Ta-Da! I Finished It!

Here it is!

As I was flying out the door to head to my piano recital, I had Dad snap a picture of the finished dress.

If I look nervous, that's because I was. ; D

The recital went really well - all of the students did an excellent job- (almost all of them are close friends of mine ; D ).

Then I was whisked away by my grandparents for a weekend trip to Cowboy Church, and to the church rodeo! It was really cool - their challenge this year was a colt-starting competition between Pastor Jim Matthews of my granparent's church and a cowboy church pastor from another church.

They took two young horses that have never been handled - ages 3 and 4, and started from scratch, gentling them and working with them until finally, they were able to ride them.

The grand finale was an obstacle course including some low jumps, a "mystery" object the horse must approach, and performing a trot and canter.

I really enjoyed it - it was so amazing to watch them building a trusting relationship with those horses.

After a certain point, the horses starting following them around, stopping when they stopped, turning when they turned. Anything they asked of them, no matter how scary it may have looked, those horses would at least try, because they trusted those men. Pastor Matthews made this illustration - that just like those horses have to trust their rider to protect them and lead them safely, we as Christians must trust the Lord to lead us. Horses are flight-or-fight creatures, instinctively afraid of predators - a fear they must have to survive in the wild. They also have horrible depth perception - they often shy away from shallow puddles or streams, because they can't tell how deep they are.
We have to trust that the Lord can lead us through deep waters, that no matter what trials He takes us through, He will protect His children.
Ps. 121:5-8 says- "The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and even forevermore."

I was inspired - maybe my colt has hope after all! ; D
Anyway, sorry for not posting this sooner, but life is crazy this week!