Thanksgiving Comes First

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 (KJV)

Sometimes, having horses in the backyard can be a lot of trouble. They have to be fed twice a day and prefer to eat at about the same time. On weekday mornings, it means I have to go out before I can get dressed for work and lately, that means I have had to get up before the sun. On Saturday mornings, when I want to sleep in, I know that they are going to be standing at the gate looking for me and wondering if I have forgotten to bring them breakfast. In the evenings, when I chose to go to the gym or stop for groceries before coming home, I know that by the time I get home, they will be racing around the pasture sure that they are going to starve to death before I dump their grain in the buckets. Then, there is grass to maintain and fertilize, fence lines to repair, water lines and gates to fix, (horses can be very destructive), and manure piles to clean. Sometimes, I remember the “good old days” when I paid to board him at someone else’s barn who fed, cleaned stalls and took care of all the other responsibilities of horse ownership. Yeah, it was nice to be able to sleep in an extra half hour every morning. But, then, I recall the worries about whether he was getting fed and watered everyday. I think about the times when the gates were left open, and he wandered out into the road. I remember how my tack and supplies got “borrowed” and never knowing what might go on when I wasn’t there. When I think back to the past and compare it to the future, I realize I have nothing to complain about. I look out into my yard when working in the kitchen and see my horse and his two friends grazing so peacefully. I know when I set my brushes down, they will be there when I come back, and I won’t find my reins lying in the pasture. I know that I can walk out to the barn anytime day or night to check on him. I do the same thing with God. I get so focused on what I want right now, that I forget how much He has already blessed me. Like merchants urging us to go ahead and make our wish lists for Christmas before we even take time to give thanks for what we already have, I can be an ungrateful wretch. So, I’m trying to be thankful for what I have. I will start with this one thing. The best part of having my horse in my own back yard, is when my friend calls and says, “Let’s go riding now,” no matter what I am doing or what I am wearing, I can pull on my boots and go. If you saw someone on horseback this weekend in her pajamas, it was me. I was just out counting my blessings.

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