This past Thursday I was picked up at our house by friends and taken to a farm in Letcher county.  After crossing a very narrow, rickety bridge, crossing the railroad tracks, and then driving down a two track road (the roads that have grass growing in the middle) for about a half mile, we arrived at our destination. 

We came to a farm  that consisted of a long narrow field, with a mountain on one side as a boundary and railroad tracks as a boundary on the other side.  There was a small barn, and a cabin - all inside the fence with the 4 horses.  We drove through the gate.  The horses met us and followed us up to the cabin.  They were very curious about everything and very friendly. 

My little friend got out his toy gun.   There were clicking and whirring noises.  It didn't phase this horse a bit. I'd say this horse, Pepper Jack(Chorus at camp) was on his way to becoming bomb proof...nothing would phase him.  Of course there are many things introduced to our horses to desensitize them.  Crunchie plastic bottles, cell phones, flags, skate boards, tractors, etc, are just some of the things we "play with" around the horses.  It goes a long way to keep riders safe and horses calm. 

The afternoon was spent riding the horses around cones and training them.  After a small lunch at the cabin, we headed back home.  These horses do not belong to camp, but their owners let camp use them for the summer.  It's a win-win situation. 
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Today, Friday, we took a local youth group on a two hour trail ride at camp.  We told them about the importance of bomb proofing horses and spending that extra time introducing odd things to calm them.  We do want our horses (who are the most sensitive domestic animal) to be desensitized....

But we  people are just the opposite in this idea.  We don't want to be bomb proofed.  We shouldn't be desensitized in many aspects of our lives.  We talked about being able to turn off the TV when it was questionable and we talked about how certain music affects us.  We should run from evil and not get used to it. 

We talked to our youth group about the importance of three things to do in our lives as Christians...consistently read our Bibles, take time to pray to our Heavenly Father, and spend regular time in church hearing God's Word taught and being with fellow beleivers.  These three things go a long way to keep us from being desensitized toward the sinful things in this world. 

"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord God.  "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin."  Ezekiel 18:30
 

It is amazing to me.  This site is growing.  You may not know it, but I see the stats.  There is an average of 50 hits daily and two or three times a month it goes up to 170!  Wow. When braceplace first started it was just two or three on average.  Slowly and consistently it is growing.

Being consistent.  It's very important in just about everything we do.  Here at braceplace, I try to put items on often, and I'm finding the more I put on (songs, blogs, photography, etc),  the higher the stats.  I'm just in a quandry, though, about the focus.  I've got too many things I'm interested in.  It feels like a hodge podge.  Sorry, folks, if the themes here are jumbled.  Hopefully, above all, your heart is touched in some way.  ...That God would be glorified.  This must by my theme...To Touch Hearts. 

So here is what is happening today: 

1) Fafsa and taxes.  Oh, we will be glad when it is finished for the year.  Sadly, one must keep taxes in mind all through the year by placing the "important and significant papers" in their place.  My little rule is if I can't find "it" in 10 minutes then I need to work on a better filing system for my paper.  The spouse is happier too. :)

2) Horses.  It's a muddy situation here at the barn.  We need lots of sun to dry things out.  The barn is open so the horses can come in and roll.  We are also waiting for horses can go on pasture.  What are those horses going to do when they get on pasture?  They go nuts!  Running, racing, frolicing around and around.  Dry turf is best.  We've learned.  Putting them out after a rain causes sod devastation, and pock marks from 60 racing hooves.  Yes, we want dry ground.  

3) Study.  Teaching of Character Traits is one on-going study.  This is our last month of teaching before camp starts.  There is also a CHA clinic at the Lexington Horse Park that Mary Beth is going to attend in April.  It will be 5 days of riding evaluation, teaching evaluation, safety, and standards.  I have a CHA link on this site if you are interested. I like reading the "Instructor" magazine articles.

4) Overnights.  Another term is "Breakaways" or "weekend conferences".  We usually have 80 to 100 campers spend a Friday night in the cabins.  They experience games, chapel, and mealsand fun, fun, fun!  Campers are coming tonight.  I will go early and get the horse chores done and be ready when they arrive at 6pm. I'm in charge of music.  Nate and Josh have the recreation and store.

1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, by beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."







 



 
 

I've been thinking about this lately...every time I pick up my crocheting and do a few rows I am pondering this analogy.  Now it's time to work it out in writing. 

It all started one Sunday morning a few weeks ago at Sunday School.  Since Nate is a teacher we get there about 20 minutes early.  We sit in the classroom and chat with others before class begins.  I bring my project bag with me a pull out something to work on.  Lately its been fine crochet with a very small hook and thread. 

Soon the bus kids arrive and they happily move about our room on their way to their own and they stop by to see what I'm doing.  They are mesmerized by my work.  They look real close...three or four gathered around with heads bumped together.  I slow way down and show them a stitch or two talking them through each step.  They say they would love to do that and I say I would love to teach them.  See?  It's just pulling a loop through a loop.
 
I smile and they smile and look at me kind of funny and pretty soon move on to the class.  I know...and I think they know too. that it really isn't that easy to learn.  It takes correct hand position, correct tension and an ability to read the directions.  One must start at the beginning and learn to pull a loop through a loop.  This is called a chain. 

I was thinking that crocheting was a lot like life.  It seems to be always the same - almost boring.  Like pulling a loop through a loop.  It's important to do these loops though.  Like school day after day.  Work.  Cleaning.  Family. Being consistent is important and makes everything work together well.  

There are several stitches in crochet, but mostly the stitches are just an extra wrap of the yarn and a few more pulls of loops through loops.  Sometimes we have to study the pattern really hard.  Over and over we read the directions and sometimes we have to ask a professional just exactly what "it" means so we can continue on.  Like life.  Things get hard.  We want to give up.  When we get the help we need (I like to read my bible and seek God about the hard situations...and sometimes I need to talk to a mentor), we can continue on our way with a lot more variety and insights in life and when following in obedience, things do turn out correctly.  

There are also the projects I've completed only to look back the few rows that I've done.  I see a mistake or two.  I sigh and tear it out.  I wish I had been more alert.  I say to myself that I'm thankful it wasn't at the beginning of the project.  The consequences of my mistake?  Just time lost.  Unfortunately mistakes in life have more severe consequences. God, help me to be sensitive to Your ways and quickly turn away from the decisions that mess things up in life.  I'm so glad I can come to you for forgiveness.  Help me deal well with the consequences  I do aquire.

Sadly I have projects undone with no desire to finish.  They sit there in
the drawer with a hook still stuck in them. I need my professional to continue
on with them.  They are too hard.  God, help your desires become my desires.  Help me to go on with life when things seem they are at a dead end.  You know, Lord, just what I need.  Help me to do what pleases You. 

When we follow the pattern, we end up with  something beautiful.  People say well
done.  We are able to give them as gifts to encourage.  

Yesterday Simeon and Kimmie came to the barn.  They wanted to go for a spring ride.  It was good to get out on the horses.  The grasses are still brown and the buds still are not on the trees, but it's the smell of the air that revives us and gets us excited for the new year.

I rode Icabod.  Oh, is he nice!  Not one flinch as we rode along with the other horses.  His gait is smooth, but we need to work on the type of bit that suits him.  He was fussing at it.

I wanted to share with  you about some friends of mine and I ask you to pray for them.  Here is just a piece of their story:

Autumn was injured on August 22 when her horse lost her footing and went down while Autumn was riding her. Autumn has been emerging from a Coma since the day of the accident.Anyone that knows Autumn, knows that she is a very determined strongwilled girl. That being said, her condition is improving daily. As of today, she is eating some soft foods (she even managed spoon to mouth 5 times by herself today)but still has a feeding tube which we hope and pray is short term now.

Her legs are casted to strech out her muscles and tendons that were contracted from her injury. However, with some clever engineering from some of the therapists here to modify her casts for supporting weight,and a couple sets of helping,supporting hands, Autumn walked about 25 feet down the hall today.Now I don't want the rumors getting ahead of her healing, so I want to make it clear that she definately needed much help and support, but she was initiating the steps and shifting and bearing wieght on her legs.

She still is not talking yet. She is making some sounds (some being very close to sounding like actual words) but no verbal communication. However, you can see she is trying very hard and again, if you know Autumn you'll know she would rather talk then eat. So we know it's just a matter of time.

We will be updating her progress as God brings her total restoration to completion (Luke 8:50)

We will never be able to express how much all of your prayers and support have meant to us and especially Autumn. Please continue to pray for Autumn as God heals her. This is a page we will have to work on for a while. There truly is much, much more to Autumn then her condition. And we believe because of her condition and what she is going through God is paving the way to allow Autumn to touch lives across our state, country and even the world. (Romans 8:28)

As you think of us working with the horses this spring...getting them ready for the campers and guests, could you pray for Autumn and her family?  With their permission,  I will share more in the near future about Autumn. 

Off to mission meeting. 

Remember all your blessings in the Lord! :)

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God:"   Philippians 4:6

For those interested, meet Icabod.  He's a sweet paint and very gentle. Nothing flighty with him yet.  We will start riding him when it gets a bit warmer and when the ground is less slippery.  

We went to get a dump truck full of sawdust today.   The horses needed something to roll in.  It's very muddy at the barn.  They can go into the barn to get out of the mud or stay around the feeders.  I can say the mud isn't as bad as some years.  I haven't fallen yet getting my boots stuck.   It is halarious watching the horses with the sawdust.  Sorry I missed the major pawing running to the van to get my camera.  Horse play a lot I'm finding.  Our horses love water and sawdust.

It's Friday.  It's been a slow week.  Snow days are like that.  Got to keep busy.

One of the things I did this week was finish my poetry book.  At least I think it's finished.  I tried printing out the latest copy and the printer died on me.   The picture above is in the book along with the poem "Horse Show Days".  I think I was in 3rd grade in this picture...and my young neighbor friend and I really did ride into town on our ponies. 

I really wanted to get the first copy out to a friend, Autumn, this week.  She is in Mary Freebed in Grand Rapids.   She still loves horses even though she was in a accident with them and has suffered some brain trauma.  I'm hoping it will be a joy to her and her family.  She was my inspiration to finish.  

I'm taking orders.  Contact me and get on my list for one.  They will be  $9.95.
 

Today we celebrated two birthdays.  Our oldest son Simeon and our youngest son Ethan.  Since Ethan will only be here a few days we decided to have a special night to have cake and icecream, give them each a gift,  and play Risk.  We are together with the family - except for Shalisha who is probably on her way to Greenland. 

We haven't heard from Shalisha for a few days.  Our thoughts are with her each day...and when we wake up at 3 or 4  in the We write little notes to her on facebook in the event that she will be able to get online.  We understand that she will have to pay each time she uses the internet in Greenland so not sure what she will do.  She's pretty frugal. 

Today is also my mother's anniversary.  I've been thinking of her today.  She is 83 now and still wants to stay in the farm house.  Our family is charting new territory as how to help our mother.  She's one to put up a fight about staying put and not living with her children. 

This past Wednesday we called the vet about our work horse Martha.  She's been having drainage from her left eye.  The vet came and said that she needs a special operation to remove a cancerous third eyelid.  We have decisions to make concerning Martha.  

There are interesting things to pray about this new near.  In the meantime we continue doing our work with the horses and with the kids in the community.  It was enjoyable to teach another character trait to the students at Wabacco.  Hopefully we can teach again Monday-if there is school. 

"You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed.  Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."  Joshua 23:14




   

So...I'll write a bit tonight on my blog.

Simeon came over yesterday and spent the night.  It was good to see him.   We gave him his two "late" Christmas presents.  It's kind of silly to haul presents up to MI only to haul them back again in a week.  So we have two small Christmas's.  There's no place like home.

I've spent most of my day doing medical stuff.  It's easier taking care of medical stuff in the winter.  Summer time is much too busy and focused on camp.
 
Came home from town with 20 bags of grain in the folded down seats of the van.  

This afternoon, Simeon, Shiloh and I went for a horseback ride.  It was slow riding, being careful not to ride on black ice or ice patches.  We checked out the new logging trail up on the hill behind camp.  There was no ice on the trails, just snow.  Riding in the snow on the mountain trail is beautiful.

Pray for Shalisha as she will be traveling in a few days.   Ethan will be traveling too - back to Indy. 

From God's Little Instruction Book II:

"If the roots are deep and strong the tree needn't worry about the wind."

Jeremiah 17:7,8  "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

Time to go play some guitar.

As the Christmas season continues, I can't help but remember Pa.  Christmas is hard, I know, for several people who have lost loved ones. It's just not the same.   For those who knew my Pa, I hope you enjoy my thoughts of him...and already, writing about Pa, has made my Christmas a little more special.   
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My father passed away in November of 2007. His presence gave such strength to my life. When I think about him not being here, I wonder if the family will fall apart? Will we be civil to each other? I must believe so, for the things he taught us were good. Time will tell the true affect he had on our lives.

My Father had another name. All six of his children called him Pa. He was even called Pa by his fellow factory workers. It must have been easy for the factory workers to call him that because my second oldest brother also worked at that factory and called him Pa all the time.  It stuck.

Pa had a lot of life experiences growing up that made him extra special. His experiences made for good story telling. I would sit and listen to his stories of farming and factory life and how much things cost when he was young. He would talk about working with his team of draft horses. As a young boy he would get home from school and hitch up Don and Fanny. He was smart for a young boy. He rigged up a pulley to haul the heavy harnesses up and unto the wide work horse backs. He drove the team out to the fields to plow, or pick stones, corn, or fork up the hay unto the wagons.  Pa did most of the work himself because his much older brothers had already married and left the farm and Pa's Dad was always busy with the work as township supervisor. The stories Pa told made one laugh, or cry, or be angry...a lot of times it made me ponder and deal with my own perceptions in life.

Pa also drove the Amish families around to different states. He would come home telling of Amish life with 14 kids, or sitting around their table and hear only German prayers. Many times he would take the Amish men to a livestock auction. He would come home with a calf or two in the back of his 14 passenger van.

Pa wasn't ordinary:

-He seemed to always have the nail in his pocket to fix the board that had broke loose from the freedom-loving pigs.

-He took time to help the neighbor who was building up his flock of sheep. He would take time at the livestock auctions to pick out the best ram for the betterment of the neighbor's farm.

-He took the chain saw and tractor and wagon and his boys and went out to the woods and spent a few hours filling that wagon with wood so our house was warm.

-He went around the countryside in a 75 mile radius to neighbors farms and sheared their sheep. Most of his boys were there to help. Pa had about 5 shearing machines going at a farmer's barn. Pa could do a lot of things. Pa was a jack-of-all-trades. I guess that's what most people become when living a long time on this earth and trying to make a living.

-He was also a salesman for Mooreman feeds when I was young. Knowing this made me understand later later in life why he knew everyone in the countryside.

-He always had the time to take his kids out to icecream.

Pa said he did everything but go to jail.

Thinking about Pa and his passing was very hard. It's a normal thing to start mentally preparing for the end when you see your parents having health issues. Gradually, as Pa got older, his traveling adventures ceased. He couldn't safely drive for the Amish anymore. He couldn't drive the tractor anymore because of his high blood pressure. His knees bothered him so he couldn't walk very well. He was also diagnosed with diabetes, so his struggle with food increased. Pa's face was partially paralyzed from a stroke. That was the time I saw Pa start to give up on life.

Pa still told stories, but they were the same ones over and over. He must have realized his repetiveness because he stopped his storytelling. He wasn't the same Pa I used to know. It was a struggle for me to reverse roles and start telling him my stories. It was hard making conversation because I was so used of him doing the talking. Did he see the reversed roles we were playing? I started praying for the right words to say when I visited Pa, or when I talked to him on the phone.

As time went on he had acquired the use of a walker. Ma patiently walked beside him where ever he went. As I observed, I saw the commitment and love in Ma. I was glad for Pa that he had her. When he couldn't clean the food off his face when he ate his meals, Ma was there to help. Those were hard times for me. My strong Pa was not strong anymore.

Giving up how life was, and accepting what life is became a time of growth for our family. Of all the things that Pa gave...a love for people, animals, outdoors...Pa taught his family about God. He was always faithful going to Church. He talked about God like He was his best friend. It made things much easier after Pa was passed on. I could think of Pa being in heaven...where the Bible says he is. In my mind I can see Pa all vibrant and happy. I'm sure he is even better at storytelling. These thoughts and faith I cling to.

So now I must tell you the end of Pa's life. The phone call came that Pa had another stroke. He was in the hospital. My oldest brother asked all the questions to the doctor and related it back to the family members. The stroke was severe. Pa's left side was totally paralyzed. He couldn't swallow so a feeding tube was put in place. Ma realized that Pa would never come home. She couldn't care for him anymore. She stood by his bed for hours holding his hand. Pa developed pneumonia and had to be put on a respirator. A great family decision had come.

That night, at my older brother's house, we gathered. Talking was subdued. Mom wasn't there. She was sleeping, exhausted. She was 80 years old and so was Pa. We made the heart rending decision to take Pa off the respirator...after his pneumonia was cleared up. We wanted to do our best for him, our precious Pa.

I remember the Sunday when our family was at the hospital all crammed in the waiting room. Only two could go in the critical care unit at a time...except for Ma. (There must be special concessions for these type of situations.) Sometime we could get a response from Pa, but he would talk like there was a huge wad of cotton was in his mouth. He wanted his boys to take him home. He didn't want to go to a nursing home.

Pa spent a week in the hospital. He was moved to a regular hospital room. He only stayed there for two days. Pa got his wish. He didn't go to the nursing home. He slipped away quietly as Ma and Cindi sang hymms.

The funeral was special...lots of people came and told of how Pa helped them. The sheep owners, the Amish, the church members, the factory workers, and the old farmers that were still around came to pay their last respects. I learned even more things about Pa just standing there in that funeral home listening to all of those people. I learned about things that happened years before I was born. I smiled and thought of Pa  -and him not telling me that story.

Now Pa's body is in a cemetery just down the road from the church. We drive by there sometimes when we come up to visit the family. Things haven't gotten out of hand with the family. Pa taught us well. Memories of him will forever be in my heart.

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Hope you like this excert from several pages I've written about Pa.  I will continue writing his biography.  Hopefully, someday, I will have enough pages for a book.  I want to call it, "Pa's Heart".