First foal of the spring!

Whew! What a wait! Our first foal of the 2011 year. It always seems to take forever. Especially since this one, in particular, was such a surprise!

Late last spring, when one of our other mamas was due to foal, we had a mishap with our fencer and our stud. Go figure, the one time the fencer isn’t working up to capacity, he takes advantage of a little ‘Bud-time’. Yep, you guessed it…’Bud the stud’…guessing you can pretty much figure what happened from there…11 months later! Well, we really had no idea anything had happened because it all miraculously happened through the night, which left us without a clue.

As the months grew on into winter, we started to notice that Macey was beginning to put on some traditionally, classic pony weight…and still, we were none the wiser. Oct, Nov, Dec…came and went…and Macey grew larger and larger; we were definitely thinkin’ something was amiss here…but still, we hadn’t a clue.  In January, things were lookin’ a little too obvious at that point, and we decided to have here vet checked in March when everyone was scheduled for their yearly exams.

So, now…here we were, with the vet…when much to relief, she was in foal and due any time now! At least it wasn’t something else we should be worrying about; except the thought of one more unexpected mouth to feed. However, it sparked a rather opicitional  debate at the dinner table that night…as to what to name the newest member of the Potter clan?

As the debate went, we decided that if the foal were to be born a ‘philly’ it was to be named “Mocha”. But, if it turned out to be a colt, the name was still to be determined. Hence a few short weeks later, on April 21st, Mocha made her prescence known throughout the barn. Twin Acres had a perfect little bay philly, with a big beautiful star on her forehead.

 Already makin’ a rucous in the barn that morning, Keith came out  to find them both a bit out of sorts. They were out of their own stall and down the isleway yet, in the hay stall fast asleep. Amazingly, no one was injured in their paniced-scuffle, but the mess was a sure sight to witness…as though we’d seen a tornado come through the barn overnight!

Safe and sound, thank God; but with a spit-fire spirit to set ya on your toes….she’s the first of the season; our dark, little spark in the night, “Mocha Delight”! It’s utterly amazing what God can create when we’re not steppin’ on His toes and gettin’ in His way…a sure fire winner, in the years to come! Not a hair out of place, her confirmation is flawless; we’ve yet to bridle that intense disposition however! Her Dad’s innate qualities are truely shining through…unmistakeably ‘obstinate’! Gotta love em’…our Mr. Bud! He’s surely behind lock and key now…no more midnight rendevous for him! The fencer has been changed, and with it…comes only sheer delight over the fence…not through it! Sorry big guy…your fun is over; now, it’s time for the next season to begin anew…only this year, it’s on our terms…not Bud’s.

Check back to stay tuned…there’s more foaling news to come….at least this next date won’t be so hard to figure out…and we’ll be more prepared for this one…I hope!

Because, you’re worth it!

‘From Heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth- he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything we do.’ Psalm 33:13-15 

From that perspective then, I wonder to myself so frequently these days…what am I doing with my life that’s making a difference? Am I doing enough? Should I be going in a new direction? So many questions, and yet my day just keeps going on without me; as if I’m invisible. Is it possible to be so involved in your day, that you simply dissolve into the background? I beleive that’s exactly what’s been happening to most of us women, who’ve simply been raising a family in today’s hectic societal demands.

We’ve gone and done it! We’ve lost our way…which way was that, anyway? If you’re anything like me, you’re not sure either. You just keep doing the same old daily grind, whining and complaining…getting no where in fact! It’s a bummer when you’re sitting behind the wheel, driving the kids back and forth to school…from here to there, but no where special. When do you dare to change your route, or do a drive by to a local playground that’s not your own; sometimes, often or never? We have things to do, people to see, places to go…it’s such a demanding schedule.

Honestly, who can keep up, when all we want to do is simply play ‘hookey’! It’s allowable, if we only allow it to be. So, why don’t we; break out more…be free, and take advantage of an hour, a day or just a quick minute in our day. It’s easy if we don’t try. Just let the moment take you away from it all. Try, just once today and see where you end up. You might just like it so much, that you actually appreciate the time you took for yourself today…just enough time to smile, laugh and live. It’s one more moment you got to say, “I’m worth it”! Go ahead, I dare you! Be your own best friend today…treat yourself to life’s simple pleasures…stop long enough to notice something new, and explore God’s unique plan for you. It’s okay to release your ‘inner girl’…it’s what makes you ‘YOU’!

Eudora Welty, was quoted as saying, “A sheltered life can be a daring life as well. For all serious daring starts from within.” Don’t just go about your day without jumping out into the deep end. Allow yourself the secret pleasures you always think you’d enjoy, if you only took the time to do it. We were created to have fun, and be playful; all seriousness aside, you’ve earned it! It’s okay to splurge on a daily basis…it’s what keeps Jane from becoming a dull girl. Treats are small pleasures that we give to our children for being good or finishing their dinner. When was the last time you treated yourself in this manner? If not today, then when? If you’re struggling with this question, then I say ‘make a plan’ to treat yourself and follow through. It’s your plan, your way…relish every moment of it!

Need some ideas of ways to spend more time enjoying that ‘wanton’ day? Schedule a cooking time with your kids and make a cake…then, when it’s over hand them the beaters and you lick the bowl! Mmmm, now that’s what I call ‘inner-girl peace’! The splendour is in the ingredients, so why not indulge…it’s the best way to break free from the dullness of your day. Then comes the icing…who can have cake without icing? Selah, my friend; selah!

Keeping Your Balance

Last year, in 2010, our family acquired a dog from a dog rescue out of Colorado. We really weren’t looking for a dog, but God was speaking loud and clear, so we took him on. To say the least, it wasn’t an easy transition at all. In fact, it was very difficult for him, because he was overwhelmed with kindness. Only ever knowing extreme abuse and neglect, he was left distraught and bewildered in nature.  Physically tortured, he lost his right hind leg to an auto accident that was intended to leave him dead, not just wounded. However, God in all his glory, had a different plan for him…hope and help was on it’s way!

His hind leg was amputated and a new life was in the works for this young dog.  His future was uncertain. Little did he know, that soon he would be coming to live with a new family in a whole new state, many months later. When he arrived at our door, we knew little about his story, except that he was overly aggressive toward men and his leg was missing. At that point, there was nothing left to heal on the outside, but there was much to be healed on the inside.

He came to us with a name that was anything but honorable, so our first job was to give him an endearing name we could all live with.  That’s how Squishy came to be known as ‘Quincy’. Within 24 hours, he made his prescence known with my husband, when he bit him in the hand that next morning. The tensions were high, and both man and dog were anything but forgiving at that point! It wasn’t a cohesive atmosphere by any means…but, through the weeks we calmly pursued balance in the home with Quincy and Dad. With much patience and kindness, we had a lot of hurdles to leap. And with the stress of it all…Quincy’s diet had to be reevaluated. And as well, alot of old, nasty hair  had to be replaced with new and healthy hair. In all of this shedding, we soon came to affectionately know him as, ‘Harry Potter’!

As the months went by,  it was now time for us to go on our family vacation. Dad, however, decided  work was a bit too demanding at that point. So, it was then that we chose to go ahead without him, leaving Dad and Quincy behind. This was a big decision, to leave them alone, together. They were at such a critical stage in their journey…but God knew the outcome, and Dad wasn’t worried. So, together, we trusted that all would be well and prayed for his healing to be complete within the next few, short weeks. We knew that this was the final test for them both…but, was the timing right? The scales of balance could have been tipped at this point. Only God knew, that the cross that Quincy boar could be healed in just this way.

By the time we returned three weeks later, they had not only bonded, but they were actually loving one another. Quincy had truely prevailed in his last quest, and all was well again in the Potter household. Thanks be to God for that, because Dad was standing on his last leg of this journey as well; all goes well, that ends well…isn’t that what they always say?! Now Quincy not only had a new name and a new home, but he had a new life…he was where he belonged, on the farm; chosen, for such a time as this!

Many weeks later, we were invited to attend a local community parade with our 4H club and felt that Quincy had earned his Healer spots…So, as the story goes…he made his first appearance to society with Dad and Olivia in tow! He was a crowd favorite; everyone was mesmerized by the fact that he was sitting so perfectly, and so ‘well-balanced’ atop of the horse, where his father had placed him.  From the time he was placed there, he never waivered, even once. From death’s door to parade central, here he was, in all his glory; being shown to the world as a ‘survivor’! Who could take that away from him at this point? It was his destiny, and we were apart of God’s plan for him. His moment, was our moment…it was priceless!

As my story comes to it’s close, however, there’s so much to be said for the acts of  patience and kindness; they’re both important virtues that we can’t easily live without! If we hadn’t taken the time needed, to align ourselves with Quincy’s special needs, and he hadn’t been willing to want to come to know us in a loving manner, we might have never balanced out as a family should. Now, more than a year later, I look back and ponder at the difference Quincy has made in our life. I can reflect on his quirkiness, that makes him so very special in our daily lives. He still has a bit of regression to overcome, but in the case of man vs. dog…I believe that the balance lies here, in the ‘voice’ of it all. It’s how we use our tone, and the way we choose to approach certain types of situations. Each one can determine the outcome in a positive or negative manner. If we are willing to maintain a more balanced attitude, upon approaching each and every one of life’s ups and downs, we can overcome any obstical. We can choose to be of good spririt, and not get upset by the little things. Or, we can choose to simply ‘get bit’ by what life has to throw back at us! Whichever, again, it is your choice to stay balanced in your daily life. It just goes to show, you don’t need a three-legged dog to treat you to a few stitches, in order to learn a good lesson of respect and honorability.

Overall, you just need to slow down, and listen more. The answer is in the face staring back at you…be it human or animal. All balance comes from the Creator. If the eyes tell the untold story, then the body tells the untold pain. For while the ears are there to listen,  the mind must be willing to bring about the knowledge to understand and accept all, that we don’t yet understand.  God has a way of  bringing us back to the balance and harmony we’re lacking, if only we’re willing to listen to the signs he chooses for us the see.  It’s that very wisdom, that brings us to know when to reach out to help others, when we’d rather sit on the front porch and simply watch. God wants us to be proactive in our day; to not be afraid to take on a challenge…to be aware, that even though it might bite a little in the beginning, it all comes back to love you in the end!

Praise God for the healing times in our lives, that they may always leave us with no permanent scars in the end.

Jude 21…’Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.’

Embracing Creation

 They say, ‘slowing down’ is hard to do…or is that ‘breaking up’ your day? Whichever, you decide; you have that right. It was given to you freely, by God, the Creator of all things!  

It’s your choice to take a break when you choose to do so, because no one else is going to do that for you. It’s easy to let life take you by the shirt collar and lead you around on its next journey; however, freely taking the time to determine your own path in life is somewhat delicate in nature. Life, as we know it, passes us by so quickly and easily; it escapes our present and catipults us right into the next day, catching us unaware of it’s thievery.

The reason why it’s extremely important to ‘live in the present’, is so that we’re aware of our surroundings. How many times have you walked out of your house without your car keys, your phone or your wallet…only to return moments later to scoop them all up, and then return to the present moment, altogether forgetting what you were doing in the first place? It’s not unusual for any one of us to get caught up in the moment, except that it is happening to each of us, more than not these days!

It’s time to ‘slow down’ and smell the roses or take a break with the kids; listen to some music, or just wind down, with a walk by the lake. It’s okay to treat yourself to life’s loveliness! Taking time to do meaningful things in our day, allows us the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate all that we have in this life. The idea that something said was funny, or that hearing a bird chirping outside the window gave you the inspiration to smile. That’s creative living at it’s finest! Embrace it for all it’s worth and hold on tight to it’s gloriousness, for tomorrow it could be gone.

Remembering to stop and take time for the little things in our day, will put the big things in our life into it’s proper perspective;  ‘right thinking’ does have its benefits. We were made to enjoy life and all it’s simple pleasures to the fullest, not just when we can fit it into our busy schedules.  Maybe taking some time out for a ‘spot of tea’  isn’t such a bad thing…they say, it’s a healthier way of living.  I invite you, to imagine that you, yourself, are sipping a warm cup of tea. Tranquilly, you are allowing it to suggest that you may take your time, to languidly, destress your cares away.  Feeling mesmerized, as you longingly watch the swirling of the water while you stir the loose leaves that have let loose from the sides of your cup. Continuing to stir the water, you distinctly here the soft tinkling of the spoon as it caresses the cups rim, and you are captured in that very moment. How  very peaceful that was…imaging a moment of pure delight. Don’t you think that you’re deserving of such repose in your day? If you’ve got time to think about it, then you certainly have time to make it happen! Which brings us back to the beginning of our story once again, imagining that same cup…half full or half empty; it’s entirely up to you!

Choosing to take some time out of your day for the sake of kindness, gratitude and peacefulness, that only you can share with yourself….because, you’re worth it. I dare you, to love yourself enough today…to do your best to take some much needed time-out. I urge you to know the difference between ‘I will’ and ‘now’; don’t wait for the next moment, for that moment might never arise. Go ahead…turn it off, tune it out and choose to stop; believe that it’s your best gift to yourself…to unwind, and unwrap it slowly, with the greatest love you can afford to give yourself today!

Give yourself a much needed hug today, and Embrace creation!