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Date Posted: 12:25:54 11/18/02 Mon
Author: Cheri
Subject: A New Week. Daily Inspirations, and Horse Facts...


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[> Monday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 12:28:02 11/18/02 Mon



JUST LIKE DAD

_________________________

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NRSV)

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

_________________________

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.

- Ephesians 5:1 (NIV)

_________________________

AS toddlers, our sons clomped around the house in their dad's shoes. They followed him across the lawn with their toy mowers and pounded nails with plastic hammers. Because they adored their father, our sons wanted to be like him.

Children copy the people they spend time with. Not everyone has a godly, earthly father, but our heavenly Father provides a perfect example of how to live. The scripture tells us to imitate God. As we spend time in prayer and study, we begin to do this. We see Jesus -- God in the flesh -- loving others and giving up his life for them. As God's children, we also have God's Spirit, and that empowers us to follow Christ's example.

Imitating God certainly is not as easy as putting on a pair of shoes. But by spending time in God's loving presence and drawing upon the power of the Holy Spirit, we can follow in God's footsteps.


Prayer: Loving God, help us be more like you each day. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
We become like those we love and spend time with.

-- Gwen Waller (Washington, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: To imitate God
_________________________


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[> Monday's horse fact .. -- Cheri, 12:45:51 11/18/02 Mon



Health Concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 1 ..


The veteran mule breeder eyed me speculatively. I was there to pick up two mares that had been bred to his Mammoth jack.

"I hear you train horses," he said.

"Some."

"Ever train a mule?"

"No."

He inclined his head toward the two pregnant mares. "Plannin' to train those youngsters after they're born?"

"I guess. Any reason I shouldn't?"

He thought a moment and said, "Mules is different."

"Tell me how they're different."

But, in the fashion of the stoical neighbor in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall," he wouldn't go much beyond that saying, "Mules is different."

As I was leaving, he suggested that I consider getting assistance from a knowledgeable mule trainer when it was time to break the youngsters.

Some years and the ownership of a number of pack mules later, I now recognize the veracity of that simple statement: "Mules is different."

Mules and donkeys are a lot like horses, to be sure, but in many ways, including some health concerns, they are most definitely different. First, we should have a basic understanding about what constitutes these unique four-footed creatures. We provide the following nomenclature with the help of the American Donkey and Mule Society.

Tomorrows fact .. Common Mule terms.


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[> Tuesday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 18:20:55 11/19/02 Tue



PRAYERFUL COMFORT

_________________________

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (NRSV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.

_________________________

We can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

- 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NIV)

_________________________

IT had been several weeks since the funeral. The relatives had departed for home; friends had returned to their routines; all the dishes and food containers had been delivered back to their rightful owners. My elderly widow friend was now alone. She had been through the same circumstances my mother had gone through; her husband had died from the same type of cancer.

I kept praying that I could do more for her in the weeks and months that followed the initial loss. But what could I do that would be truly meaningful and personal? I determined to continue calling her often.

Then one day as I spoke to her on the phone, another idea came to me. "What is the most difficult part of the day for you now?" I asked. She answered, "The evening time. Why do you ask?" I told her I would be praying for her especially during that time. She softly whispered a grateful thank-you.

My mother's grief experience had shown me that though each day was difficult, there was often a time, an hour, when grief seemed most intense. This insight from past suffering enabled me to offer comfort, to be a sign of God's continual love and care.


Prayer: Loving God, help us to offer comfort in ways that have
personal meaning for those in need. Show us how to embody your love for those who suffer loss. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
The comfort we receive from God shows us how to comfort others.

-- Valerie L. Runyan (New Mexico, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those comforting the bereaved
_________________________


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[> Tuesday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 18:30:59 11/19/02 Tue



Health Concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 2 ..


Common Mule/Donkey terms..


Ass--The correct term for the animal commonly known as the donkey, burro, or jackstock. The term comes from the original Latin term for the animal that was Asinus. The scientific term for these animals is Equus asinus. The term fell into disrepute through confusion with the indelicate term "arse," meaning the human backside.


Jack--The term used for the male of the ass species.


Jennet--Pronounced JEN-et, it is the correct term for the female of the species. The most commonly used term is jenny.


Burro--A word taken directly from Spain. It means the common, everyday working donkey found in Spain and Morocco. More recently, it has come into common usage in the Western United States. As a general rule, the term burro is used west of the Mississippi and the term donkey east of the Mississippi.


Wild burro--These are the feral (descended from domestic stock, but gone wild through the years) donkeys which roam unfettered in parts of the Western United States.


Donkey--The word, taken from England, has an uncertain derivation. Most authorities think that the name comes from dun (the usual color) and the suffix "ky," meaning small. Thus, "a little dun animal."

Tomorrows fact .. More terms


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[> Wednesday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 18:41:37 11/20/02 Wed



AN UNMISTAKABLE DIFFERENCE

_________________________

1 Peter 2:4-12 (NRSV)

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

"See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner,"
and
"A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall."
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Once you were not a people,
but now you are God's people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.

_________________________

Be holy yourselves in all your conduct.

- 1 Peter 1:15 (NRSV)

_________________________

I fear that many modern Christians have blended in with secular society to the point that we may be losing our "difference." While working my summer job at a warehouse I met Walter, another Christian, and we formed an immediate bond. Although we differ in some of our viewpoints, we often talked and encouraged each other in our faith walk.

I noticed my co-workers would often good-naturedly tease Walter about his clean and devout lifestyle, a definite contrast to that of many of the others. Our co-workers were well aware of Walter's "unworldly" ways, yet they respected him for his faith. However, I was not aware of anyone pointing out any peculiarity about me. This made me wonder about my own witness. Was I no different than a non-Christian?

God desires that our faith make a real and visible difference in our lives, one that brings about a significant reaction from others - as Walter's attitude and conduct do.


Prayer: Father, give us the courage to live our lives for you,
regardless of what others say. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Those who follow Christ are to be examples of love and holiness.

-- Steve Flairty (Kentucky, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Our friends and co-workers
_________________________


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[> Wednesday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 18:49:58 11/20/02 Wed



Health concerns of Mule and Donkeys..


Part 3 ..


More common Mule/Donkey terms..


Donkey sizes--Donkeys come in all shapes and sizes ranging from the Miniature Mediterranean Donkey that stands 36 inches or less in height to the Mammoth, where males must exceed 56 inches in height and females, 54 inches. In between are three categories of "Standard" donkeys.


Mule--The hybrid animal produced when a male donkey (jack) is crossed with a female horse. The mule is sterile. There have been isolated cases where a mare mule has reproduced, but that is a fluke of nature. The donkey jack generally will pass on its long ears, narrow body, and smaller hooves. The horse contributes size, speed, and muscle. The classic outward difference between a donkey and mule is the tail. The donkey has a tail like a lion or a cow-long tail with a tassel. The mule has a tail like a horse-short tail bone with long hair. The donkey also has a distinctive bray while the mule often seems to combine the bray and the whinny. When the mule gives voice, it starts out like a bray and ends in a whinny.


Hinny--This is the term for the hybrid animal produced when a horse stallion is mated with a jennet. Some hinnies tend to look like horses with long ears, but most can't be distinguished from mules. While hinnies do not differ in form, endurance, or temperament from mules, they are bred less frequently. One of the key reasons is that jennets do not seem to conceive as readily when bred to a horse stallion as when bred to a jack.


Horse mule--This is the proper term for the male mule. It is strongly recommended that all male mules be gelded, as stallion mules, although sterile, are sexually active. (I once owned a horse mule which had been gelded at an early age, but still was so sexually active that he was capable of getting an erection and penetrating a mare in heat.) Many people informally refer to the horse mule as a john mule.


Mare mule--This is the formal term for a female mule, although the common informal term is molly.
Mule colt or mule filly--These terms refer to the young male or female mule under three years of age.

Tomorrows fact .. more terms/Types


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[> Thursday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 16:47:49 11/21/02 Thu



OUR PERMANENT HOME

_________________________

Matthew 6:19-24 (NRSV)

[Jesus said,] "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

"No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

_________________________

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you."

- John 14:2 (NIV)

_________________________

WHILE in the process of preparing my family for an overseas move, I was reviewing a renewal notice for a popular weekly newsmagazine that specializes in articles about the country we were living in. I asked my husband, "Do you want to renew this?" But before he could answer, I realized that we didn't need to renew because that country wouldn't be our permanent home, and we wouldn't want all the information anymore.

My next thought startled me. This earth is not my permanent home, either! My permanent home is in heaven with God. It struck me that I should be reading and studying about my permanent home in heaven as much as I do about my temporary home, this earth.

We are called to be "in the world" but "not of the world," (John 17:11, 14, KJV) to be responsible citizens of this earth and by doing so we will store up treasures in heaven. The challenge and joy of our lifelong journey is in finding balance between the two.


Prayer: Dear Lord, while we tend to the daily business of life on
this earth, give us the desire to read, study, learn, and prepare for our permanent home with you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God abides with us in our earthly home while preparing us for our eternal home.

-- Pam Mayer-Longston (The Netherlands)

PRAYER FOCUS: Families who are moving

_________________________


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[> Thursday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 17:06:24 11/21/02 Thu




Health Concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 4 ..


More common Mule/Donkey terms..


Types--Mules (and hinnies) can be bred from any horse or pony breed. Therefore, they are listed by the using type rather than the size or breed of the horse parent. Included in the types are:


Miniature mule--Bred from various types of pony mares or Miniature Horse mares. The cutoff in size to be considered a miniature is 50 inches at the withers.


Saddle mule--Bred from mares of riding horse breeding. These vary in size from small to very large, but have riding conformation and looks.


Pack/Work mules--Bred from mares with some draft blood or of heavy work types rather than for saddle conformation.


Draft mules--These are the largest mules and are bred from various draft breeds. (One of the most popular crosses, in my observation, is the Belgian mare bred to a Mammoth jack.) The larger and heavier, the better with these mules, but refinement is desired as well.


Gaited mules--These mules are bred from gaited horses, including the Tennessee Walker, Missouri Foxtrotter, Saddlebred, Paso Fino, and Peruvian Paso. Gaited mules have their own registry--The American Gaited Mule Association.

With the above information as a base, let's take a look at some of the similarities and some of the differences among donkeys and mules and horses.

Tomorrows fact .. Basics Of The Beasts


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[> Friday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 14:29:40 11/22/02 Fri


The 7 Ups


1. Wake Up !!

Decide to have a good day.

"This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalms 118:24


2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart."

I Samuel 16:7


3. Shut Up!!

Say nice things and learn to listen.

God gave us two ears and one mouth,
so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul."

Proverbs 13:3


4. Stand Up!!

. . . for what you believe in.

Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."

Galatians 6:9-10


5. Look Up !!

. . . to the Lord.

"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me".

Philippians 4:13


6. Reach Up !!

. . . for something higher.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."

Proverbs 3:5-6


7. Lift Up !!

. . . your Prayers.

"Do not worry about anything; instead
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."

Philippians 4:6


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[> Friday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 14:40:21 11/22/02 Fri



Health Concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 5..


Basics Of The Beasts..


Donkeys and mules differ somewhat from horses in conformation. The most noticeable aspect, of course, in-volves the ears. The donkey has the longest ears, while the mule seems to be about midway between the donkey and the horse.

The necks of donkeys and mules are characteristically straighter than the necks of horses, and both have far less prominent withers than most horses.

The croup and rump of the donkey and mule also have a distinctive shape, usually far less muscular in appearance than those of the horse.

The mane and tail of the donkey are coarse. The mane is stiff and upright, rarely lying over. The mule will have combination hair--usually a thin forelock and coarse mane hair.

Generally speaking, donkey hooves are smaller and rounder than those of a horse, and the pasterns are more upright. The feet of the mule fall somewhere in between horse and donkey. They often tend to be more like the feet of the horse, but are more upright and boxy.

Before we get into some of the other differences, especially those involving health concerns, we should address the delicate topic of temperament.

We all have heard, and perhaps used, the term "stubborn as a mule" or "stubborn jackass." This is a delicate topic, because the true mule aficionado will take instant and serious umbrage when mules are classified as stubborn brutes, while the person who has had only slight and passing contact with them will declare that the term is accurate.

Betsy Hutchins, secretary of the American Donkey and Mule Society, as well as a mule owner and exhibitor, has this to say on the subject of stubbornness:

"Mules are not stubborn. Neither are donkeys, for that matter. Too many mules and donkeys have been carelessly broken or not trained at all and are expected to know what to do and to obey immediately. Too many mules have been treated roughly and frightened when young, instead of made confident in their handlers. And, too many handlers have failed to take into account that strong sense of self preservation that a mule has.

Yes, if you want him to work too hard for his well-being, especially in hot weather, he will be 'stubborn,' and, yes, if you try to frighten or hurt him, he will definitely be 'stubborn' and might even fight back."

Mules seem to have an inbuilt protection device that does not allow them to be worked beyond their capacity.
There are horses which are so willing that they literally can be ridden to death. Not so, the mule. When it reaches a certain point of exhaustion, it simply shuts down and will go no farther until rested. To some this is classified as stubbornness.
The mule also appears to endure heat much better than the horse.


Tomorrows fact .. Hutchins tells this story:


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[> Saturday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 18:03:40 11/23/02 Sat



GIVE THANKS ALWAYS

_________________________

Psalm 100 (NRSV)

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

_________________________

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other.

- Ecclesiastes 7:14 (NRSV)

_________________________

NORMALLY, a cold, dark, rainy day tends to make me depressed. But on a recent autumn day I breathed a prayer of thanks for the pouring rain. The hard, dry earth needed moisture. As I looked out the window, I was suddenly aware of a scene of great beauty. The shapely leaves of the sweet-gum tree were beginning to change color. Bright, golden leaves shone out amid the many green ones. Behind and interspersed between the leaves, the very dark, almost black branches curved in interesting patterns.

I was elated by the beauty I had seen after my brief prayer of thanksgiving. No longer depressed, I wanted to get my paints and brushes and capture that scene immediately. Everything was there to create a pleasing picture. Then I remembered other times of sadness and grief when giving thanks had lifted me out of depression.

The Bible's admonition to rejoice always and "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thess. 5:16-17) sometimes seems impossible to obey. But when we do, we can see God at work in our lives, creating a beautiful picture that includes both light and dark, sadness and joy.


Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving us all things. We are
especially thankful for joy in times of sorrow and light in the darkness. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God is present with us in both good times and bad.

-- Patsy Sanders (Illinois, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Artists
_________________________


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[> Saturday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 18:14:19 11/23/02 Sat



Health Concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 6..


Hutchins tells this story:



"I will never forget a double show we attended here in Texas on a hot day. There were beautiful palominos in one arena and fine mules in the other. They were all performing in the same classes except that the individual mules would go in many classes, such as Western pleasure, barrels, single driving, coon jumping, halter, and probably egg and spoon and pole bending classes thrown in, whereas the horses were more specialized and only went in one or two classes in most cases.

"The thing that impressed everybody who noticed it was that the palominos were absolutely black with sweat. They were dripping, frothing, and drenched in it. I purposely examined most of the mules. They were sweating--under their browbands and saddlepads. The animals I had at the show drank one bucket of water each full day, and they each went in seven classes.

"If you looked around, you didn't see any mule owner hot-walking his animal. Only in really exceptional cases such as endurance riding or exceptional activity in very hot weather is a mule walked until cool. Most are turned loose to roll in the sand and cool themselves out."

A key difference between donkeys and mules when compared with horses involves water intake. Donkeys, and most mules, have a built-in mechanism similar to that of the camel in which the animal, when water starved, will drink only enough to replace lost body fluids while the overheated horse might drink until it becomes ill. Water founder almost never occurs in the mule.

A personal case in point. When we lived in Kentucky, it was a two-day trip to get to a western destination for a vacation of mountain riding and trout fishing. Our journey took us across the central part of the United States where soaring summer temperatures are common.

One of our pack mules, a lovely buckskin named Tammy, would not consume a single drop of water during the two-day trip. We tried all the ruses, such as flavoring the water and even bringing some from home. Nothing worked. When Tammy traveled, she didn't drink, no matter how hot the day.

She often wouldn't drink until we arrived at the first mountain stream after leaving a trailhead. She never guzzled water, even then, as though suffering from thirst. She merely drank normally and usually was finished well before the horses.


Tomorrows fact .. Another difference between horses and mule


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