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WINNING THE PRIZE -
ARE YOU IN IT TO WIN IT?
My retired show horse, Samson, was TQHA's 2002 all-around state champion. We still maintain our old training schedule even though we're no longer at the trainers show barn, and we haven't shown in years. We still ride and/or groundwork every day just as if we were still in the race. And we're both still in it to win it.
"I press on toward the goal
to win the prize
for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3: 14)
I first learned the real meaning of hard work years ago during my horse "showing" days. When it came to "showing" horses, and the entire horse show scene, I quickly discovered I wasn't as naturally talented, nor nearly as skilled as a lot of my competitors. For me, that simply meant I had to work a lot harder just to be able to compete. And so, I did. For years, I worked hard, - pressing on, and on, and then pressing on some more. I knew there was a prize to be won, and I had decided, - I was in it to win it.
I soon realized my work ethic was as important as my competitor's talent.
During those show years, I soon realized that my work ethic was as important as my competitor's talent. Long after many of my competitors would retire for the evening, I'd still be in the saddle long past midnite, - working hard, and pressing on to memorize a pattern, or smooth out a collected pleasure lope. Then, the next day, like a dark horse coming out of left field that no one saw coming, I would often enter a class and win the blue ribbon. It wasn't luck. I had worked for it. While others had been sleeping, I had been burning some serious midnite oil in the saddle, and pressing on towards the goal. And because I did, time and again, I won the coveted prize.
Here I am practicing a pattern with Samson back in the good ol' days of "show" biz. I was ridiculously blonde, sunburned, and sweaty, but workin' hard. This picture was taken long after everyone else had gone for the day, except for me and a few other "we really want to win this thing" competitors. It didn't take me long to learn that winning has nothing to do with luck. It takes work!
GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
THE GIFT OF TIME.
NOW OWN IT!
"While it is still day, we must do the work of the One who sent me. Night is coming. Then no one can work."
(John 9: 4)
We've all been given the gift of time. Brevity or longevity doesn't count for much in the end. It's what we do with the time we've been given that counts. Let's face it. A lot of folks are going to wake up one day and find they simply ran out of time.
A few years back, I had a pretty strong epiphany. I saw my life flying by as if the hands of my earthly clock were spiraling out of control, and I just couldn't get a grip. I realized I felt like I was always "running" just to get stuff done. Trouble was, I wasn't running in the right direction. When you're running in the wrong direction, it takes longer to get where you're going, and that's if you even get there at all! And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I expect to win my heavenly race - that for which I was purposed or called to do - if I wasn't even "running" in the direction of the finish line?
My epiphany ended with me realizing it was time I stopped living my life as if I were always flying by the seat of my pants. It was time to stop spending my days wishing and hoping, and putting off the things I felt called to do, - all the while thinking I had all day, and all day to get there in this life. What if my days were actually numbered? And what if I didn't have all day, after-all?
LIFE IS A TIMED-EVENT!
My mid-life epiphany really got my attention. I'm not a young cowgirl anymore, (although most of the time, I still think I am), and time is not on my side. Truth is, it's not on your side either, no matter what your age. It never was. The Rolling Stones lied to us!
Be it short or long, our earthly time is a gift from God given to us to accomplish His will in our lives. Time helps not only to frame our earthly lives, but it marks the seasons as we run our heavenly race. I guess we could say, life really is a timed-event.
Ahhhhh, but some of you are saying,
"This has nothing to do with me.
I don't have a horse in this race."
I strongly beg to differ with you.
You have been given a starting line and you have been given a finish line. What lies between the starting line and the finish line is time. And the clock is running. Are you ready to own it? If you are, then, - Ready, get set, go...
Right about now you should be experiencing your own epiphany. Only you can decide...
Are you in it to win it?
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