Spring Thaw

Loving the spring-like weather! Today I went out with Max (our yellow lab-collie) for a walk to the ball field and beyond to take pictures. I found a nest and some buds on our trees! Spring is on the way!

When we returned, our neighbour told me to have Max check the mailbox.

Here's what he found:

Beggin' Strips!


Then we went out back to the paddock to take photos of our horses...






Rueger was enjoying the sunshine. Mochaccino was too afraid of Max to venture out from under the picnic table!




It's a beautiful day with the promise of spring!

December Photo Project: Snowy Paddock at Sunrise

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Greener Pastures

The Grass Is Greener...

One morning recently my phone rang. It was my neighbour across the road. "You have horses on your front lawn," he told me. WHAT?!

Sure enough, two of our four horses found a gap at a broken gate where they could get out without the electric fence shocking them, and they were roaming around nibbling our grass! I guess the grass was greener on the other side! In the paddock they rely on the hay we provide; but the yard on the other side tantalizes them with luscious, albeit dandelion-infested, grass. Sterling and Lacy just got impatient waiting for their breakfast!

How like me in my Christian walk. More times than I care to count, I have grown tired of waiting on the Master for what I thought I should have coming to me. After all, I'm worth it! I deserve it! Right? (See Romans 3:10, 23.) God’s taking too long; I'm tempted to go check out what's on the other side of the fence.

My 11-month-old grandbaby Kyla was visiting for a few days last week. Rather than remove all the pretty things, we leave some in place and teach Kyla what is a "no-no." One such item is a pretty red basket which sits on the coffee table holding all the remote controls. I saw her reach into grab an intriguing converter, and said, "Kyla, that's a no-no." She looked at me with those pools-of-blue eyes, kept staring at me, and reached for it again. In a stronger tone, I said, "No-no," and shook my head. She paused a moment, and then stretched her neck up, sticking out her little chin and looking down her nose, as if she were trying to look over the edge into the basket to get a better look at the "no-no." Her face was filled with longing as she continued to crane her neck and scoot herself around the coffee table, to view the “no-no” from another angle.

After laughing and calling her a "cutie patootie," I thought, I do that too. God tells me "no" in His Word, and I clearly know that it's for my safety and good! Yet in my flesh, I gaze longingly and even reach for the worldly things, as if hoping that they will become approved somehow, that they aren't as bad as God makes them out to be, or I try to adopt the philosophy "just ask forgiveness later."

~I just want to hold a grudge for a little while.
~My feelings are hurt, and I want to make them pay, just for awhile.
~I can't say this is helping me get closer to God, but...
~I just don't care right now.
~I just don't want to try anymore.*

* This is a certain indication that I am trying in my flesh, rather than allowing God's Spirit to work through me!

Why do I long for the things that God has said will hurt me? Why do I turn away from the Truth in His Word when I know that it is good and that His way is the best?

The enemy of my soul pounds his philosophy into me any way he can—through music, TV, magazines, books, conversations with others, etc. This is why I must hide God’s Word in my heart, “that I might not sin against [Him]” (Psalm 119:11). God’s boundaries protect me from the enemy; they don’t restrict me. Within that fence line is freedom! Freedom from fear. Freedom from destruction. Amazing freedom! True freedom!

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. (Proverbs 3:13-14, 17-18)

True happiness comes only from God. In a love relationship with Him is deep joy. God IS wisdom. It is His very Being. Just as I seek to protect Kyla by not allowing her to go near the stairs, God seeks to protect me by the limits He sets in His Word, which are “wisdom.”

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. (Proverbs 3:21-24, 26)

"Contentment is the crown jewel of a happy life." ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

When you know--and accept--that guidelines are truly written with your safety and best interests at heart, you can embrace the restrictions and be content with them. Yet with God, they can hardly be called restrictions! How could you say that trading a meal out of the garbage can for a steak dinner is a restriction?!

As my Kentucky friends say, “I’m just sayin’ ‘s all!”

The Source of My Song

Sung by Greater Vision, the song "The Source of My Song" has blessed me so much lately...

Oh the source of my song is the Saviour
The reason for my singing is the Man from Galilee
It does not depend upon my circumstances
For Jesus is the source of my song

One verse says, "If we only sing when we're happy, we will not be singing very long." One of my good Jamaican friends has taught me that when I begin to feel irritated or frustrated to start humming... even if I don't feel like it. I have begun to put this into practice: with amazing results! Something wells up inside of you when you begin to sing to the Lord.

This morning all five horses we own ran out into the pasture rather than into the barn to eat their grain, as they have been trained to do. I was at the barn by myself, and I am not by any means an experienced horsewoman!

Let me back up and explain that everything in my life right now is an adjustment. There is not much that is the same. I live in a new country with a wonderful new husband. I am trying to build a relationship with three teenage stepchildren. I am learning-as-I-go as a pastor's wife. I am endeavouring to be my husband's helper as he works daily in his custom home business. I am about to become a Nana. (I get every grandparent's dream: have the grandkids first!) I am leading a choir (which I have only done once before in my life). I am coordinating numerous singing groups at church. I am seeking to shepherd and encourage our ladies.

Many days I feel very overwhelmed with my new life! (Understatement of the year!) This morning's experience when the horses all ran out into the field was one of those times: I burst into tears, and asked God if He'd left me! That sounds like an extreme response to horses running out of the paddock. But I can assure you it was not merely because the horses did not do what they were supposed to do! I was overwhelmed by the adjustments of life. I felt out of control. I felt stretched beyond what I could endure, beyond what I could handle.

I said, "God, I CAN'T do this anymore!" But He showed me that I indeed could do it--with HIS power. With the use of the whip, I herded all those equines into the barn and secured them into their stalls for breakfast time!

And God taught me a powerful lesson: I can't do anything without Him... and He is moving me to the end of myself so that I will look up and trust Him with EVERYTHING. As long as I can still do it in my own strength, in my heart of hearts I will believe that I don't truly need Him.

As painful as it is, I'm thankful God is removing all my props and teaching me to trust Him alone. Jeremiah said, "Lord God, behold I cannot." Chapters later, God replied, "Is there anything too hard for me?"