Unwavering Hope!

This is my computer background right now - anyone surprised?? 
I hope not, because on my author's page it states that I love horses. 

     Every month at crosscards.com there are new monthly calenders. The thing I love about these backgrounds is that they have a bible verse. I looked yesterday for the one that would grace my screen for September. When I saw this choice, it was a hands down winner! Usually its a harder decision and takes a while for me to choose. When I saw the picture it was void of the horses...half the background was blank. When I looked at the wooden planks, the figure-eight knot on the side it, and the verse, it reminded me of the hope the first frontiersmen must have had as they continued west into "wild horse country." To me the horse has always been symbol of strength, grace, beauty, and hope.

     David also had hope. The first four verses of Psalm 71 are all pleas for God to come to the rescue. David must have been in a bit of trouble and his enemies were close at hand when he cried out to God. But the rest of the Psalm tells of how God has helped in the past and how David trusts in God. Verse 13 states: "May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace." Then in verse 14 he says (also above): "But as for me, I will always have hope." Let us also have an unwavering hope in God!

Heartland..a place of healing

      For the past two weeks I've been watching a tv series regularly. I just finished the sixth season, which is the most recent. The tv show is called Heartland, and it's based on a book series by Lauren Brooke.
      The one thing that drew me toward the books were the horses. Every cover had a horse on it and at that time they were my favorite
things to read about. Maybe I went a bit overboard when I was younger, but it was an easy way to escape to a world that I wished I could be part of. Don't get me wrong though...I still love horses and wish I could be a part of that make-believe world I dreamed of as a young girl. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll own a horse..haha..in my dreams.

      Anyway, I was overjoyed when I found out about it airing on tv. Then I saw it was on CBC, which means it only airs in Canada. But, that isn't totally true-it airs on GMC. I looked it up on google and found a website where I could watch all the episodes for free, which made me happy.
      There are themes that wind themselves through the episodes. Trust is the biggest one, along with compassion, patience, and love. The actors fit the roles very well. Amy is forgiving and patient. Ty is protective, but troubled. Jack is caring, but stern. Mallory is opinionated and impulsive.  Lou is organized and creative. The variety of characters and traits combine to make a drama series that I will never forget.
      Ty and Amy are the two main characters and by the end of the sixth season are engaged. Their relationship goes through a lot of bumps and at one point they even break up. One of my favorite episodes is when they finally realize that they can't live without each other just after Ty almost dies from a motorcycle accident. I believe that their relationship has taught me that every relationship is built on trust and that forgiveness can wipe all the past away and help us look toward a brighter future.
      The main point of this show is to show the healing of horses and humans. Heartland is a ranch for horses that need some sort of healing, either physical or behavioral. Marion, the mother of Amy and Lou, who dies in the first episode also would help to heal humans. She had signed Ty's probation papers so he could serve it on the ranch, not in a prison. Ty eventually does heal and with Amy's help, learns to trust and love again.
      I recommend this show to anyone old enough to watch PG. Some of the scenes are a bit gory because of the physical damage to a horse or person. There are some episodes with mild language. Otherwise the show is great for families or individuals. It'll make you laugh, cry, and maybe you'll even yell at the screen as if the actors can hear you.

One of Gods creatures - Strength

Have you ever watched a horse run along a sandy beach, it's muscular legs kicking up the loose sand? What about seeing a herd of wild horses gallop through inches of soft snow? Have you ever stood next to a horse to hear it breath and to feel the soft touch of its muzzle on your shoulder?

     I can't say yes to all these questions, sadly. Horses have been my favorite animal since I was a little girl. I remember watching horse movies one after another. There were times when I would gallop around the house like I was riding a wild steed, that I could supposedly train. (what a dream, right?) 
      Then my dream of riding a real horse came true when I entered third grade. We took riding lessons for about a year and a half. They were some of the most memorable and exciting days of my life. I rode a horse named Presley, a handsome chestnut with a black mane. The riding lesson price soon went up so high, that we stopped our lessons. We've ridden horses on vacations too. We went to Chincoteague to see the ponies there, and we also met the grandson of the owner of Misty. 
     I think that the thing that always drew me to horses was the grace and strength they showed. They run so smoothly, and show no fear. God made them to show us that we should be like them. We should never show fear toward Satan and his plans to lure us away from God. All horses know their owners voice, whether man or just God. We should always heed to our masters call no matter how hard it is for us to get to him. 

 “Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds."  ~ Job 39:19-24