The Surprise

Psalm 5:3 – In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (NIV)

As the sun grew brighter and the days grew warmer, the horses and goats began to shed their thick winter coats. And as they did so, I noticed that Mama, one of our miniature horses, had gained a lot of weight over the winter. I'm going to have to do something about that, I thought. It's not good for her to be getting so heavy, especially with her crippled leg.

As all the livestock share the same eating tubs, I wasn't sure just how I was going to slim Mama down without it affecting everyone else. Thus I decided I would just give it a few more weeks. With the coming of spring, the horses were more active, and perhaps this problem would solve itself. And it did.

Three weeks later, Mama surprised us one morning with a beautiful, bouncing baby boy, a fine, healthy colt. What a surprise! She hadn't just gotten fat over the winter — she was pregnant, and we didn't realize it until almost the last minute. After all, our other horse is a gelding, which means that Mama, unbeknownst to us, was pregnant when she arrived almost eleven months earlier.

Life is like this, though, isn't it – full of surprises, full of the unexpected. And with the unexpected comes change, change which we don't always feel we are prepared to handle. In regards to our new colt, I have a lot to learn. I am new to the horse world; I know nothing about raising and training a foal. And then there will be the extra feed costs which we hadn't planned for, and what about space in the stable? There's room for two ponies and the goats, but three ponies and the goats will be a tight fit. One day at a time, however, and one prayer at a time, I am learning. Realistic and wise ideas are being hatched, positive changes are being made, and things are working out, because that's what prayer does: it brings the right answers at the right time, no matter what surprises leap or creep into our lives.

Prayer: Father God, encourage us this day to bring all our concerns and needs to You in prayer, whether they be great or small. And as we wait in expectation for Your answers, prepare our hearts to hear and receive the wisdom and guidance that You are, even now, sending our way. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

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