We can't do better until we know better
but sometimes....
We do our best until we have nothing left
and that's when....
Faith puts hope in a miracle.
Often times our outer circumstances can be a reflection of our inner turmoil. (Now, that's not to say that we have to look perfect on instagram and have a fake life.) For instance: If our horse's have long feet, missing shoes, a rough coat and tangled mane that might mean we don't have a lot of time or money to devote to them because we are bound up in other life affairs. Or if our trailer looks like a monkey had a party inside, it might mean we just got back from a long weekend of running barrels and we are too tired to put everything away.
But sometimes there is a middle ground that is the worst kind of deja-vu. It is a place where we need to clean up a few habits, get some momentum going on some progress or cancel some other responsibilities out of the equation otherwise every day is like ground hog day.
Below I'm going to describe a hypothetical scenario that may be highly relatable. We can later evaluate with out emotion using critical thinking skills of might make our situation more functional instead of futile. At the end I offer a downloadable menu because with all the changes I've made the clarity of mind and energy in my body seemed to make the most difference for getting me over the hump of the 'slump'.
"Betty is a barrel racer. Betty is tired because she stayed up to late feeding and fooling around on social media. She fed late because half her feed and supplement stash was depleted and she was trying to make a list of what she needed to reorder on her phone but then opened Facebook. On facebook she noticed that they were finishing up the barrel racing finals so she watched the live video and simulatneously toggled social media looking through gossipy posts and saving 'possible sale horse ads'. She looked at her phone and noticed it was 1am. Now Betty is mad and tired. And she never wrote the list of things she needed.
Betty wakes up late. Immediately she's made because she doubts she'll have the time to workout let alone eat. So she just makes coffee. She throws the horses so hay over the fence because the stupid gate is broken and she can't drag a wheel barrow through it. On the way back to the house she notices waters are low so she refills them with a leaky hose. Now Betty is late, and tired, mad and has the caffeine shakes. Betty vows she'll make a list of things to fix. Betty goes on Facebook. On Facebook she notices her saved posts from last night. Betty shoves phone in pocket and marches toward the house muttering about horses she doesn't need to buy and a race she needs to pre-enter.
Betty is on her way to work and remembers she left the hose on. Betty turns around and aggressively aerates the soaked soil in her work heels to go turn off the stupid broken hose. Hungry she stops through the Starbuck drive thru orders another coffee and a $27 protein box for a debatably healthy snack to curb the no breakfast caffeine shakes. After Betty settles in a work she gets a text from her husband asking what's for dinner. Betty remembers she doesn't have dinner because she doesn't have groceries, and neither do the horses because last night at feeding time she ran out of 3 different supplements that will take a week to order. Now Betty is overwhelmed. She texts her husband 'No dinner, race tonight sorry'. Then Betty remembers she has to pre-enter that race anyway.
Betty gets off work, and frantically drives home eating the rest of her 'healthy' protein box on the way. She pulls up to the trailer to get it hitched up and notices the horses are all standing
in the puddle she made this morning from the stupid leaky hose. Presumably they will all be low grade lame at the jackpot tonight because thrush is now part of the equation. She panics since thrush will take a week to heal so she'll probably need to order a product for that. Betty sits down on her tailgate to make a note on her phone about what she needs to order for thrush and remembers she's also missing 3 other supplements. She treks back to the barn to find out which ones those are. She makes a note in her phone.
Now Betty is late to the jackpot and is rushing to get the horse's in the trailer. She sees she didn't clean out the back of the trailer since the last trip and hopes that the mildew won't be too offensive to stand in since they already have thrush. After she loads up she realizes her geldings saddle is not in the trailer so she heads back to the barn to grab it. Once slung on her hip she pants all the way back up to the trailer to officially load and go. Now Betty is mad because she is very out of shape from panting up the hill with her saddle, and it running nothing but late to the jackpot.
Betty makes it to the race. But not with enough time to spare to exhibition. Betty prays and hopes for the best. Betty tries not to be rude to the other barrel racers in the warm up pen but they really need to get out of they way unless they want to play bumper cars with her fire breathing dragon. Betty is happy because the thrush from her swamp pit at home doesn't seem to be hindering her horse's ability to act like a jackass. Betty's biceps need a break from the tug of war with her pet donkey so she goes to say hi to a friend she hasn't seen in awhile. Now Betty is distracted, tired and still has a fresh horse.
Betty hear's her name being called and scurries down the alley like a mixed up mouse in the feed room. She remembers her feed room needs supplements but she made a note in her phone to order more GoFastJuice and stuff for thrush. Betty blinks and notices she went by the first barrel already. And also the second. But she's is ready and in gear for the third barrel annnnd nails it. With her shin. They run home because they need a little joy in their life. Her time was announced and Betty wonders why they call these races jackpots and not 'donations' because that's all she does with her money. Now Betty is tired, sore and a little disappointed.
Betty drives home on empty both proverbially and with the fuel gauge. She stops at the gas stations and puts her hood over her head so she doesn't recognize herself in the reflection buying a discount corn dog and coke. It's 10pm and everything is fine. Betty refuels and wonders if they are having the same jackpot next week or if it was the end of the series. She drives home. When she get home she opens her phone to Facebook to check to see if the series just started or ended because next week will be different. Next week she will be on top of it. Betty sits in her feed room and scrolls Facebook to double check her saved 'possible sale horse ads'. She looks at her phone and notices that it's 1am again. Betty is tired, hungry and is a little overwhelmed at the list that is already stacking up for tomorrow. Betty wants off of the Merry-go-round."
There are many components of this story we can all relate to but the biggest ones are 1. Lack of strategy and 2. Lack of energy.
Not having a clear mind and rested body with wreck havoc on anybody - no matter their economic status, skill level or experience with horses. I think having a singular focus on a main issue, can have a domino effect on other issues; not matter how many irons you have in the fire.
MENU
In this menu you can read more about my testimony and some adjustments I made in my life. I also want to be transparent in that I didn't not come up with these things on my own. God literally had to 'arrest' me and put my health in danger in order for me to cry to Him for wisdom. the Bible isn't kidding when it says the 'the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'. Strangely after ditching some of the habits that were all consuming - I started to feel like I had a pulse again.
When you have a clear head and growing partnership with the Lord, you can know what to ask Him for. 'Lord, could you please give me strategy on XYZ? You are all knowing and care for me!' Or 'Jesus it seems like following my dreams is more like chasing my tail, could you please give a compass to my heart?' or 'God, I really need you to manifest your hope in me because I've run out of it.'
It is so easy to get a planner, and add fancy tabs to it. Put a million reminders on our phone. Or go out and buy a new gate and a new hose to help clear a path for our morning routines. BUT - what if all these things are just distractions and energy-voids that are drawing our poor (mouse) brains away from the One who knows it all.
The most important things you can do ASAP:
Ask the Lord for help.
Not in a religous way with fancy words and fake heart. But humbly ask for help and be transparent about your doubts and your current situation.
Seek Gods wisdom.
Instead of googling your problems to death, ask God where you should look to keep looking. Intead of getting on a rabbit trail, let His word (throught the Bible) light your path.
Abide in His love.
Incase you need reminding: After the holy spirit sets up residence in your heart by accepting Jesus, you have access to the everlasting love of a perfect God who made you.
Plan it out.
Stretch your mind to believe that God has a plan for you that's good and wants you in on the parts you can handle. Partner with Him and ask for him to guide your intentions and steps.
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