I began the day by going for two horseback rides through the woods behind my house. On the first ride I turned around and it looked like I had an inquisitive 10 point buck following me (unless he just happened to be standing there). He was surprised that my horse turned toward him (he was only about 30 feet away) so he sprinted off, not too far though, because when we came around the next bend he was still there. It’s cool how much wildlife I get to see since they’re not scared of the horses. Then I spent some time clearing a trail through the woods so I can take people on rides without them getting knocked off the horse by tree limbs! Manual labor is always fun, as is a job well done, so I thank the Lord that He gave me time to get that done. That was the wonderful morning.
But the afternoon is what was really amazing… I went to a horse training job at a client’s house, they want me to ride their horse (Andi) on the trails around their house so she’ll get used to it. The trails are on hundreds of acres of woods and fields with very few houses…the kind of trails one could get lost on if they wanted to! As you can imagine, at this time of year, the word glorious doesn’t even capture the full essence of the beauty in the undeveloped countryside! It was a perfect afternoon that God may have designed just for me!
The temperature was a warm 70 degrees, there was a slight breeze rustling the colorful leaves, and the sky was bright blue and clear. Andi and I meandered over trickling streams, encountered deer and turkeys, trotted up and down trails that were surrounded by lush, orange, red and yellow trees and big boulders. We passed through grass that was taller than Andi and it left us both covered in white puffy seeds, and left a trail of white puff floating off onto the breeze. Andi gave it her all as we raced along the meadows, our hair flying free behind us as the grass swooshed past her feet. Feeling the wind on my face, as a powerful horse bunches her muscles underneath me and flies like the wind, is one of the most exhilarating feelings that I have ever experienced, and it just never gets old! We finished off our two hour ride as the sun started to set and a magical autumn haze enveloped the countryside. Maybe not so much a haze, as that hue that the air gets, the peaceful one that accents the occasional flying bug, the spaces between the leaves, and everything else that floats on the breeze, the hue that is only there on perfect summer and fall evenings and makes everything feel like a dreamland.
It was all picture perfect (wish I had pictures to share – but they’re only in my head!) and absolutely beautiful! God gave me my own little slice of heaven this afternoon in that hilly countryside, with a strong and graceful mount as my companion. I couldn’t have ordered up a more perfect afternoon, but my imaginative and thoughtful Father knows what my ‘perfect’ is, and created it for me! And as a bonus, I got paid to experience it, man, God is good!
Before I knew God I would’ve been happy after having a wonderful day, but now on top of that, my heart is bursting at the seams with an overwhelming gratitude to Him! For the beauty that He has created for us to enjoy, for His thoughtfulness and love in giving me more than I can even hope for or imagine, for His perfect and beautiful timing as He brings His will to pass in my life, and most of all for the fact that He made me part of His family! I am SO thankful that I now have the Lord to be thankful to!
And now that I know Jesus I will hopefully do the city some good instead of adding to it’s new-age beliefs as I would have before! I thought it might be fun to share some pictures of Ayla and I (and my mom, sister and niece) enjoying the wonderful mountain winter! 
