Girls

Just Wanta' Have Fun!

"So I commend the enjoyment of life because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun."

(Ecclesiastes 8: 13)

Check out Sophie's tiny black and white faux cow-hide cowgirl hat!   

We're just two cowgirls who wanta' have fun! Last week, I introduced you to my new dog, Sophie, who was a gift from my grandson. Sophie is a 4 pound Papillon. Papillon is the French word for Butterfly.  

For those of you who know me personally, you know I have a tendency to be a workaholic. The up-side of being a workaholic (if there is one) is that I've usually marked everything off my to-do list by the end of each day. Of course, the down side to being a workaholic is that I often neglect to put "having fun" on my to-do list. Somehow, my new little companion, Sophie, has come into my "workable" life and changed all that. It's amazing how God knows just how to re-direct our world. Even more amazing, God knows just what we need before we even know we need it! For me, I had no idea just how much I needed a little 4 pound fur-ball with eyes that twinkle like stars, and a canine smile that simply melts my heart away to remind me about the importance of having fun. Undoubtedly, Sophie is on a mission from God. A mission to remind me that even workaholics need joy to accompany them when they're hard at work!

SOPHIE'S VERY FIRST

HORSEBACK RIDE

"You will fill me with joy in

your presence."

(Psalm 16: 11) 

YEE-HAW and

HALLELUJAH! 

BUCK BRANNAMAN

CLINIC

 OLD COWGIRLS

AND

HORSES

A blog/diary of my life with horses, and a few other adventures along the way.

Riding my horse is something I do routinely. Praising God is also something I do routinely, and it's something I do all day long.

My days are pretty routine, physically speaking. I'm usually up every morning by 6:30 AM, thanks to two canines who demand an early breakfast, and need to answer the call of nature - their call, not mine! After my doggie diva's needs are met, I have my routine breakfast of hot, steamy organic oatmeal with a spoonful of dripping honey and smothered in fresh blueberries, one banana, and a cup of Greek yogurt. I don't know if it's the breakfast of champions, but it's part of my routine, and it helps me accomplish all the physical work that is part of daily life here on the farm.

Keeping with routine, I brush my teeth, grab a quick shower, put on an old baseball cap to hide my un-styled, disheveled hair, throw on my riding breeches and an old T-shirt, and head down to the barn to groundwork the horses, and to ride. Each morning, I routinely look at Montana, who routinely refuses to make eye contact with me, and I imagine him saying, "You can skip me today if you like, after all, I'm retired now!" Inwardly, he knows that I won't skip him. Instead, I routinely get his halter and a lunge whip (a more popular term would be stick and string), and for the next hour, I routinely groundwork my horse. Then I turn my attention to my other horse, Samson.

As is my routine, I saddle up Samson and lead him to the arena. He lowers his head and willingly takes the bit into his mouth. This is our time. Our time to be together. A time that is necessary for both of us. A time that is non-negotiable. It is a time when there are no cell phones, no distractions, no worries, no interference. There is no one else. Just the two of us riding, connecting, communicating, and partnering with each other. This time together has become our routine, and it takes precedence over everything else.

As I lightly feather the reins between my fingers and gently press my legs close to his sides, I feel my horse's body give to me. At once, I am fully aware that my horse and I are in perfect sync with one another, and we ride as one. Such glorious moments of intimacy with my horse is not by accident. These are precious moments that we have set apart and made time for every day. Moments that are routine for us, but far from ordinary.

It's the same concerning praise. Praising God should be a daily routine in our life. Unlike ordinary and mindless repetitive acts, established routine gives our daily life a healthy balance and a consistent order. There are many routines in my physical life that I often feel I couldn't live without - routines like faithfully riding my horse. But the fact is, I would still live if those things ceased to exist. But there is one daily routine I could not live without. I could not live one day without praising God. Why? Because praising God is to live. And for me, truly living has become routine!

Listen to the classic song, 

"Praise The Lord" by

Russ Taff and the Imperials on

YouTube

The Imperials - Praise the Lord

"Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him. Praise the Lord, for our God inhabits praise. Praise the Lord, for the chains that seem to bind you serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you when you praise Him!"

(Russ Taff and The Imperials,

Christian music artists)

 Q & A

Each month I receive emails filled with interesting and great questions. In this segment of our newsletter, I will share some of the special emails I've received. All names have been changed

to protect the individual's privacy. 

Hi Susan - Just wanted to congratulate you on your new family member! My husband, John, and I are very happy for you and Kim. I know how hard it is to lose a beloved one. John and I lost two more furry children last year, but believe to see them again one day. Speaking of that, a few Sundays ago our pastor said, "What would you do if you knew the rapture would take place this afternoon?" Truthfully, I have to say that when I really tried to imagine that happening, it made me very sad. I know that is not the appropriate response, but I don't know what  would happen to my pets if I just left them. I can't bear the thought of that. God and I had a long talk about it and I believe He will take care of things because He loves us and He is just and fair. I want to have peace and look forward to the coming of the Lord. What are your thoughts? I enjoy receiving your emails, and you have an awesome ministry!

(Ginger, Atlanta, Georgia)   

My Response To Ginger

 Hi Ginger - Great to hear from you! I'm sorry to hear that two of your furry friends passed away this year. Just like you, I am such an animal lover that it breaks my heart to say goodbye to these beloved creatures that we share our life with. As I've shared in several newsletters (you can check them out in he archives), I believe from scripture that we will see our animals again. I don't believe that just because I am a wishful thinker. I believe that because scripture confirms the story of God's redemptive plan, not just for man, but for the animals, and for all His creation. One day there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and it will not be populated with new and updated models of living beings that were once alive. It will be populated with the redeemed!

Your question about animals during the time of the rapture is an excellent one. Because my ministry involves the use of animals (horses, specifically) to teach biblical principles of faith, I get lots of emails and letters about animals, and where they fit into God's plan of redemption. Why? People love their animals. They recognize them as living, breathing beings created by God. Unlike inanimate things that were created by man that do not have the breath of God in them such as buildings, or other non-living things, - animals are God's living creation. They were His wonderful and original idea, and not ours! Although animals were not created in the image of God, I believe their destiny is forever linked with those of us who are the true image bearers of Christ. As the church goes - so goes the animals. And God's plan for the church (and all His creation) has always been about redemption.

As for your specific question about the rapture of the church, we know that Jesus is coming back for the redeemed. Only those who have the living breath of God qualify for redemption. In the book of Genesis, we know that God was the Master of creation, having created all that is with His spoken Word. But when it came to man and animals, God went one step further. He breathed the Holy breath of life into the nostrils of Adam, and He breathed that same breath into the animals. Also, remember when God made His covenant with Noah, He included the animals in a binding promise of covenant - a covenant that was all about the redemption of "all His creation".  The Bible clearly states that our eyes have not seen and our ears have not heard all the things that God has prepared for us in heaven. In fact, God says that the things He has prepared for us haven't even entered into our imagination. Knowing just how big an imagination some of us have, that's really saying something!

In God's Word, we've been told many of the miraculous marvels that we will experience as we leave this earth and join Christ in the air. For example, we know that there will be a loud trumpet sound. We also know that Christ will appear and every eye will see Him. And we know that the graves will open up and deliver their dead, and those who have died in Christ will rise first. We also know that those of us who are still living on earth at that time, and who have confessed Christ as Lord, will rise to meet Him in the air. These are just some of the things that we know specifically about the rapture of the church. But it is not everything there is to know. In the same way that we know some things about heaven, but not everything, so it is with the rapture. Not even popular movies like "Left Behind" get it all right. Why? Because the movie is just a man's interpretation of God's Word. It may or may not be completely accurate. That's why it is important that our understanding of the rapture be based on what we do know (what God says in His Word), and not on what we don't know or fully understand.

Because of what God's Word says about the redeemed, and also because we are told that He will honor His covenant with mankind and the animals forever, I have reason to hope and believe that our beloved animals will rise along with us to meet Him in the air at the time of the rapture. Such a thing would not be beyond the power of God, and most certainly, it would not be an unbelievable feat or thing for a God of such amazing grace and unfathomable mercy to do! Above all, my faith remains in the Lord. It is a faith that allows me to hope for all things, and a trust that God's imagination is, indeed, greater than mine. Surely, my faith will not disappoint!  

SPECIAL NOTE: For more on this subject, I invite my readers to visit my Archive Page and search according to title.  Simply go to the left-hand column and click on Archives. Also, I recommend Randy Alcorn's book titled "HEAVEN" which includes chapters and scriptural references pertaining to many things about heaven, including often asked questions and answers about the presence of animals in God's Kingdom.   

Natural Horse

Faith-Man-Ship

(Teaching biblical faith using horses)

ARE YOU READY FOR THE FAITH RIDE OF

 YOUR LIFE?  

To Learn More... 

WRITE or EMAIL

Susan Klaudt Horse Ministry

P. O. Box 4994

Cleveland, TN 37320

or  

ksworldmin@aol.com