Listening to “The Horse Whisperer” last night was really interesting. ‘Buck’, had gone through a really tough childhood along with his brother. His dad had pushed them into stardom in TV commercials, since they had learned at a very early age about twirling a rope, doing fancy tricks that drew many crowds.
   Their dad was a drunk, and often they would receive beatings because of his anger over the least bit of imperfection he noticed in them. Eventually the football coach noticed the whelps left on ‘Buck’s’ back when he showered after PE, and called the local Sheriff, who had the boys taken away from their dad (their mom had passed away).
   It was hard but they had to learn to trust and love people again. As ‘Buck’ told his story, he spoke of how he had always been interested in horses, and one day, met Ray Hunt a horse whisperer’. He followed him for years, watching how his method of gently handling the roughest horse, could accomplish more in a few days, than most could in a month. Now, ‘Buck’ is a ‘horse whisperer’, and he speaks of how training a horse is similar to training children, and dealing with people. He spoke of how his past helped him understand how horses and children are sensitive to body language, moods, sudden movements, anger, love, touching, etc.. They know when they are loved, and when they are hated and unwanted. You can hurt both to the point that any movement you make, will cause them to react in fear and self-defense.
   ‘Bending’ is a life principle, and deals with handling burdens. Sometimes the burden and stress gets too much, and sometimes you need a ‘flexible attitude’ in dealing with both a child and a horse. Being a rigid, over-demanding, perfectionist… is not the way to train either one. Trainers/parents have to have the love and patience to be flexible… and not get all bent out of shape over everything. The important thing to remember is, it takes love and time to train. If you don’t CARE, it will show.
   ‘Buck’ and his family now travel to appointments at ranches, where horse owners from all around come to learn how to handle their horses. Many are confronted by him for their bad methods, and they have to learn how to un-do the damage they have done. Sometimes, it is too late and the horse has to be put down… Sometimes it is too late for a child, and some end up in prison for life. Bottom line, it is time for people to wake up and seek help if they need help in raising their children.
   “And ye fathers, PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH (don’t push them to the point of hating you and others); but bring them up in the nurture (care) and admonition (teaching and encouragement) of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4). Jesus never beat a child… and I doubt He would beat a horse. People young and old, wanted to be with Jesus because they knew He cared.
   If you want to change things… begin with the one in the mirror… try being flexible.

   Never fancied myself as a gardener, yet growing up somehow prepared me for the job. Dad was the boss, and the one with the plan. For some reason there was never a shortage of weeds. When in Ireland, dad purchased a house on Gilnahirk Road. It was a typical two story bungalow. It was white with black window sills. It surrounded as most houses there, with thick hedges about five feet tall. Of course dad wanted to re-do the yard, so it began.
   His built in ‘work crew’ was drafted to help and the first thing to go was the front hedge row. We had a Volkswagon Bus, and we used it plus a heavy rope to pull out all hedges along the road. We had raised gardens… two circular, two diamond shaped, and a big square one in the middle with long rectangular gardens running down each side. All kinds of flowers with special designs were planted.  All had weeds needing pulled regularly. We absolutely hated weeds… but it had to be done. The paths between these raised gardens were all re-done and flag-stone was carefully re-laid. The driveway was re-done, by leveling the ground and again, flag-stone laid. We all did our share of pulling weeds. Even Bob got out there in his wheel chair and pulled weeds. In the end, we had what we thought was the most beautiful front yard on the road. Eventually, our neighbors complimented these ‘strange Americans’ who dared to be different.
   WEEDS…. I still hate weeds, in my yard! Every year, there are about a zillion weeds to pull or spray, hoping they will not return. Hours and hours during the growing season, I pull and spray, and every year, I say something like, “Adam, it’s your fault… thanks a lot!” “If you had not given in and eaten what Eve gave you, we wouldn’t be in this mess and have all these weeds!” Yet weeds have many uses for the environment, and they have their beauty.
   We learned lessons. We learned it does no good to leave the roots… they only grow back. We learned that before you can build a garden, you first have to clean the area and prepare the soil. We learned the value of working together. Most importantly, we learned to use our hands.
   Jesus once told a story of a man who went out to plant seeds. Some seed landed on stony ground, some on weedy, thorny ground, some on hard ground and some on good ground. Of course the young plants grew, (except on the hard ground), on stony ground, got choked by weeds and thorns. Amazing how concerns and worries of the world can choke out any growth that God’s word might have in someone’s life.
   Jesus later spoke about the uselessness of worrying. He used the lilies of the field as an example of how God cares. Aren’t you more valuable than the lilies? Surely God cares more for people. How much does He care? Well, enough to send His Son to be a sacrifice for sin.
   Weeds, I hate them in my yard, but they teach many lessons.

   Oakley, England (UPI) Sarah Steed, 3years old, fell in a septic (waste) pool and lay submerged for ten minutes before she was pulled to safety from the nine foot pit. The police said, she must have been in an air pocket somewhere beneath the surface or else she could not have survived. Obviously the parents were very grateful to receive their child back alive.
   We have many priorities in life. Many things call for our attention all the time to the point where we have to read books and take courses on how to organize and prioritize and get things done. Yet when we think about it, we know what is really important even though we don’t act like it.
   I was taught to “keep it simple”, and it really is… but it’s hard to keep it that way. God first, family second, business and friends third. As busy as we become, all our busy-ness gets laid aside when life is threatened, especially when it is one of our own. We will ‘move heaven and earth’ to save our child. Other things all of a sudden don’t matter. “My child is in danger!” Priorities have changed.
   When Jesus taught His sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), he taught priorities. It is hard for us to see spiritual things as more important than physical things. Yet Jesus shows us how putting God and spiritual matters first can have a dynamic affect on our physical lives.
   Blessed (happy) are the poor in spirit; Blessed (happy) are they that mourn; Blessed (happy) are the meek; Blessed (happy) are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness; Blessed (happy) are the merciful; Blessed (happy) are the pure in heart; Blessed (happy) are the peace makers; Blessed (happy) are the persecuted for righteousness sake.
   The world looks at these things and laughs. “That is ridiculous! How can these attitudes bring happiness?” The world looks on and thinks of these things as signs of weakness. “Turn the other cheek?!” “Go the second mile?!””Love your enemies?!”
   Jesus didn’t come to make us comfortable and rich in this world. He came to help us find real priorities. He will not take second place, yet he will not force us to give him first place.
   Life is important, and saving life is important… yet even more important than that, is our spiritual life. For after this life is over, there is more to come. “Seek first His kingdom and righteousness” and see what will happen in life. Get priorities right and keep them right. Jesus definitely is the answer to many of our troubles… He can put life together, and make it meaningful, when others just shake their heads. His promises are true, and his blessing are real, and when all other things in life fail… Jesus won’t.