Trail Tails 2008

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” - Hebrews 12:1

<Back to Home

2008

Well, as of this particular writing, it is now September, 2008. The dust is settling and I’m looking around going “Wow!” We were hoofin’ it! I told myself that I was going to write updates to our travels every month to keep up. Well…..NOT! As you can see, that didn’t happen! Oh, well.

But, at least I’m back now. However, with the arduous task in front of me of trying to remember all the exciting things that happened to us this year. A word to the wise…procrastination is a bummer! Don’t do it! Anyway, (Lord help my memory)…here goes!

I’m sitting in the back of our Rig (in the horse stalls). I got back here to our “camp” earlier than expected from watching a barrel race and realized I didn’t have any keys to get into our living quarters. Bruce, with the keys, was about an hour away trying to find an Internet signal to check e-mails.

I looked around me for something to entertain myself with. Let’s see…I have my I-Pod! ...no earphones. Bible!..nope..in the Rig and with Bruce in the truck. ANY kind of reading material (the back of a feed bag would have sufficed). Oh yea! I can saddle up Nocona!….tack room…locked.

I finally resolved myself to calling friends on my phone that had one bar of coverage, chancing being able to hear them as I busted the volume key when I dropped it on the asphalt at the Salinas Rodeo.

After calling my friends and leaving messages, I suddenly realized that our hay pod was unlocked and I had pads of paper up there. Whalah! I have got to update Trail Tails!.......

Wow! What a growth year! We kept hearing: "2008 is a year of new beginnings." However, eight also means “to put off”. You have to “put off” the old in order to “put on the new”...old thought patterns, old ways of doing things. We hear the term “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Well, in some things that’s true. However, in other instances, even if it does work, there may be a better way that God is trying to show us. The plow still worked and the horses were still healthy, but that didn’t stop the farmer from eyeing and buying that new John Deere!

Personally, it would have been hard to see the horses go, but the old ways just weren’t efficient enough to keep up with the times and the needs of the people. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We’ve heard some crazy things being on the road. Church splits are pretty common, unfortunately (look at all the denominations). We’ve heard the usual reasons…doctrinal issues, hostile take-overs, arguments over what kind of flooring needs to go in the bathroom…she/he looked at me funny….whatever. However, this one was pretty amusing. Not, of course, to the people involved, but nevertheless fascinating because it shows just how far Satan can take us, if we let him. (1 Peter 5:8)

This one was over an elk. An elk, you say? Surely a metaphor, right? Nah, a real elk. Apparently, someone unwittingly shot an elk that someone else in the church was tracking. Granted, that’s a bummer. I used to hunt and there definitely would be some disappointment there. But….

Now, all the people involved are really nice, solid people. But, it’s “funny” how Satan can wreak havoc by working people into a frenzy over things that aren’t going to mean anything after we leave this earth. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Ephesians 4:29-32; Colossians 3:12-17)

The Comstock Wild Horse Band near Virginia City, NV

A thought: Satan can only dangle the “carrot” of offense in front of us. However, he has no power over the situation or people until we take the bait and run with it. He laughs over the impending destruction—while God’s heart breaks. Guaranteed, if the offense is not taken and forgiveness is chosen, a much better reward will be given….a bigger, better elk maybe for the person who chose not to “take the bait”? (Matthew 6:33; John 10:10; Ephesians 5:1-7; I Corinthians 13:13; Philippians 4:19)

We all need to focus on the really important stuff….putting God first in our lives, loving others and finding out what our destiny is and working in it. Satan has done a really good job in distracting us with all kinds of stuff. It’s time to get our focus back and start walking in the love and power of Jesus Christ and claiming our heritage in Him. In so doing, honoring what He died for.