Horse Sense

Horse Sense

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if one stops the car, or is walking by, one will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing......

Listening, one will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, one will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her bridle is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As one stands and watches these two friends, one sees how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by God and those whom he places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see God.

by: anonymous

'Answers through the Fog'

Lighthouses are the light that sailboats or fisherman need. Without it, they would be lost. They look for the light with ernest because they know as they see the light, all will be alright. The light is a sign of hope for the shipman. They are able to know that they will be led to safety when they see it.

The Savior is our lighthouse. He leads us towards the light, or the hope in this life. As we turn towards Him, we are able to have the opportunity to have the light in our lives. We feel that 'hope' that we are searching for. We are able to be led to safety. And then spread it to others around us. Once we have His light in our life, it's easily spread. He gives us the 'Answers in the Fog' that we need. He walks with us every step of the way. He carries us when we can't do it on our own.
The Lord is our light:
"Look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing."- Thomas S. Monson

Baby Steps

The first step is always the hardest. then the second comes along and it gets easier. As babies take their first step, the second, third and fourth become so much easier. From beginning to stand, to crawling, to walking; things become so much easier for them. Over time, they have the basics down. They are able to have the opportunity to go into more advanced things such as sports, gymnastics or dance. but without the first steps, they couldn't do it.

Faith is the same way. It takes time, practice and  most importantly, the first 'baby steps'. We have to take the first step and as we take that step we may falter and tumble, but the second third and fourth steps become so much easier. After time, we grow and learn and are able to do more things that we thought weren't possible.  Through faith, we can do anything. Once we take that first step, the other steps that follow behind become so much easier. As we do these things our views on life will become so much joyful and we will be able to take our steps without faltering.

And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. (Alma 32: 21)

Mountain Lions

So, some of you know that I am allergic to mountain lion. Many of you don't.
I was teaching an investigator and she had a cat that was half lynx, everytime I held him I broke out in a rash where he laid on my arm. I can hold any domestic cat at a members house and not break out, but for some reason wild cats get to me. Another night, I had dinner with another member family and they had a neighbor that came over. He chatted with them a bit, saw us left, then came back and gave my companion and I some mountain lion each along with antelope.

I had wanted to try it, just so I can say that I've had mountain lion. We decided to cook it up really well before we ate it and I asked my companion, "Should I be eating this? Im kind of allergic to wild cats." She turned to me and said, "You're probably allergic to their dander and fur." With no other thoughts, I continued eating it. About 15 minutes later, I ended up scratching all over and place because I was so itchy! I ran and got my allergy medicine and I was fine about 5 minutes later with nothing but scratch marks on me. I had learned my lesson.

Having the knowledge that I was allergic to some "wild" cats, I still risked it. The adversary works in the same way, 'wanting to try new things'. It is not always the easiest and best way. With the desires of the hearts of the carnal mind, he tries to lure us in. As I had wanted to try the mountain lion, knowing that I might be allergic to it, I still chanced it. As we go throughout our day the Adversary is always trying to catch our eye even though we know that it might do us harm. With the little things that are subtle, even though it is part of the every day life, can be destructive.

Taken or Given?

One time I was at Scicon for a week in 6th grade. Scicon is a place where they send all the 6th graders to learn about the outdoors. One thing that I learned was that salamanders  are cold-blooded animals. Their temperature changes with that of their surroundings. So the teacher had me hold the salamander, and it changed to my body temperature.

At times, the world is that way. It takes from you your warmth. It can take you from your Savior and from your warmth and comfort. It can take from you all that you know. It may not do it in an obvious way, but in very subtle ways. The salamander didn't take my body temperature right away, but slowly and steadily.

But we can turn it around and instead of the warmth being taken from us, it can be given to them. We can give to the world what we have. We can be like Christ and give all that we have. We can give them the warmth and the love that the Savior has for us. It is really up to us on how we want to do it, we can either give it, or have it taken.

All You Have

When I first started to ride, I questioned my teacher and I asked him "What is the key to riding?" In his words, he told me "To give it my all. One mistake can be fatal." Without 100% of pure concentration and giving it my all, accidents can happen. How our form is and how attentive we are really matters. But most importantly is where our heart is. Are we all in, or are we only halfway in? To ride, you must become one with the horse and work with the horse.

The Savior requires this of us. He requires our "all". He requires that we pay 100% attention and to give Him our heart. It's not just where our actions are and just the service that we may do for others. It's the desires of our heart that really matters and how much we are willing to put into it.  To become one with the Savior requires a change of mind and desire to work with the Savior as it does in horseback riding. To be one with, means to work together. Once we accomplish this, we will always be able to feel the love that He has for us.

Puppy Size

   Mother had taken Danielle to the shelter to search for a puppy. Danielle couldn't find the right one. None of them seem to be the one that she was looking for.

   "Did you find the one that you were looking for?" Mother asked.

   "No, not this time," Danielle said with sadness in her voice. "Can we come back on the weekend?"

   The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed "You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply," the volunteer said.

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. "Don't worry, I`ll find one this weekend," she said.

   Over the next few days both mom and dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. They had decided that this weekend was the last time they were going to go to the shelter. 

   Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, "Sorry, you're not the one."

   It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer. "Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!" she screamed with joy. "It`s the puppy size!"
   "But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks," Mom said.

   "No not size ---- the sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed," she said. "Don't you remember?  When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!"

   The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

   "Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms," she said. Then holding the puppy up close to her face she said, "Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!" -Anonymous

I have always liked this story. I have felt the sighs of God for me. I constantly think of and remember the things that He has given me. The things that make me sigh and ponder on the things that He has done for me. "Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." What are the moments that take your breath away and how often do you remember them?