Sunday Reflection–Life’s Challenges

Before moving to Corrales, New Mexico Betty and I lived for 21 years in Loveland, Ohio which is a suburb of Cincinnati. Over the years we were involved in many different activities – our church (healing ministry, junior high youth group leaders, pastoral counseling), Cub and Boy Scouts (Betty was a Den Mother and I was a Scoutmaster for eight years), volunteers for a therapeutic riding facility and board member and supporters for Teen Challenge.

Teen Challenge is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility for young men.  There are also programs for women, but the one in our area was just for men at the time.  The program is built around structure, responsibility, accountability and exposure to the healing power of God through Jesus Christ.  It’s not a coercive program, but Teen Challenge makes it clear that real healing and deliverance from drugs and alcohol comes from the power of God in a person’s life.

Every month Teen Challenge would have a dinner and often a graduation for one or more of its students.  It was always a time for celebration and hope.  We would attend as often as possible.

When a graduating student was introduced a recap of their experience at Teen Challenge was shared.  They were given a graduation certificate with one scripture verse on it that was always read:

Proverbs 3:5,6 -- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

It’s the fundamental verse for Teen Challenge and ever since I have been exposed to it I have claimed it as one of my life verses – one by which I try to live my life.

Trusting in the Lord, submitting all my ways to him and leaning not on my own understanding – it’s a challenge for anyone – but it’s worth it.

Use Your Head

Most of you know Betty’s story of her riding accident in 2007.  We’re grateful she wasn’t permanently injured, but we learned our lesson.  We ride with helmets now and will not let anyone ride our horses unless they have a helmet on.

Even top riders can have an accident through no fault of their own or the horse.  Check out this video of a top Olympian dressage rider and how her one-time decision not to wear a helmet on a safe horse changed her life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awJDYBhBPzk

There’s also a great site for more information on the importance of wearing a helmet when you ride – Riders4Helmets:

http://www.riders4helmets.com

Thanks to our East Mountain blogging friend Lisa for bringing this video and web site to our attention.

Friday Funny–OK GO

If you’ve read this blog for a long time you know I love Rube Goldberg devices.  This music video is the group OK GO that I didn’t know.  I got the video from my brother-in-law, Bill, and his grand daughter, Olivia – thanks guys.

This may be the best Rube Goldberg device I’ve ever seen – and the music is not bad.

Enjoy.

We And Our Shadows

“We and our shadows – walking down the avenue.”

Bad pun on a great old song.  It will make more sense if you watch the video below.

We had a beautiful New Mexico morning today.  When we saddled up the temperature was in the low 70s, the sun was shining with hardly a cloud in the sky and there was a nice, cool breeze off and on.

We rode South of our house through the sage area.  We crossed the arroyo and rode in the sand hills on the South side.  We cut back across the arroyo and through the sage towards home.

Both horses did well and we really enjoyed ourselves.  It was a great morning for anything outside.

Check out this short video… “We and our shadows..”

Horse Snot Fun

I just got home from a neat time.  Max at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch set up a demonstration at the vet who works on the ranch horses.  The ranch has a great group of junior volunteers and this was set up for them. There were a total of about 40 adults and kids – mostly kids.

I won’t go into too many details because I know that Michelle, who took a ton of pictures, will have a good post about the goings on.

There was a great demo horse named Lacey who was very patient with all the kids who wanted to pet her.  She also endured an endoscopy (I can relate and sympathize), had her temperature taken numerous times by the kids, had her teeth floated and had her tear ducts flushed out.

She was able to get back by snorting some horse snot on the kids.  There were a lot of ‘ewwwwws’ but they really enjoyed it.

The kids also learned about some real horse facts of life – euthanasia and the difference between a stallion and a gelding.

I’ll leave the rest to Michelle as she’ll have some pictures and, I’m sure, some pithy comments.

Check out her blog at:  http://ggyr.org

Monday Video–Gone With The Wind

This little video must have been made in New Mexico in the Spring.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflection–My Story

Some of you have been nice enough to read my ramblings about God, my faith, my struggles, etc.  I appreciate it greatly.  To give you some context, I thought I would share my spiritual story.

I grew up in a good family.  My parents were part of the “greatest generation” whose lives and values were formed by the Great Depression and World War II.  My father was a hard worker whose greatest act of love was to provide for his family as best as he could.  However, neither of my parents had a strong faith background.  So, I grew up with good family values, a good work ethic, but God was something we never thought or talked about.

Betty grew up in a family of faith so God has always been a part of her life.  Why she married me, I don’t know, but I’m glad she did.  After we had kids we thought maybe we ought to go to church so they would get some exposure – not me, but them.

Because of our kids I started my church phase.  For twelve years we regularly went to church.  I even joined some of the leadership boards.  I was a good ‘church man,’ but, looking back, I didn’t have any knowledge or awareness of a personal relationship with God.  It just wasn’t on my radar.

During this same time my career with Procter & Gamble (P&G) was progressing steadily.  My value system at that time was wrapped up in my career.  It was probably something I caught from my father.  Providing for my family was the highest good for a man – at least that’s what I thought at the time.  If my career was going well, and it was, then I was a good person.

Net, I didn’t need God.  I was doing just fine, thank you very much.

We were in Memphis, Tennessee and I was managing the P&G location there.  As part of a cost savings, our location was closed and I was transferred to P&G headquarters in Cincinnati. The job assignment I was given wasn’t one that I particularly enjoyed and my boss, who was a good man, smoked big, black cigars which I hated.  My first year in Cincinnati was not a good one, career-wise.  My value system, based on my career success, was shaken during this time.  I didn’t know what the future held and that scared me.

During this time we joined a small group at our church.  One of the members had just lost his job as a senior vice-president for a local firm.  He was out of work for over a year, but all he could talk about was his personal relationship with Jesus.  He was the happiest, most content person I knew – and I thought he was nuts.

Our two sons were growing in their faith through their involvement with their youth.  I could see real changes in them, but I didn’t understand those changes at all.

A short time later we attended a Christian retreat.  During this weekend three things happened.  First, Betty was healed of migraine headaches.  Second, one of the speakers talked about Jesus’ crucifixion and how all the disciples ran away scared for their own lives.  Yet, shortly after his resurrection they gave their lives to share his life and story with their worlds – even at the risk of their own lives.  What could make that kind of change in them. 

I realized that I had not personally dealt with the resurrection of Jesus even though I heard it spoken about a lot in church over the past twelve years.  I either believed it was true or I had to reject it.  I could no longer sit passively on the fence.

Finally, due to my unhappiness in my career, I realized I needed help – maybe even from God.  I wanted that same contentment in my life that I saw in my friend who had lost his job.

So, one night after going to bed, Betty had fallen asleep, but I was still struggling with all that had happened in my life.  Finally, I just said, “OK God, I’ll try it your way from now on.”

That was all.  No thunder and lightning.  No tongues of flame or wind.  I just rolled over and went to sleep.

But from that point on my life was changed from the inside out.  It was a process, but I’m a very different man than I was then – in 1984.  I think and act differently – nowhere near perfect – but certainly different.  I know now what it means to be content.

Best thing that ever happened to me.

Courtyard Zoo

I’ve done previous posts about how much we enjoy watching the birds and animals that frequent our courtyard.  A few weeks ago I set up my camera to capture an overview of what goes.  Sorry, about some of the shaky camera work – also, the last video of the rabbit is not in our courtyard, but in our back close to where the horses eat.

So, with those disclaimers out of the way – enjoy our courtyard visitors.

Friday Funny–Sometimes Weird is Fun

Take a bunch of people, a lot of water balloons and you too can make a music video.

Enjoy.

Catch Up

I’ve been a little busy recently.  We worked out at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch on Monday.  It’s always a great time, but with the heat and our age it wears us out.  So, by the time we get home about 1:00 PM we’re done for the day.

We had our neighbor, Susan, over for dinner on Monday night.

Tuesday, I had my annual bone scan and endocrinologist visit.  I have osteopenia in my left hip and osteoporosis in my right hip.  It’s genetic as my father and mother had it and my older sister does too.  Overall things are better, but I have to watch it closely.

This morning I went over to Galloping Grace Youth Ranch at 6:00 AM to meet Max Wade so we could shoot some early morning sunrise video with the horses.  We’re working on a video for the silent auction and dinner fundraiser on August 13.  It’s going to be a great time.  If you’re in the area check out the web site for more information – http://ggyr.org

Buy at ticket and come join the fun and/or buy a 50/50 raffle ticket to win $2,500.

After I got home Betty and I road Morgunn and Sugar in the back. We’re working on turns on the forehand and turns on the haunches.  We’re getting there – slowly.

I spent all this afternoon finishing up the video and burning a DVD.  Max and Michelle are coming over for dinner on Friday night to see the video and, hopefully, give their approval.

I’ll post the video here after the event is over.

Tonight I go over to Max and Michelle’s for a Galloping Grace board meeting.

Tomorrow we go back out to Galloping Grace to work with the horses and kids again.

Whew.

Monday Video–Dogs, Cats–So Yesterday

Do you have a dog or cat for a pet?  Even a horse?  Those are so out of fashion.  Check out the latest in pets.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflection–Where is God?

When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them. (Hosea 5:6)

In the verse above, Israel has sinned against God and withdrawn from him.  Hosea prophesies that God has withdrawn from them.

Sometimes it can seem that God withdraws from us.  That thought comes from a reflection on what Betty and I have been through together over the past several years. 

It started with Betty’s horse riding accident that laid her up in the hospital for six days and took six months to recover.  Shortly after her recovery she had an acute appendicitis attack.  After her surgery she came down with a bacterial infection that took a couple of months to get over. A year later she came down with a severe case of shingles which again took months to get over. Finally, last fall I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had prostate surgery.  It took three months for me to finally recover from that.

Where was God in the midst of all this over the past four years?  Some people might say that God had withdrawn his presence from our lives.  I don’t believe that.

God’s presence in our lives doesn’t mean we won’t experience life’s ups and downs – especially the downs.  If God protected us from the things we’ve gone through over the past four years we would have been living our lives in a cocoon. Don’t get me wrong.  It would have been nice to not have gone through all that.  But, we’re not exempt from life.  There is much to learn about life, about ourselves and about God from what we’ve experienced.

So, where was God?

God doesn’t wrap us in  Saran Wrap to protect us from life.  We live life.  God works in and through our life experiences.

Looking back it’s possible to see God’s hand in the midst of our experiences.  It started with me having my cell phone when Betty had her accident.  Then there was the great, big, single room we got at the hospital.  Then the surgeon she got was terrific.  The ambulance EMT’s who brought her home – one was a strong Christian.  Our home physical home therapist was a strong Christian.  And, on and on.

The most recent example was my cancer surgery.  Several months before that Evan and Maritsa, the two kids down the street came up to meet us because they were interested in learning more about horses.  When I was laid up during January, February and March last year Betty was able to call on them to help her clean up after the horses every day – during some bitter cold weather – and they were very faithful.

There are many other things, but I won’t take the time to detail them here.  Many people might say they are all coincidence, but we don’t.

God doesn't prevent life from happening.  He uses our life experiences to work in and through them.

Knowing that helps me to give thanks to God for all things – even having prostate cancer.

The Fire Continues & Sugar’s Markings

The Las Conchas fire that’s North of us towards the Los Alamos area continues to burn.  Some days from our perspective it seems a little better then the next day it seems just as bad – at least from the smoke we can see.

It’s far and away the biggest fire ever in New Mexico.  It now has burned 240 square miles.

Here are a couple of pictures from the past couple of days.

To switch gears – we had a good ride with Sugar and Morgunn yesterday.   Sugar has some interesting markings right at her stifles.

I’ve seen these ‘zebra stripes’ on the legs of horses.  Morgunn has them and they are usually indicative of primitive genes in the horse.  However, I’m not familiar with these kind of markings where they’re located on Sugar.

If anyone knows anything I’ll appreciate your comments.

Friday Funny - He’s Just Resting

One of the great comedy sketches.  Enjoy Monty Python and the Parrot Sketch.

Friday Funny–The White Man Group

If you’ve ever seen The Blue Man Group perform you know how different and original they can be.

Well, here are four white guys in white clothes working with dogs – not The Blue Man Group, but very different and original.

Enjoy.

Best Laid Plans

Betty and I had hoped to ride yesterday (Wednesday) morning, but neither of us felt that well.  We weren’t sick, just off.  Given how we felt we didn’t want to deal with the heat so we took the morning off.

Hopefully, we can ride Friday morning if all goes well.

To change the subject – one of the things I love about New Mexico is our big sky and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

We had a nice sunset Wednesday evening and here it is.

Being A Space Shuttle Commander

I recently wrote a post about the end of the Space Shuttle program.  I ran across this web site that gives you a 360 degree view of the Space Shuttle cockpit.  It’s amazing that any one or two people can understand what all these gadgets do.

It’s impressive how qualified these folks are.

http://360vr.com/2011/06/22-discovery-flight-deck-opf_6236/index.html

How ‘Green’ Is My Valley

That’s a take off of a movie named ‘How Green Was My Valley’ made in 1941.  Now I’m not that old, but I’m old enough to know exactly what is being said below.  I got this story from another blog I follow written by a neat lady named Lynn Baber - http://lynnbaber.net

Lynn is a horse woman, a great writer and a Christian who lives her faith.  I highly recommend her blog.

For those of you under 50 being ‘green’ is not that new.  In fact those of us who are up in our years, our parents, grandparents and so forth lived ‘green’ lives long before the term ‘green’ was ever coined.

Here’s what I stole from her.  According to Lynn it comes from an unknown author.

The Green “Thing”

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she
should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren’t good for
the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, “We didn’t have the green
thing back in my day.”

The clerk responded, “That’s our problem today. The former generation
did not care enough to save our environment.”

He was right, that generation didn’t have the green thing in its day.
Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soda bottles and beer
bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be
washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles
over and over. So they really were recycled.

But they didn’t have the green thing back in that customer’s day.  In
her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator
in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store
and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to
go two blocks.

But she was right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the
throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy
gobbling machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really did
dry the clothes.

Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not
always brand-new clothing.

But that old lady is right; they didn’t have the green thing back in
her day.

Back then, they had one TV or radio, in the house – not a TV in every
room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a
screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, they blended
and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to do
everything for you.  When they packaged a fragile item to send in the
mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam
or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut
the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They
exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run
on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right; they didn’t have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a
cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water.

They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen,
and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away
the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes
to school or rode the school bus instead of turning their moms into a
24-hour taxi service.

They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets
to power a dozen appliances.

And they didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed
from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest
pizza joint.

But isn’t it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old
folks were, just because they didn’t have the green thing back then?

Monday Video–Bye, Bye

What happens when an entire city comes together to make a music video?  Check this out to find out what the city of Grand Rapids did with “American Pie.”  Looks like they were having fun.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflection–Still A Student

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalms 25:4-5)

In my growing up years I attended several different schools.  Back in those days there was no kindergarten, so my first school experience was Hamilton Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee.  When we moved to Birmingham, Alabama I finished my elementary school at Barrett Elementary. 

I started high school at Banks High School.  Then we moved back to Nashville and I attended John Overton High School where I met my lovely wife Betty and we were in the first graduating class.

We went to the University of Tennessee where I got my BS in Industrial Management.  After a four-year stint in the Navy I returned to UT to get my MBA.

After graduation I started my first job with Procter & Gamble and I was very happy to no longer be a student.

Of course I didn’t realize that you never stop being a student.  I had to learn many different things over my career with Procter & Gamble.  I had to learn tons of things to make my marriage to Betty work and last.  I had to learn so much on how to be a decent father to our two sons.  I’ve had to learn a bunch to work with our horses. I’m in the process of learning to live my life as a senior citizen and what that means physically and emotionally.  And, some day I’ll learn how to die.  Hopefully all of this with grace.

After choosing to follow Jesus at age 39 I have been learning more and more about God and how he wants me to lead my life.  And it hasn’t always been easy.

The Hebrew word for ‘teach me’ in the verse above is ‘lamad.’  It literally means ‘to goad.’  Goad is word we don’t use much any more but it comes from an agricultural world where animals such as oxen and donkeys had to be goaded to get them to work.

God has had to goad me often over the years as I can sometimes be as stubborn as an ox or donkey.

I’m grateful he did.  I can’t imagine living my life in the old way.

Memory Lane

While we were in Tennessee recently I wanted to go to a photo store. Durys in Nashville is a professional level store and I wanted to check it out.  To get to it, I had to get off the Interstate at Wedgewood Avenue, which is the street that goes to the street where I was born and lived until I was eight years old.

So, I decided to take a side trip to see our old house on Stewart Place.  There are a lot of memories still there.  At the intersection of Wedgewood and Stewart is a tree I crashed into with my bike.  I passed the house where an older friend, Carl, lived.  Carl died from cancer.  Stewart Place is a long, straight street with a slight incline, but when I was a kid it was a death defying slope to ride your sled down when it snowed.

When my sister and I lived there Halloween was a great time.  It was also a simpler, safer time.  One house would have popcorn balls, another candied apples, etc.  A whole lot more fun then.

Here’s the house where I lived from 1945 to 1953:

There were a couple of Maple trees in the front yard when we lived there.  They probably were only 15 or so feet tall, but to a little kid they were huge.  The porch above is where I was carrying a bottle of milk to our neighbors to the left.  I dropped the milk bottle right at the edge of the porch you see, it broke, and a shard of glass cut my leg.  I still have the scar, but due to the many years that have passed it’s hard to find.  Those neighbors owned a furniture store in Nashville.  They were into TV advertising fairly early for those days (early 1950’s) and asked Gabby Hayes, a cowboy sidekick to many screen cowboys, especially my hero Roy Rogers, to do an advertising spot for them.  I got to go to the TV studio to meet Mr. Hayes – a big moment in a little kid’s life.

This is the other side.  The satellite dish wasn’t there when I was a kid.  We got our first little black and white TV in the early 1950’s and most likely had a simple antenna.  The steps on the side of the house were there when I was a kid.  The door goes into a small kitchen – our current bedroom closet is bigger than that kitchen.  You could also get to the cellar from the kitchen and, long before air conditioning, the cellar was the coolest place in the house in the summer.  The back porch is still there.  My folks had a console Zenith radio and I remember listening to many of the old radio serials on that porch.  The garage looks ‘new’ compared to what I remember.

That house is probably close to 70 years old now and, besides our family, I’m sure it has a lot of memories stored up from a lot of families over the years.

End of an Era

Nothing funny this Friday.  We just watched the space shuttle Atlantis lift off for the last time.  The space shuttle program is over.

And there’s nothing on the horizon to stir our (my) dreams of space exploration.

I’m conflicted on how I feel about the end of this era of space flight.  Supposedly, space exploration is now in the hands of private companies.  As an advocate of limited federal government that side of me likes the idea of private industry moving the innovations of space flight ahead.

The side of me that is the kid who read science fiction novels in the 1950’s and had dreams of people traveling to the stars is not sure the commercialization of space is a good idea.

Space exploration is a lot like basic research.  There’s no guarantee all the work and expense will result in anything useful or profitable.  Yet, most if not all of our major breakthroughs came out of basic research.

Many of the technologies in cell phones, computers, medicine, control systems we now have in our cars – all either came directly out of or were influenced by basic research work done for the space program.

I’m not sure private companies have the resources or will to do the kind of basic research in the future that was done in the past for the space program.

So, I really don’t know what the future holds. Given our age, Betty and I may not see in our lifetimes another grand space launch like the one we saw this morning when Atlantis “slipped the surly bonds of earth.”

I hope I’m wrong.

(PS to those who asked – my hand is much better.  There is still a little swelling between the two knuckles and very minor pain in that spot.  The color is slowly returning to normal as the blood is absorbed.)

What’s Going On With My Hand?

On Tuesday night I was at church meeting with someone for pastoral counseling.  About a third of the way into our time together I looked down at my left hand and I was, to say the least, somewhat surprised.

Most of the back of my hand and half of two of my fingers looked like a fresh bruise – blood was pooling in my hand.  Later, when I got home the hand was swelling, especially in the space between the knuckles of the first two fingers.

This picture was taken Wednesday morning after a lot of the swelling had gone down.

There’s a little pain, but it’s slight.

All Betty and I can think of is somehow a blood vessel broke (I don’t remember hitting it) or I was bitten by something ( a spider?).  Since I was bit by a spider on my ankle when I was a kid I don’t think I was bit.  So, the only thing I can think of it a broken blood vessel.

Weird, huh?

Routine–Follow Up

Yesterday I wrote about the routine we use with Sugar and Morgunn when we ride.  I mentioned we do spine lifts before and after the ride.  Our good friend Lisa asked what are spine lifts.

Actually one is a spine lift and the other is a spine straightener.

To do a spine lift, we press with our thumbs on their rump about 3 - 4 inches above the tail.  Our thumbs are an inch or two on each side.  You have to press in pretty hard and hold it for about five seconds.  When you do this the horse lifts the lumbar spine, rounding the back.

The spine straightener is to pull on the horse’s tail by holding the tail with both hands and leaning back – again holding for about five seconds.  When you pull you can see the spine stretch.  When you release slowly you’ll see the spine release back into position.

So, that’s what I meant by spine lifts.  Probably clear as mud.

Routine

This post is for those of you who love horses.

Every horse owner probably has a routine with their horses for two reasons: (1) horses like routine – they’re not big on change or surprise and (2) routines help us ensure we won’t forget anything we want to do with our horses.

Here’s our pre-ride routine every time we ride Sugar and Morgunn:

1. We catch and halter our horses which is not a problem as Sugar and Morgunn wait quietly for us when they see us come with halters.

2. We brush, check manes and tail, and pick feet – pretty standard stuff.

3. We do a massage on their neck, shoulder and hip muscles.  They love that.

4. We do spine lifts recommended by our chiropractic vet.

5. We saddle and bridle – pretty standard.

6. We walk them out to the back for a desensitization routine (everything done on both sides): (1) throw the lead rope all over their back, rump and legs, (2) swing the lead rope hitting the ground – start at their rear and walk toward their head while swinging, (3) swing the lead rope back and forth over their head, (4) ask them to drop their head, (5) ask them to back up, (6) ask them to move their hips over, and (7) lunge them in a small circle.

We use a mounting block to get up on our horses to save their backs – and ours.  In the saddle we do some circles, halts, back ups, and hip overs before heading out for our ride.

Here’s our post-ride routine:

1. Take off their bit and bridle first thing after dismounting.

2. Give them a drink if it’s hot.

3. Tie them up and oil down the saddle and bridle.

4. Remove all their tack.

5. Brush them down and pick their hooves.

6. Do a massage on their neck, shoulder and hip muscles. They especially love that after a ride.

7. Do spine lifts

8. Give them a carrot – they get a carrot any time they do some work.

9. Hose them down if it’s hot.

10. Take off their halter and put on fly masks – give them a little hay.

Well, that’s our routine.  It may be overkill by some standards, but we’ve found it works for our horses and the relationship we have with them.

Have a Happy & Safe 4th

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

These words from the Declaration of Independence are just as true today as they were in 1776.

All men and women are created equal – equal before God and should have equal opportunity – not equal outcomes.

All men and women are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.  Our rights come not from our government, but from God.  ‘Unalienable’ means ‘impossible to take away or give up.’  No one can take away our rights.  They can suppress us, but they can not take away our rights.

These rights are our life, our liberty and our pursuit of happiness.  What is meant here does not refer to someone who breaks the law – i.e., murders which can lead to execution or other law breakers who can lose their liberty.  It’s referring to our government trying, through coercion and regulation, to take away our life, our liberty and/or our ability to pursue our happiness.

Finally, our government should have only the power we consent to give it.  It has no right to pursue power for it’s own sake.

So, on this day as we celebrate our independence from an over-reaching government 235 years ago, let us pray that God gives us the wisdom and courage to remember our present government is meant to serve us and not the other way around.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July.

Sunday Reflection–Freedom

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  (Luke 4:18-19)

Tomorrow is Independence Day – a day we celebrate our freedom from the oppression of an over-reaching English government.  It made me think about our spiritual freedom.

When Jesus stood up in the presence of the Jewish hierarchy and said those words above, he created a firestorm.  How dare he take on those things that belong only to God?

Yet, that’s exactly what he did and what he still does today.

The poor are those who are poor in spirit; who see no hope.  The blind are those who are blind to the truth of God and who he really is.  The oppressed are those who are pushed down by religious rules and regulations.

When he said “freedom for the prisoners” I don’t believe he was talking about people who were behind locked doors.  He was talking about people who are prisoners to those things in their lives that hold them in bondage – sin, lack of forgiveness, wounds to our emotions and spirit, addictions, etc..

Jesus came, and still comes, to set us free from everything that is keeping us from being the person that God means for us to be.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

If you are bound by anything in your life, if you see no hope for your life, if you are oppressed by religious rules and regulations, then Jesus waits for you to ask him to come into your life.  He wants us to know freedom, to be set free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1)

More Fire Pictures

The Las Conchas (Los Alamos) fire has reached almost 114,000 acres which makes it the largest in New Mexico history.  As I write this, it’s only 5% contained.
It’s incredible to me the men and women who put their lives on the line to work 16 hour days in heat, smoke and soot to fight this beast.  They are the best.
We went to dinner last night to celebrate our anniversary and this was the smoke as the sun set.

This was the sun shining through the smoke this morning after feeding the horses.

But in the midst of all this some things are good.  Our Daylilies are doing great.  Perhaps they like the smoke.

44 Years and Counting

44 years ago today, July 1, 1967, it was a warm, humid day in Brentwood, Tennessee when two young people said their vows before God and their family to commit to each other in sickness and health, richer or poorer, for better or worse.
And, over the last 44 years, we have experienced sickness, health, riches, poverty, better and worse.  It’s been a grand adventure and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything in the world.
We’re both very different people today than those two young people.  We’ve grown together in ways we couldn’t ever have imagined that warm, humid day so long ago.  I love Betty more today than I did that special day.
Whether we have 44 more days or 44 more years or something in between, I’m looking forward to every single day.