In His Presence

There have been times in my life that I have actually felt God's Presence surrounding me.  Some would say that I'm touched in the head, others would say I'd had too many beers (I do like my beer).  :)

But I believe that I am touched in the heart.  I know for a fact that without Jesus, I would be nothing.  I want to open myself to listen and hear Him.  I want His guidance.  I want to enjoy and in fact, savor everyday that He has given me and I can't do that if I resist Him.  I want Him to know that I value what He did for me and live my life in such a manner that it pleases Him.

Francesca Battistelli sings a song called Holy Spirit.  It is surely one of my favs.  Part of the chorus sings, "Holy Spirit you are welcome here.  Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere."  In another stanza we hear, "Let us become more aware of Your presence.  Let us experience the glory of Your goodness."

Holy Spirit by Francessca Battiselli

The song says so much.  First, let's let Him know that he is welcomed in our life and then let's open our heart to feel His presence - to feel Him near us.

Stories of my examples of this are to follow.  Some of the stories may be reflections of when I felt His nearness, others may be examples of answered Prayers, but they will all be everyday occurrences felt by this simple, downhome, animal loving gal.  I hope you follow along with me as I tell of my journey through this and that if you don't know The Savior that my Testimonies may inspire you to want His nearness close to you as well.  It truly is a Peace that surpasses ALL understanding, and a Peace that I wish everyone could feel and enjoy as He meant us to.

Sweet, Sweet Memories

We went to Hoosier Park last night with our good friends Frank and Sherry Payne.  The evening brought back so many memories. 

I was one of the first females to obtain a Thoroughbred trainer's license in Indiana.  I'm sure I wasn't THE first but I was ONE OF THE FIRST.  We started going to the track at the very beginning when it was just a place to run your horses and get a quick bit to eat - Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizzas, Hot Dogs, Nachos, Chicken Tenders - those are a few of my old favs.  The main event was definitely the horse racing. 

Today that is just a side note.  They offer a nice buffet every day of the week but on Friday and Saturday nights they offer one that boasts seafood and prime rib... all you can eat of any of the fare that is offered for a rather reasonable price.   Most times there is a long line to endure before tasting the bounty, but it is worth the wait.  On Sunday, for brunch, they include many of the seafood items as well.  They want you to go to the Casino full and content.

In the days gone by I remember hanging out on the apron in front of the Club House.  I wanted to be up close and personal to the horses coming over to the paddock to be saddled.  I had a number of friends that would be racing on any given night - if we weren't racing our selves - and I wanted to root them on.  It's a tough game and knowing that your peers are there for you is a pretty awesome feeling, at least it was for me.  There was NO WAY you would catch me sitting at a table in the Club House..... NO WAY.

If we had a horse running I would spend the entire time - up until race time - on the Backside, and be more than happy to do exactly that.  There is something special about the Backside of a racetrack.  That is where it all comes together.  Of all the places on a racetrack where a person can spend time, the Backside is definitely my favorite.  I love the way it smells, I love the way it sounds, and I love the way it looks.  Call me crazy...... but that is God's Honest Truth.

Now Hoosier Park just runs Standardbred races and they don't even use the paddock.  I am not allowed entry on the Backside because I don't have a current license.  Times change..... and I guess I will just have to be content watching the races from the Club House and eating the scrumptious food.  I'd still rather be on the Backside smelling all the smells that go with racing - liniments, straw, hay, sweat, shampoo, and yes.... even the horse pooh. Yeah, call me crazy.... such sweet memories..... I think I will go to the barn.