Once upon a time…a little girl’s dream realized

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved horses, donkeys, ponies, and zebras and wanted to ride them and care for them more than anything else in all the world. Her parents realized how much she adored these noble creatures when she couldn't get enough of riding the horse at a friend's farm she'd visited on her 2nd birthday. And when she asked to hold the same colorful horse encyclopedia off the bookrack at a store, time after time, seriously pouring through the horse pictures, tirelessly turning the pages so very carefully one after another, visit after visit to that store, also at the tender age of 2 years old, her parents caught a glimpse of her future. That year, she received this book as a gift from her parents, who knew that a gift had been placed within her, some special love for and connection to these animals...

Years later, the Mother of the little girl who dreamed of horses prayed that their Heavenly Father would send one of His special teachers to her daughter, along with many ponies and horses, to teach her little girl what she could not teach her alone... that seemingly impossible dreams do come true. And He listened, and He crossed her family's path together with that of a wonderfully generous equestrian lady, whose heart was made of soft gold, which showered riches upon all of the students she apprenticed in riding and understanding one of our Heavenly Father's most beautiful earthly creations, the horse. This lady introduced the girl who dreamed of horses to a new world, full of many horses and ponies, with the girl's brother and parents joining in.

Then one day, the girl who dreamed of horses was invited to perform a very special service. She was asked to help her friend and fellow student to prepare for a show. She bubbled over with excitement, gladly spending the whole day washing and grooming their beloved pony, Silver, carefully cleaning tack, and dreaming of her own chance to ride in a show-ring some day. She agreed to meet her friend and their teacher the next day at the show... and she did. But something quite unexpected happened that day...

A little boy, who was a friend of hers also riding in the show, hurt his thumb, and so he could not ride in the show afterall... This little boy's Mother looked at the girl who dreamed of horses and asked her, "Would you like to ride my pony, Golden Nugget, in the show today for my son?" The little girl who dreamed of horses thought that she was dreaming! YES! She did want to ride Nugget, but her only concern was that she did not have the clothes for this most formal affair. She would not even be allowed in the show-ring without the proper attire...

Oh! But worry not! Mrs. Sarah, as naturally as any seasoned fairy-God mother, happily explained to the girl who dreamed of horses' pauper of a Mother that the fees were already paid for (and could she even rent her daughter to ride another pony in tomorrow's show?!), proceeded to pull an extra helmet, and a velvet lined show-coat out of her magic horse trailer, and then **drumroll** the little girl's Mother remembered that she had even just happened to bring along the little girl's very own riding pants (most definite confirmation to all doubters that the whole day was providentially arranged by God Himself, as Mrs. Sarah was plum out of size x-small, and the Mother is most definitely NOT normally that prepared for unforseen miraculous opportunities on her own)! It was pure magic how it all came together so quickly... and such fun as the older girls doted and fussed over her hair and clothes, rushing to "get her ready". The little girl who dreamed of horses was quite brave and calm about this most unexpected challenge and privilege throughout.

And you will be happy to know that the little boy who hurt his thumb recovered quite nicely and was back in the saddle by the day's end.

And so on that day, the girl who dreamed of horses was reminded that we just never know what our Heavenly Father may have in store for us on any given day. She had gone to serve her friend, as she rode Silver, that weekend, and to cheer on her comrades, but she ended up being surrounded by the cheers of those very same friends and family as she brought home her first showing ribbons on the back of Golden Nugget and then on Apple. And her pauper Mother was reminded of how very rich she truly was... with heavenly treasures, shining forth from the eyes of earthen vessels.

And thanks to her Heavenly Father, who knows the desires of her heart, the little girl who dreamed of horses now wakes up to them every day... and her Mother, who once dreamed of horses too (before she grew up), now dreams of horses again.

...He led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. ~ Deuteronomy 32.10b

Click here to see more pictures of this fairy-tale weekend...