Great Horse Stories (21 page)

The colt's body hung like a wet dishrag, but that didn't seem to dampen his spirit. Big Red acted as if life was great.

Wendy and Gary lugged the colt next to Mariah's side, his small hooves dragging through the straw. The mare curled her head back and nickered to the colt. He excitedly whickered in return.

Wendy briefly closed her eyes.
How can you both be so happy?
she wondered. When a colt is sickly or dying, the mare often abandons her offspring. But Mariah was hanging in there, whispering encouragement to her baby and watching over him like he was the most precious gift she'd been given.

Gary balanced the deadweight of the front end as he looped his arm over the withers and under the belly. The mare moved her hind leg to the side so Gary could lift and guide Big Red's head toward the mare's teats.

Before the colt was latched on, he circled his lips and sucked. His curly whiskers wiggled. When he firmly connected, he voraciously gulped, never spilling a drop.

After he was filled up, Wendy and Gary lay him back on the straw and changed his little outfit. Wendy knelt next to him rubbing his legs, wondering how long they'd have the energy to keep doing this.

Throughout that day and night nothing changed.

The next morning at breakfast tears welled up in Wendy's eyes. She looked at Gary and said, “If Big Red's not better today, we've got to put him down.” He agreed. When they were done eating, Wendy's heart felt sick. She slipped out the door with the words, “I'll see you in the barn.”

The temperature had dropped so much that her boots squeaked through the snow. She threw her weight against the heavy door to push it open. It rumbled on its track. Big Red's whinny echoed through the old barn. Her shoulders slumped as she walked outside his stall and peeked in. He lay on the floor excitedly talking to her. The straw around his head looked as if it had been raked aside. She knew why. Only a couple of days ago she'd cried as she watched the colt try to move. With his big body wrapped in the sweatshirt and thermal top, he'd flopped his head like a fish out of water as he tried to propel himself across the floor. But only the straw moved. Big Red had tried so hard, but his muscles refused to work.

She opened the stall door. Waiting for Gary, she sat on a bale of hay looking in.
Lord, I need Your wisdom. He can't go on like this. He hasn't moved his body in a week. What do You want us to do?
Through her tears she watched Big Red nod his head and continue his happy greeting.

The colt batted his long, black eyelashes. Suddenly, in one movement he curled his legs underneath him, rolled onto his belly, and jerked to his feet. The clothes hung from his body. Big Red stepped toward his mom tripping on the sleeves.

In astonishment Wendy jumped to her feet.
He's standing!
She ran into the stall sobbing. “Oh God, thank You!” She quickly peeled the clothes off Big Red. With awe she watched him walk to his mom's side, brushing against her. He bent his neck, reached under her, and
suckled as if he'd been doing it every day. The mare curled her head around and nuzzled his rump. Wendy wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Thank You, God!”

•
Big Red and his mom, Mariah
•

Wendy had watched a miracle. The only explanation was that the power of God healed the colt. Today when she talks about Big Red she says, “He was such an example of how to handle the worst-case scenario. We don't know—even in that last minute—how things can turn around.” She shared with me that Big Red's attitude controlled the whole situation. If he would have given up at any point in time, she would have put him down. But his positive attitude had encouraged them to keep hoping. She believes his attitude inspired his mom to stick with him too. Through the ordeal, God gave Wendy a priceless message: When there's not a glimmer of hope in sight, God and your attitude will determine the outcome.

When I think of people whose attitude contributed to the outcome, the star that shines in my mind is Joseph. Wow! In the book of Genesis there are 13 entire chapters about this one man! Obviously God wants us to know about Joseph's life.

When he was a teenager, Joseph was betrayed by his jealous stepbrothers and sold into slavery. But he didn't wail and moan about being a victim of circumstances. Instead he focused on God, which gave him hope. The people his brothers sold him to then sold Joseph to an Egyptian named Potiphar. “The L
ORD
was with Joseph so that he prospered” (Genesis 39:2). Potiphar was very pleased with Joseph and trusted him with his household and everything he owned.

Potiphar's wife, however, wanted to have an affair with Joseph. When he refused, she falsely accused him, and her husband had Joseph cast into prison.

Even then Joseph didn't lose heart and quit. “The L
ORD
was with
him…and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison” (39:21-22).

Joseph stayed faithful to God, and God stayed with him, eventually orchestrating Joseph's release from prison, his rise to becoming second in charge of Egypt, and the one who saved his family, including his treacherous brothers, from famine.

I marvel at Joseph's amazing faith and attitude. By concentrating on God and working diligently, he went from a slave and prisoner to being a top official in Egypt.

Through Big Red's attitude of hope and Wendy and Gary's faith and diligence, the red colt grew into a strong and healthy horse. He was never sick another day and experienced no residual effects of his illness. When it came time for Wendy to send in his registration papers, she proudly penned his official name: Against All Odds.

Lord, when the odds are stacked against me, remind me that my faith in You and my attitude help determine my future. Strengthen me with courage to face every adversity with faith in You, hope, and a positive heart. Amen.

•
Thoughts to Ponder
•

Have you been betrayed by a friend? How did you respond? If you could go back in time, how would you change your response? How do you maintain a positive attitude and press forward in your day-to-day life?

33

THE MISFIT

Being Unique

L
arge ceiling fans blew the hot and humid air through the sanctuary of the small country church. Voices echoed off the arched wooden ceiling as people visited among themselves before the service started. With her elbow resting over the top of a pew, Bonnie was turned sideways to talk to Laurie who sat behind her. Enthusiastically Bonnie waved her arm. “Can't you just see it?” she exclaimed.

Laurie leaned forward and nodded.

Bonnie and her husband had retired and moved to this small community that was located in the lake country of northern Minnesota. Bonnie, a talented pianist, had already drawn the small church together through music. She'd formed a choir, and on the Sunday of the Fourth of July they'd put on a musical production. The church and the community had been thrilled.

Now Bonnie was organizing a “live nativity” program for Christmas. A lot of folks hadn't heard of such a thing, but her excitement was contagious. She talked about how the long U-shaped driveway in front of the church would be perfect. The cars could enter one end of the “U” and exit the other, stopping at the individual stations where the folks in the church would be acting out Christmas scenes. Bonnie nearly glowed as she paused, dreamily envisioning the evening's celebration.

Instantly, Laurie envisioned Joseph and Mary on the way to Bethlehem. Joseph would be leading a donkey with Mary sitting on its back. Swept along in Bonnie's enthusiasm, Laurie said, “Well, we've got a donkey.”

Bonnie smiled. “Great!”

All of a sudden Laurie realized what she'd said. It was true she had a donkey. But the critter had been eating grass in the back pasture for years since the grandchildren had outgrown her.
Was she still tame enough to ride? Would she even let someone lead her around? Worse yet, what if she pulled some of her donkey shenanigans?
Although the donkey was a lovable teddy bear, she had been a challenge since she'd been given to Laurie and her husband.

Laurie remembered that day all too well. A blue-sky, spring day, Laurie's husband had been working outside. When he came in he mentioned casually, “By the way, a guy jogging by said, ‘I see that you've got horses. Do you want a donkey?' ”

Laurie asked, “And what did you say?”

“I didn't say anything. I thought you should know though. The man told me who to contact if we decide we're interested.”

Laurie hadn't ever owned a donkey, but she thought the idea sounded fun. Reasoning that her baby granddaughter could ride it, she called and discovered that it had been a pet at a local kids' camp. A couple of days later she and her husband drove over to see the donkey. They pulled up to a corral that contained one lone animal—a short, brownish-gray donkey with enormous white spots. It laid its floppy ears back, lifted its nose, and brayed, “Hee-haw. Hee-haw.” Its whole body shook and its ears flopped with the long, drawn-out honking noise. Laurie giggled. The fuzzy critter looked like a big teddy bear! The donkey stood a little over waist high. Laurie glanced at the donkey's feet and grimaced. They looked like they'd never been trimmed. The hooves had grown so long that they curled up like skis. Laurie petted its shaggy coat. The poor gal looked like such a pitiful misfit. She needed to take it home. The first thing she would do was change its name. Laurie shook her head.
Who would name a donkey Martha Stewart?
So she dubbed it Annabelle or simply Donkey.

Laurie figured out right away that donkeys aren't horses wearing a different skin. From the core of their beings they are polar opposites. Instead of moving away from pressure, Annabelle would push into it. Anytime Laurie asked the donkey to do something she didn't want to, the donkey would stiffen all four legs slightly splayed out and refuse to
budge. Then she'd throw her head in a big circle as if shaking her head and saying, “No!” Even the seemingly simple task of leading Annabelle resulted in a major production. The donkey refused to move unless they strung a rope behind her rear-end. And dealing with her hooves? Almost impossible! No wonder they were curled like skis. The farrier Laurie hired charged her an extra five dollars—per kick.

•
Annabelle
•

Finally Laurie started to understand donkey thoughts. The little fuzzy beast was afraid of everything unfamiliar. Once Donkey understood that she wasn't going to get hurt, she was okay. Soon the animal's personality blossomed. When Laurie was cleaning the barn, Donkey would sometimes sneak up from behind and put her head under Laurie's armpit begging for attention. Donkey loved stealing Laurie's husband's hat out of his back pocket. Over the years the donkey proved to be a great ride for the grandchildren. But she still was a misfit.

Laurie's stomach churned as the date of the live nativity drew closer. She shared with Bonnie her concerns about Annabelle's donkey vices. Bonnie merely grinned and said, “I'll be praying for Donkey.”

And indeed she did. A few weeks later at one of the preparation meetings that Laurie wasn't able to attend, Bonnie rallied the whole group to pray for Donkey. She led the prayer with “Lord, you know Annabelle. You made her.”

From that moment on, Donkey became kind of a mascot to the church. Folks kept asking Laurie, “How's Annabelle?” And a crazy thing happened. All of a sudden Annabelle became a gentle and sweet donkey. She didn't have any of her usual donkey vices. On the first night of the production, Donkey even loaded easily into the horse trailer!

Mid December when Laurie and her husband drove up to the church on the afternoon of the first production, it appeared that Donkey was cooperating but the weather wasn't. A winter storm burst forth with freezing rain and snow. The lawn of the church bustled
with activity even as folks bent against the wind and rubbed their hands to keep warm. They put the finishing touches on the lights that were strung from the trees. As dusk settled, everyone took their places under the glowing lanterns. At the first stop, the pastor and his wife stood bundled up against the pelting rain. They would greet each carload of people with an explanation of the tour and offer a gift bag that contained a New Testament and a coloring book.