Melissa coming up the rail in the practice arena at the Van Bert Farms. She is very confident on this horse and I think she has decided this may be her favorite horse now. Her favorite used to be Wilda's horse Autumn Strider. Then Wilda sold her.

Today is Stephanie Moore's wedding day. I am sorry I can't be there but it just wasn't possible. I am there with them in thoughts and good wishes.. Stephanie and Cody are a lovely couple and all who know them like them a lot. Stephanie is one of the sweetest people I know and is very encouraging and nice to everyone she meets. So congratulations to them as they start their life together. May their years together be happy. And may God bless them in whatever way is good and pleasing to him.

I am still very excited about the prospect of Melissa showing this next show. She is young and could still change her mind but I think she is excited too. Her mother was out shopping this afternoon to buy a couple of things she needed to complete her show outfit.

Today was a day of shopping and returning horses to the field they belong in. When Natalie and I returned home from shopping the horses were all out by the barn. I really didn't know how they got out so we put them back in and went in to put groceries away. Natalie got in her car and drove down to her house which is in sight of where I live. Soon she was on the phone telling me that the horses were all in my yard. So out we went again to put the horses back in their own pasture.

I went around the garden to open their gate but it was already open. Mystery solved. No wonder they were all out. So far they have stayed in their pasture the remainder of the day.

Shopping is never my favorite thing. I have a shirt that says "I would rather be at the stall than in the mall" and that is just how I feel about the whole thing. But no milk and no bread and it is time to go to the store. Also I had a breakdown on the bush hog again yesterday and of course I needed to pick up parts so Mike could put it back together for me. It isn't very serious but it still will take time to fix it. But the parts house I buy from for the bush hog didn't happen to have the parts I need. So they had to order them and they won't have them until Tuesday.

Then I went to tractor supply to buy a tire for my four wheeler and they didn't have a tire the size I needed. Natalie's brother and son are visiting for three weeks and I really want the four wheeler ready for them to ride so I will have to go shopping again today to find a tire somewhere. I really hate shopping. On line is not too bad but to actually go to the store and shop--- no way.

Walmart doesn't really appeal to me either. I go there because I can and things are often cheaper there than other places but I don't go out shopping to just go out shopping. I don't even like going to the post office any more. I do go. I have to go to get my mail but I would rather not. I think sometimes I could just be a recluse. Except when it comes to the horses. Then I really love going to the horses shows and to Van Bert's farm and to Cool Shade to see how my horses are doing that are in training.

I love taking Melissa there for her riding lessons. I like Eleanor going with me. She gets so excited about the horses. She has her favorites that she always goes to see. When we get over to Cool Shade she makes sure she visits Fury. She always takes some mints with her. She knows he loves them and she gets very tickled that he takes it out of her hand so gently. Then she visits Heart of Motion. And she goes on down the line to each stall in the barn giving each horse equal time, except for Toco Dawn. She loves Toco Dawn and always gives her a lot of attention.

She also has her favorites at Van Bert's. Mercy Me is her favorite there. She is Stephanie Moore's horse and we both love her big heart. She is a small horse with a big motor. I relate to her. We should both be taller than we are. But it is what it is. So we both do the best with what we were given by God.

And of course Eleanor rides when she can. She rode last year and again recently. It is fun to see her enjoy herself so much. I believe it is God's reward to her for the hard life she has had. She has had much to overcome and to deal with in life.

She had two sons who have gone on to be with the Lord. Both had MD. She took care of the oldest for 15 years on a ventilator which is no easy task. Her youngest died at a early age. He was 21 and the oldest died in his 40s which is old age for a MD patient. When I hear someone whine they can't, I think of Dennis who never complained about anything. His lot in life was to spend it in bed. He was bed ridden for over 20 years but he had more curiosity about life than most people. He read his Bible through several times. Dennis and Roger were both inspirations to anyone they came in contact with. They both left their mark on the world. There will be many souls in heaven that would have been lost without their testimony.

Their whole lives were a testament to what one can do with even limited mobility. Their abilities were a whole story in itself. They were both very intelligent. Roger used his abilities to write some really beautiful poems. Dennis used his voice to record some songs and to give his personal testimony. Instead of saying "Why me Lord?" Or to whine about what they couldn't do, they both concentrated on what they could do.

So even with their limited ability to be out and about, they inspired many people to go beyond what they think they can do and try harder to do what seems impossible. Two young men, two different lives but those lives left so much to the world.

God bless and keep you in his loving care.

Later

Mary

All it takes for evil to succeed is that decent human beings do nothing.

Edmund Burke