They're Children...

(I wrote this piece a couple days ago while I was a counselor at a camp I have worked at for many years...that is primarily for the children of inmates. It's a Bible camp, and a wonderful place (sagradabiblecamp.org). But this piece started coming to me as I heard the stories of these children...terrible things (everyday life to them) and some of them are just eight or nine years old. Anyway, it's pretty much a poem, but kinda a rough cut one that's almost just rhythmic sort of speaking. But I just left it as it came...)
They’re children...
and your heart tells you
they should be full of innocence
but their eyes testify it’s not true
the burdens they carry
are greater than any
we ever bore at that age
the pains of the world,
the breaks, fears and terrors
have exposed these lives
to all of mankind’s errors
my heart cries for them
and longs to heal their pain
but the truth must sink in
once the damage-it remains
the scars are deep and sharp
and worn from time again
and in their minds
the memories are stark…
where do you begin?
but look deep into their souls
search close and you will see
there are sparks of light still left
so much that they could be
there’s hope, there’s a chance
don’t give up on them now
Christ’s arms are open
and He’s waiting patiently
He might use us for a mouthpiece
and place us where we should be
nothing in our own strength
will ever fix a thing
but the power of God behind us
is of an unstoppable King
He works in mighty ways
breaks their so many bars and chains
but even so He holds them gently
and softly calls their name
He takes away their pain
the raw and burning shame
the truth has shown the way
and light is pouring in
the broken, fragmented pieces
are reforged…
they’re made brand new
how can we sit by
and let minutes still tick on
when He’s ready to show His love
and chose to right their wrong
it’s so good, so pure and beautiful
a sight worth much to see
how His truth and gracious promise
has set these new lives free

Jumping...good and bad...mostly good!

We did a jumping clinic in mid-March at Lost Springs Farm. (where I work) It was fantastic, I learned a whole TON of new stuff...and Jess got some great pictures =) So here ya go:

Here is my lovely Symphony (ok, not mine, but I'm her sole rider and she's almost like mine)

trot poles for rhythm and balance

isn't she a handsome mare?! =)

and we hadn't jumped much in the last several months but she was great

and gosh is she cute! (don't look at my form, but her's is great!)

she's got so much potential! But we're working on quality before height

fantastic jump! Woohoo!

and here are some of Allspice (Spice). I don't have many good ones of her, and she had just begun jumping a few months before. But she is now doing automatic flying lead changes and jumping closer and closer to 3', so I love working with her!

our big Appendix Quarter girl

she was a Western Pleasure horse and we've had
to work hard trying to pick up her front end

this is how NOT to jump

still learning to go to the part of the jump that I told her to!

working on taking off correctly as well

and a very beautiful jump as the finale!

you are Mine...

I can find you in a million facessee you in the darkest room
find you when you think you’re hidden
and when the light shines through
because I Am
and you are Mine

when you stumble and you fall down
scraped and torn and bruised
I'm here and reaching out My hand
to someone broken and confused
because I Amand you are Mine

you must trust Me that I’ll hold you up
that I am your strength and shield
your pride and self you must give up
if to My way you will yield
because I Am
and you are Mine

the plans and dreams that are all your own
you’ve laid before Me now
said you wanted to do My will
asked Me please to show you how
because I Am
and you are Mine

days of pain and days of glory will flit
before your wondering eyes
I will guide and teach and show you
how to fight the world’s lies
because I Am
and you are Mine

I’m here in your confusion and your loss
when you can’t see your way through
I hold you when you’re tempest tossed
and don’t know what to do
because I Am
and you are Mine

I am your ever constant source of hope
still you at times forget I’m here
but my promises never die
and I’ll wait ‘till you draw near
because I Am
and you are Mine

I hear your prayers and I feel your pains
understand the struggles that you find
know great loss and desolation
beyond thought by your mind
because I Am
and you are Mine

so I can comfort and uphold you
when the world’s falling down
because I walked for a time among you
for you I bore My Father’s frown
because I Am
and you are Mine

find in Me your joy and life of rest
assurance that I care for My own
always to Me you can return
I’ll not leave you alone
because I Am
and you are Mine

My heart breaks when you just won’t see Me
but when you repent and turn
know that you’re forgiven and loved
I am steadfast, you've yet to learn
because I Am
and you are Mine

your heart will fill with purpose and hope
when you take to heart My truth
and know that I am for you
since the days of your youth
because I Am
and you are Mine

so even when you’re unsure and fearful
I never change or vary
then place yourself in My hand
let me your burdens carry
because I Am
and you are Mine

I can find you in a million faces
see you in the darkest room
find you when you think you’re hidden
and when the light shines through
because I Am
and you are Mine
-written by Heather

Our Missouri Blizzard!

Yay! We had fun today. We decided to go out and take pictures, though we weren't out for long because it was very tiring post holing through all the snow and because the wind stung your face. But it was a fun adventure!

Greg is 6' tall, and this drift is above his knees

standing beside the car

the snow is deeper than Schae...but he loves it!

Deep sculpted drifts

Lovely sculpted drifts!

Deep drift, with goofy dogs

snow IN the barn!

shoveling the roof

Beautiful drifts!

The blizzard! =)

To A Young Lady...

I ran across this poem, and I consider it to be very beautiful. But I also consider it a challenge, for I know that I do not live up to that standard of young womanhood. So I wanted to share this with anyone who may yet read this blog, as a challenge to all young women out there that we might all strive to be worthy of the tribute given in this poem, and we might strive to be the most honorable, wholesome, and God-glorifying people that we are able. We will never be perfect, but we must still strive for greater character

To A Young Lady
Sweet stream that winds through yonder glade,
Apt emblem of a virtuous maid
Silent and chaste she steals along,
Far from the world's gay busy throng:
With gentle yet prevailing force,
Intent upon her destined course;
Graceful and useful in all she does,
Blessing and blest where'er she goes;
Pure-bosom'd as that water glass,
And heaven reflected in her face.
-William Cowper

Individual Discouragement and Personal Growth

Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him "'...bring My people...out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go...?'" (Exodus 3:10-11) In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and a very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses' forty years in the wilderness. It's as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. and then we begin to tremble and say, "Whom am I that I should go...?" We must learn that God's great stride is summed up in these words--"I AM WHO I AM...has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14) We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him--our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be "well pleased" (Matthew 3:17) We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, "I know this is what God wants me to do." But we have not yet learned to get into God's stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.

taken from My Utmost for His Highest Oct. 15

Going Through Spiritual Confusion

"Jesus answered and said, 'you do not know what you ask.'" -Matthew 20:22

There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.
The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember--He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?
The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father--as if He were callous and indifferent--but remember, He is not. "Everyone who asks receives..." (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.
The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He often has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.

taken from My Utmost for His Highest, Sept. 12

Ten little monkeys...

I ran across this poem early this evening. Monica and I (with some help from Greg) made it up a few years ago. It's silly, but I hope it gives you a laugh!

There's ten little monkeys
That's quite the gentlemen
But one helped the wrong person
And there went monkey ten

They went into a restaurant
'Cause it was time to dine
One ate too much sushi
And there went monkey nine

Mama bought a tiger
And forgot to buy it's mate
The tiger then got angry
And there went monkey eight

Mama baked some bread
Forgot to add the leaven
The little monkeys ate it
And there went monkey seven

Monkeys got a magic book
And tried to do some tricks
One caused himself to vanish
And there went monkey six

The monkeys all grew up
Mama taught them how to drive
But they crashed into a semi
And there went monkey five

The monkeys tried some back flips
They got a little sore
One was too ambitious
And there went monkey four

The monkeys all went to the beach
But they had to pay a fee
They forgot the checkbook
So there went monkey three

A single pair of monkeys
Visited the zoo
One was confiscated
And there went monkey two

A solitary monkey
Tried to lift a ton
He only got it started
Alas poor monkey one...