My daughter says, “Trying to catch a small, fat horse named Maggie May that doesn’t want to be caught is like trying to nail jelly to a tree.”
Good morning! Routines have been temptingly difficult this week; and actually increasingly difficult for the last several weeks. Tired from this long lasting cough, pneumococcal pneumonia which comes with fatigue, etc., but life won’t stop and wait for a mom to catch up. Perhaps you are going through something difficult that you wonder is it worth it? Finally, today is one of the best days of feeling like, what my faith already knew, that this thing too is going to pass!
Below is a Scripture to encourage you in your strength and joy, if you are facing something even more difficult than this like my husband did last year:
1 Peter 5:10English Standard Version (ESV)
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
This morning, although I was rejoicing in actually feeling like, to even enjoying cooking breakfast; I didn’t have room in my weary mind to add chasing down a tiny horse; nailing jelly to a tree; nor walking the fence to see where this little horse was escaping from. Yet, stress began to come AT me as I realized the additional responsibility that needed to be met this morning; and all within the remaining time-frame of our morning school routine, which wasn’t more than fifteen minutes!
Maggie-May, our tiny miniature horse had once again escaped; and only because she could! I knew mostly likely this cute and tiny horse may love us, but that she may not be ready to go back in the field to eat hay, with all this green grass she had just discovered in our yard with yesterday’s escape; and now again today we are seeing her where she is not supposed to be! Typically, the horses will stay together regardless of which side of the fence, but in the back of my mind wonders the “what-ifs” and with that comes stress tumbling AT me.
We have a choice NOT to LET stress come IN us though.
What comes AT us only requests a response; and the response we give is our choice to make!
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1).”
These same tempting frustrations come AT me yesterday as we were coming home from work and school; and Maggie-May stood there as a demand of our time –there was no choice in the situation! Yet, we did have a choice in our reponse!
Yesterday, I was once again reminded by grace that this challenge was actually such a grand opportunity for our son to demonstrate what he could do! And, also, for me to be reminded of that country feeling of doing the work around a farm –and every time we are forced to work at the barn side, it is really an excuse to experience fresh air and all that nature has to offer us that we many times choose to avoid! Why? Human nature perhaps?
Sometimes it takes something to push us somewhere better …
God is teaching us that our spiritual nature overcomes all things! God knows what we need! And, What a blessing it really turned out to be! A blessing that I looked at as a burden, but was really a challenge to my faith with an opportunity to experience more than I could comprehend; or see in that weary moment with my own tired and busy agenda of all that that I thought needed to be done and done right now, which is not always so!
Well, isn’t that just like how God blesses us? That we go through difficult things, but that God shows up in our life; and makes us feel alive in a place that we so seldom visit with Him –where God is, 1st because of the sacrifice that Jesus has made for us, and also hand in hand, because of the sacrifice on our part that takes us to that place that is only found meeting at the fence in the middle! Like that country songs says, “you start walking my way and I’ll start walking yours, we’ll meet in the middle …”
Stress seems to come at us often it seems; and at just the right time awaiting a response from us! This morning was no different! Maggie May had crossed the fence again and she was loose in the yard. Our son was eager to repeat yesterday, “I can do it! Please Mom. Just let me go catch her now!” At first, I was looking at the clock that we were right on time to leave for school and not wanting to be late. Thinking like a mom about the mud and things that could go much differently than yesterday, especially on a tight morning schedule that was going so smooth!
Who wants to purposely introduce more stress into our day? Not me! Yet, I remembered the pride (and all pride is not bad) in his face after Daniel accomplished his mission of doing good and doing the thing that needed to be done! We can be a part of something bigger than us! TIME with God!
I watched Daniel’s confidence arise in his abilities that God has given him! Still, early this morning, the stress was coming at me about the fence –That little horse is getting out somewhere; and until we find the place, she’ll just escape again! So why waste the time, was my first thought? My first inclination was to just leave her in the yard until I got home, but the Spirit of God nudged me to allow our son to learn what it is to work on the farm; and to experience what he can do to build his self-esteem.
Daniel asked to run the fence, “I can be back in just a couple of minutes mom; please let me!” How do you turn that down? I gladly said yes. Morning exercise, fresh air and doing something productive is a great way to spend time with God! And, somethings we can learn that are even as important –if not more in life to learn in life and how to survive in this world than school work. After he returned, I sent him out to catch Maggie May before we left for school –yes miraculously, there was still time! So, there was time after all; and time with God was all we needed to know!
So that is exactly what happened! Last night Daniel caught Maggie with a rope and just needed a little help with the gate to get her in the fence. This morning, Daniel corralled Maggie in the barn and he learned how to just open a stall gate and help her choose to go the way we need her to go.
It was exhilarating really! And, the earlier thought with stress coming AT me, “Is it really worth all the bother to have these horses?” was quickly replaced with knowledge that this is our challenge and opportunity to experience life with God! How could I steal that from our son, when we already have these things?
God guides us into His pastures just like this! And, many times we just look at the bother; and may miss the opportunity. Don’t think too much; and we are not meant to figure everything out. We are however called to trust God and take up the yoke of Jesus and just plow the earth with him! The things that make the plow heavy are the things we put on the plow: our thoughts, emotions and attitudes!
Rest for the Weary
…29″Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30″For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).”
Once, I had a vision / dream of a woman with dark hair frantically pacing back and forth in front of our pasture. I noticed she was agitated. I asked her what was wrong. She said, I am trying to get on the other side of the fence, but I can’t find my way! I pointed and said, “Why don’t you just use the gate?” I was amazed that she couldn’t see the big red gate! And the gate by the way represents Jesus! She couldn’t see the gate for trying so hard on her own. Jesus is the way; and we can get through all things to the place God is leading us to, which is a good pasture of peace and tranquility like this horse pasture is to us who find God’s resting peace upon this place, by God’s grace.
In your day today, find your Word from God and make it your “bread of life” (Jesus is the Word and the Bible will give us instructions); as you pray the Lord’s Prayer with the Church; with us all; we all need Jesus to survive in this world after the miracle of believing God’s testimony about His Son. We follow Jesus; Jesus is our miracle –our Truth, our Way and our Life! And in following, many times we have to pick up our cross and come after the Lord Jesus as we are quick to respond with God’s Joy, dedication and loyalty to keep our heart pure for Jesus; and just do the right thing that our spirit knows the Lord’s guiding voice of direction and assignments.
We can remember well that our attitude sometimes gets in the way, but the Beatitudes of Jesus is God’s Way.
Take a little walk with Jesus and have a little talk-time with God. Listen. Be still and listen for a while. Take a moment to look a little differently at your surroundings; and ask God what He wants you to see. What does He want you to change? Where does God want you to go? Or stay? Is it your emotions dragging you along? Or God’s direction leading you? I have to ask God to help me each and every day!
God will make a positive difference in our lives, but He won’t do for us what He has given us the ability to do for ourselves! We have to put on our mud boots sometimes; and we have to take up a tool sometimes, and show up for something sometimes; and then see what faith in a good God will do!
I love to share MY faith in a good God, because I can defend my faith because of what I know and experience by my faith. Yet, I am not perfect! I need Jesus to overcome my thoughts, my emotions, my feelings every day! Someone somewhere will always be near to give us an opportunity in a challenge to do something we don’t want to do –but just like it was right to put the horse back in safe pasture, so it is right to obey God’s command to love one another like Jesus would do.
What is challenging your faith today? What is your stress? Give all to Jesus –Take up HIS yoke, for “His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” What is tempting your stubborn pride to toss aside your joy in Jesus to avoid an assignment that God has placed in your path as an opportuning for you to grow in your joy and peace and assurance in the presence of the Lord? And, do a good thing along the way by sharing your faith in a good God …
I will close with simple words. TRUST GOD and FOLLOW JESUS! You will discover what is already there when you take a little walk with Jesus and align you thoughts and emotions with God’s will.
PS: Daniel rode that little horse tonight! With just the rope he caught her with! It was beautiful! Just think, I almost missed it, because I wanted to avoid … The Bible says, don’t boast in or deny the truth … Rejoice in Jesus and live! Don’t let fear grip you! Don’t let stress take you! Just live in Christ …Take up His yoke for His yoke is easy and His burden is light. And, if you are tired of being tired, dance … Your life is worth living.
Thanks for listening to my story.
Jesus smiles to you! I hope this is a blessing!
Love in Christ,
Karen Rowe, Director
Hope in Today Ministries, Inc.
Be sure to purchase your copy of The Train Whistle, by Karen Rowe; where books are sold and give back to God the portion in which you have been blessed. Giving is the secret; and with a pure heart is the way … GIVE for JOY; and live well in your soul with God!
I hope also you know Jesus is the Savior and ask Him to be yours. I hope you pray to make the Holy Spirit welcome in your heart; and I hope you read your “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth” with God; and find out what God wants you to know in this life that leads to the next!
