Lynn Baber… for love of God and horses

Tag Archives: perspective

The wisdom of blackberries…

June 5, 2010

I never expected to have blackberries on this place. Yet, we have been gifted with vines reaching out from the far side of the north fence to offer us ripe, lustrous, black-as-a-raven’s wing-berries.

Since moving to this clean, clear hay ground three years ago I have not picked native Texas blackberries. This morning I went out after giving the horses breakfast in bed to pick some for us.

An unexpected gift

Continuing Education

All of us know stuff that we forget that we know – thus the reason for taking refresher courses; to re-discover the content of past lessons learned but momentarily clouded by our more recent experiences.

I got a refresher in Blackberry 101 this morning. I had forgotten just how much wisdom can be packed into the mundane.

Perspective

Blackberries hide. I picked each vine clean of ripe berries and moved on. As I looked back I saw the ripe fruit I had missed. Oh, yes… perspective. You have to lift vines and leaves and bend into every sort of posture to gain the necessary perspective to see all that is being offered.

Greed

Most of the vines and berries are beyond the fence. They’re still on our property but just outside my reach. The fence is five feet high and made of woven V-mesh. I quickly discovered that, like the monkey trying to get the banana out of the glass jar, I could grasp a berry but couldn’t get my clenched hand back through the fence.

Not only do berries hide, but they have thorns. As I reached further and deeper into the vines after a choice berry I felt the quill-like thorns imbed themselves in the skin of my hands and forearms. Blood began to trickle.

The fruit of Greed

Accept the Gift

Did I expect to be blessed with blackberries? Nope. Yet here was the gift of ripe fruit offered up to me. But like the typical human I immediately saw the opportunity for more. Greed set in and blood began to flow.

Okay, I get it. Take what is offered and leave the rest. Such is the wisdom of blackberries.

And on that note I’ll leave you to add a little cereal and milk to my big bowl of beautiful Texas blackberries.

Also tagged blackberries, greed, Wisdom – 4 Comments

Relationship: It’s a matter of perspective…

February 1, 2010

Brides and grooms, on your wedding day, did you care more about the reflection of yourself you saw in the mirror, or the reflection of yourself you saw in the eyes of your beloved?

Earthly eyes covet beautiful things, but our spirits yearn for beautiful relationships.

topshelfphoto

Many times people I meet when riding my horse, Bo, ask if he is for sale. They don’t really want him because he is a beautiful horse, what they want is the relationship he and I share.

By only a glance; only a touch…

When we desire a marriage like that special couple, who even after spending fifty years together, still hold hands and communicate deeply with only a glance or a touch; we don’t want that wife for our own, or that man for our husband – we want the relationship they model for us.

Christians who pursue the work of God frequently ignore their relationship with God, and concentrate instead on service alone. How do you see your reflection: in the eyes of other men, as in a mirror dimly, or your reflection in the eyes of God?

Finding the proper perspective

When we watch a horse and rider galloping along the crest of a hill, beautifully backlit by a golden orange sunset, we think, ‘How striking. How marvelous. What an emotional image.’

Does the picture change if you know that the horse is a runaway, and the rider in danger of severe injury?

Discernment comes from having the proper perspective. Correct perspective comes only by the Spirit. [Romans 1:21-23, 25]

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

“[Christian] workers break down because their desire is for their own whiteness, and not for [relationship with] God. Personal holiness is an effect, not a cause.” Oswald Chambers