Laurie immediately dallied a loop around her saddle horn.
Hillari kept the rope attached to Farrih’s head. She stood away from the gelding but close to the mare, not wanting to get the ropes tangled. Hillari took a deep breath and signaled to Laurie.
The buckskin was a cow-savvy horse and used to being used for roping. Laurie gently squeezed her legs, asking him to move ahead at a gentle angle while staying on the trail. In slow motion, her gelding eased forward, drawing the rope taut.
Farrih felt the tension and her head swung up. Her gaze darted side-to-side.
The buckskin set his feet, buckled down, and slowly moved forward.
Hillari chewed on her lip. Is this going to work? She gently pulled the rope tied around the mare’s neck. “C’mon, girl. Give it a try.”
The mare lunged forward.
The gelding moved quickly, keeping the tension steady on the rope.
The mare rested for a second.
When Laurie urged her horse to move again, the buckskin slowly chugged ahead and the rope pulled even tighter on the mare’s saddle.
At the same time, Hillari wiggled the rope and urged, “C’mon, girl! Tch…tch…tch.”
Farrih reared up as much as possible and threw her shoulders and legs forward.
The gelding continued to pull.
The mare continued to flail. Grunting, Farrih’s body finally rocked forward, as if she were climbing stairs. Higher and higher she rose until she scrambled onto the hardpan. She stumbled as she caught her balance. Her body was coated with gray sand. Exhausted, she widened her stance to steady herself and dropped her head as she gasped for breath
Hillari bounded toward her. “That was great, Farrih!” She wrapped her arms around her horse’s neck. She looked at Laurie. “You guys did great too!” Hillari’s knees felt rubbery as she brushed the sand from around her mare’s eyes and off her soft muzzle. She untied the rope around her neck, and then undid the rope tied to the saddle. Tears welled up in her eyes as she coiled the lariats. Because she’d heeded the wisdom of an old cowboy, they’d rescued Farrih!
Being prepared has everything to do with coming out on the winning side. Practice and preparation are the backbones of every endeavor, from football players to Olympic athletes, from parents to businesspeople. Even children in primary school practice for their Christmas concerts. It’s easy to see that we need to be equipped to face everyday life. But how often do we prepare for the biggest battle that rages around us? It’s the battle between good and evil, between God and the devil. It’s the battle for our hearts, souls, and minds. Do we prepare spiritually with the same enthusiasm we do if we’re practicing for sports? Is there a regimen of training we follow to build our faith? Do we start our day ready to defeat the enemy with spiritual force and gusto? The apostle Paul gives us a key to being ready to tackle the daily war between good and evil:
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12).
Verses 13 through 19 go on to define what the armor of God is. I love envisioning myself wearing His armor. We don God’s armor by investing time with Him and studying His Word (the Bible). Then we put His love, and mercy, and grace, and wisdom into practice every day.
Hillari and Laurie saved Farrih’s life because they were prepared. We can come out winners too by tying the rope of God’s Word to our hearts. This lariat will rescue us every time we ride through rough country. Let’s savor that wisdom from the old, wiry cowboy: “A smart rider never rides through rough country without a good rope.”
Lord, open my eyes to the battle that rages for my heart, soul, and mind. Give me a passion to dig my teeth into Your Word and put Your wisdom into practice each day. Amen.
• Thoughts to Ponder •
Have you thought about the spiritual battle that is being waged over your heart, soul, and mind? What can you do to jump into battle fully prepared?
8
BE STILL
Silence
Rows of snowcapped peaks lined Montana’s Flathead Valley. The September breeze whispered through the golden aspen leaves. I stood in the center of the 60-foot, metal, round pen with my hands hanging by my sides. A coiled lariat was in my right hand. Shaking my head in frustration, I watched my new black Tennessee walker mare fly around the rails like she was a raving lunatic. Dazzle’s head was arched as she looked over the rail and away from me. Her hooves thundered over the soft ground, occasionally kicking up clods of dirt. I dropped my eyes and stared at the ground to “release” the pressure from her, but she kept charging full-speed ahead. What happened? I wondered. I’d ridden her before I’d purchased her a couple of days ago. She hadn’t been anything like this.
The mare blasted like a rocket orbiting around me. I glanced at my watch. Noon. I had commitments this afternoon. After I finished in the round pen, I’d need to spiff up before I went to town. My schedule was so jam-packed between work, church, and volunteer activities that I barely had room to breathe. How long is this going to take? My goal was to shape the beginning of my relationship with Dazzle by establishing myself as her leader. I wanted to end her training session on a positive note, but she wouldn’t even look at me! I frowned. She’s acting crazy. God, what should I do?
I kicked the toe of my boot into the dirt. In my spirit I heard, “Stop her. She thinks she’s running away from you. Work her at a walk.” My eyebrows furrowed. I shrugged my shoulders. Raising my lariat, I extended it to the side and walked toward the rail. Dazzle galloped toward me with her head to the outside. As she got closer she slowed and turned her head. Her gaze was on me. I raised the lariat and stepped toward the rail, creating an imaginary fence with my arm.
Bracing all four feet, Dazzle skidded to a stop. Instantly she pivoted 180 degrees and gathered her haunches underneath her so she could take off in the other direction. But I moved quickly and blocked her path. After a couple failed attempts to escape, the mare stood facing the fence. Her sides heaved as she gasped for breath. I lowered my voice and said, “Good girl, Dazzle. Just stand there and be at peace.” All the muscles in her body trembled.
She’s more comfortable running full-out than standing in peace, I thought. She’s like me. I like to run at mach 10 too. Then I justified my actions. But that way I get more done.
While I stood waiting for the mare’s breathing to slow I heard God speak to my spirit. “Do you? That’s when you run off and forget about Me.” I groaned because I knew it was true. When I was pressed for time, my mind whirled with my to-do list. I’d never stop long enough to ask God what He was doing and to see how I could join up with His plans.
For the next hour I worked with Dazzle, teaching her to take one step then stop. Another step, another stop. One foot at a time she slowed and gradually relaxed. Before the lesson was over, she was calmly walking around the pen, keeping me in the center of her attention.
When I turned my mare loose for the day, I asked God what He had planned, and I focused my eyes on what He was doing.
While training Dazzle, God tossed a lariat over me. He reminded me of the wisdom in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” It’s my heart’s desire to join up with Him, yet how can I do that if I act like Dazzle? How can I be part of the incredible things He has planned when I race through life looking over the rail toward the outside of my life instead of looking toward the center—my life in and with Him?
In this noisy world of blaring distractions, how do we focus our eyes and hearts on God? For me, every day has some battles, but I’m winning by doing some simple things. The first thing I do is start my day with God—even if it’s only for a few minutes. I make sure that I’m by myself and somewhere quiet where all distractions are turned off as much as possible. These
moments set the compass of my faith to guide the direction of my day. The second thing I do is fun. I put sticky notes around my home and in my day planner. The hot-pink, apple-green, and bright-yellow notes add a rainbow of color to my day and catch my gaze. Sometimes I scribble Scriptures on them or a simple reminder to check in with God. When I see them, they stop me in my tracks so that I am still and know that He is God.
Lord, show me creative ways to join up with You and Your plan throughout my busy day. Amen.
• Thoughts to Ponder •
Do you race through life like Dazzle galloped around the round pen? When you do this, is it hard to keep yourself focused on God? What are some fun things you can do to change that?
9
STUDLY
The Choice
Clumps of blooming wildflowers dotted the rolling pasture lands in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan, Canada. The cool evening air rustled the grass. Gray puffs of clouds drifted through the pale-blue sky. Ross and Claire rode their horses through the milk cow’s field on the way to the pasture where the cattle were calving. The married couple had ranched for decades, and they often rode together to check on the cows. It made the work go much faster, and it was a pleasant time to catch up with each other.
As they approached the metal gate, Claire reined her tall, black gelding named Sheik to the side. Ross nudged Studly, his sorrel stallion with four white feet, next to the gate. He’d installed a spring-loaded vertical handle on the gate so he could open it easily from the saddle. Ross’s saddle creaked as he leaned forward, grasped the gate handle, and pulled.
Claire squeezed her legs, urging Sheik to walk through the opening. As they passed Studly, she heard a strange noise. A low, dull sound. She cocked her head and tried to locate where it was coming from. It resembled the sound of bone grating on bone. Instantly her gelding sped up and squirted through the gate. The noise stopped. Claire frowned. Did that sound come from Studly? After Ross had closed the gate, she reined her black horse next to the stallion. The hollow grating noise started once again. Instantly her gelding scooted to the side. Claire glanced over her shoulder. Studly’s jaw was sawing from left to right. He was grinding his teeth! Although Studly wasn’t biting, squealing, or being outwardly aggressive, he was seething. In the core of his being he was a stallion. His nature demanded that he protect his territory from outside intruders. The stud looked at Sheik as a male rival. Although the stallion had been trained to behave and obey outwardly, his heart hadn’t been tamed. He was a stallion through and through.
A while back I was in a situation where I acted like Studly. I felt like I was a guinea pig in a mad scientist’s experiment. My patience wore thin and I complained, but things only got worse. Every time I was around the mad scientist, my heart would pound. I could feel the tension rise up inside me. Frustration and anger became my close friends. I invested every thought into nurturing the bitterness in my heart. Then early one morning God arrested me as I sat in my prayer chair reading Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” God spoke to my spirit with His still small voice. He said that the anger, frustration, bitterness, and resentment had built a wall between Him and me. This barrier was undermining my faith. Then God said, “Your feelings are your choice.”
I felt like I’d been slapped. Of course He was right. By dwelling on those feelings, I’d caused them to grow. It was as if I’d been grinding my teeth like Studly. On the outside I behaved, but on the inside I was seething. God created people on a higher level than animals. We humans can choose how we will respond, how we will approach various situations. We aren’t trapped in animalistic thoughts or behaviors.
In my situation, the real problem wasn’t the mad scientist. Nobody could make me feel angry, resentful, or bitter. It was my choice how I responded. I’d programmed my heart with a diet of trash. As the adage says, “Garbage in, Garbage out.” At any point in time I could choose to stop my internal tirade.
I slumped in my chair as I asked God to forgive me and to help me tame my heart. The transformation didn’t happen overnight. I consciously had to look at the problem as if it were a red-hot, cast-iron skillet. Each time the situation arose, I could choose to pick up the thoughts, grind my teeth, and singe my relationship with God or I could leave it lie and nurture thoughts of how much my relationship with God means to me. The decision was mine.
Lord, when I choose to harbor things that stand between us, please tell me what they are and help me overcome them. Amen.
• Thoughts to Ponder •
Are there any situations in your life where you are bitter, resentful, or angry? Do you realize those feelings build a wall between God and you? Have you asked Him to help you tame your heart?
10
UNLIKELY PROSPECT
A Dream in Disguise
The answering machine was beeping as Ute opened the back door and stepped into her home. She pushed the button and listened to the message. It was Beth, a college student and the owner of a 17-hands-tall thoroughbred mare. Ute had planned to buy the mare a few months ago, but the deal had fallen through. Between sobs, Beth was sharing that she was on spring break in Florida and one of her friends told her that someone at the barn, where she boarded the mare, had beaten the horse over the head with a shovel. Her friend had texted a picture of Tory with an enormous lump over her eye. Worse yet, the horse looked emaciated. Beth’s voice floundered. She’d fallen behind in the boarding fees. The barn owner told her that Tory was only good for the meat market, and they were going to haul her off later that day. Beth pleaded, “I don’t know what to do. Please call me back.”
Ute’s stomach felt like it was tied in knots. She’d discovered the horse the previous fall while browsing horse classifieds on the Web. She’d glimpsed a photo of a bay mare swimming in a lake with her rider. Upon calling the number, she learned that the owner was a college student who didn’t have time to go to the barn. The mare had championship bloodlines and sounded exactly like what Ute was looking for. Her dream was to buy a mare and raise a colt from birth so that she could develop a special, lifelong bond with a horse.
When the sale price was discussed Ute had inhaled deeply. Perhaps the horse was worth the price, but it was way more than she could spend. Months later Beth called and lowered her price. It was still a stretch for Ute, but at least it was doable. Ute prayed about the situation, and she felt that this was to be her dream horse. After riding the mare, they’d struck a deal and set a delivery date. But the day before the horse was to be delivered, Beth called. The mare had contracted strangles (equine distemper), which was highly contagious. Ute couldn’t risk bringing the mare to her barn and infecting her other horse. With a heavy heart, she cancelled the purchase.
Ute stared at the answering machine. Could Tory still be my dream horse? God, what do You want me to do? After praying and talking with her husband, Jay, Ute returned the call.
Beth’s hands were tied; there wasn’t anything she could do from Florida. She begged Ute, “Please take her. You can have her. But you have to get her today.”
Ute rushed out to the garage and relayed the more detailed story to her husband.
Jay looked at her and grinned. “Well, find someone with a trailer and let’s go get her.”
When they arrived, Ute wasn’t prepared for what she saw. Walking into the barn she had to choke back tears. Tory stood cross-tied in the concrete aisle, only a shadow of the horse she’d been a couple months before. Her head hung in dejection, her neck was sunk in, and every rib showed. A lump stuck out beneath her eyes. Worst of all, there wasn’t any life in her eyes.
Carefully Ute loaded Tory into the trailer, and they drove her home. When they took her to the clinic, the vet confirmed the mare had a skull fracture that hadn’t completely healed. Although they couldn’t determine the cause, the consensus was some kind of blunt trauma.
Ute diligently worked at healing Tory’s physical and emotional scars from being abused. Over the next
few years, Ute nursed the mare through major health challenges. The hours she invested in caring for Tory created an indelibly deep bond between them. Whenever Ute would open the barn door, Tory would softly whinny and stick her head over the stall wall to look for her, impatiently waiting for Ute to come over and gently scratch her forehead. When Ute cleaned her stall, Tory would press her head against Ute’s back or chest looking for attention. Ute’s dream didn’t look anything like she’d thought it would. In time she learned that Tory could never be bred due to a previous breech birth. To Ute, none of that mattered anymore. God obviously had had something else in mind.
• Tory •
What dream have you had that took an unexpected turn? At times I think I’ve missed my dream because it didn’t look anything like what I thought it would. But now when I look back I figure the dream turned out exactly as God had in mind. Sometime dreams come disguised in different-looking packages, wrapped with crazy paper, and adorned with ribbons that don’t match. It’s like the story of Moses’ mother. Although her given name isn’t mentioned in this particular passage, she plays a vital role in the history of the world.
When this Levite woman gave birth to Moses, an order by the Egyptian pharaoh was in effect. Afraid that the Hebrew slaves were too numerous and might turn against them, Pharaoh ordered that if a Hebrew boy were born, he was to be immediately killed. For three months after Moses was born, his mother, Jochebed, risked her life by hiding him (Exodus 6:20; 2:2).
Did Jochebed wonder, as she tucked her sweet baby out of sight, if her dream was really a nightmare? That perhaps the timing of her pregnancy was all wrong? Where was God in all of this turmoil? But she clung to hope and diligently kept her firstborn hidden. When she couldn’t hide the growing baby anymore, she created a little boat out of a basket and placed him inside. Did she pray that God would protect him as she set it among the reeds along the shore of the river? Did her heart pound in her chest when she heard that Pharaoh’s daughter had found him? Did she worry she might have the baby killed?
Great Horse Stories Page 4
