The horse with the bell ...

Just up the road from my home is a field with two horses in it.

From a distance, both horses appear to be like any other horses. But if you walk closer, you will notice something quite amazing; one of the horses is blind. However, the owner has chosen not to put down the blind horse but has made a good home for both horses.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell attached to the halter of the sighted horse. The bell is used to lead the blind horse. You will notice something amazing; the sighted horse regularly checks to see if the blind horse is hearing the bell, is following the sighted horse’s lead, and is continuing to trust that he will not be led astray.

Each evening, the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn, occasionally looking back to make sure that the blind friend isn’t too far behind.

Like the owner of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or just because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes, we are like the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those whom God has placed in our lives to help us. At other times, we are like the horse with the bell, helping others to find their way.

Good friends are like that ... you may not always see them, but you know they are there.

Please listen for my bell, and I’ll listen for yours.

And remember ...

Be kinder than necessary -
Everyone you meet is fighting
Some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly ...
And leave the rest to God!
For we walk by faith and not by sight!

- Author Unknown

Explaining God

Although this letter can be found all over the web, we feel it is worth repeating.

"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth.

He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think they are smaller and easier to make. That way, He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off.

God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere, which keeps Him pretty busy. So, you shouldn't be wasting His time by going over your mom and dad's heads asking for something they said you couldn't have.

Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think that there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church. Jesus is God's son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK.

His Dad (God) appreciated everything He had done and all His hard work on earth, so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore, He could stay in Heaven. So He did. And, now, He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of Himself without having to bother God - like a secretary, only more important.

You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to hear you, because they got it worked out so that one of them is on duty at all times.

You should always go to church on Sunday, because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God. Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides, the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.

If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you are scared in the dark or when you can't swim very good and you got thrown into really deep water by big kids.

But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.

And that is why I believe in God."

[By Danny Dutton, a third grader from Chula Vista California]

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A true story: A spider's web

A young soldier found himself in a terrible battle during the Scottish Reformation. The enemy was soundly defeating this young man's army. He and his comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battle field in defeat, running away in fear of their very lives. The enemy gave chase. This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, soon found himself cut off from his comrades in arms.

He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave. Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, chose to hide there. After he crawled in, he fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies. He also made a bargain with God. He promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the remainder of his days.

When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance to the cave. As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony. He thought, "I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?"

His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his hiding place and kill him.

And soon he did hear the sound of his enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in hiding. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave's entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to surprise the enemy in a last-minute desperate attempt to save his own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control.

As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider's web, which by now was completely strung across the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, "There can't be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider's web to enter the cave. Let's move on."

Years later, this young man, who made good his promise by becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal. He wrote: "Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web."

[Author Unknown]

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The horse & the butterfly: a moral story

Once upon a time there lived a sad and lonely horse. It was a long time ago that his owner had died, and now no one visited our horse anymore. He so desperately wanted company, to join the other horses he could hear in the distance. Alas his field was fenced and there was no escape. He would spend his days wandering sadly around his field eating only the tastiest bits of grass. Until one day everything changed for him.

On that amazing, life tranforming day everything started out as normal. It all started while he was sampling a particularly tasty patch of grass. At that moment a butterfly came fluttering along and landed on a dandelion next to our horse.

“Hello beautiful horse” said the butterfly

Surprised and delighted that the butterfly could talk the horse instantly began telling the butterfly all his worries.

“You see” said the horse “no one comes to visit anymore and I’m desperately lonely and trapped in this field”

“Oh I see” said the butterfly “that’s terrible you feel this way”

Now it was just lucky for our horse, that fine morning, that this little butterfly was fluttering through the field. Some may even say it was a coincidence that the butterfly landed on just that exact dandelion next to our horse. For our butterfly was a wise and gentle soul and understood instantly our horse’s worry and pain.

“It’s sad horse but you have lost your way”

“How do you mean little butterfly” asked the horse

“You are magnificent, strong and independent, but have forgotten who you are”

“I know I’m a horse little butterfly, I haven’t forgotten”

But with that said the butterfly fluttered off to another flower on the other side of the field. Our horse started to follow and began thinking out loud.

“What did the butterfly mean I’ve forgotten who I am? I am a horse, I don’t get it.”

Soon he was where the little butterfly had landed again and asked

“Little butterfly I’m confused, can you explain further”

“Of course” kindly replied the butterfly “you have been stuck for a long time within this field, lonely and desperate for company. Slowly over time this has become your normal. Then gradually your have taken this normal to become who you are!”

“That sounds deep little butterfly” said the horse “How do you mean”

“We all place prisons within our own minds. These prisons stop us from achieving our life’s goals and dreams. Your life alone in this field has now become a type of prison in your mind. You have forgotten your a horse.”

And with this the little butterfly fluttered off to another flower.

“Oh I’m still confused” thought the horse as he wandered over to where the butterfly had once again settled “what prison in my mind?”

Soon our horse was once again where the butterfly had landed and asked her to explain some more.

“I would like to tell you a little story to help explain” said the little butterfly

“Oh I like stories” replied the horse

“Then I shall begin.

The common house flea has the ability to jump 200 times it’s own height. Now if you place a glass cup over that same flea something interesting happens. When the flea now jumps he keeps hitting his head on the bottom of the glass cup. After a few jumps the flea realises what’s happening and will adjust his jumping height accordingly. The flea now jumps to just under the roof of the cup. When you remove the glass our poor flea is now conditioned into jumping at this new height. He has learnt from experience that if he jumps any higher he will hit his head and it hurts. He has created his very own glass ceiling or a kind of prison in his own mind.

This is the prison of our own minds, we all create them and yours horse is this field. You have forgotten your a horse and what horse’s do.”

But with this last comment the butterfly flew out of sight and our horse was left alone in his field once again.

For a moment our horse felt sad he was left alone again. Gradually though, as he started thinking about what the little butterfly had said he suddenly realised he was a horse.

“I am a horse” he exclaimed “and horses run and jump and play. I had forgotten who I was, I really had made my own prison in my mind. This field with its fence around me had become my prison, but I’m a horse and horse’s run and jump and play”

And with this our horse ran as fast as his legs could take him straight at the fence. In one great jump he cleared it and landed on the other side. He never even glanced back, he just kept running and running to the sounds of the other horses in the distance.

Our horse was now free.

[Author: Andrew Hallas]

Moral of the story:
We have all created some form of prison within our own minds. Anywhere you don’t want to be is like a prison, even in the lap of luxury one can feel poor and in a crowd, lonely. When we can truly see, those prisons we have created and there unwholesome qualities we will naturally let go. We begin to move forward and escape our very own prisons.