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Date Posted: 18:57:14 12/09/02 Mon
Author: Cheri
Subject: A New Week! Daily Inspirations, and Horse Facts..


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[> Monday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 19:02:25 12/09/02 Mon



DO NOT BE AFRAID

_________________________

Luke 1:11-13, 26-31 (NRSV)

Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.

_________________________

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid."

- Luke 2:10 (NRSV)

_________________________

OUR Christmas celebrations with family and friends are characterized by good food, gift exchanges, and inspiring music. But examining the scripture reveals another dimension of the Christmas story: God's assurances to us in difficult times.

Three times angels were sent to announce a simple yet profound message: "Do not be afraid."
An angel came to Zechariah and said, "Do not be afraid." God had heard Zechariah's prayer for a son. The angel Gabriel came to Mary and declared, "Do not be afraid." The angel revealed that Mary had found favor with God. Angels appeared to the shepherds in the field and set their fears to rest before giving the news of the Savior's birth.

These reassurances reveal an important part of the Christmas message. To a world filled with fear, God says, "Do not be afraid." In Christmas God assures us that love will ultimately prevail.


Prayer: O God, help us to see your love and reassurance through the
symbols of your Son's birth. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God says to each of us, "Do not be afraid. I am with you."

-- Jack L. Matthews (Alabama, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those who live in fear
_______________________


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[> Monday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 19:31:45 12/09/02 Mon



Health concerns of mules and donkeys..


Part 12..


In addition to lungworms,


donkeys can be afflicted with the same internal parasites that attack horses and mules. If one is to tubeworm a donkey, however, special care must be taken.
Suzanne Burnham, DVM, special consultant to the American Donkey and Mule Society, which is located in Denton, Texas, gives us this explanation of what can occur when passing a stomach (nasogastric) tube through the donkey's nostril and into the stomach:

"First, the donkey's ventral meatus, which is the appropriate starting place inside the nostril, is narrower proportionately than the horse's. A yearling or foal size tube should be used.

"Second, in the region of the larynx and pharynx there is a blind pouch caudally and dorsally (in a back and high position). This is called a diverticulum. This means that after the donkey has seemingly successfully just swallowed the tube into the esophagus, it suddenly meets a dead end and feels stuck. If it is jammed around and pushed, the donkey will resent any further attempt. The capillaries here are very fragile and excessive manipulation may cause the donkey to bleed from the mouth or nostril.

"Therefore, it is helpful to use a cold, stiff tube that will hold a curve rather than a very limber one. The donkey's head should bend down comfortably at the poll and he should not poke his nose upward. This will help bypass the blind pouch."


Tomorrows fact .. A unique health problem that can afflict donkeys is hyperlipemia.


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[> Tuesday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 21:36:46 12/10/02 Tue



TIME FOR GOD'S TOUCH

_________________________

Mark 10:13-16 (NRSV)

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

_________________________

[Jesus] took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

- Mark 10:16 (NIV)

_________________________

I knew that my four-year-old son, Ben, could dress himself; but I couldn't resist pulling the shirt over his head and smoothing his tousled hair. After several years of staying home with Ben and Sarah, I had made it through my first week back at work. But I felt heartsick and out of touch with my children. I wanted to listen to them, talk to them, touch them, and catch up on the snuggling that I had missed. As we sat on the couch, they talked a mile a minute. Though it was hard to hear their complaints about all the changes we were going through, I wanted to hear every word.

At times, God must feel the same way. Though God never leaves us, our dedication sometimes ebbs. God longs to hear our questions and expressions of anger as well as our words of worship. I give thanks for God's love greater than we can imagine and for God's readiness to touch our lives.


Prayer: Thank you, God, for always being available. Lead us to your
side and keep us in your love. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God is always ready to listen to us and to gather us into waiting arms.

-- Rebecca S. Ramsey (Puy de Dome, France)

PRAYER FOCUS: Mothers working outside the home
_________________________


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[> Tuesday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 23:19:41 12/10/02 Tue



Health Concerns Of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 13..


A unique health problem that can afflict donkeys is hyperlipemia. It is a serious problem that causes death in 60-85% of the donkeys afflicted. Stored body fat is implicated in the disease.

"The stored body fat is constantly being broken out of storage and placed into circulation," Burnham explains.
"The liver processes fat--some is converted to useful substances and some is sent back into storage. If the body's demand for energy exceeds the supply, more fat will be broken out of storage than the liver can process properly. Too many lipids, triglycerides, and other related compounds are in the bloodstream and are trying to find organs to enter. Fat gets 'stuck' in the liver. This infiltration actually stretches the liver capsule and can be a source of pain. The liver, then kidneys, are affected. As the disease progresses, they cannot function properly."

One of the causes of the disease is fasting on the part of the donkey. Not eating for three to eight days can precipitate the problem.

About to 30-50% of reported cases, says Burnham, have a different primary disease such as colic or some other gastrointestinal problem, including parasites.

"Induced fasting as part of the treatment plan for laminitis may set it off," she says. "Sudden dieting to cure obesity may cause it to occur. Other predisposing factors include late pregnancy, abortion, or sometimes just lactation. Most of the reported cases have been female donkeys in foal."

Early in the process, the symptoms of hyperlipemia are vague. The donkey is lethargic, depressed, and has a poor appetite. Abdominal pain, variable increased rectal temperature, increased heart rate, and increased respiratory rate might be seen. As the disease progresses, incoordination, jaundice, bad breath, and ventral edema can be observed. In a few days, severe nervous dysfunction can occur. The afflicted donkey usually will develop diarrhea with mucus, will become recumbent, and might have convulsions. Pregnant jennies frequently will abort, usually in the terminal stages.

"Therapy," says Burnham, "should be aimed at treating the concurrent or primary stress--parasites, colic, or other disease. In some cases, a jenny will be induced to abort to save her life. Next, the energy balance should be restored with force feeding or IV fluid therapy correcting the glucose and acid levels as determined by lab tests. Frequent monitoring of blood values is very important. Antibiotics and vitamin therapy have been very beneficial. The use of insulin has shown variable success.

Many of the affected animals are ill because of insulin-resistance, which may have caused the process in the first place. Insulin and heparin and nicotinic acid analogues are all drugs being tried at present, but no sure dosages have been established yet."

Prevention and early diagnosis seem to be key ingredients in preventing and/or treating the disease. Brood stock should not be allowed to get overweight, for example. If the affliction is suspected, an immediate test for triglyceride levels should be made.

Tomorrows fact .. External Parasites


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[> Wednesday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 17:34:23 12/11/02 Wed



A TRAIL TO HOPE AND SAFETY

_________________________

Hebrews 10:19-25 (NRSV)

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

_________________________

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, . . . but let us encourage one another.

- Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

_________________________

I was touched by a story I once read about a Navy pilot trying to fly back to an aircraft carrier at night. For some reason the identification lights of the carrier were turned off, and the pilot could not locate it in the darkness. Suddenly he saw a trail of light that he realized was the wake of the carrier. The light was created by tiny, glowing sea creatures in the water stirred up by the propellers of the huge ship. Following this trail, the pilot was able to land safely on the carrier.

In today's reading, the Bible counsels Christians to meet together on an ongoing basis. This is important because we tend to drift away from the heart and will of God. Gathering together, especially in small groups, helps reinforce our desire to stay on track, to mature spiritually, and to reach out to others. When we gather together, the Holy Spirit stirs us up and causes the light of Christ to shine in our midst. Our life together as believers can create a trail of light that leads those still in darkness to true hope and safety.


Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your love and for the presence of
your Holy Spirit when we gather to worship and study your word. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
What am I doing to lead others to hope and safety in Christ?

-- Mark A. Sallade (Idaho, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those without Christ in their life
_________________________


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[> Wednesday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 17:42:31 12/11/02 Wed



Health concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 14..


External Parasites..


External parasites, such as lice, often are more apt to afflict a donkey than a horse. One of the key reasons is that the horse sheds its coat in the spring while donkeys might retain a heavy, coarse coat on into the summer months, thus giving external parasites a better place to set up shop for a longer period.

A skin scraping taken by a veterinarian and examined generally will provide the source of the problem--lice, rainrot, ringworm, or whatever. It might be necessary to clip some of the long, coarse coat in order to treat the problem.

Tomorrows fact .. Reproduction


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[> Thursday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 15:44:34 12/12/02 Thu



A MOTHER'S LOVE

_________________________

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (NRSV)

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

_________________________

The LORD said, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you."

- Isaiah 49:15 (NRSV)

_________________________

MY mother told me that when I was a newborn, I slept all day. At night I woke up, and I stayed awake all night. The only way my mother could calm my crying was to hold me in her arms. So my mother stayed up every night. Her health suffered, but she always took care of me. Her love knew no limits.

Forty years later, I spend sleepless nights caring for premature infants who struggle as they cling to life. I work the night shift in a ward for premature infants. There I see God's love in the love of parents for their children.

As I remember my mother's sacrificial love for me, as I care for these fragile newborns, and as I witness their parents' love for them, I have a better understanding of God's love for us. We have life because of Jesus Christ, God's great gift to humanity. I have a better understanding of God's love because I have experienced my mother's love and because I work with little ones, caring for them in the night.


Prayer: God, you gather us in your arms as a loving mother. May we
find rest and reassurance in your steadfast care. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
The love of God knows no limits.

-- Manuel Montana Gutierrez (Punta Arenas, Chile)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those caring for premature infants
_________________________


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[> Thursday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 15:54:45 12/12/02 Thu




Health Concerns of Mules and Donkeys..


Part 15, and end of series..


Reproduction..


A basic difference between donkeys and horses is the gestation period. For horses, generally speaking, it is about 11 months. For the jennet, the normal span is 12 months and a number of females will carry their foals 13 months and still deliver a normal offspring.

An aspect of the donkey and mule personality that pet owners should be aware of is their natural aversion to dogs. In Wyoming and other Western states, it is not unusual to see a donkey or two roaming the range with a flock of sheep. If a dog or coyote appears near the flock, the donkey will run it off with snapping teeth and flashing hooves.

Mules which are exposed to dogs on a regular basis learn to tolerate them, but with donkeys, exposure might involve a longer period.

So, we can conclude that mules and donkeys need much the same care and attention to their well-being as horses, with a few extra concerns thrown in. If properly cared for and handled appropriately--especially in the case of mules--they can be excellent animals for a variety of disciplines.

Just remember, "Mules is different."


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[> Friday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 21:51:45 12/13/02 Fri




SPIRITUAL HEALTH

_________________________

Galatians 5:16-23 (NRSV)

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

_________________________

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

-- Galatians 5:22 -23 (KJV)

_________________________

FOR most of my life, I have been a competitive athlete who values physical health. Recently I have been trying to figure out how I can become healthy spiritually. Galatians 5:22-23 has helped me understand what I need to do to get in shape spiritually.

The fruit of the Spirit described in this verse represents the spiritual "muscles" that God asks us to exercise daily. For me, love is selfless, Christlike affection. Joy is a deep, abiding, inner rejoicing. Peace is tranquility in the soul. Longsuffering is patient endurance and steadfastness, even when we are provoked. Gentleness is graciousness with a warm disposition. Goodness is a willingness to live a moral life. Faith is trust in God's promises. Meekness is behaving humbly before God and others. Temperance is prayerful restraint of natural impulses.

Incorporating these into our lives is difficult. However, when we open our hearts to the Spirit, God works within us to grow these qualities and to move us toward spiritual health. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit within us can we live the life God calls us to live.


Prayer: Dear Lord, help us demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit every
moment of our lives. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Which fruit of the Spirit is most often missing in my life?

-- Dale G. Caldwell (New Jersey, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: The witness of Christian athletes
_________________________


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[> Friday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 22:14:34 12/13/02 Fri







FAMOUS QUOTES




"If you desire to handle a good war-horse so as to make his action the more magnificent and striking, you must refrain from pulling at his mouth with the bit as well as from spurring and whipping him. [...] but if you teach your horse to go with a light hand on the bit, and yet to hold his head well up and to arch his neck, you will be making him do just what the animal himself glories and delights in"

Xenophon - The Art of Horsemanship



"For what the horse does under compulsion, as Simon also observes, is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip and spur a dancer."

Xenophon - The Art of Horsemanship



"If, however, you reward him with kindness after he has done as you wish, and punish him when he disobeys, he will be most likely to learn to obey as he ought."

Xenophon - The Art of Horsemanship



"It is the best of lessons if the horse gets a season of repose whenever he has behaved to his rider's satisfaction."

Xenophon - The Art of Horsemanship



"Anything forced or misunderstood, can never be beautiful."

Xenophon - The Art of Horsemanship



Tomorrows fact.. more quotes


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[> Saturday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 16:22:52 12/14/02 Sat




FROM THE HEART

_________________________

Luke 21:1-4 (NRSV)

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on."

_________________________

"I tell you the truth," [Jesus] said, "this poor widow has put in more
than all the others."

-- Luke 21:3 (NIV)

_________________________

WHEN my grandson Mike was three, he came for Christmas dinner carrying an envelope. I will never forget his excitement as he placed his treasure in my hand. In the envelope was one of his white socks wrapped in red Santa paper. His mother was embarrassed by what she considered an unsuitable present.

All the gifts I received that Christmas were given with love and received with love. The gift certificates were quickly spent; the clothing and appliances wore out. But Mike's gift, the "unsuitable" present, is tucked away in my box marked "Memories."

Jesus called attention to a poor widow as she placed two small coins in the offering. She did not have a lot of money to give, but she gave all she had out of love for God.

God wants us to give to others out of our love. We all have different gifts to give. Some might give the gift of music, or some might have wealth to share. Some have the unique ability to listen or to give a gentle touch and to make others feel loved. What we give is not as important as why we give.


Prayer: Thank you, God, for giving us the opportunity to serve others
in love. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Any gift of love is a lasting treasure.

-- Mary Lee Howell (Kentucky, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: For generous hearts
_________________________


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[> Saturday's horse fact.. -- Cheri, 16:31:08 12/14/02 Sat







More Famous Quotes




There is a saying that the horse should enjoy himself in his work, otherwise neither the horse not the rider would be able to give an elegant performance."

Pluvinel ( 1555-1620 )



"We must take care not to spoil the young horse or cause it to abandon its affable nature.... For it's like the fragrance of a blossom, which never returns once it has vanished."

Pluvinel ( 1555-1620 )



"Nothing can be achieved without tempo and rhythm."

Cesare Fiaschi ( 1575 )



"A good hand is the one that can resist and yield when necessary and receive with precision the action created with the legs."

Solomon de la Broue ( 1530-1610 )



"The aim of this noble and useful art is solely to make horses supple, relaxed, compliant and obedient and to lower the quarters without all of which a horse -- whether he be meant for military service, hunting or dressage -- will be neither comfortable in his movements nor pleasurable to ride."

Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere (1688-1751)





Tomorrows fact .. more quotes


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