October 19, 2005

Hi Friends!

The weather here in the Mid West for the past several months has been so perfect - when I was in a growly mood yesterday finishing up chores I was tapped on the shoulder by God to remind me - there was so much to be thankful for, including the beautiful, warm weather that we have been experiencing.

It is so easy for me to find reasons to get grumpy - and I constantly have to remind myself to shake it off when I am again and again reminded of the extraordinary blessings that are there to be recognized and praised!

I keep reading this book, "The Greatest Miracle In the World" by Og Mandino, and since people responded to my last farm update positively after reading a passage from the book, I want to share another from the last chapter entitled "The God Memorandum":

"For how could one improve on a miracle? You were a marvel to behold and I was pleased. I gave you this world and dominion over it. Then, to enable you to reach your full potential, I placed my hand upon you, once more, and empowered you with powers unknown to any other creature in the universe, even unto this day.
I gave you the power to think.
I gave you the power to love.
I gave you the power to will.
I gave you the power to laugh.
I gave you the power to imagine.
I gave you the power to create.
I gave you the power to plan.
I gave you the power to speak.
I gave you the power to pray.

My pride in you knew no bounds. You were my ultimate creation, my greatest miracle. A complete living being. One who can adjust to any climate, any hardship, any challenge. One who can manage his own destiny... I have never withdrawn your great power, the power to choose. What have you done with this tremendous force? Look at yourself. Think of the choices you have made in your life and recall, now, those bitter moments when you would fall to your knees if only you had the opportunity to choose again.

What is past is past...and now you know the fourth great law of happiness and success...Use wisely your power of choice.
Choose to love . . rather than hate.
Choose to laugh . . rather than cry.
Choose to create . . . rather than destroy.
Choose to persevere . . . rather than quit.
Choose to praise . . rather than gossip.
Choose to heal . . . rather than wound.
Choose to give . . . rather than steal.
Choose to act . . . rather than procrastinate.
Choose to grow . . . rather than rot.
Choose to pray . . . rather than curse.
Choose to live . . . rather than die."

Wow... I need to remind myself constantly of all of the above. An acquaintance of mine who adopted horses from ASAP several years ago once told me, "feelings have got nothin to do with it" when we were faced with a difficult situation. Those words have followed me since that day - that countless times I must push my feelings aside and, instead, force good thoughts rather than bad to flood my mind. I think it is kind of like the bible verse that says "whatsoever things are good, whatsoever things are happy, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things" (of course that is paraphrased!). Forcing the bad thoughts, negative thoughts, out of my mind cuz "feelings got nothin to do with it" helps me so much in my everyday life now - being a woman I am naturally more emotional... but we all have choices to be happy or sad, overcomers or desperate, or optimistic rather than pessimistic. When I feel like I am too tired to go on, defeated financially, or not good enough in my job or as a mom or wife, I must make choices to be different and act different! I get discouraged when horses do not get adopted quickly, yet make the choice to wait for the right adopter.

I had to let go of a very special horse recently. Squire One has been at our farm since the beginning of the year, and I have seen people come and go who expressed interest in adopting Squire, but I believe God told me to wait it out. We took Squire to South Dakota this summer and he became a kind of family horse - and two of my foster daughters became particularly attached to Squire and rode him almost daily. All the while, I felt as though a very special person in Squire's life and mine, Mollie, would be the best possible home - no, the ONLY possible home I would release Squire to if she would commit to adopting him. This past week, the decision was made as Mollie and her mother finalized the adoption. Last Friday, one day before Squire's release to his new home, I felt as though I couldn't let him go. I cried, and doubted my ability to release him. Then I realized that my attachment to Squire was only keeping him captive here at our farm, when he could have such a fabulous life with Cut Loose (a mare that Mollie adopted earlier this year) and other horses not too far away. My emotion was keeping him prisoner here! I cried because I realized Squire had bonded here and thought we were his forever home and his forever family - and that he was about to go through another transition that he would not understand or comprehend. I guess it was a bigger act of love to let him go than to hold on to him for selfish reasons... and I had to pray that God would just take those negative feelings away and free Squire to a new life with people who would love him equally. Actually when Squire One left last Saturday I wasn't there (was that a surprise to anyone that knows me?)... well, I was inside. Mollie came in with a beautiful gift bag and said her mother wanted to leave me this present. It was a sweet t-shirt with a girl holding buckets and horses surrounding her with a quote that said, "Welcome to my world!". How fitting, and how nice of them to think of me like that! Away went Squire, and I busied my self the entire day with my family activities and I actually know that God calmed my heart and I could make the choice to be happy for Squire. Incidentally, Squire did recognize Cut Loose as soon as he got to Baraboo area, and they are now eating in the green pasture together! What a happy ending.

Now I wonder who will come along for Buddy and Ron? For K Mac and Brandy? For Kokinos, Jeffrey, Goin Ballistic, TJ's Miss Double Mak, Miss Josie, Shifty Swoosh, and all the other waiting for homes? Each has such a distinct personality and are so special. When they are adopted the match is not an accident - I really think if I can be patient and wait - the right people do come along! The biggest problems come when we hurry to allow horses to be adopted, and I want to make the conscious choice of being careful and patient...

As for the sad circumstances that come about - I still don't understand why some things happen. Lake Hills Daisy was tragically killed while in foster care when fireworks were set off and she ran through a fence and was hit by a truck. She never got the opportunity to have that forever home, and the heartbreak that followed with previous adopters and race owners was more emotional pain than I care to share. Why? Why did Tristinette have to die of cancer only 60 days after she came into our program two years ago? Why? All these questions and no answers, but we have to trust, and to make the choice that we will not allow tragedies to cause bitterness, division, conflict, in relationships. That takes hard work and choices we can all make....

The weather is supposed to be sunny and 76 degrees today - I think I will steal off to ride... looking forward to my riding lessons with my students this week and working with a girl scout - looking forward to seeing the horses' eager eyes and hearing their neighs when I step outside my door, and to whisper, "Thank you" to God for granting me yet another day!

Incidentally, if you want some great reading, a friend Andrea sent me a book entitled, "What I Meant To Say" by Michael Murphy

Here is a quote from the book:
"Each time we embrace the loveless, a love is ignited into an ember that can burn forever. Each time we pass on the gifts given us, the gift grows. And each time we help a child to become a strong and loving person, we change the world and are all lifted by the hand of God, that will carry us through whatever may come our way. Blessed are those who need shelter from the cold . . . Blessed are those who provide it."

For more information on how to order this book, write
info@avatarcreations.com
or
mmurphy@avatarcreations.com
The book was printed in Winona!!!

Hugs,
Susan