Hold On!

When I was about 12 years old I was involved in the 4-H program showing horses. The first year I had two different horses, the first passed away and the second had bad knees. So my dad and I were searching for a new horse.  We found one for a great price, a little mare named Babe.  She hadn't really been rode for quite some time but she was a beautiful horse.  When I was test riding her she was great except she didn't like going faster than a walk and would give a few bucks if I tried moving her faster.  We decided we could work with that since she was a great deal.

 Not too long after we took her home I was riding her with my dad watching and we were beginning to work with her.  Well Babe did not like that and was throwing a fit.  No matter if I tried moving her faster or controlling her she would buck and jerk trying to throw me off. At one point she about knocked me off by running into a lone tree in the middle of the field.  I remember we went at it for a while so I just held on and it was getting kind of scary, especially for the 12 year old boy I was.  After a while of being scared and tired I ended up in tears and begging my dad to let me get off but he said, "No you stay on, hold on and show who's in charge." I tried again and again but she kept trying to throw me off and wouldn't cooperate.  So I begged my dad some more to please let me get off but once again he told me to, "stay on, hold on and show who's in charge."  So I did, even though I was so mad that my dad wouldn't let me get off. After many tears and many close calls Babe calmed down and became submissive to my command.  She wasn't perfect but I was able to ride her without major problems.  Over the time I worked with her and her with me she ended up taking me to the Utah State Horse Show competition.  We ended up receiving several ribbons and placing in the top 20 of the state.  We became great friends and had a lot of success together.

I liken this experience to life and how it may seem sometime.  So often life tries throwing us off, to the point where we just want to quit.  Whether its trials, temptations or the load of everyday life, we must never give up. When life gets hard and we don't think we can take it anymore we must "stay on, hold on, and show who's in charge."  Just like the story with Babe if we don't give up and press forward then the reward will be wonderful.  After the work and being tossed around come the blessings.  Just as my father urged me to stay on and hold on, we all have a Father in Heaven who pleads with us to do the same in life.  No matter what happens to us we can always ask for His help and He will answer. I know that as we do so the reward will be beyond anything imaginable.