After chatting with those ladies at the Premier Inn on Easter Monday, I visited the livery yard as planned last Saturday. The lady I'd gone to see couldn't be there at that time, so I went for a wander round, stroking lots of warm noses, and just generally enjoying the familiar 'atmosphere and smells!' I was surprised at how much I remembered about 'heights and makes' of horses.
I eventually got chatting to a lady as she groomed her cute horse called Derry, and she let me brush his tail. I asked if I could come and watch her ride, then sat there on a dusty stool in the ice cold indoor school, hands and feet numb with cold, as she went round working her horse. It brought back lots of memories!
The thought crossed my mind, 'Would I ever ride again?' But was immediately dismissed. However, when she suddenly asked me to get on, I heard myself say; 'Yes!' I suppose I just couldn't resist the challenge!
Afterwards, I helped take Derry and another horse out to graze. On the way across the fields, there were fluffy white feathers everywhere! I couldn't work out whether it was from the Lord, or just evidence of the local Sparrow Hawk's lunch! But it seemed to me like that whole day was wrapped up in this 'huge red bow' like an unexpected gift from God, which I so thank Him for.
Let me just add here that a few years ago, I was required to walk away from my horse in order to fully obey the call of God on my life, which was hard. But when we obey him fully, as well as the assurance that He is in full control, and taking care of everything, He always has a way of recompensing.
Alot of the time I was involved with horses, I used to feel like such a fraud as, though I loved and admired them very much (and still do), it didn't really bother me one bit, whether I rode or not. For me it was more a necessity, and a discipline. On the other hand, a 'true horse person' is unmistakable, and quite something to behold. As children they'll sit astride a wall 'jogging away' with some bit of string, then one day they arrive on a livery yard prepared to do anything, - just to get to ride.
When we arrived on our very first livery yard, there was a lady there who had recently bought Rio, a grey Arab out of a horribly abusive situation. Arabs, not unlike Thoroughbreds can be a bit 'hyper' to say the least, so being mistreated did not help the situation. The first time my friend took Rio out for a hack, she'd not long left the yard when apparently, the horse dumped her on the grass verge, then bolted off up the lane. That was to be the first of many such falls. (I have fallen off about 4 times, - which is 4 times too many!) Another time Rio tore a man's sleeve from his arm whilst he was innocently putting in her morning feed. However, I watched this woman as she persevered to the point where she able to do perform simple dressage tests at the local shows.
Further down the line, we were at another place where there was this girlie with an enormous black horse called Arnie. This was definitely not one of the ones you'd go up and say 'hi' to on the yard! Also, when passing him from behind, you had to be mindful in giving his back legs a very wide berth!
Anyway, my daughter and I were there at the stables every morning around 7am mucking out, and this girl, who competed at quite a high level of dressage, was there most mornings in the indoor school, practising and working her horse. One time I was walking past just in time to see this thing rearing up vertical with her still sitting there! (Oh my goodness!) But then she carried on riding like nothing had really happened! Why? Passion! It's no surprise that there are lots of prize-winning rosette's around her stable, and it's that passion that carries her through to the victory.
Proverbs 29 v 18 tells us; 'Where there is no vision, the people perish'. In other words, if we have no 'real goal', nothing to aspire to, or strive for, we will just toddle along in life not really achieving much. It's good to 'know ourselves and our giftings' which we can find out primarily, by spending more time with the Lord in His Word, and in prayer. Once we locate that thing in us, that passion, we then need to seek the Lord as to how (and where) He wants us to use it.
My passion is encouraging people in their God-given gifting and purpose. In fact soon after meeting someone for the first time, I can't wait to find out their occupation....what they love to do, and what is their vision for the future. Though God gives the gifts, it's our responsibility to follow through in finding them out, then using them in the way He tells us, - all for His Glory. This is what the Parable of the Talents means in Matthew 25 v 15 - 29.
You are a unique being, created in the image of God, and have something about you that no one else has, or knows. Something that will be of great help and blessing to another. It's the devil's job however, to make you feel insignificant, and of no value, - but I'm here to tell you, - that is a great big fat lie because the Truth is, - he is scared of you!
Zechariah 4 v 10 tells us; 'Not to despise the day of small beginnings...'
So don't!
No comments:
Post a Comment