Sunday, November 30, 2008

First snows


The first snows started gently falling last evening. At 2:30 in the morning our English shepherds got their first taste (literally) of snow. Jumping and frolicking. Barking and laughing. Dancing and playing. They circled each other. Caught each other's tails. Skipped and laughed around the swing set.
At sunrise the snow was still falling. The tree limbs clung to the wet beautiful snow. The snow piled higher and higher on their branches. The white cedar boughs hung heavily. It was a winter wonderland. Calming. Refreshing. Renewing. Restful.
My son and our mama cat went for a late morning stroll after church. He's becoming quite the photographer. Clicking here. Shooting there. I thought his pictures would be blurry and uncentered the way he was zipping around. They turned out wonderfully. In fact I may "borrow" some. ☺

May you find the quietness of falling snow and the warmth of love in your hearts and home this evening. The snow is still falling.
Today's Journey Joy - First snow

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sad sunsets

It is with sadness that I write today. Not a personal sadness... an empathic sadness.

I wrote once about my neighbors. They are kind, generous, and friendly people. She has a passion for flowers, gardening, and especially, horses. He is hardworking and (I swear) has almost every machine or toy that a small farm could ever need!

A little over a year ago one of their two horses contracted a very serious illness (from opossums). My neighbor literally fed this horse out of her hand. She once told me that she would stand next to Peppy and pretend to chew so that Peppy would know what to do. She would give him the medicine that the vet prescribed, clean his stall and bed him with special bedding, and love on him. This nursing was long term. I think she said she helped him like this for over a year and a half. But finally one day midsummer Peppy could go on no more. A sad, but necessary, decision was made and my neighbors asked the vet to come out and assist Peppy in a painless entry into death.

We had the privilege of digging a horse sized hole with our backhoe. My husband very efficiently dug a wide 10 x 10 foot hole about 8-9 feet deep. And our neighbor gently placed Peppy in his burial place. After my husband buried him we had a spontaneous little funeral. My daughter and son, my husband, my two neighbors and I bowed our heads and thanked the Lord, the Creator of all good things, for the life and love of this horse. I recall that we asked God to comfort our friends. It was indeed a very special time.

Why am I sad today? My neighbors have been searching almost 5 months for a new "older" horse for Rocky (their remaining horse). After seeking and handling and riding numerous horses they finally had chosen the special friend for Rocky. My neighbor told me recently that she would go over to the stable where this beautiful mare was and ride her everyday for at least an hour. This bonding and friendship-making lasted several weeks. Last week the new horse was brought to her new home.

All went well. The new horse and Rocky were instant friends. My neighbor said "it was like Lady and the Tramp". The two horses would snuggle and muzzle up to each other and share food. A match made in heaven. But then the unthinkable occurred. An accident. Unforeseen. Unpreventable. The new mare somehow got cut on a gate. Perhaps she was resting by the gate and moved her head into the electric wire and jumped. It is unclear. But she was injured. The vet of course immediately came over to render aid. Pretty straightforward. Stop the bleeding; suture the wound; apply antibiotics. But apparently something was amiss. That evening, the "Lady" died. Embolism? Head injury? We will never know. But what we do know is that Rocky is alone again and my neighbors are very sad.

My husband's backhoe services were used once again. They buried her right next to Peppy in the cherry tree grove. The children and I were unable to attend. But my husband said it was a sad, sad burial.

If you are a praying person, please pray for comfort and rest for my dear neighbors. I wish my arms of hugs and words of comfort could make "it" all better. But I know that only the God of all Comfort can calm the soul and bring joy once again.

Today's Journey Joy - empathy

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy - keep thinking about these things. Likewise, keep practicing these things; what you have learned, received, heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you." Phillipians 4:8-9

Melancholy

I shouldn't write when I'm feeling like this.  Emotionally fragile and oscillating between tears, fears, and frustration.  Yet ...