The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways
Recently I attended the FHANA Annual General Membership (AGM) meeting, held in Lexington Kentucky. As always, I met wonderful people who dearly love their horses. While there, my Dad and I had the pleasure of getting to know a young couple named Brian and Kendra, and their friend Michelle. They are officers and very heavily involved in the new (and impressively active, I must say) Ohio Valley Friesian Horse Association. These are just delightful people and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them. Brian and Kendra told me the story of their horse Sierra, and how they all came into the Friesian community. I was so touched and impressed by this story that I thought I would tell it here. So, this is the [short version] story of Sierra.
Kendra is an avid horsewoman whose background is with quarterhorses, though she dreamed of having a Friesian. One day she and her husband Brian heard of some neglected horses who were up for adoption and they opened their hearts and homes to a few of these starving animals. One mare was so dirty and skinny that they did not know what they had, other than a very sick horse. They named her Sierra and began to nurse her back to health. Due to malnourishment and horrible living conditions, Sierra suffered from arthritis. Her coat was in miserable shape, missing gaps of hair. She was so sad and weak that she could hardly lift her head. As the mare began to heal, Brian and Kendra started noticing how this horse sort of looked like a Friesian. They decided to embark on a fact finding mission. The DeBoer family from “The Friesian Connection” (also, the owners of the wonderful stallion Mintse 384) helped Brian and Kendra learn more about Friesians and they loaned a scanner so the mare could be checked for a microchip. Sure enough, Brian and Kendra found that their mare Sierra is indeed a Friesian. But not just any Friesian – she is an A-book KFPS registered mare (I think the breeding is Sjaard x Brandus). Her registered name is Femke. Brian and Kendra now have Sierra’s official papers, and can see their name right there on them.
Next, Brian and Kendra decided to try to do something truly amazing with their recuperating mare. They actually got her well and fit enough to take to a keuring. And this mare – whose movement was still suffering from her arthritis – scored high enough overall that she was entered into the studbook. This means she can be bred and have her foals registered as A-book KFPS Friesians. In fact, her scores were ster caliber, with the exception of some movement scores which will always lack some due to the arthritis. To be able to make studbook under these conditions… What a monumental achievement; I cannot overstate how impressive this is for Sierra and her owners.
Sierra is now pregnant and her baby is due is April.
Today, Sierra is in a safe, happy, and loving home. Brian and Kendra have their Friesian mare, with a little Friesian on the way. From the light I see in Brian and Kendra when they talk about Sierra, I am unsure of who has benefited more from this relationship. In ways Sierra has brought just as much to Brian an Kendra as they have brought to her. Sometimes life does not work out as it should and we often dwell on the negative. But sometimes our compassion and efforts make a difference. Sometimes good deeds are generously rewarded. Sometimes those who suffer are made whole. The Lord does work in mysterious ways, and sometimes dreams really do come true.
Click here to see before and after pictures of Sierra.
To read the long version of Sierra’s story (written by Brian), and to see more pictures => click here then go to Page 4.
My Brother. My Teacher.
He was four years old and I was twice his age. For a kid, that is an infinitely large gap. Instead of playing with other 4 year olds or even his 6 year old brother, he sought me out. It seemed he always was sticking to me like one of those fuzzy balls you get on your fleece jacket; exhibiting a simple but impressive persistence. With every question he fished for more and more answers out of my too-small brain. "Where do clouds come from?" "Why do dogs bite?" "What makes radios sing?"
"I don't know!" Why would he think I would or could know such things? Why continue to ask me when I always failed at giving the answers? What did he want from me? Why me? Please, find another teacher.
We all sat in the back seat. Four small children, lined up like socks in a drawer. Of course, he sat by me. But at least I got the window. It started to rain but it was too stuffy to keep the windows completely up. I cracked mine, staring outside, wanting to get home and out of that oppressive car. The rain formed an arc across the window, drops flying off at 50 miles an hour. He scooted onto my lap, pointing at the rain's path on the window. "Look", he said. My eyes averted, knowing that some impossible question was coming. Inwardly groaning, waiting for the inevitable.
He smiled a warm and joyous smile, just for me. "Look! A rainbow!" My eyes and mind opened and I finally could see as he did. Inside that grimy arc of water, I saw a rainbow too.
On the way to Covent Garden
There is a small hotel in London that is spartan and simple, but friendly and comfortable. The carpet is a bit worn and the elevator can hold only 1-2 people. But no matter, as there are only 3 floors. The concierge greets me by name;I love the way my last name sounds when pronounced with an English accent. If work finishes early I can get back to my hotel and have some tea and biscuits in the lobby while sitting on an old but comfy sofa. It feels like home, but oddly better.
With the hotel located in the Bloomsbury section near the Holburn tube stop, I can easily walk down Longacre and be in Covent Garden within 15 minutes. The sidewalks are made of large 24 inch square tiles and they are a bit uneven. My lack of grace demands that I watch my feet or I will surely do a face plant right in front of God and everybody.
Halfway to Covent Garden there is a small Italian joint with a large picture window in front. If I am lucky, I’ll spot Molly inside, smiling with the customers. When she laughs I feel the world go into slow motion, and I can hear the sound clearly in my head. After what seems like only a moment in time, I look up and find that I made it to the Garden without a major stumble. Slowly the street musicians catch my attention and I am back in the world again.
