Horseback

Spring Break was coming to an end and there was one more arena that Molly wanted to pursue. Horseback riding. So she did her homework, found a stable out west of town and invited me to join her. I was game, love her, and love horses so we put on our jeans and boots and were off, not really knowing what we were getting into. I had taken riding lessons years ago at camp and Molly had been on horses on a slow gait but wanted to learn more. She was given Cole, a beautiful black mare, I was given Mellie, an older freckled beauty as well. Learn more we did. For we were not able to even get on the horses without first brushing them, first with a circle brush then with a big brush. We had to bridle them, select blankets, choose saddles, tighten girths, adjust stirrups and choose favorable. Finally we were able to ride them. There was a large arena and we took a riding lesson for about an hour; refreshing our hold on reigns, posture in the saddle, force of a kick, and posting, which really is a lot of work. We walked, trotted and cantered, kicking up as much dirt as we could. And were quite content with our adventure when our lesson was done.

Horseback riding is just like so many other things that we are faced with in life. You can try to just get on a horse and ride without any instruction, but chances if you haven't been taught how to let the horse know you are boss, then the horse is going to boss you. There have been many a time that I have allowed situations that have been before me to be just like a runaway horse. I get scared, lose my standing, lose my confidence, and hold on just to stay on, instead of tightening my reigns on God's truth and sitting back in my saddle on faith.

But as I was trotting this adventure through my mind, I considered the many chances that God has given me to ride opportunities. Some I have embarked upon, some I have tendered with opposition. Opportunities are presented to mature, challenge, encourage, or teach us. Some come packaged as gifts, others disguised as trials, while others surge us with a curiosity that helps us to discover talents we didn't even know we had.But I am convinced that all come with a purpose, God's purpose personally chosen to advance us to better know him, trust him and be like him. So often I jump aboard an opportunity without considering and adhering to God's basics of preparation and training. I forget to brush up on my prayers, asking God to guide me through the path that is before me, or the relationship, or decision, or the emotions that I have allowed to ruffle my feathers. I have a tendency to jump up and on an opportunity without bridling my tongue, or tightening my girth of self control, or holding my reigns with allotted restraint. I allow my posture of purpose to be lazy instead of sitting up straight, being alert and focusing on what it is that God may be trying to do for me or through me for my good and for his glory.

We are all faced with adventures in life...some we choose and pursue and others are placed before us without our prior consent. Some we walk into, others we trot towards while still others we gracefully canter through. But no matter the speed at which we approach one, God always has something that can be learned from it.

Some guidelines for riding an opportunity:
1) prepare in prayer
2) hold loose the reigns so that God can direct you
3) tighten the girth of self control
4) bridle the tongue
3) sit tall in confidence that God will prevail in any situation
4) embrace the lesson
5) find contentment in the process

We learned some lessons, had some fun and kicked up some dirt. Helen, our teacher was a veteran with horses. Taught high school for many years and then on the side taught horseback riding, to children and adults and now this is her full time job. She was comfortable in her dirt splattered t-shirt and jeans and the bandanna that covered her short gray ponytail. She was patient and calm, as we prepared the horses and taught us to move carefully and confidently around them. She taught from the ground of the dirt covered arena not from a horse, for her arthritis had become an issue. The horses knew her voice and reacted at her verbal command even before we applied the motions that you would make as a rider. She did things methodically without rush, and had the ability to make you want to follow her lead.

This is the way that God teaches us: with calmness, comfort, confidence, patience and gentleness. For he knows our ways and our desires and our tendencies to play into self triggered reactions. And we are to know his voice and want to act and follow him accordingly. And just as Helen taught us in stages so does God teach his children in stages. He trains us to get one lesson lassoed before bringing into the arena the next. At first he prepares us, then helps us to walk through the lesson at hand, and then later tests us to see if we learned what he has has taught, so that he can continue to teach us more.

Psalm 25:4
Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the patience and gentleness that comes with all of your teaching. Help me to learn to ride out the things that are placed before me in a calm and settled way trusting you in every arena.

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!