Tag Archives: nature

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Watching The Horses “Talk”

It’s pretty much official,…. I’m a Colorado Cowboy! For a few hours anyways, as I was transporting these horses from one Christian camp to another camp several hours away but both in Colorado. Yehaw!

But I’ve always enjoyed watching horses talk to each other, and talk with me as well. You didn’t know horses could talk? Well, read on pardner.

Take a good look at the picture. What do you think the three horses are saying? Here’s what I heard. The horse on the far right, (raring up), has been at camp for months. This is his home, his place, his domain. The other horses have just been dropped off. So he’s letting everybody know that “He’s the MAN!” He’s saying that he’s “top dog” and that if any other horse disagrees, then there’s gonna be a fight.

The horse in the middle has just disagreed. Seconds before this picture, he reached across the fence and BIT, I mean took a big bite out of the other horse on his neck. In horse “talk” that means “Hey, there’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s got teeth, and oh yea, that would be me! I’m taking over!”

The smaller horse is just “egging it on” between the other two. He doesn’t stand a chance in the pecking order because of his size. My good guess is he has an alliance with the bigger horse and wants to “stay buddies” with him. Survival of the fittest right?

Horses “talk” or at least communicate with each other,….. and with me as well. (You too if you pay close attention to their body language.)

Years ago, I was at a men’s retreat in Michigan. Before our meetings began I asked the owner if I could go walk in his back pasture. There had been an early snowfall, about 4 inches and it was really a beautiful site.

As I was just crossing over the fence, one of two horses walked over to me….. and talked. He “talked” like this. He walked over to me, turned and took a few steps away, then turned and looked back at me. (This is “horse talk” for “Hey, follow me”. He wants me to follow him so I did. We walked a short distance across the field to a tree. The horse stopped. The horse looked at me, then looked up in the tree, then looked back at me! (This is “horse talk” for “come here, let me show you something”! He wants me to come closer so he can show me something, so I did. I’m standing right next to this horse that I’ve just met, yet we are communicating with each other. Cool!

He then stretches his neck and head as far as he can into this tree,…… and you guessed it, looks back at me. I look where he’s reaching into this tree and suddenly realize what he is truly wanting from me. This tree is some kind of apple tree, the horses have reached up and eaten all the apples that they can reach. But just inches above his reach are dozens of good tasting apples. So what do I do? I pull off 8 apples and set them on the ground. He immediately begins enjoying his dessert. (don’t think he ever “told” me thank ya tho 😉 )

I holler and whistle at the other horse and say “Hey Horse, you want an apple?” That’s human talk for “Hey Horse, you want an apple”! The other horse comes a trotting over and enjoys himself a sweet snack as well.

When I get back to the owners house, he asks what I’ve been doing. Without thinking about how it would sound, I told him that I’ve been talking to his horses and they had been talking to me.

Do you ever get “that look” from someone. You know, the look they give you when they are trying to decide just how “crazy” of a person you are? Well, he gave me that look,……. with both eyes!

I then explained. “Look, I was walking in your pasture when your horse came up to me and “told” me to follow him,…. follow him to the tree,…… reach up and pick him some of the apples that he couldn’t reach.

Silence…….. He then said, “My horse told you to give him those apples huh?”

My response was, “Well, he didn’t speak in English, but yes with his body language he “talked” with me,……… and he got his apples.

I won’t ever forget what the owner said. In utter amazement he said, “I’ve owned that horse for fifteen years and he hasn’t ever “told” me anything”.

Friends, you don’t have to be the Horse Whisperer to “talk” with horses. You just have to pay attention. Two entirely different creatures, yet they are able to communicate.

Kinda like you and our Heavenly Father. That’s definitely two different creatures right there. One’s an all powerful omnipotent Being, and the other is well, little ole you. But what an amazing event this is to be able to communicate with our God. How do we communicate with Him? Lots of ways. Maybe it’s through prayer, or a song, or a scripture. Maybe it’s just by walking across a pasture, or your living room.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5,6

Maybe it’s just by paying attention. He may be wanting us to follow Him so He can show us something. Something better than an apple. Think about following Him. It makes a lot of “horse sense”!

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher part time Cowboy

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Relying On God

This blackbird (aka- grackle) catches my eye. He’s sitting next to the gas pump as if he owns the place. As soon as my truck stops, he does his little parade walk over to the front of my truck.

I immediately begin a conversation with him. “Little birdy, what are you doing walkin’ around my truck at this gas station? Shouldn’t you be flying south for the winter”? Luckily for me, all the other gas customers are too busy in their daily hustle, and hurried lives to see me talking to this bird. Well, Staci sees me and does her eye roll thingy. She’s seen me have conversations with birds and animals before. But hey, I’ve seen her roll down the window as we drive by a donkey and yell “Heeehawww”! So there. 😉

This little birdy doesn’t have time for conversation. He’s busy. Busy eating the grasshoppers that are stuck on my front grill! I’ve got it figured out! This blackbird just sits and waits for the vehicles to pull in, then proceeds to dine on the buffet that is before him. That’s a smart bird.

As my truck is fueling up, I get within thee to four feet from the bird. He’s not scared of me. He’s too busy picking my grill clean of whatever bug swarm I’ve driven through. We say our goodbyes, I get back in the truck, watch Staci roll her eyes again at me (and the blackbird) and continue our travels.

Driving away from the gas station, I look back. There goes the blackbird walking over to the next car. He’s jumped up on the car’s grill. Another bug buffet is on tap. I’m thinking,…….. I need to be more like that bird.

In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. Psalm 5:3

Why be more like that bird? Time for me to confess. My prayer conversations to God usually include requests and a few “can I have this” items. It may be some little bitty somethin’ or it may be something big. What’s good is that there IS a conversation with God about my needs and wants and desires and on and on…… What’s bad is I’m beginning to sense is that there is no “eagerly watching……and waiting.”

Kinda like the kid who goes into the candy store with his father. The child says, “Daddy, can I have these jawbreakers”? Before Dad can reply, the child has grabbed a handful of candy. There’s no interaction between son and father. It’s been taken for granted.

Here’s the deal. Maybe all of us should be like this blackbird. He’s used his own smarts to realize there is food at the service station. Then he eagerly watches……and waits. If I use my own smarts to get my spiritual food, I do think that’s good. But when I lose sight that God is my provider and not me,…… well, that’s when it becomes bad. I rob God and myself of that “eagerly watching” that is so important in this living relationship I have with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

“Lord, I’m sorry when I’ve taken things for granted. Help me with my understanding that watching and waiting are not necessarily bad things. Watching and waiting can and should be times filled with eagerness and anticipation of what You are doing next God. Could You help me to see my times of waiting as times to rely on you. To rely on you with eagerness and excitement. Amen”

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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Why I See Things That Other People Don’t

This is what people saw as they walked by on the sandy beaches of the Gulf near Mobile Alabama.

That’s what most people saw. Some crazy guy getting super close to a Blue Heron, just to take a picture. Hmmm…… but this is what I saw………


Same picture right? Well, yes and no. It’s the same picture, but taken from different point of views. Look again.

What they see……

What I see……

They see some guy sneaking out onto the sand to get within just a few feet of a wild bird. They probably notice me and my awkward stance. They probably are wondering when the bird will fly away,….. or when the bird will ATTACK this guy for getting too close. They may notice the sunset, but my guess is that they are focused on the what ifs….. What if this guy gets too close. What if this guy has to run away from a bird attack. What if his phone doesn’t take good pictures. What if this, what if that.

Look again…

What I’m Seeing…

I saw a beautiful sunset in the making. At that moment, I saw this Blue Heron wading and fishing in the shallow water. I wanted the silhouette that this bird had formed to be in the same picture frame as the sunset. That’s why I eased down closer to him. I was in a world all to myself. My focus was on the colors of the sky….. focus was on the bird….. as well as the texture of the waves of the water. I was so focused that I saw a buoy (channel marker) off in the distance. (Got to get that in the shot as well.) My focus was not on me and my awkward pose……. but on a mystery that was right before my very eyes…….. and in front of my phone camera as well. I was “in the Zone”. No, it wasn’t that I was after a great picture. It was more than that. I saw something so beautiful that somehow I wanted to be a part of it. I want in on that sunset. Let me get closer to the bird as well.

Why do I say it’s a mystery? Well, you tell me. What is it about sunsets that cause us to pause? What is it about a big bird wading in the water just a few feet away? What is it about the colors and texture of the water as it makes the waves? This is something that to me, grabs your soul and causes you to be amazed. This picture I’m calling a mystery causes you to ponder, to think, and to smile from deep within. Can’t explain it, so I’ll just be content to call it a mystery.

Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope… Reveal to them the glorious riches You are Preparing…… (this is where the song “Open The Eyes of My Heart” comes from) Ephesians 1:18

Accepting Jesus as Your Lord and Saviour means that you become more focused on Him and not on your own “awkward” ways. You start “seeing” with your heart instead of your eyes. God’s truth, His Hope, His Glory begins to be seen instead of the “what ifs”. I probably can’t explain it any better. Then again, it’s a mystery that’s not to be explained as much as it is to be chased. I’m wanting to “see” with my heart. I’m wanting to see using God’s eyes and see things as He sees them. That’s what makes me and you see things in a different way from lots of people.

So chase that beautiful picture of a sunset. Chase after God Himself. Get “in the Zone”. Focus on Him my friend.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see You. I want to see You. To see You high and lifted up. Shining in the light of Your glory. Pour out Your power and Love, as we sing Holy, Holy, Holy. Amen

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher