February 2009

A few weeks ago Loni Smith approached me about the possibility of Joe Most holding an "Equine Posturing Evaluation and Workshop" at our barn. I had never heard of Joe Most - and I was totally unsure about what Equine Posturing was. Loni explained to me that Joe has helped numerous horses in our area with soundness, behavioral problems and training issues by a method known as "Healthy Stride" which I was also unaware of . Being in the horse business for many years I've seen a lot of "fads" come and go that have been the products of "good salesmanship." Needless to say I was hesitant and skeptical about all of this. It reminded me of what happened after the movie "The Horse Whisperer" came out. Anyway - because of Loni's involvement, I agreed to our facility being used for this event even though none of our horses were involved. I was skeptical about it all - and still am to some degree. I will say, on the first two days Joe and his wife Penny did and said a lot of things that made a lot of sense - and are likely to help the horses. I was busy most of the time so didn't get to observe a lot of what he did but I will say that everyone who brought their horse sang his praises to the highest. This process cost more than double what a typical shoeing in this area would cost. And - some of these people have driven four to five hours to Joe's farm in North Carolina to have him shoe their horses. His clients BELIEVE in his work.

Soooo - Saturday morning Joe and Donna were in the barn chit chattin' - just sort of making small talk. Donna kiddingly said something about "Rex" and how wild and crazy his mane is and Joe said "well, let's take a look at him." With that we brought him out of his stall and Joe did a quick evaluation of his posture, pointing out that his right hip and right shoulder were lower than his left. He explained how you can tell a lot about what is bothering a horse by the way their mane splits. AMAZING !!! All the questions he asked us about Rex seemed in line with some of the things that we've dealt with in his training program. So - we decided to let Joe work on Rex's "posture." I called our blacksmith Anthony Jardine and asked him to come down and watch and see what he thought. Anthony has well over an hours drive to us and I hated to have him come so far, but I think the world of him and wanted his input. Anthony is a wonderful man who is quite smart AND humble enough to realize there is always more we can learn in life. So, he was more than agreeable to take the drive down to observe what Joe did with Rex.

So - the first thing they did was to observe Rex on the lunge line, and then evaluate his posture which told Joe his right shoulder and right hip were lower than his left. With this new program of Healthy Stride and Equine Posturing they use different degree wedges in the shoes to balance the horse out. I was busy teaching a lesson during this process so I missed out on a lot of the questions I wish I could have asked - but hopefully I'll get around to that today. Anyway, the shoeing was done and Joe had Donna get on and ride to see if she could feel a difference. I will say that Rex did look like he was using his hind end more, plus he also felt better to Donna. Of course - still being a bit skeptical about all of this, we will see how the training process comes along in the weeks ahead. Rex is a very good boy and is sweet as he can be, but he does have a problem cantering correctly and never really engages his hindquarters the way he should, plus he's stiff through his turns. All of this has gotten better because Donna had done a great job with his flat work - plus she's so patient with him which is very important with young horses. Now we will see if this "posture balancing" helps make Rex's job easier. I'll keep you posted on his progress.

Joe will be at the barn all day today so if you want to drop by and watch feel free to. We'll be back from church around 11:30.

Church was wonderful tonight. Like I told you last week, on Wednesday nights we go to this precious little church near the barn called "Healing Waters." They are teaching a series on "Eternity" and I'll tell you what - it is powerful. Tonight was about "Hell." WOW - it was eye opening. Pastor McCarty explained that it is sad that we rarely hear about Hell or have it described to us how horrible it is. I guess none of us really want to hear it. It's scary! After the program was over Ryann praised Pastor McCarty for offering this series and educating us about it. She, like so many of us, didn't know what Hell was like. I'm telling you - none of us want to go there, not even for a minute let alone eternity. I'm going to try and find something to post here about it. Anyway - this precious, little church is sure "feeding" us !!! Aren't we blessed to have it less than a mile from the stable. God is good !!!

We're excited about our horse show on Saturday. It is going to be a gorgeous day. And we've gotten quite a few pre-entries. Make sure you get your entries in.

This is an excellent article I found when I Googled "what is hell like?" It is scary and not for the faint of heart. But, for those who believe that the Bible is the word of God then every word of it truly describes hell. Pastor McCarty feels strongly that we should all learn about hell so we better understand why we want to live a more "Christ-like" life. Many people feel that we have a loving God who would never subject us to the horrors of hell. Yes - we have a very loving God, who is always there for us "when WE call on Him." But, he is also a just God and he tells us in the bible that there will be a hell. In the Bible He has given us His words on how we are to live, and it is up to us to choose to live in a manner that will get us into heaven or into hell. Remember, we have a free will and God will never force Himself on us. We have to come to Him on our own. And it is so simple to do.

We had an absolutely wonderful day today. The weather was perfect. There was not one thing about the day that I would have changed. The show ran so smoothly, and I contribute it to our wonderful "helpers" AND the nice group of exhibitors we had showing. Ryann announced and did a great job. Neysa Bryant judged and did a great job. Donna helped do everything that needed doing and, as always did a great job ! I did the secretary stand, and Mark and Lori ran the concession stand, and did a great job ! I don't think I've told you the story about Mark and Lori - so here goes.

A while back I told you about the nice man named Kurt, who would come out once in a while and help around the barn. He was a true blessing to us. Well, a few weeks went by and we didn't see him. One day Donna, Ryann and I were at lunch and we were talking about how much we missed and needed Kurt to come back out. He had been so helpful. We had some projects that required "a man" to do them. So - on the way home from lunch we prayed and asked God to send him back out. The next day Mark and Lori - who we had never met before - came to the barn and asked if they could come out and "help." I explained that we weren't hiring right now and they said that was not what they were looking for. They just wanted to come out to Amazing Grace Stable and be a part of it. Well - God answered our prayer - and he answered it abundantly. Our God is soooooooo good. He can and will exceed your prayers . I love this verse in the Bible and it is oh so true.

"Ask of God, who is able to do exceedingly far more abundantly above and beyond all that we could ask or think." Ephesians 3:20

God answered our prayer exceedingly and abundantly! Mark and Lori are at the barn everyday - helping do anything that needs doing. And - as we all know - barn work is "never done." There is always something to do at a barn. Thank you Lord for answering our prayer, exceedingly and abundantly !!! He is so good, and never ceases to AMAZE me !!!

Pam Herman came from Chesapeake and brought a big group of riders and a lot of very nice horses. In the first two divisions - Open Hunter and Green Hunter - all the horses were ridden by Pam. It reminded us of when the same thing use to happen when Peg was the only professional rider at the shows. Everyone would sit there for hours just watching Peg go around and around on horse after horse. The same thing happened today with Pam. Pam did a great job and I admire her stamina !!! She had a lot of very nice horses too - and a nice group of riders.

Jackie Lee brought two very nice horses and a beautiful pony. Heather Nuckles and her horse "At Last" were the only "clean sweep" entry at the show today - winning all three classes in the Pleasure division. It was so nice having Heather, and her mom and dad (Debbie & Kevin) at the show. It felt like old times. About thirty years ago, at Shore Crest Stables in Hampton, I was Debbie's riding teacher. She had a big, pretty, bay horse. Then we moved to Shamrock Stables and Kevin (and his wonderful parents) were out there and that's when I met Kevin. I believe that's when Kevin and Debbie met as well. Donna and I were talking today about how the two of them look exactly the same as they did back then. They haven't changed much. And Heather is such a beautiful young "woman". Oh my, where do the years go ! Peyton Smith was riding the pony and that child can really ride. She is adorable. Jackie has done a great job training her.

Denise Luckey came out with her precious horse "Sydney". Denise bred her mare "Fuerst Impression" and raised Sydney. She also broke her and has done all the training herself. She has done a wonderful job with her. That is the sweetest horse, and she's pretty and a cute mover. I can't wait to see her jump !!!

I didn't get to see much of the horse show - I never do. I'm usually busy doing paper work and/or talking with the different people I don't get to see very often. I absolutely LOVE having horse shows at the barn. It's one of my favorite things to do. To me it feels like a big party - with the horses. It's just FUN !!!

Ryann, Donna and I started today with prayer, asking God for wisdom and guidance and for His protection over the horses and riders. Tonight - along with Mark and Lori - we ended the day with prayer - thanking God for such a blessed day and for answering our morning prayer "exceedingly and abundantly". We have such a wonderful God !!!

Thank you everyone who came out to the show today. It was great seeing some old friends again, and wonderful meeting some new people.

Today was one of the happiest days I've had in the past eight years. The horse show at the barn on Saturday was the start of it. Then when I came home Saturday I had a nice present from my friends Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw. They sent me a copy of the book "Saved" all about rescue animals, which as you know they are very involved in. They also sent a baseball cap with their logo, another one of their calendars, and a tote bag. It was quite a nice surprise and so thoughtful. Please visit their web site at www.dannyandronsrescue.com and please keep them in mind when making your donations. Without donations they cannot continue to do the wonderful "rescuing" they do. Please help them. We've added a link to the web site for making donations thru PayPal, so it's really simple to donate. Please help.

Yesterday was also wonderful. It started out with a great service at Bethel Temple. I felt like Pastor Glenn was preaching directly to me. Of course it pertained to everyone, but it had a special meaning for me because of the barn. The topic of the sermon was Dreams and Visions.

Amazing Grace Stable is the perfect name for the barn because it truly is amazing. It is so peaceful, and we are not the only ones who feel it. Most of our customers have commented about it. Last weekend one of the first things Joe Most said to me was how the minute he pulled on the property he felt a peace. He said he goes to a lot of barns and at some of them he can feel the tension as soon as he pulls in. Then today, we had some friends come visit who haven't been out since we moved in and they said the same thing. Ryann, Donna and I feel it everyday - and it is so neat when other people tell us they feel it, without any prompting from us. God is AMAZING !!!

Anyway, back to Pastor Glenn's sermon. It was about how to tell if your "dream" is from God. He says, when your dream is from God it is so big that you think there is no way you can do it. That is because you can't do it on your own. You can only do it with God's help and grace. He also said, if your dream isn't about you but it is about what you can do for other people, that is also when your dream is from God. Hmmmmmm - confirmation from God on exactly the sixth month mark of our being at Amazing Grace Stable. He is truly AMAZING !!!

Then, Ryann and I went to Healing Waters church for their service. Ryann went there on Sunday because Pastor McCarty talked with her and Hunter about becoming their Youth Leaders. I'll tell you - he couldn't have picked anyone more on fire for the Lord. And, Ryann has such a heart for the youth. She is really excited and I know they will do a great job. Hunter was at drill with the National Guard for the weekend so he didn't get to attend.

After that Ryann and I went to the Smithfield Center to attend the fund raiser lunch for Lt. Kurt Beach, a Smithfield Police Officer who is in need of a liver transplant. Kurt is one of the most wonderful people on this earth. Everyone loves him, which was evident when the dinner was sold out within the first hour. Kurt is one of the most on fire for the Lord people I know. He plays an important role at the Smithfield Assembly of God Church, and he makes you feel so welcome when you visit. I know God is going to turn Kurt's situation around. He's going to use this for his glory. Please keep him in your prayers. We can never have too many people praying for us.

And finally - today was especially wonderful because Rex was perfect !!! He jumped the entire course, did the adds nicely, and did all his lead changes. He hasn't figured out yet how to land on the lead in the direction he is going to be turning - so he had to do quite a few lead changes. But, he's gettin' it ! Maybe there is something to this Joe Most "Equine Posturing." Donna says she can feel a big difference in his balance and how he's carrying himself. I'm still not 100% sold - but I'll tell you this - the horse is going better. We'll see !!!

Another wonderful day at the barn. It's been six months - which has flown by. We all know the saying "time flies when you're having fun." And we ARE having fun. Everyday we walk around just thanking God for our blessings and for allowing us to have this wonderful barn. It's all been possible because of our wonderful God. He brought it all together. He put the right people in our lives to get it done, and He gives us the grace and wisdom we need everyday.

I just can't sing God's praises enough. I know a lot of you think I'm totally wacky, and that's alright. I certainly don't mind. I'm a Jesus Freak" and I don't mind admitting it. In the 60's it was alright for us to be Jesus Freaks. People were use to us because there were so many people in that movement. But then - as the years went by, and we got caught up in "life" we slipped away a bit. We never lost our faith and love for the Lord, but church wasn't a priority anymore because horse shows were. But I'll tell you what, life is soooooooo much better being a "Jesus Freak." Everything just goes smoother. And - once you feel the Holy Spirit in your life and you see how He works and the peace He gives you, you just want to tell the world. You want everyone you know to experience it too. There is nothing like it.

It is soooooo easy to experience our wonderful God. But you have to "seek" Him. God will never force Himself on you. We have been given free will, and as the Bible says it is up to us to "seek the Lord." All you do is ask Jesus to come into your life, then spend a little time in prayer and thanksgiving each day, and give God praise and glory. And believe me, once you get into it you look forward to that time you spend with God. I love Wednesdays and Sundays because I know our souls are going to be fed by our wonderful Pastors Glenn and McCarty. I use to think that church wasn't important, that as long as I read my Bible, prayed, and watched a television preacher that was enough. Well - I've learned that I was wrong. And I learned that on my own because of how much better I feel when I've been to church. The presence of the Holy Spirit is strong when a large group of believers gather together. I know that sounds wacky to you, but you'll see what I mean when you experience it. And I hope and pray that you do experience it. And you know what, I still read my Bible, pray and watch television preachers TOO. I LOVE THE LORD !!!

You're in my prayers daily. Yes YOU !!! I pray for all my friends to grow strong in the Lord, and that includes You. If you are reading my diary, you must be my friend. Somewhere along the way we've met and I know you. So I will continue praying for God to tug at your heart.

We are starting a Morning Devotional and Bible Study at the barn on Thursdays at 11:00. We would love for you to come. You'll be happy you did, so PLEASE join us.

Truths about Horses

1. People who don't take care of their own horses will be the first ones to tell you how to care for yours.
2. You should never buy a cheap girth!
3. A handsome horse who's badly behaved will become a lot less attractive in about 15 min.
4. People who think they have nothing more to learn about riding, hit the ground the hardest.

5. Children and ponies are natural allies and often have identical dispositions.
6. The richest horse people often look the poorest.
7. The closeness of a horse is one of the sweetest smells in the world.
8. A solitary ride through the woods is more beneficial than six months with the best psychiatrist.
9. The worse a person rides the more likely they are going to blame it on the horse.
10. The best thing about going to the barn first thing in the morning is that horses don't care how you look.
11. If a dealer insists a horse is worth twice what he's asking he's usually worth half that much.
12. The best way to appreciate how another person rides is to get on their horse.
13. I can recognize another horse person no matter what town, city, state, county or country I visit.
14. You can never have too many hoof picks.
15. It is not always wise to argue with something that outweighs you by 1,000 pounds.
16. I'd rather have a horse with a perfect mind then a perfect head.
17. Eight hours is not too long to be in the saddle!
18. If you think you have left the water on in the barn you have, if you think you have closed the pasture gate you haven't.
19. When someone asks you if you like their horse always say yes
20. The happiest people I know own horses, dogs, cats and at least one deranged goat.
21. If you're looking for the perfect horse you will never own one.
22. Owning a horse can either make a marriage or break it.
23. I'd rather lose my Chap Stick than my curb chain.
24. You shouldn't talk about your first place ribbon to someone that came in second.
25. If someone says that horse has a little buck, it has a BIG buck.
26. If we need rain, schedule a show.
27. I've never warmed up to someone that didn't want to walk down to the stables.
28. A clean stable and a sparkling horse are among life's great pleasures.
29. A FREE horse is not a cheap horse.
30. No matter how badly behaved you are, your horse always gives you a second chance.
31. An expensive horse doesn't make a better horse.
32. I can't stand to have an empty stable.
33. Losing a horse can break your heart, but it will have been worth it.

Another fabulous day at the barn. Everything was wonderful. The weather was great, the lessons were all good. We had two new students who were so much fun to teach. They brought their horses who were both so quiet and brave. One of the horses jumped and didn't care a bit about the flower boxes, cedar trees, etc. And - she's a baby green horse. Amazing. I really enjoyed working with them.

Another good day for Rex. He seems to like the 10:00 a.m. hour. Yesterday we had to ride him at around 3:00 and he was a bit fussy and not as good. Probably thinking about dinner and turn out. So - we are going to do our best to get him ridden in the mornings. Today he landed on both leads, and seemed to get it about landing on the lead in the direction he was going to turn. He was a very good boy. He'll have tomorrow off, or maybe a little flat work.

Ryann and Reese had a really good day today too. That is one precious horse. Today we worked on doing the "real" distances. We don't jump him much and mostly just trot the jumps and add in the lines. So, today I had Ryann pick up a more forward canter and not touch the reins in the lines. She rode great and he was perfect. He was tired of adding - it "confined" him too much. Ryann was beaming from ear to ear. I think she was worried that if she did the real number of strides that he would get too strong. He can be a "little frisky" sometimes - depending on his mood. But to me he looked like he just wanted to canter and have a loop in the reins and not be shortened and pulled on. Ryann trusted me and (phew) thank God it worked. He was adorable. I love that horse - but he can be a "little naughty" sometimes. And - that's why we have him.

Church was great tonight. It was the third lesson of the Eternity series I've been telling you about. The first one was about heaven, the second one was about hell. This one was about salvation, and how there is more to being saved than just saying the "salvation prayer." A lot of people are "deceived" into thinking that all they have to do is go to the front of the church, repeat the prayer and that they will be forgiven for any sins they have done and/or continue to do. That is not the case. We have to let our "sin nature" die and change our ways and live as if Jesus were right there with us. When the Holy Spirit enters your life you "want" to give up things that you know are wrong, like drinking, smoking, cussing, immorality, etc, etc, etc. The busyness of life tries to distract us and keep us from learning God's word in the Bible. It's all right there - teaching us the way we should live. Yes, God is a loving God, and He is a just God. The Bible gives us His "rules." It CLEARLY tells us that He is NOT going to let everyone into heaven. It is our choice of how we want to live and how we want to spend eternity. He is going to be just, and we are going to stand before him on judgment day. No one will escape that. The Bible teaches us to repent of our sins and change our "evil" ways in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. And you know - it is SOOOOOOOO easy to do. Once you've accepted Jesus into your heart and the Holy Spirit is guiding you there is no effort at all in living "right." But I will say, you do need to stay in the word (the Bible) and diligently SEEK the Lord. And that's easy to do too because your new nature craves it. WOW - aren't we blessed that He gave us the Bible so we can study His word and learn what we need to do. The Bible - such an amazing book. And He is such an amazing God!!!

What a wonderful day. I couldn't be happier. And when I think about how miserable my life was a year ago. Thank you my Amazing God !!!

Remember to get your entries in for the horse show on Saturday. It's going to be a good show. We have sold out of stalls. And remember tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. is our Bible Study and Devotional. Hope to see you at both.

We have a nice group of exhibitors coming to the show on Saturday. We will be starting the show at 10:00 a.m.

Our Bible study today was wonderful. Ryann did a great job. I can't begin to tell you how my heart feels seeing and hearing her heartfelt love for the Lord. The two years she spent in the Master's Commission were such a blessing to her - and equally as much a blessing for me. The foundation she has is irreplaceable and it was without a doubt the best thing she could have done at that time in her life. It is an amazing program. Her plan is for us read the "Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. Did you know that book is the second best selling book ever. The first best selling book is, of course, the Bible. Today was half and half male and female, so don't be shy if you are a man and would like to join our group. We will make you feel very comfortable!!! It's every Thursday - at the barn - at 11:00 a.m. We hope to see you next week. If you can, please purchase a copy of "The Purpose Driven Life. " You should also bring a journal to keep notes.

I've been trying to think of a way to describe the amazing feeling of salvation. There is only one thing I can think of, and as wonderful as it is it still doesn't compare. It's close, but there is nothing like the feeling of knowing the Holy Spirit is with you all the time. The closest thing I can think of is how we feel when we become a parent. There are absolutely no words to describe the love you have for that baby. Before we have children we can not even begin to imagine how wonderful it is. And it doesn't matter how our friends or family try to describe it, we still can't "imagine" it. That is because it is so wonderful that no words can describe it, and because we've never experienced it we can't imagine it. That is how the feeling of the grace of God is. You have to experience it to understand it. And - it is so worth pursuing. But, it's up to you to seek God - He won't force Himself on you. The more you seek Him - through prayer and praise - the more He shows himself to you. There is a wonderful song that Ryann sang when she was in the worship team of the Master's Commission. Here are the words. It is such a beautiful song, and maybe one day she'll sing it for you.

We have been praying and believing all week that the weather forecast would change and we would have a nice day for the show on Saturday. Tomorrow is going to be beautiful. Thank you God for answering our prayers. We hope you will be coming out to the show. We sure have a nice group of exhibitors coming. It's going to be a lot of fun.

The first thing I want to do is thank God for answering our prayers and letting us have a wonderful horse show. All week long the weather forecast has been for today to be raining and windy, but thank you Lord for turning that forecast around. We want to be sure to give Him the glory because that sure was answered prayers!

So - another absolutely perfect day. I just can not believe how happy I am. I must say, six months ago I was a bit un-sure about how all of this was going to go, but I figured we may as well give it a try. And, it was hard to tell God no when he kept giving us scripture and confirmation that this was what he wanted us to do. So - here we are - Ryann, Donna and I - doing what we LOVE (the horses) - with the people we LOVE. And we have such a great TEAM at the barn. It truly is AMAZING !!!

One of the most fun things for me today was having my son-in-law Hunter help with the announcing and setting up the show. He was a major blessing to us. He started the day out by setting up all the equipment, then he was the "parking attendant" while the trailers were coming in. He helped announce, jump crew, and just about everything else we needed him to do. He did a great job. Donna helped again with everything that needed help with - whether it was jump crew, running to Blooms for more food, helping set up in the morning, helping Mark with the concession stand and leading precious Ann-Marie in the Lead-line class. Donna is another wonderful blessing at the barn. I love her so much - she's just like a daughter to me. And we are all blessed because she is so sweet all the time. Mark did a great job with the concession stand. He is the perfect person for that. He also dragged the ring (again) "early" this morning. He even beat me to the barn !!!

Ryann showed Reese - and he was W I L D !!! I figured he'd wake up when he got in the ring - especially since "his barn" that is normally peaceful and quiet turned into a horse show - but I didn't expect him to wake up that much. A little bit of that was that Ryann was nervous since it was her first time showing in three years. But she is generally a quiet rider and doesn't wake them up too much. Anyway - she dealt with it great. She's been pretty nervous about jumping since she started back riding. It's hard when you don't do it for a couple of years. She jumped her first course on Reese this week - and her first 2'6" jumps on Friday. So, she did a great job in my opinion. Before the Amateur division she cantered him for a few minutes and he got better, but he still wasn't quiet enough. And we didn't give him anything to help him be quiet (like Quietude or Gastroguard). We didn't even lunge him or turn him out for the night - so all in all he wasn't too bad. I don't want him lunged because he's had some soundness issues in the past and I don't think lungeing is the best thing for them. And I don't like him to go out at night because he's funny when he's turned out. If you don't bring him in when he thinks he's been out long enough he starts running around the paddock like a maniac. And since we're not there at night time we have no way of knowing what he's doing . I guess we are a bit "over-protective" with him. Anyway, the next time Ryann shows him he will have to canter a little longer and see if that helps. He is the cutest horse though and he was having a fun time today in the horse show. It was a good start back for both of them. Ryann was as happy as she could be.

We have two shows left in our Winter Series - March 7 & 14. Also, please visit www.tidewaterhorseshowsassociation.com for a list of shows for our 2009 series.

Thank you everyone who showed with us today. We appreciate your support, encouragement and enthusiasm. What a fun, fun day. And - Happy Valentine's Day.

We are looking forward to the first show of the new Tidewater Horse Shows Association on March 28th. Visit www.tidewaterhorseshowsassociation.com for information regarding the series. The prize list will be posted on the Amazing Grace web site in a few days.

Exhibitors are asked to PRE-ENTER the horse shows by Wednesday before each show. Post entries MAY be accepted - time permitting. BE SURE TO CONFIRM your entries.

♥PRE-ENTERING will help us determine if we have enough entries to even hold the show, which in turn will

help the exhibitor find another show to attend if their division is not going to fill.

♥PRE-ENTERING helps us decide if we can have a later start time - which, if possible, everyone loves.

♥PRE-ENTERING helps determine how much food the concession stand will need to buy.

♥PRE-ENTERING gives the secretary time to process the entries ahead of time instead of being rushed the

♥ PRE-ENTERING will help us determine approximately what time each division will start.

♥PRE-ENTERING enables us to run a more organized horse show, which will help you have a more enjoyable day.

Sunday's service at Healing Waters Church was amazing. Pastor McCarty has it on his heart to WARN people about how Satan deceives us into thinking that all we have to do to get into heaven is to come to the alter and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Yes - that is the first step - and an important one. And - probably if we we were to die immediately after saying that prayer we would get into heaven. But there is more to it than that. It is a a lifetime commitment.

After accepting Jesus as our savior we have to live for Him. And the Bible says "the path is narrow". We have to work hard by reading the word (the Bible), having a prayer life (which is continuous), praising God (in everything) - even the smallest things, and trying to live like Jesus. And we need to "put on the full armor of God" because Satan will throw everything in our paths to cause us to stumble. We have to work hard at it.

Satan loves for us to be "busy" so we THINK we don't have time to worship God the way we should. Satan loves for us to get caught up in the things we do. The amazing thing is that the more time we spend with God the easier life gets and the more time we have.

We need to schedule "God Time" into our lives. Just like we schedule our school, our work, our horse shows. We should schedule our "God Time."

After Jesus was resurrected, God sent the Holy Spirit to us as "our Helper." And - the Holy Spirit is ALWAYS there with us. But - we have to ask for His help because, like God, He will never force Himself on us. And when the Holy Spirit is "helping" us, everything is always easier and just seems to fall into place. Have you ever had one of those days when everything worked out perfectly? Everyone was at the right place at the right time. Everything went right according to schedule. That's the work of the Holy Spirit.

I love the Holy Spirit. I sometimes think He is underestimated. I think we need to rely on Him more and call on Him to guide us in everything we do. I know I bug the heck out of Him. I know I need Him to get through everyday of my life. One of the biggest witnesses I have about how real the Holy Spirit is in my life is how I no longer have fear about living alone. I use to be the biggest chicken. But I have no fear at all - NONE - totally gone. And that is because I'm not alone - ever. I am blessed to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit with me all the time. Isn't God wonderful!!!

God wants us to work hard to live like Jesus. WOW - those are some big shoes to fill. But, we do need to work at it, and we need to spread the "good news" of Jesus. There is a great song called "Mistaken" which is about trying to live life so we are mistaken for Jesus. Try to find it and listen to it. It's amazing. You can hear a little of it by going to www.klove.com. Try this link and see if it works. Click here for "Mistaken" I love this song.

It is hard to imagine that our wonderful, loving God is going to decide if we spend eternity in heaven or hell. But - the Bible says that "God is a just God, and that the path to heaven is "narrow" and many will fall. We decide where are going to spend eternity by how we live AFTER we have accepted Jesus as our savior. It is totally our responsibility. God gave us the manual of how to live when he "wrote" the Bible.

We all have to work hard - and keep working hard - so we will go to heaven for eternity. We can do it guys. We can do it. And aren't we blessed that God sent the Holy Spirit to help us !!!

We're going to Healing Waters Church tonight at 6:00 for dinner and service at 7:00 and on Sunday at 10:30. We'd love for you to join us.

Today was another wonderful day. Great weather, great friends, an amazing Bible Study. What more can you ask for ! Ryann has done such a great job putting the Bible Studies together, and we feel so blessed to be able to spend time in the middle of our day hearing God's word. God is good !!!

We're all excited because we are going to breed little Miss B.G. (Smallwood Sparkle) next month. Richard Taylor is standing a pony at his farm called Meadowbrook Special Edition that he feels will be a good choice. Right now B.G. thinks her husband is "Rocky" our caricature "Reese" look-alike. Those two love each other. Too cute ! They are both babysitters for other horses at the barn who need a companion when they're turned out, but every now and then we can turn them out together and they think they've died and gone to heaven. And that Rocky - he is something else. Jackie groomed him all up today and he was prancing up and down the barn aisle. He is adorable.

Joe Most will be coming back to Amazing Grace Stable on March 6, 7 & 8. You are welcome to come out if you would like to meet him and watch what he does. Rex is doing great. He is cantering much better and is trotting outrageous. We'll do him again tomorrow and jump some. I'll let you know how that goes. Donna says he feels much better to her.

Chuck died eight years ago and since then February has not been my favorite month. But I must say, this February has felt different. The peace we all feel at the barn is OVERWHELMING !!! I believe in angels, and Chuck always was an angel. I know he is instrumental in the peace we all feel. The barn was a special place for him. He found the land, he built a lot of it, and he loved it like we do. The day before he died he finished building the last turn out shed. He put a lot of himself into it and I feel like he is still right here with us. He always was our angel, and he still is.

Last night we went to Norfolk to see Heather Parcells in the play Love, Inc. We had the best time, and Heather was fabulous. What a beautiful young woman and an amazing talent. Heather just finished playing the lead role on Broadway in "A Chorus Line". She also played Velma in "Chicago" - among many other great roles. About 13 years ago I taught Heather riding lessons. She owned a pony named Tiffany that came from Bob Crandall. Tiffany was a beautiful gray mare, a little tough, mainly because she didn't do automatic lead changes - plus she had about a 14' stride. Either of those things can make showing quite challenging. I often wished that pony could have been a little easier. Heather was always a pleasure to teach, and I missed her so much when she quit riding to take up "acting." Obviously - she made the right decision. She lives in New York - my favorite city, and is quite an accomplished actress. God bless her !

We will be adding Baby Green to the classes offered. Open to horses and ponies. Fences will be 2'3" or 2'6", rider's choice. Will not count VHSA. The Pleasure division may also be split by Green Horses if entries warrant. These ideas came from a rider who is planning on showing her Baby Green horse this year. If you have any classes or ideas for the THSA please let me know. We are open to suggestions.

Click the following link for a great message ! And the song that goes with it is one of my favorites. Don't miss God because you are too busy to see him.

My Jesus my Savior
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Chorus

Shout to the Lord
All the earth let us sing
Power and majesty praise to the King
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I’ll love You forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise
I have in You

By popular demand, we're having a Bible Study again today at noon. Please join us if you can.

We are planning our Spring Break Camp for April 13, 14 & 15. Kids will be able to spend the day - and the night if they would like to. $200 for all three days or $75 a day. Call 357-7471.