Tribute

I'm Still Here

Friend, please don't mourn for me.
I'm still here, though you don't see.
I'm right by your side each night and day
and within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I'm always near.
I'm everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
as long as you keep me alive in your heart.

I'll never wander out of your sight
I'm the brightest star on a summer night
I'll never be  beyond your reach
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.

I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around
and the pure white snow that blankets the ground
I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond.
The clear cool water in a quiet pond

I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring
The first warm raindrop that April will bring.
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
and you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.

When you start thinking there's no one to love you
you can talk to me through the Lord above you.
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,
and you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.

I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
and the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.
Just look for me, friend, I'm everyplace.

Author Unknown

Thanks for being a part of our lives and show us so many lessons and teaching us about love.  I will miss all of you so much.  Go in peace my friends and you will forever be in my heart.

Tribute to the beautiful Blue Bayou!

Dear Blue,

My sweet Blue Bayou.  Your beautiful  white mane and colorful long tail will forever stand out in my memory.  Your tickling mustache and the flowing feathers were so much a part of your personality.  No horse will ever replace you.   You were the horse of every girl’s dream.  You were the breeze blowing on our backs as you ran and played in the pasture with Buddy.  You were the essence of beauty as you carried the little children on your back.  You were the character with your playful personality that everyone dreams of displaying in their own life.  God definitely has better plans for you.  I will miss you so much.   My heart aches as I write these words.  So soon, so young, so fast you have left our sides.  Blue Bayou, I remember the beautiful day that you arrived.  A gorgeous fall day, as you stepped off of the trailer in all your beauty.  You knew you were beautiful.   I was overwhelmed and honored to receive you as part of ASPIRE’S program.  I was filled with gratitude and blessings.  It was an honor to watch you grow and develop into the beauty you had become.   You touched so many lives , made so many differences and you touched many lives far and wide.  You were awed by so many all around the community and US.  You were famous my friend.   You were famous in ASPIRE’S eyes.  You were at the right destination at the right time.  You were meant to be a part of ASPIRE.  Blue I won’t forget the time you walked up the ramp and then we had to decide how to get you down.  I remember your playfulness as you and Buddy played in the pasture.  I remember how free you looked as you ran like the breeze in your beautiful pasture and new loafing shed.  You were able to run free all day and night with your new shed.  You were so happy.   You mellowed as you took your turn with the older horses.  Everyone loved you Blue.   As we traveled to Ames to say goodbye, nigh did I know I would be saying goodbye in the car.  I sat and closed my eyes and watch you ascend and said goodbye to a very dear friend. Go now in peace my friend and know how much you were loved and the impact you had on so many lives.  Till we meet again my beautiful Blue Bayou!

                By the edge of the woods, at the foot of a hill, is a lush green meadow where time stands still, where the friends of man and woman do run, when their time on earth is over and done.

                For here, between this world and the next, is a place where beloved creatures find rest.  On this golden land, they wait and they play, til the Rainbow Bridge they cross one day.

                No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness, for here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.  Their limbs restored, their health renewed.  Their bodies have healed with strength imbued.

                They trot through the grass without even a care, til one day they whinny and sniff at the air.  All ears prick forward, eyes sharp and alert.  Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the herd.

                For just at that second, there’s no room for remorse.  As they see each other, one person, one horse.  So they run to each other, these friends from long past the time of their parting is over at last.

                The sadness they felt while they were apart had turned to joy once more in each heart.  They nuzzle with a love that will last forever.  Than then side-by-side they cross over together.

 

 

 

 

Percherons and Fear

Percherons and Fear!!!!  This is my story!  Watch for God and the metaphors in my story!

It was a cold and rainy Thursday!  Kameron(grandson) came to stay with me on that day.   It was a day for the doctor.  Kameron got his physical.  School shots, oh no, here comes the needles.  Yes, needles, 3 of them big scary needles.  I had a discussion with him, they are just pricks and there is really nothing to worry about.  He lays on the table and I say don't LOOK!  It won't hurt as much.   Hold his hand a few TEARS!  Bandaids, sticker, sucker and pencil, hooray we are done. 
Arrived at Waverly Horse Sale for lunch and then talked with the clinician.  He was from Wyoming and he told us what his plans were for the fundraiser he was doing early evening.  We arrived a 12:30.  He decides to announce to the audience that Kameron will sit on this horse he is going to be working.   Oops there goes the heart!  You are going to do what, I am thinking as my heart starts racing.  I don't feel well about this situation.   Off to see the horse he will be working with.   We had to pass by some large and I mean large Percherons to get to the stall.  Kameron walks in with this man and I am right behind.  He pets the horse for a minute and turns around to look for me and TEARS are rolling out of his eyes.   Then we have to get back to the sale ring so we have to pass the big Percherons again.  Big White scary Percherons.  Yep I am lucky I didn't have a heart attack!  But you see God had a plan and little did I know how he was going to set this up.  Fear is overtaking my mind.  But I did not want Kameron to know I was fearful.   I wanted him to be ok. big White Percherons.   He sat on her lap and was still sitting there when I came out of the bathroom.  She said, "I told him not to be afraid they are just gentle giants and they will not hurt you!   Watching the metaphor.  The big things are not to be feared as God is there catching our back.   I'm thinking this is going to be a long day but again never show that to Kameron just go with the flow.  He watched the sale and said "Grandma there are Benny horses and Erika horses".  He was right.  4 years old pretty smart.   He befriended a senior sitting next to us and then some Amish.  Kameron loves the Amish.  He said in the sale ring,"Look Grandma there are so many Amish."  Yes Kameron I say, "They use them for working with so they buy and sell them here at the sale".   5:00 p.m. arrives and the clinician begins his training but there is still some fear from Kameron so his mom comes with his helmet.  Yes,  I will not let me near that horse without a helmet.  Then along comes the lady again and Kameron sits again on her lap.  Pretty soon he turns to me and says I want to sit on that horse.  In the mean time they have collected money for ASPIRE.  The clinician really talks it up.  Kameron gets on when the clinician is all done.  Kameron believes it is not the same horse he seen earlier but she was a good horse.  Really calm and settled.  Kameron rides and gets off and the clinician takes his helmet and turns it upside down and tells him to go get more donations and if they tell you no he wants to here about it.   Told them thank you and left to go talk to the people with the money.  Yes folks $2,387 later we left and went to Pizza Ranch to eat.  Kameron was a proud little boy!
God really had this one all planned out because our fears are unnecessary and we can overcome and anything is possible.  Lots of God and metaphors!  Let's see what you get from the story.

Love Hurts, Love Flows

I had a Pastor many years ago that told me, "If you never take the risk to love, you will never know what you missed, Love hurts but it is worth the risk."

Love hurts!!!  As I think about the 2013 year there are so many times across the year and even now that Love hurts.   Situations, relationships, scary hurts, health problems, family issues.  Love hurts!!!

If I put up a wall and never let the love sink in and follow my heart I will never have had the awesome power of loving someone or something with everything I have in my heart.   Love flows!

Life deals us roses and thorns and sometimes the thorns are pretty hurtful!   God said the greatest of these is love!  What do we do when love hurts?  How do we muster the strength to get through the storm so that love flows again? 

I have grown in my relationship with God and learned so much about my spiritual being and allowed myself to be vulnerable and feel the joy, laughter, peace but in the midst of that I was dealt a heavy blow and it took the wind out of my sails.  Now I need to pick up the pieces and learn to love again only in a different way.  I need to accept the things I cannot change and courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.  This is a hard one for me and I have to pray alot about this.  You see I am a very giving person and sometimes to the point of forgetting myself and who I am.  I tend to allow individuals take my individuality away!  Then Love hurts!

So now the journey begins to find me!  Love flows and flows like a river!  God will be there to catch my back and there will be individuals along this journey that will catch my back as well.   Love flows!

My wish for you is that although Love hurts let Love flow as the benefits surely outweigh the alternative.  I wish you enough peace, joy, laughter and love to get through life's storms.