Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Santa's Wish for 2009

I found this poem in a weekly email I receive from Monty Roberts (who is awesome by the way), I highly recommend visiting his website www.Montyroberts.com and subscribing to his e-newsletter. If you need a good book, I also recommend Horse Sense for People, by Monty Roberts. It is about a little of everthing, corporate morale, how to treat others, raising children, dogs, horses, and very inspirational, if only everyone would a take a little piece of this book and put it to use. I have read this book once and am about to read it again.

...anyway, got a little off topic. Here is the poem, it's long, but it's cute. Read at your leisure.


Santa's Wish for 2009

One Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes looked deep into Santa's, to Santa's surprise and he said as he sat on Santa's broad knee, "I want your secret. Please tell it to me." He leaned up and whispered in Santa's good ear"How do you do it, year after year?" "I want to know how, as you travel about, giving gifts everywhere, you never run out.How is it, Dear Santa, that in your pack of toys you have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys?Your sack never empties as you make your way from rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,from nation to nation, reaching them all?" Santa smiled kindly. He said to the boy, "Don't ask me hard questions. Don't you want a toy?" But the child shook his head, and Santa could see that he needed the answer. "Now listen to me," He told the small boy with the light in his eyes: "My secret will make you sadder and wise." The truth is that my sack is magic. Inside there are millions of gifts for my Christmas Eve ride.Although I do visit each girl and each boy I do not leave each one a gaily wrapped toy. Some homes are hungry. Some homes are sad.Some homes are desperate. Some homes are bad. Some homes are broken and children there grieve.Those homes I visit, but what should I leave? My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff. But, for homes where despair lives toys aren't enough. So I tiptoe in and kiss each girl and each boy, and I pray for them that they'll be given the joyof the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives in the heart of each dear child who gets not, but gives. If only God hears me and answers my prayer, when I visit next year, what will I find there? Homes filled with peace, and with giving and love and boys and girls gifted with light from above? It's a very hard task, my smart little brother to give toys to one and give prayers to another. The prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed, for God has a way of meeting each need. That's part of the answer. The rest my dear youth, is that my sack is magic, and that is the truth. In my sack I carry on each Christmas Eve day more love than a Santa could e'er give away. The sack never empties of love, nor of joys cause inside it are prayers and hopes - not just toys. The more that I give, the fuller it seems, because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams. And do you know something? You've got a sack, too. It is as magic as mine, and it's inside of you. It never gets empty. It is full from the start. It's the center of light and love. It is your heart!If on this Christmas you want to help me, don't be concerned with the gifts 'neath your tree. Open the sack that's your heart and share your joy, your friendship, your love and your care." The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing. "Thanks for your secret. I've got to be going."Wait, little one," said Santa, "Don't go. Will you share? Will you help? - Use what you know?" Just for a moment the small boy stood still. He touched his hand to his heart, and he whispered: "I will!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! BE SAFE!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

O' Holy Night

Hey guys! I haven't posted much lately, just links and videos and such. I haven't had much time to really blog, but I figured i'd make time to share this delightful video with you all. It is my Christmas favorite. I love this version, and this singer, and it is a "must-hear".

Just close your eyes, think of Mary and Joseph and their little donkey chugging around in the dark, cold night trying to find a place to have their baby boy- push play, and enjoy.

Gives me chills everytime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2UMFTsV0Bs

Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

You made every star...

...and you taught it out to shine.


Just listening to my blog playlist tonight while cruising around on the internet, and I felt inclined to post this video- well mainly just this song, because the video is just the lyrics to the song, but it always speaks to my heart when I play it and just wanted to share it with you guys.

my favorite (really there are a lot of favorite verses) verse is:

"you knew my name before there was time, all this was just part of your glorious design, hallelujah!"






Amen!

Love,

Lindsay

Sunday, December 7, 2008

My little black cloud

This week has been a roller coaster ride. I have been very relieved with Tuff because he has been doing fabulous with his pasture turnout and his leg not getting swollen. He's been going out religiously during the day all day and is brought in at night to eat and rest. Uriah has been carrying the load of barn duties since my surgery so even though he's been working hard, I have gotten a 'break' from being the barn mom. It is a nice treat, but I want Uriah home when I'm home and for someone else to do all the barn chores (that is another post entirely). ....So yesterday Uriah asks me to go to the barn with him which I happily obliged- my husband and a horse + snow what else could a girl ask for?

What was I thinking? Shame on me for finally thinking that everything was smooth sailing...Picture this. Uriah cleaning the stalls, me getting ready to treat my horse with some alfalfa cubes after he just got his yucky de-wormer, and I twirl around to see a short little appaloosa gelding who thinks he must have the balls of the incredible hulk, come running up to the catch area where Tuff was just minding his own business. The next thing I know, Tuff turns around to defend himself, tries to bite the short little arsehole and ends up slipping on the melted snow, falling INTO the fence, and falling 2 feet down into a very deep vat of mud, landing partially on that STUPID horse. At this point I think I see him limp, but then he is chased out into the VERY large pasture and gets into a fight with the gelding. I am screaming and saying some not so pretty words that I am not so proud that I said while Uriah comes out from the stall because he heard me screaming and if it wasn't for him I have no idea what I would have done.

So, after it was all said and done, and we corralled the horses into their appropriate places, Tuff ending up breaking all 3 slats of the fence, knocking the top one out of the rungs it was in, and completely shattering the bottom two. I thought all was clear until Uriah sees a 4'' gash on the side of his neck, directly adjacent to his jugular vein, glistening with oozy stuff in his winter fur. Luckily it only went through his layers of skin, and stopped right before his muscle could be cut.

Thank God for barn buddies and a pair of fabulous ladies who have given me medical guidance and emotional guidance during all of the ups and downs of Tuff's leg. If it weren't for them I'd have been shipped to the loony bin. I know they don't read my blog, but thank you for getting up out of your pajamas into the barn clothes at night, in the freezing cold to take care of someone elses horse. Two angels I tell ya. Angels.

So tonight, leaving the barn, Tuff has a winter blanket, a neck wrap, and a leg wrap, all of them hunter green looking spiffy against his chestnut hair. Nobody said that you can't look stylish while you are sick. The poor guy had to stay in today because he could have possibly injured his good leg while he was busy falling and fighting and getting stuck in the not so shallow mud. Pray that he still has one good leg to stand on. Maybe the 21 degree cold and wind chill of 12 degrees will help the heat that is emanating from his ankle. Ugh.

The worst thing about all of this is I saw it coming, and it was like someone put me on pause because I was too slow to stop it, it was one of those things when you know you need to move fast, but you're too shocked to move because you know how bad it could be. That and trying to stop 2 horses, 1 being 1200 pounds and the other maxing out at barely 1000 makes you feel pretty helpless and all you can do is yell NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO really loud and stay out of the way of firing hooves. I am mad at myself for being so panicky when it comes time to my red haired-4-legged son. It seems like I forget all my work experience and what I know when it comes to animal medical things and I turn into some scare-dy-cat-worry-wart-paranoid mother.

I guess it was too much to ask for this weekend to be worry free since I am leaving town to visit my greatly missed family this weekend in NC. Gotta have something to worry about right?

So, even though i'm whining over this now, I am always thankful that it wasn't worse, and that I still have so many other things to be thankful for.

I just need prayers that I will find a better barn for us. It's time to move Tuff again. I need someone that is THERE, and will give me CARE without me having to argue (literally) when I ask nicely for something that I need. The ideal barn would have owners that have a mass of horse knowledge (not just hired hands that have a 9-5 job and very minimal horse knowledge) and live on the premises and can address any emergency issues if i'm not there. It would be awesome if I could get some fresh water, hay, feed, and a stall cleaned automatically just because thats what they do. These are all considered 'full care' boarding which is what I supposedly have now, but isn't the case. There are tons of barns with these options, I just need to find the one that is right for me and my Tuffy. sigh. On that note. Goodnight.

Time for bed.

Have a good Monday!

Lindsay