It's amazing really. A curve of the back. An arch of the spine. A twist and a split second jump.
What can be a normal body movement for a horse can wreak havoc on our puny human bodies, leaving a lingering reminder of their power... most often in our spine.
The horse simply thinks he's saying "no thanks.... please get off" and our body interprets it quite differently.
The same it is with our human actions and words and facial expressions.
We buck other people more often than we know.
And the effects? Well, they last quite longer than we often realize.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
she chose
"Well, she chose it, I gave her the best I could". As the Trainer shut and latched the back of the trailer his heart sank within him. After 11 months or working with a young mustang mare, it was decided to return her to the BLM. He had been her third trainer, and she had been the first mustang that decided to be untouchable under His guidance.
She came out of the Nevada wilderness, bony and wild with little shine left in her eyes. Her first experience with mankind up close was a chaotic one, a world of confusion, slamming gates, sweat and cuts. It was the better choice for her, but to her, it seemed counteractive and hypocritical.
The first trainer to handle her came off tolerable at the surface, but once the mare reached the new training grounds she found her trainer to be a religious zealot as it relates to training. He had been taught one way and that, in his fire and brimstone mind, was the only way to train a horse. He was harsh, she was not allowed to doubt, wonder or ask questions at all. Just submit. But she had a wild, rebellious spirit, given to her in order to survive the wilderness, and she used it now to show her trainer that his closed mindedness had no control over her. As time went on she became more out of control and he selfishly decided he ought to pass along the stubborn mare as to not hurt his own reputation.
Round two seemed glorious at first glance, but the mare only found herself confused in the end. Her first few days she roamed the new pasture at free will, eating green grass and racing around. The new 10 acres seemed familiar. It was the nearest she had been to her original creation since before her supposedly beneficial capture. Between great lulls of time her new trainer would come out and ask a little of her, but with a wild foot forward she was able to push her trainer into a corner and convince him that staying back would always be the best option for them both. Weeks went by and her free will grew a little less satisfying with grass being eaten past its roots and half empty troughs only supplying her with green water beneath a layer of yet brighter green growth. Her hooves now ached, her ribs were showing and she could only stand slightly comfortable if she stood with a backward lean. There was no peace, although free will was plenty. The fence holding her in could have fallen over, but she still would not have successfully been able to move forward without some guidance. Yet one morning as she lay slowly breathing a graceful image seemed to coax her up. She drug her hooves forward as she was asked to load and then merely collapsed again in the trailer.
Round three was about to begin. It was her best chance by far. Her new trainer spoke with a gentle voice. He didn't ask her to stand up, He commanded it, yet with a softness and patience in His voice. She had never experienced the two hand in hand. She seemed to have hope rise within her as she lifted her emaciated body. As weeks passed she saw her trainer every day, even on days she would rather be left alone, He was present. Some days He asked things of her, He asked her to trust, He asked her to listen and to learn and He gave her chance after chance after chance. A soft light returned to her eyes, stronger then the day of her capture. For a minute, she was captivated by this new Trainer. She wanted to know Him more. But she decided to not look any farther, she decided to not trust. He allowed her to ask as many questions as she wanted, as many times as she wanted. He abounded with grace and patience. Sometimes it looked as if she would trust and try to understand, but ultimately it was her who decided to walk away.
Her trainer decided that after nearly a year of reaching out to her, He had to return her to the BLM. No more short term corrals, no more trainers, good or bad. Her chance had passed and she would only roam the long term pastures now. And while in someways it was appealing, she would never know the satisfaction of becoming one creation and moving in step with her Trainer.
Is it the same story with us? As it relates to religion that is? It seems in this world we either have people in our lives who are cramming their religious views down our throats or people who claim to be "praying for us" but that is the only Godly guidance they give us, if they actually DO go pray for us that is. Then we get to the point, that real religion comes along... a true relationship with God is offered to us, someone comes to our life who is not forceful and not fake, someone who truly represents God, but we have been so exhausted by the false religion in our life that we don't want to attempt to take hold of what is true.
We all need to keep ourselves in check in SO many ways (ME included). Are we stuck in a religious form that we only stick to because it is what we know and then we try to force others to believe it but don't really know why? Are we comfortable going to church and smiling nicely, telling people we are there for them and praying for them when we really don't? Or on the other side of the story, are we giving up on who Jesus really is because to us He has been severely misrepresented in our lives so now we miss it all together? If your representing your King wrong, check yourself and get realigned. If you have been on the crazy receiving end, don't give up. He is really out there. Don't walk on by because there will be a day that you will never be able to come back to that place of knowing Him and His heart will sink. HE is not the one that is sending you to long term pastures, it's your choice.
Working with the Good Trainer is an opportunity you don't want to miss. He offers so many freedoms and yet gives certain boundaries to help you. Imagine training your horse without boundaries. Raising your child without rules? They have to be there to guide right? That's why God has set boundaries for us too. Yet those boundaries never seem to restrict at all. There is amazing freedom with Him.
And if you are to the point that you doubt there is a Good Trainer out there at all, go look at your child, or the thing you hold most dear, look at the creation around you. Look at the details. Are we really going to write that off to chance? Evolution? Even if there was a big bang... someone had to create the particles that caused the bang. But it goes beyond that. It is choosing to have faith that will bless your soul more than all else. Imagine if the mare tired one more time to trust.
God's is so real. He adores you. He's a Good Trainer. Take His lead.
A good trainer sets expectations and then gives choices, never forces.
So now He is asking you to choose.
She came out of the Nevada wilderness, bony and wild with little shine left in her eyes. Her first experience with mankind up close was a chaotic one, a world of confusion, slamming gates, sweat and cuts. It was the better choice for her, but to her, it seemed counteractive and hypocritical.
The first trainer to handle her came off tolerable at the surface, but once the mare reached the new training grounds she found her trainer to be a religious zealot as it relates to training. He had been taught one way and that, in his fire and brimstone mind, was the only way to train a horse. He was harsh, she was not allowed to doubt, wonder or ask questions at all. Just submit. But she had a wild, rebellious spirit, given to her in order to survive the wilderness, and she used it now to show her trainer that his closed mindedness had no control over her. As time went on she became more out of control and he selfishly decided he ought to pass along the stubborn mare as to not hurt his own reputation.
Round two seemed glorious at first glance, but the mare only found herself confused in the end. Her first few days she roamed the new pasture at free will, eating green grass and racing around. The new 10 acres seemed familiar. It was the nearest she had been to her original creation since before her supposedly beneficial capture. Between great lulls of time her new trainer would come out and ask a little of her, but with a wild foot forward she was able to push her trainer into a corner and convince him that staying back would always be the best option for them both. Weeks went by and her free will grew a little less satisfying with grass being eaten past its roots and half empty troughs only supplying her with green water beneath a layer of yet brighter green growth. Her hooves now ached, her ribs were showing and she could only stand slightly comfortable if she stood with a backward lean. There was no peace, although free will was plenty. The fence holding her in could have fallen over, but she still would not have successfully been able to move forward without some guidance. Yet one morning as she lay slowly breathing a graceful image seemed to coax her up. She drug her hooves forward as she was asked to load and then merely collapsed again in the trailer.
Round three was about to begin. It was her best chance by far. Her new trainer spoke with a gentle voice. He didn't ask her to stand up, He commanded it, yet with a softness and patience in His voice. She had never experienced the two hand in hand. She seemed to have hope rise within her as she lifted her emaciated body. As weeks passed she saw her trainer every day, even on days she would rather be left alone, He was present. Some days He asked things of her, He asked her to trust, He asked her to listen and to learn and He gave her chance after chance after chance. A soft light returned to her eyes, stronger then the day of her capture. For a minute, she was captivated by this new Trainer. She wanted to know Him more. But she decided to not look any farther, she decided to not trust. He allowed her to ask as many questions as she wanted, as many times as she wanted. He abounded with grace and patience. Sometimes it looked as if she would trust and try to understand, but ultimately it was her who decided to walk away.
Her trainer decided that after nearly a year of reaching out to her, He had to return her to the BLM. No more short term corrals, no more trainers, good or bad. Her chance had passed and she would only roam the long term pastures now. And while in someways it was appealing, she would never know the satisfaction of becoming one creation and moving in step with her Trainer.
Is it the same story with us? As it relates to religion that is? It seems in this world we either have people in our lives who are cramming their religious views down our throats or people who claim to be "praying for us" but that is the only Godly guidance they give us, if they actually DO go pray for us that is. Then we get to the point, that real religion comes along... a true relationship with God is offered to us, someone comes to our life who is not forceful and not fake, someone who truly represents God, but we have been so exhausted by the false religion in our life that we don't want to attempt to take hold of what is true.
We all need to keep ourselves in check in SO many ways (ME included). Are we stuck in a religious form that we only stick to because it is what we know and then we try to force others to believe it but don't really know why? Are we comfortable going to church and smiling nicely, telling people we are there for them and praying for them when we really don't? Or on the other side of the story, are we giving up on who Jesus really is because to us He has been severely misrepresented in our lives so now we miss it all together? If your representing your King wrong, check yourself and get realigned. If you have been on the crazy receiving end, don't give up. He is really out there. Don't walk on by because there will be a day that you will never be able to come back to that place of knowing Him and His heart will sink. HE is not the one that is sending you to long term pastures, it's your choice.
Working with the Good Trainer is an opportunity you don't want to miss. He offers so many freedoms and yet gives certain boundaries to help you. Imagine training your horse without boundaries. Raising your child without rules? They have to be there to guide right? That's why God has set boundaries for us too. Yet those boundaries never seem to restrict at all. There is amazing freedom with Him.
And if you are to the point that you doubt there is a Good Trainer out there at all, go look at your child, or the thing you hold most dear, look at the creation around you. Look at the details. Are we really going to write that off to chance? Evolution? Even if there was a big bang... someone had to create the particles that caused the bang. But it goes beyond that. It is choosing to have faith that will bless your soul more than all else. Imagine if the mare tired one more time to trust.
God's is so real. He adores you. He's a Good Trainer. Take His lead.
A good trainer sets expectations and then gives choices, never forces.
So now He is asking you to choose.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Fairly Unwound.
Everyone heard it coming. There was a pause in the air and a lifting of heads and ears. Those who are there every year knew who had just arrived. A sense of joy and peace that these summer festivities usually bring seemed to quickly evaporate as if dew into the hot morning air.
The bangs, screeching, whinnying, and side to side sway of the trailer came to prove that the high strung mare had once again arrived to take her stance among other four legged 4H competitors. Not only did she possess this tightly wound attitude, but even more so did her owners, acting as if everything was a burden or a chore and needed only to be done with quick seriousness. As the family unloaded the mare and her equipment, everything was done so task oriented that not a glance was made at the crowd who, moments before, were laughing and decorating stalls together. It was their favorite summer tradition every year. One onlooker even bravely emerged from the crowd to greet the family and their bossy competitor, only to be given a cold shoulder casting him off as a waste of time. This family was tightly wound. Every year has been the same. Not only did the joy cease in their family due to the lack of peace, but they seemed to have a black hole effect, draining the joy of others around them whether they knew it or not.
This year, this tightly wound equine had a stall next to one of the largest, most steadfast Quarter Horses known in the area. Through the evening the mare kicked and yelled, and then it stopped... to a point that the campers were alarmed, wondering if something had happened to the mare. A few campers bravely went into the barn... only to find the Quarter Horse resting his chin on the top of the Mare's head. And she merely just stood there. She had peace.
These two things, peace and unrest, can be so contagious can't they? This sweet mare was merely falling victim to the cancerous attitude around her, as horses often do.
We are guilty of the same thing in our personal lives.
At times we get so driven we don't realize we CAN slow down, and if we try, it just doesn't seem normal because we have been so driven for so long that we just continue back in our unrest because it's what we know.
But peace is SO good once we let it settle in and we let some childhood joy back in our hearts.
Believe it or not... that IS what God wants for us. Even if there is chaos going on around us. We will never get there though, unless we allow Him to speak to us and show us this.
"Ministry" is not always about being program based and driven, but it is more often than not about being in each moment and ministering there. We need to not be so busy that we miss the ministry opportunities in front of us with family... or... the onlookers, the crowd around us. Are we giving them the cold shoulder and not even realizing what we're doing?
You deserve peace, they deserve peace... and God IS peace.
Let Him rest His chin on top of your head, and just stand there... soak it in... and then share it.
The bangs, screeching, whinnying, and side to side sway of the trailer came to prove that the high strung mare had once again arrived to take her stance among other four legged 4H competitors. Not only did she possess this tightly wound attitude, but even more so did her owners, acting as if everything was a burden or a chore and needed only to be done with quick seriousness. As the family unloaded the mare and her equipment, everything was done so task oriented that not a glance was made at the crowd who, moments before, were laughing and decorating stalls together. It was their favorite summer tradition every year. One onlooker even bravely emerged from the crowd to greet the family and their bossy competitor, only to be given a cold shoulder casting him off as a waste of time. This family was tightly wound. Every year has been the same. Not only did the joy cease in their family due to the lack of peace, but they seemed to have a black hole effect, draining the joy of others around them whether they knew it or not.
This year, this tightly wound equine had a stall next to one of the largest, most steadfast Quarter Horses known in the area. Through the evening the mare kicked and yelled, and then it stopped... to a point that the campers were alarmed, wondering if something had happened to the mare. A few campers bravely went into the barn... only to find the Quarter Horse resting his chin on the top of the Mare's head. And she merely just stood there. She had peace.
These two things, peace and unrest, can be so contagious can't they? This sweet mare was merely falling victim to the cancerous attitude around her, as horses often do.
We are guilty of the same thing in our personal lives.
At times we get so driven we don't realize we CAN slow down, and if we try, it just doesn't seem normal because we have been so driven for so long that we just continue back in our unrest because it's what we know.
But peace is SO good once we let it settle in and we let some childhood joy back in our hearts.
Believe it or not... that IS what God wants for us. Even if there is chaos going on around us. We will never get there though, unless we allow Him to speak to us and show us this.
"Ministry" is not always about being program based and driven, but it is more often than not about being in each moment and ministering there. We need to not be so busy that we miss the ministry opportunities in front of us with family... or... the onlookers, the crowd around us. Are we giving them the cold shoulder and not even realizing what we're doing?
You deserve peace, they deserve peace... and God IS peace.
Let Him rest His chin on top of your head, and just stand there... soak it in... and then share it.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Out In The Storm
The storm was not even detectable yet to my human body, yet the horses started to form parallel lines facing in a south east directions. Heads hung low as if asleep, yet stirring inside with great expectation of something beyond their control. Although they had shelter, it is not a place they choose to be in such a moment of unknown. Naturally flighty, one may think that a response to a storm might cause a panic in horses, yet it does quite the opposite, they rarely panic, and they rarely hide.
Although I have heard many people scoff at them in these moments,
"Stupid Horses... they just don't know better".
I tend to disagree...There is some wisdom there that I am still trying to wrap my mind around.
Bracing for the storm.
Being calm in the storm.
Knowing that energy is better spent in quiet confidence then in running panic.
As Tropical Storm Emily approaches my husband in Haiti today and I sit way north in Michigan, I simply choose to face myself in a south east position, and pray. Worry, panic, it does no good. Magnifying the situation and speculating, this is of no value either. I take this moment to ask you to please do the same. I know Rob will be fine, but please pray for the people of Haiti, they have no choice but to brace themselves, pray for the effects of the storm coming their way to be minimal. Pray for them to stand confident in their Lord when again, another round of destruction attempts to make its way into their lives.
Looking at horses in a storm I almost want to ask, "How do you just KNOW you are going to be ok!? Why do you choose to stand in the midst of the storm instead of taking shelter?" Perhaps they are confident in their Creator and know that He's in control. What will be, will be.
We can have such crazy "storms" in our lives can't we!? Some are beyond our control with the crazy choices others make that influence us.
Running around and blaming and raging and worrying and panicking and gossiping and magnifying is not going to change the storm one bit, if anything it adds to it.
Instead, choose to surround yourself with a positive group of people...
find your heard and be still.
When there is drama, when there is hurt, be still.
Be still. Trust your Creator.
Be still.
Although I have heard many people scoff at them in these moments,
"Stupid Horses... they just don't know better".
I tend to disagree...There is some wisdom there that I am still trying to wrap my mind around.
Bracing for the storm.
Being calm in the storm.
Knowing that energy is better spent in quiet confidence then in running panic.
As Tropical Storm Emily approaches my husband in Haiti today and I sit way north in Michigan, I simply choose to face myself in a south east position, and pray. Worry, panic, it does no good. Magnifying the situation and speculating, this is of no value either. I take this moment to ask you to please do the same. I know Rob will be fine, but please pray for the people of Haiti, they have no choice but to brace themselves, pray for the effects of the storm coming their way to be minimal. Pray for them to stand confident in their Lord when again, another round of destruction attempts to make its way into their lives.
Looking at horses in a storm I almost want to ask, "How do you just KNOW you are going to be ok!? Why do you choose to stand in the midst of the storm instead of taking shelter?" Perhaps they are confident in their Creator and know that He's in control. What will be, will be.
We can have such crazy "storms" in our lives can't we!? Some are beyond our control with the crazy choices others make that influence us.
Running around and blaming and raging and worrying and panicking and gossiping and magnifying is not going to change the storm one bit, if anything it adds to it.
Instead, choose to surround yourself with a positive group of people...
find your heard and be still.
When there is drama, when there is hurt, be still.
Be still. Trust your Creator.
Be still.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Flies in the Son
Sympathy quickly dripped from my forehead in beads as I went out to do chores today.
It was a hot one, even for the animals. I shooed Blaze out of his stall to clean and while I lifted the fork I glanced over and noticed my guy stomping, bucking and kicking more than usual.
A horsefly was persistently after him.
How can something so small and lowly agitate something so grand and powerful to the point of insanity!? And why are the flies always worse in the sun?
In our lives too, there is an interesting parallel. When we are closer to God, when we are... in the SON, we seem to get attacked more too don't we? And we tend to forget how powerful and grand we are created to be.
We need to realize our grandness, or more importantly the grandness of the God living in us. We need to wrap our mind around the thought that the Holy Spirit is a huge crushing stomping hoof... and He never misses when we ask.
You see.... we NEED to get it....
We need to understand that.
God's desire for us is NOT to let a pesky lowly problem drive us back into our stalls.
Rather, God wants us to stay in the sun, or the Son if you will....
Because that is where the grass grows, that is where life is! That is where we thrive.
Trust Him who is in you. He is greater. Stay in the Son.
The slam of His hoof is mighty... and it is final.
It was a hot one, even for the animals. I shooed Blaze out of his stall to clean and while I lifted the fork I glanced over and noticed my guy stomping, bucking and kicking more than usual.
A horsefly was persistently after him.
How can something so small and lowly agitate something so grand and powerful to the point of insanity!? And why are the flies always worse in the sun?
In our lives too, there is an interesting parallel. When we are closer to God, when we are... in the SON, we seem to get attacked more too don't we? And we tend to forget how powerful and grand we are created to be.
We need to realize our grandness, or more importantly the grandness of the God living in us. We need to wrap our mind around the thought that the Holy Spirit is a huge crushing stomping hoof... and He never misses when we ask.
You see.... we NEED to get it....
We need to understand that.
God's desire for us is NOT to let a pesky lowly problem drive us back into our stalls.
Rather, God wants us to stay in the sun, or the Son if you will....
Because that is where the grass grows, that is where life is! That is where we thrive.
Trust Him who is in you. He is greater. Stay in the Son.
The slam of His hoof is mighty... and it is final.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)