Sunday Reflections - Horses and Fruit

I just read a book called "The Soul of a Horse" (and I recommend it) and the author talked about how much he received from his horses. I started to think about what I get from our horses - riding them, taking care of them and just hanging around with them.

I get a lot of joy. There's something about being around Morgunn and Sugar that gives me joy. I enjoy their smell. I enjoy the sounds they make. I enjoy the fun they have with us and with each other.

Being with our horses gives me a peace. When I'm around them the cares of the world seem to melt away. They take the world as it comes, expecting little - just safety and food - and give back so much to us.

I know that Betty and I love Morgunn and Sugar - not in the way we love God, each other, our family and friends, but in a way that we can love an animal. I don't think that horses give love in the way we understand it, but they give us respect and trust which, in horse language, is probably as close to love as they can come.

Being around our horses is teaching me patience. Communications between me and Morgunn is based more on me learning Morgunn's language than he learning mine. I have learned to be patient until I can figure out what he's trying to tell me and how I can better communicate with him in a way he understands.

I am definitely more gentle because of our horses. Horses don't respond well to stress and pressure. They are much more responsive to calmness and firm gentleness.

Finally, I am learning self-control. Horses' language is one of body language - posture and attitude. I'm learning that I have to leave my concerns in the garage before I walk out to their area. I'm learning what inner softness means. I'm learning how to control myself while learning that I can't control Morgunn. I can communicate what I want from him, but I have to let him make the choice to accede to my request. I've already learned that force does not work with him.

All of this is a good lesson of how God wants to teach us to be.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Fruit comes from the inner workings of the tree. Chemical reactions that respond to temperature, length of day, etc., cause blossoms to form and, if there is no freeze, a fruit to set.

Spiritual fruit comes from the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. If I can learn as much from God as I am learning from Morgunn, I will learn what it means to love in a sacrificial way.

I will learn what joy really is - a cheerfulness, a calm delight.

I will learn that peace from God means to be one with God and to experience His peace.

I will learn that patience really means long suffering.

I will learn that kindness brings its own rewards .

I will learn what it really means to be good as God understands it, not as the world defines it.

I will learn that faithfulness comes from my relationship with Jesus, my dependence upon him and my obedience to him.

I will learn that gentleness is a strength.

And, I will learn the hardest lesson of all - how to control myself in a way that God's priorities begin to guide my life rather than my desires and appetites.

Wow, I have a lot to learn, but between Morgunn, Sugar and God I have some pretty good teachers.

65 Years Today

One of the movies that I think everyone should see, at least once, is "Saving Private Ryan." It's a difficult movie to watch, but I believe it's probably the most accurate portrayal of what it was like for those men 65 years ago today.

At 6:30 AM on June 6, 1944 the first boats landed on Omaha and Utah beaches - the American beaches. D-Day actually began earlier during the night when paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions landed behind the German lines in central France. Canadian, British and free French forces also took part in the operation know as "Overlord."

By the end of the day, 2,712 Americans had been killed and over 8,000 wounded. An earlier movie about June 6, 1944 was called "The Longest Day" and I'm sure that was true for those young men who swallowed their fear and did what they had to do.

When I was a kid, I remember some of our neighbors and my dad's co-workers talking about their D-Day experiences. They talked in hushed tones with little details without any sense of bravado. It was almost as if they were recounting a bad dream.

Betty and I were watching the news yesterday and they were interviewing an older gentleman who had been a member of the 82nd Airborne who made the jump that day. During the latter part of the war his unit was one of the first to reach the Nazi concentration camps. The news host asked him how that affected him. He answered, "Up until that time, we all wondered why we were fighting, why had we gotten ourselves into this mess? After seeing the concentration camps, we knew."

Many men died or were wounded that day 65 years ago. We often talk of their sacrifice for our freedom which is very true. However, we sometimes forget that they also sacrificed themselves to defeat a true evil that was threatening the world.

God bless them all.

Friday Farrier, Bunny and Flower

Today was when our farrier, Richard, came by. He's very reliable. We always schedule the next visit (now July 17) and the day before either I call him or he calls me to confirm. Both Sugar and Morgunn have good, barefoot hooves. If we haven't ridden them much then he has to do a trim, but if we're riding then a rasp is usually all he needs.

Betty is an animal lover and she loves bunnies - as long as they stay out of her courtyard where they sometimes like to eat our flowers. I was walking by our front windows this morning and noticed something moving... can you see it?

After a few moments, it was confirmed - BUNNY IN THE COURTYARD!

About the time I took this picture, he saw me and hopped to the end of the courtyard and, I believe, got out. I didn't tell Betty about it, but she'll read this post and know it soon enough.

He's cute, ain't he?

Friday's flower is Lavender - small, but great smell.

Have a great weekend.

Thursday Ride and Marley

Betty and I took a short ride this morning around the sage area to the South of our house. Sugar and Morgunn both did very well. We're both working on being soft while we ride, to relax all of our muscles and keep a quiet frame of mind. It plays out in soft arms and hands and a soft seat and legs. Most of all we see it in the softness in the horses when we're able to do this.

Here are some pictures from this morning's ride.

Betty riding down one of the dirt roads. Our house is down and to the right of this picture.

Sugar and Morgunn getting to be real horses and graze on some wild grasses instead of just their hay.

During our ride we passed a Burrowing Owl. He or she is probably keeping watch over their burrow and they most likely have a nest and eggs in the burrow. We see them every year and they're always in a different place.

It was a short ride, but a good one.

In the afternoon we watched the movie "Marley and Me." It's amazing that the movie is based on a true story. It's hard to believe that any family can live with a dog like Marley.

At the end, it's a touching movie as Marley gets to be an old dog. It reminded Betty and me about our golden retriever, Missy, who was with us for 14 years in the 1970's and 80's. She died in our family room with Betty on one side and me on the other and we were petting her. It was hard to lose her, but I can't think of a better way for her to go - in her favorite spot with both of us loving her.

Clipping Time in Corrales and Wednesday's Flower

It's that time of year again - actually we're about three weeks late. Because of my sister and brother-in-law's visit and Betty's trip to her Aunt's funeral, we're just now getting around to giving Morgunn his first full body clip.

It's amazing that he still has so much hair given he's been shedding out for almost three months or more. As it gets warmer the full body clip will help him be a lot more comfortable through the summer months.

We were visited by Barb, the woman who gave Gletta a new home, and Connie, our friend who takes care of our horses when we're gone. Barb wanted to learn how we clip Morgunn as she now has to clip Gletta who has an even thicker coat than Morgunn.

Here's a before picture:


And an after picture:

Here's Wednesday's flower, a Butterfly Bush.

Monday Ride and Tuesday's Flower

Yesterday, Betty and I took a great, 2-hour ride. We rode down to the North ditch and rode it all the way up to the river. It was an interesting ride as we passed several places with horses and that's always of interest to Morgunn and Sugar. Sugar is cute because she's so vocal. She nickers whenever Betty goes to feed her. Every time she sees another horse (other than Morgunn) she will whinny to them. Coming home she would make these little squeaky squeals as she thought about whinnying to some horses, but I guess she was getting tired.

We were able to take them up into a gait several times and they did pretty well given they're both out of shape.

Today, I volunteered at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch which is always fun.

Tuesday's flower is the New Mexico Bird of Paradise. It's actually a tree, but it blossoms each spring.

Monday Video - Future Politician or TV Host?

Enjoy today's Monday Video - I did!