What is your Gift

Eleanor Stevens on the left on her horse, J R. On the right is Mary Lipginski (me) on Rockin Andi.

This picture was taken shortly after Eleanor received her horse J R as a gift from H T.

Tonight I am going to give you some food for thought. If you are so inclined to think as you read my blog. Maybe you read my blog for entertainment and don't really want to think. My daughter Mary Beth reads it for information. She wants to know what Mom is up to these days. (Like I never talk to her). But tonight I want to give you some food for thought.

H T Derickson is one of the most generous people I know. Eleanor and I have been going to the Van Bert Farm for over two years. She immediately fell in love with the Rocky Mountain Horses. She was attracted to their beauty and good natures. She also liked the way they move. My how we wished we had these horses when we were growing up.

She has often spoken of the old work mare she liked to ride. We called her "Old Grace". I don't know why it was old Grace but it just was. Perhaps it was because she seemed so old when she came in from a hard days work. She didn't have the easy life of standing in a stall and being led out to ride and then put away until another day came. She worked long hard hours pulling the various pieces of equipment around our farm back in the 30s and 40s. We had tractors by the late 40s but there was still dependence on the horses and mules.

But I was talking about gifts. And that was off subject but still related. Eleanor loved riding Grace and she still talks about what a good loving friend Grace was to her. Even then little girls told horses their worries, heart aches and dreams as well as talking to them about their everyday events and accomplishments.

So she just naturally fell in love with Mt Horses. I remember the day she first rode a horse at Van Berts. Larry and I worried she would fall or get hurt some way. She wasn't worried. She rode a horse named Yankee Dock. He is several years old and really calm. So she rode him around the barn and she was walking on air. We made pictures and stopped at Walmart to have them printed so she would have a lasting record of her first ride in 50 years.

The next horse she rode was Rose's Morning Glory. She is owned by Crystal Gate Farms in Vermont. H T made sure she got to ride that horse and again she was thrilled beyond comprehension. More pictures to take to church and show friends and acquaintences.

During the Rocky Mountain show in September H T told Eleanor he had something for her. I didn't know what it was so I thought perhaps a tee shirt with their logo or a cap. Little did I know. The next visit to the farm, Eleanor was hoping to ride Morning Glory again. She was told she wasn't available to ride that day. I was riding Rockin Andi around the barn when Jamie came out on a red gelding. I asked who that horse was. I always want to know even though I might ask again in the next five minutes. Jamie said it was J R.

Soon Eleanor was on J R riding him. She was told she could ride that horse that day. I got off of Andi and let someone else ride her. H T asked he how she liked that J R horse. She agreed he was pretty nice and she liked him a lot. H T told her that he was hers. He had found and bought that horse for her. At that point I had tears in my eyes. It was such a generous thing for him to do.

Since first getting to know H T, Wilda and everyone at Van Berts I have noticed this about H T. He is a very generous person. But he is not just generous, he has a gift of giving. This is his particular gift.

We all have a gift. If you know Eleanor, you know she has a gift for teaching. She taught school for 26 years and she still likes to teach today. She does not stand in the class room with a room full of children anymore but she still teaches. She teaches her Sunday School class sometimes. She teaches piano. She will teach as we ride along the highway to any and all who will listen.

Are you getting any idea about gifts and how you are gifted? If you will think about yourself, you will see that you have a gift too. What is your gift? My daughter-in-law, Chrissy has the gift of service. She visits me and takes over my kitchen. I am all too willing. She cooks and she cleans. She puts wonderful tasty meals on the table and then cleans the kitchen afterward. She loves doing it. It makes her feel fulfilled to serve people. I love her for it. I cherish her for her gift of service. She is a nursing student now and she will be very good nurse. Chrissy serves her husband and her family. It is her expression of love to them. Or as some people would call it, her love language.

To better understand and love the people around you, especially your family, you need to understand your gift and their gifts. We don't all have the same gift. Some just don't understand or participate in the gift of service. Those having a gift of service don't understand those who don't. But if you will look and think about their gift you will see they have a gift you don't.

Steve, Chrissy's husband has a gift of leadership. He is the take charge and lead the troops kind of person. Take charge and lead the family. If you know Steve, you will know how true that is. It is often a misunderstood and resented gift. Leaders have to make some tough decisions in family and in business or their area of work. It is not an easy gift. H T's gift of giving or Chrissy's gift of service is much easier to accept and understand.

Again what is your gift. What is your mate's gift? What gift do those that surround you have? If you know me very well, can you tell what my gift is? How about my brother, Bob? His is not an easily recognized gift like the gift of giving or of service. His is the gift of discernment. Can you see that now?

What is your gift?

May God bless you and keep you in his loving care and may you come to know and cherish your own gift.

Regards

Mary

Now ye are the bodies of Christ; and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church first apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teacher after that miracle then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets are all teachers? are all workers of miracles. Have all the gift of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret.

I Corinthians 12:27-30

Two Jars of Rice

My brother Bob riding Rosie. A sunny day in the middle of December found Bob and Rosie out with Annie and Amego for a long trail ride on the farm. This is the end of the ride and they just had to stop by the house for a hello and pictures. And the jokingly ask for some curb service.

Bob likes Rosie very much. She is a chestnut mountain horse. Like there is any other kind on my radar. Bob has been trying to make friends with her but is having some problems. She is one of the shyer horses in the pasture. She wants to come to him and she wants to be near him but some of the other horses don't want her to go to him. She is very low on the pecking order in the pasture.

He talked to me about how hard it is to catch her sometimes because of the interference of the other horses. He wants to make friends with Rosie. She is his favorite in the field.

But halt there partner. The title of my piece tonight is Two Jars of Rice. Confused yet? Well you see there was a scientist who did an experiment with two jars of rice. This scientist cooked rice all in the same pan. He put half in one jar and the rest in another jar. The only difference in how the rice was handled was that on one jar he wrote something like "You are good rice. I love you" The other jar had a note saying something like "You are bad rice. I hate you"

Now this is cooked rice and when they were left sitting on the counter they were going to spoil at the same rate. Right? Wrong! The jar that said you are good rice stayed good and the jar with you are bad rice spoiled. Wait a minute!!! Do you believe that?

Well, I am not sure but walking down through the field one day to catch Rosie I got to thinking about the rice. I started singing "Rosie, girl. I love my Rosie girl. You make me happy." I could see her perking up her ears and listening to me. I kept walking across the field. I kept singing, "I love my Rosie girl. You make me happy."

Rosie kept watching. I walked and talked and sang to her. Along came Amego. And Shugee. They are two of the horses that want whatever you have or at least want to see what you might have. I just had a lead rope. I swatted Amego and told Shugee to get on with them. Rosie, expecting a run in this the two boss horses went behind the hay stack.

I walked and talked and sang to Rosie. Soon, I was approaching her with the lead rope. She has in the past just walked away and played hard to get. And sometimes she just can't be caught because of the interference of other horses and the fact she doesn't want to be caught even if it were just two horses and the other one was leaving her alone.

Pretty soon I was scratching her shoulder and talking to her. "I love my Rosie girl" Then I reached up and took her halter in my hand, fastened the lead rope on her and we walked to the barn without any trouble at all.

It is well known that people respond to genuine praise and outpouring of love. Rice, I don't know but thinking about the rice made me think about talking to Rosie and telling her how pretty she is and how much I love her and how good she is. She is responding. In a very positive way. Bob uses the same with her. He gives her a little feed in his hand and she comes to him. He is riding her and they are getting to know and trust each other.

Riding is a matter of trust and respect between the horse and rider. I respect the horse under me but so far, I have had a hard time with trust. I am working through it. It will be one of those things that one day I will say. Well darn, why was this so hard for me. I dream of that day. Then I know for sure I will be free to ride like the wind and to be where Vera described in her recent blog.

As a side note. Mt Girl, (yes she is the most beautiful horse in the whole world.), Magic Rhythm and Hobo will be foaling in about two months. Just two months. Mary Beth and I can hardly wait. I hope Debbie and Lucy can be here for at least one of the births.

May God bless you and keep you in his loving care.

Regards,

Mary

And he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea; Peace. Be still and the wind ceased and there was great calm. And he said unto them, Why are you so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Mark 4: 39-40

You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him to a heavy load.

Pual "Bear" Bryant

Christmas

I hope you are all ready for Christmas. I still have to buy some of my groceries. Bananas and such that will not keep very long. But other than that I am ready. I have not talked to Van Berts to see how much if any snow they got yesterday. We had a sprinkling of snow yesterday morning and this morning.

I love the snow but I don't like it when I know my family is on the road. Bill never liked for our family to travel over the Christmas or any other holidays. It is always more dangerous on the roads at that time. But we have entrusted them to God's care so I know they will be where they need to be in God's perfect timing.

I think back to Christmas many years ago. It seems so recent but in was really more than twenty years ago. Mike had just recently joined the military. I was always big on having everyone home for Christmas. Mike had been sent to Germany for his duty station. He was single and it was maybe his first Christmas that he was so far away from home. He talked about coming home several times and I was hoping he would be getting home for Christmas. After all it would not seem like Christmas if we weren't all together.

Things didn't work out for him. He was early in his career and didn't have the money or the leave, I'm not sure which. Probably the money thing. Anyway, I was mopping around all sad he wouldn't be home for Christmas. I had been like that for more than a week. Then one day I learned that flight 103 had gone down over Locker be Scotland. The flight as you may remember flew out of Frankfurt Germany. That was the airport Mike would have flown from. It was right before Christmas and all were lost.

I can't say for sure that Mike would flown on that day and on that flight but it woke me up in a dramatic way. I realized that my children could be home for Christmas or they could be with people who cared about them elsewhere in the world. In any case, where ever they were they were in God's care. I got over my mood that we weren't all going to be home together for Christmas and praised God that at that Christmas we were all well and safe.

As it turned out, Mike was invited to spend Christmas Day with someone from his base and he had a nice day. Our Christmas was also good here too.

There have been many Christmases since then that we have not been together for Christmas. Mike spent more Christmases in Germany and a couple in Iraq. Steve has spent Christmases in Italy and other duty stations around the world. I always thank God that I can hear their voices and know they are well. For you see they have never missed a Christmas calling home to tell us they are thinking about us and know we are thinking about them too and missing them.

Some asked me when Mike was in Iraq how I slept at nights with him in such a dangerous place. I always said that I knew he was in God's care and there was no safer place to be.

Tomorrow as Steve heads for Kentucky with his daughter, Sarah and granddaughter, Elyssa, I know he is in God's care. Steve and his family live in Mississippi. Chrissy, his wife and their three children that live at home with them drove from Mississippi to Kentucky. In the meantime Steve flew from Mississippi to Virginia to bring Sarah and Alyssa here for Christmas. He rented a car there and after Christmas, he will drive them back to Virginia and then fly back to Mississippi. Steve has done this because it has been so important to him and Chrissy that as much of the family as possible could be here for Christmas. What a good man. . And what a good woman

Mine is a rather large family and increasing in numbers all the time. It gets harder and harder all the time to get us all together. There are four children plus spouses, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchilren. Plus two grandsons-in-law. With each of them having in laws it is harder all the time to get together. Edward will be getting married next year and he and his fiancee will be coming here from Ohio.

But come Christmas Day, we will have most of the family here and for that I thank God and ask that he bless each and keep them safe over the Christmas Holidays. I ask God to also bless each of you and keep you safe as you travel for Christmas and keep your families safe.
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Never forget that Christ is the reason for the season. May he bless you all with his presence as we remember that God sent his son for a present to the world and to redeem a lost world. It is through him that we can hope to have eternal salvation. It is through the acceptance of him as our Lord and Savior that we gain entrance to heaven. Not by our works but by his finished work. His death and resurrection.

God bless and keep you in his loving care.

Regards and Merry Christmas

May the joy of Christmas fill your hearts and lives. And may the laughter of children fill your heart with love.

Mary


"And the angle said unto them, 'Fear not for behold, I bring you good tiding of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' "

Luke 2: 10-11

Awards Banquet

Kolby Tipton accepts his ribbon for his nice placings in the Country Trail Pleasure Classes this past show season. Jamie was presented his High Point Trophy by his great niece, Kaylee Tipton. Melissa and I enjoyed a moment together.

As you saw on Vera's blog, there were a lot of awards presented for the fine show season we enjoyed this year. Our congratulations to all who won awards for High Points. Judy and Mike Brummer once again was rewarded for all the hard work they put into their horses during the past year. My farm won a second behind a very fine yearling colt owned by the Brummers this year. He beat us every time we were in the arena together and I always knew he was the best colt in the class. It was nice to see him develop over the show season. He is a son of Venture's Black Fury and really a fine well built colt.

Stacy and Chris at Cool Shade won trophies for all of their clients. The Bakers, the Brummers and I all came away with at least one trophy for their hard work on our behalf this year.

We were honored to get a High Point Award for Dock's Velvet. Thank you Chris and Stacy for the outstanding job you did with her. I am looking forward to the coming show season to see how she does as a three year old.

Also receiving a High Point Award was our filly, Flair for Fury. I have S T to thank for that award. To see a picture of S T and me with our trophy, see Vera's blog. The Van Bert Farms also won a lot of High Point Trophies. Jamie and S T worked hard this year and did an excellent job of training the horses entrusted to them.

It was good to see friends from the shows. I always enjoy seeing and talking to Michael Brummer and his wife Judy. I see the Tiptons, Pattersons and Dericksons all year when I go to the stables in Stanton. It is always a pleasure to spend time with them and catch up on people I have not seen since the shows were over. And of course, I can not fail to mention how good it was to have family and friends to share those moments with. Thank you, Lucy, Melissa, Bob, and Annie for attending with me and taking time to celebrate with our farm, the fruits of this past show season.

My family is getting more into riding all the time. My brother, Bob, is the latest to get on a horse. Actually he is getting back on a horse and he loves my horse, Rose whom I call Rosie. She is the last horse I bought and Bob has fallen in love with her and the nice temperament she has. Today he and Annie rode her and Amego on the farm for two hours or more. They rode through the woods looking for trails that we can use for trail riding here on the farm. We have almost a hundred acres of woods. There are many deer trails through the woods and through the tall grass.

Bob told me that Rosie is not real sure of the woods and had some anxious moments but she did wonderfully on the ride anyway. They crossed running water, over logs and through tall growth. She and Amego were real troopers. Rosie is a red 4 year old mare. I have been very excited about having her and she is the horse I have been riding most since I brought her home from Van Berts shortly after the end of the show season.

My sister Eleanor was also here today riding her horse J R. He was loving all the attention she gives him. She grooms and brushes his beautiful red coat. She fusses at him for rolling out in the mud and reprimands him for getting so dirty and all the while she is feeding him an apple or a bunch of hay from her hands. She talks to him while she is brushing him and petting him. She always ends the day by standing close to his head and they put their heads together. It is cute. He really seems to love her. I know she loves him. H T you really hit a home run with that gift.

Are you ready for Christmas? It is time to get ready. I have a few more gifts to wrap and to buy as well. Last week was a busy week for me. First was our annual Christmas party for my Bible Study Class. Then our annual party for the VFW. My husband was a veteran of the Korean War. Then the Awards Banquet on Saturday night. Sunday, I was ready for a long nap after Church. I am not the stay up all night party animal. I am glad this week will be less busy as far as social gatherings go.

I hope you are ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Remember when you are having the turkey and dressing why we celebrate. This is not just a holiday. This is Christmas. The celebration of the Savior. From the days of his infancy, men have feared him. Herod, tried to kill him when he was just a new born. Men have despised him. The Religious leaders of the day hated him because he pointed out their sins. Men have denied him. And they still do today. He was murdered and died on a cross like a common criminal. He was innocent. He died, was buried and then he arose again on the third day. He died for you and for me so that our sins are forgiven.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you and may God bless you and keep you in his loving care.

Merry Christmas to all of you and a Happy New Year.

Regards

Mary

The druggist in my hometown when I was growing up was Mr Roy. He was quiet a prankster and in turn had many pranks pulled on him. One Christmas some of his "friends" put horse manure in his stocking hanging on the mantle. The next day some one ask Mr Roy what he had gotten for Christmas. Without missing a beat he said. "A pony, but it got away."

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth unto Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David; to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was there that while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2: 4-7

Home Sweet Home

It was a beautiful day in late November that my brother Bob took the camera and snapped this picture from up on the hill overlooking the barn stead. The silos in the back of the barn are reminder of the days we brought over 60 head of dairy cows to the barn twice a day to milk.

Today the barn is used for horse stalls. Not fancy but we are making do.

I haven't really known what to write about lately. Today is no different. But we have had a wonderful couple of days this week. The sun was out and shining bright on Tuesday. It was not like a December day. It was more like a November or even late October day. There was a chill in the air but it was still pleasant to get our vet work done with the herd.

My brother, Bob is amazed when we work the horses with the vet. How smoothly it goes for the most part. There were some who would rather stay down by the hay stacks. They really would rather have not been taken away but we did catch all of them with the help of a couple of feed buckets. You see, Bob was always working with cows when he lived on the dairy farm where we grew up just outside of Taylorsville. Working with cows always provided some interesting moments as we had to round them up and work them through a cattle shoot. We always had to catch their heads and try to get the work done on them while they were fighting with the head gate trying to escape. It was always a hard day of work to get shots, castrate bull calves and dehorn the young stock.

Tuesday it was just a matter of walking up to the horse, catching her and bringing her into the barn to get whatever care she needed. Then the hard part was getting them back out of the barn. They really like to hang around for the scratching on the shoulders or the bit of hay they can reach through the boards that separate the hay from the horse stalls.

It only took a short time to get the work done with the herd, pay the vet and go in for lunch.

Tuesday evening found me in Southeast Christian Church where I am a member with my dearest friend Donna to kick off the Christmas season with a group of other women to hear our guest speaker for the evening. But first the music. The music at our church is so beautiful. The men and women who do the praise and worship music at our church are good enough to be professionals but yet every week end for three services, we are led in praise and worship by these dedicated Christians. So the evening was such a great and glorious time of worship and learning. Listening and praying I think I speak for most who were there, that each of us took so much out of that service. We felt the presence of God there with us and it is beyond words to describe the joy and peace that fills one with such a close walk with our Saviour.

Wednesday, Bob and I went to Stanton, Kentucky. We visited the Dericksons and the Tiptons. While we were there, Jamie rode Rockin Andi and S T was on Code of Honor. To watch the two of them working together was very enlightening. Andi has been under saddle for a year now and Code of Honor has been under saddle just a couple of months. Andi is smooth as silk. Everyone at the farm is so excited about Andi. She is intelligent and she has settled into her gait so well. She knows what she is doing and she likes doing it.

On the other hand, Cody is just a couple of months into his training and he is still figuring out what exactly is expected of him. But he is getting it and he works hard. I am so pleased with Cody and Andi both. Both of the trainers are doing such a wonderful job with the horses. They are each in different stages but they are learning. Andi and Jamie demonstrated the side pass she has recently started learning. Cody and S T were out on the obstacles. He is willing and working hard. I am so pleased to own both of those horses.

I first saw Rockin Andi about this time last year. I was visiting Van Bert's and Jamie was riding my mare Rocky Top Rebel. Along came Brandon on this new horse that had just gone under saddle. I know Larry set me up. Of course all of you who know Larry do know this is how he sells horses. The horse Brandon was on almost took my breath away. She was so smooth and had a way of moving that just drew one's eyes right to her. And again, she had just been put under saddle. I knew she was really something special.

Brandon rode around the lot in front of me several times and of course I had to ask Larry who that horse was. He knew when I first saw her that I was hooked. Just as he had expected. But who wouldn't like her. I watched as she moved away from me and she looked smooth as silk even then to my untrained eye. It seems she had been given the name Tila Tiquila. I bought her almost on the spot and changed her name to Rockin Andi. Of course everyone thought she was a colt because of her name. But my granddaughter's name is Andrea and we have called her Andi since she was a little girl. So my horse is named after Andrea. Thus Rockin Andi.

Larry has a way of selling me horses. He can read me like a book. May I tell you how I acquired another of my fillies. Her name is Flair for Fury. She is a beautiful chocolate with a flaxen mane and tail. I had taken Mt Spirit to Van Bert's to have him trained for showing in hand over the summer. Spirit was under weight from the winter and Larry started feeding him up and working with him. Pretty soon he was leading like he had done it every day of his life. I was practicing leading him thinking I would eventually show him this past season.

I was practicing in the barn one day and Larry had Lewis bring Flair for Fury out to show me how to lead and park a horse out. Larry also wanted me to see the difference between Flair and Spirit as far as conditioning. Well that was his story and I am sure he is sticking to it. Before I knew what was happening to me, I owned that one too. Mike and Judy Brummer own Flair's sire, Venture's Black Fury. They of course wanted to have her stay in Kentucky to show in the UMH shows this past season since she was a Fury Baby. There was some interest in her from up north and she would have been shipped out of Kentucky.

This was one of the best buys I made at Van Bert's although every horse I have bought there is an outstanding horse. But thanks to Flair, I will be receiving two high point trophies at the awards banquet on the 12th of December. Flair is here on the farm now and she is growing like a weed. She has had a saddle on her several times. She has also had a rider in the saddle once and was outstanding. She was calm and stood perfectly still for the mount and dismount. She is still young and has not been worked hard at all. But she is a treasure and she is going to be an outstanding mare.

The other high point award will be for W O F Dock's Velvet. She is a two year old filly that I bought as a weanling. She has been under saddle for almost a year now and has won the high point award for 2-3 year old Country Trail Pleasure. She is still with Cool Shade Mt Horses for training over the winter. She too will be awesome next show season.

Larry and Vera took us out to supper last night for some fried green tomatoes. It is such a pleasant time when it is spent with these two special people. The fried green tomatoes were good too. I didn't go to Stanton but once is November and I really missed all of the people at the Van Bert Farm. So it was really a wonderful day and one that will live in my memory for a long time.

God bless you and keep you in his loving and tender care.

Regards

Mary

"Riding horses is easy, Climbing back in the saddle of life when you repeatedly fall off, now, that is a lot harder. I kept going because of my mother's belief in me and because my love of animals and my desire to learn about them were stronger than my fear of failure--and because I had a horse carrying me."

Janice Willard, DVM MS

From "Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul"

"Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart. Commit thy ways unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass."

Psalms37: 4-5

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear' but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

II Timothy 1: 7