Mountains, Cabins and Bucking Pintos…

I see where Daryl started blogging again and thought that maybe it was time to get back in the blogging game. Good to be back.

We spent this past weekend in Brown County in southern Indiana. This is a favorite vacation spot for Hoosiers. It is a mountainous area with many things to do and see. This was the 4th year we have spent in Brown County with some friends of ours. We stay in a quaint little cabin in the woods that is totally secluded from the rest of the world. While at the cabin, I had so much fun sitting by the window watching the cutest little chipmunk foraging for nuts under the leaves of trees. I had a pair of binoculars and was able to see his/her fat little cheeks bulging with nuts, or whatever else, she was gathering - amazing! I was mesmerized by her tireless work gathering food for the winter. The birds were breathtaking too. A woodpecker was right outside our door and was just beautiful to watch as well.

Brown County has quaint little shops to visit, wonderful hiking, fun restaurants with lots of ambience, fun hiking, lots of wildlife to see, and did I mention hiking? Okay, you get the picture.

I think the thing I really enjoyed was the total quiet. There is no traffic and the cabin is far enough up the mountain that you cannot hear any sirens or other noises on the roads below. The trees provide a thick blanket over the sky and it is so dark, when outside at night, that you cannot see your hand in front of your face. That kind of darkness is almost oppressing because I am not used to it.

My friend, Marlene, and I decided to go horseback riding on Sunday. I have not ridden for about 7 years. As most of you know, I love horses. My favorite horse is a pinto, or paint. We got in the riders line and the two of us were grouped with a family of 8. They had us line up to get “our” horses. The family was first and then it was me, then Marlene. I noticed that there was one pinto in the group and she was far enough up the line that I would not be able to get her. I counted how many people and then counted the horses trying to figure out which horse I would get. But, the man who was matching up the people with a horse, told his helper to go and get this horse and then go and get that horse and, low and behold, I got the pinto! I was so excited. Now this may seem trivial to you, but you have to understand how much I like pintos, and how much I really thought I had no chance of getting the only pinto in the group because of the line up. When the instructor pointed to me and then pointed to the pinto for me to ride, I was so excited!

We took off on our ride and shortly after we started, my horse started bucking. I have never been on a bucking horse and instinctively stood up in the stirrups to keep my balance. I’m not sure I would have stayed on the horse otherwise. I felt quite panicky until Marlene told me that my horse was kicking her horse. I calmed down when I reasoned it wasn’t me she was trying to buck off, she was just annoyed at being followed too closely. We soon decided that my horse did not like to be followed so closely so Marlene, wisely, kept her horse back from my horse for the duration of the ride. We noticed that, at the beginning or our ride, every time we stopped, my horse would look around to see where her horse was. I think my horse was quite the bossy thing. Maybe I was matched up with her for more reasons than one!! :)

Have you ever felt God’s pleasure? While riding this beautiful pinto, I felt His pleasure. I felt totally bathed in His gift to me. There was no reason for me to be paired up with this horse. None, except I believe it was a gift to me from God himself. You may think I am simplistic in my thinking, but I don’t think so. While riding her, I was overcome with emotion and pure joy. You see, I love pintos and she was the only one that day and she was mine for a brief moment in time.

-D-