to God for being with Rusty and me at this time.

Brandie and Rusty

Brandie visits Rusty with me

My friend, Brandie, spent the day with Rusty and me this past July 4. We had such a fun day with the horses and went out to eat afterward. Brandie loves horses, too and I was happy to have her come out to the stables with me. Rusty really likes her, too.

Well, its been over a month. Sorry for lack of postings.

I want to tell you that the Bug Check is making a difference now. I give Rusty two scoops in his feed every day and I'm noticing an improvement. One scoop was not enough. Today we rode outside and the flies were not as bothersome as they had been before. It used to be that the flies would bother Rusty so badly that he couldn't concentrate on what I was asking him to do. He'd stamp and dance around. Today we even went out in the field for a while and he was great.

July 4th my good friend Brandie came out to the stables with me and helped me with Rusty. We also saw the new babies (a couple of real cuties). It was a fun day and I was glad Brandie could share it with me.

I look forward to the times I can spend with my horse. As we get to know each other better, our rapport is really growing. I can only thank God for this wonderful privilege.

Power Struggles

Horses have a way of testing their boundaries. They're very much like children in this regard. My horse wants to know that I'm consistent when I ask something from him.

In our early days, the power struggle was over cleaning his feet. I'd ask him to lift his hoof and he'd give me trouble about it. With my instructor's help, I gradually got him to realize that I was going to persist in asking for his hoof until he gave it to me. When he did, I praised him. I told him what a good boy he is. We are doing well with his feet now.

Recently, Rusty and I had a power struggle about the bridle. Formerly, he had been very good about being bridled. Then, out of the blue, he began to throw his head up in the air trying to avoid the bridle. Once I knew that the bridle itself was not the problem -- it was adjusted correctly and the bit was not hurting him -- I had to be persistent with my behavior. Once Rusty realized I wasn't going to give up, the head-tossing stopped. Today, he submitted to having the bridle put on without a problem.

So, just like with children, we have to work patiently and consistently with our horses letting them know we won't tolerate bad behavior. Rusty needs me to be consistent with him. If I send him mixed signals I'm creating a problem and confusing my horse.

As we get to know each other, Rusty and I are developing a good relationship. He needs me to take the lead and set the limits. Our times together can only get better with patience and consistency.

Bad Day turned Good

I'll be honest. I did NOT start out having a good day today. I got to the barn later than usual because of a meeting at work. I left the meeting frustrated and feeling very "Put Upon."

While working at the barn (cleaning stalls) my mood got worse. I allowed myself to dwell on what frustrated me and let my imagination run riot. Needless to say this is not a good way to feel better.

I tried praying and thinking about good things like Philippians 4:8 tells us. My thoughts kept harping back to my frustration. I had worked myself up to the point where I thought I'd just go home after my chores and curl up in bed.

But I didn't do that. I told myself that I was going to ride even if it was only for 15 minutes. Once that decision was made, I finished my chores and brought Rusty in to groom and tack up. It's wouldn't be fair for me to take out my bad mood on my wonderful horse who was in no way responsible. Just being with my horse brightened my outlook.

I rode for over 20 minutes and Rusty was excellent. Not only that but my bad mood vanished like it had never been there. My equalibrium restored, I left the barn to go home. Now, thanks to Rusty, my family would not have to put up with a grouch.

I really believe God put something special in horses that can speak to the human spirit. I can't put it in words very well but all of us who interact with horses have felt it, I'm sure. This was one of those times for me. I'm very grateful to God for the wonderful horse He's allowed me to care for. My horse cares for me, too.

Lessons

I had a wonderful riding lesson today. This is especially significant because I had a frustrating session during Centered Riding this past Monday. We were working on leg position. Marie has a delightful little exercise in torture where the rider (me) moves each leg up, out and back at the walk and trot. Arggh. This is a difficult exercise. I have never been very limber even when younger and so I have a hard time with this.

Anyway, I worked at the exercise grumbling under my breath all the while. Marie told us that it took her a year before this became easier for her.

The next day, while at my job, I heard someone on WMBI talking about the challenge of working through a difficult problem whatever it may be. I got to thinking about my "up,out,back" difficulty. This is a challenge that, if I work at it, will help me become a better rider. Time to stop grumbling and start working.

The result of my change in attitude was a great lesson with Rusty and a new-found respect for my instructor. She knows what I need to learn to be the best rider I can be. If I take her instructions and advice to heart, I'll be on my way.

It's like that with the Lord. He knows what I need to be the best I can be. I will take His instructions to heart and learn from Him. As I put into practice what He teaches me, I'll grow and become more like Him.

wonderful ride, bug check

What a great day for a ride. I could hardly wait to get out of work so I could head out to the barn and spend time with Rusty.

He was an exceptionally good boy today. We worked on getting him to drive from behind at the trot. Then we worked on flexing his neck at the canter. When he canters stiff-necked, he gets too heavy on the forehand and barrels along like a freight train. This is not a comfortable canter to ride, believe me. When I bend his nose just slightly to the inside and then to the outside, it forces him to balance himself and his canter is wonderful.

I'm trying out a new product to help repel those awful flies. It's called Bug Check. It's a feed-through system that makes the horse "taste bad" to flies, mosquitoes, deer flies, horse flies, and other pests. It also helps prevent flies from laying eggs in the manure of treated horses. Bug Check says I'll see improvement in two weeks or my money back. I'll let you know in a couple of weeks how we're doing. I think you agree with me that flies and other bugs are a real nuisance. They're the main thing I don't like about warmer weather. If this Bug Check does the trick, it'll mean relief from flies all summer for Rusty.

Hope all of you are having a great spring with your horses. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. What a blessing.

Priorities

Today Pastor Scott at my church talked about priorities in our lives. While he spoke of Family and Work, we horse-owners have another HUGE priority to juggle -- Our Horse(s)!

All of us know that having a horse is not the same as any other "pet." There is a BIG commitment of time and energy in caring for our beloved equine companions.

So, we juggle family, work AND horses in our busy lives.

What my pastor said is vital to our priorities and making sure they honor God. There is never enough time and so something has to get cheated.

We must Decide what gets priority. We then Develop a plan to give our top priority the time it needs. We then Deliver by taking the steps to get where we need to be.

It's impossible to be all things to all those who are in your life. Family must come first with the understanding that the Horse is part of the Family. Sit down and talk with your family and iron out time problems. Communication is key in all aspects of priority management.

God bless you as you seek to do the right thing in the right way.

Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." NIV

What's your dream? If you had all the resources you needed -- money, time, materials, expertise -- at your disposal what would you long to accomplish?

For me, I'd love to have a horse farm where I could rehabilitate neglected and abused horses. God knows the desires of my heart. When I first sought God about having a horse, He gave me DCT. DCT stands for Dreams Come True, yes, but also for Declare, Commit, and Trust.

Declare -- Give words to your dream. Speak it out. Write it down.

Commit -- Give your dream to God. Ask Him to help you bring it to pass. Don't be surprised if He has some better suggestions.

Trust -- Trust God to do what He said He would do. Learn to wait upon Him for the right time for your dream to become reality.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." Is 40:31
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Ps 27:14

Whatever you do, DON'T give up on your dream.

Hi. Welcome to my Blog.

I'd like this to be a place where those who love God through Jesus Christ and also love horses can come and share. I'll get the ball rolling.

I have an Appaloosa gelding named Rusty who is 15 years old and quite a character. He's wonderful and we're learning a lot from each other. I like to ride English and trail ride around the huge farm where I board. I bought Rusty last August and he's been such a joy.

I feel that God put inside me my love for horses. I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't love them. My folks gave me riding lessons as a child and it took 7 long years of hard begging before I got my first horse. Rusty is the third horse I have had the priviledge to own in my life. I use the word "own" but really I'm just a manager. Rusty belongs to God and I'm grateful that God has allowed me to care for and enjoy him.