Happy New Year from Rebecca Ondov

Happy New Year

From My Home to Yours

It’s been an exciting year sprinkled with family, friends, and travel.

In February my book Heavenly Horse Sense: Inspirational Stories of Life in the Saddle was released. It’s such a popular family devotional that the publisher has asked me to write another book, entitled Great Horse Stories, which will include other peoples’ horse stories as well as my own. So if you or your friends have experienced special moments with your horses, be sure to let me know…you might just end up in a book. How Fun!

My annual spring trip with Chuck to visit Dad and Mom in Minnesota turned into a mini family reunion. Kevin, my sister Julie and her husband Michael joined us for a few days of spring chores. At the end of the week it was fun to look through the sparklingly clean windows and gaze at the manicured yard.

The picture above is of Sunrise and I on a spring hike at Como Lake, which is about an hour from my home. The beginning of the summer I climbed into the saddle every spare moment. SkySong, Sunrise and I explored some new country. But by August the forest fires raged and smoked us out of the woods. I hung my saddle on the rack because I was concerned for SkySong’s lungs.

Throughout the summer I was blessed with visits from some of my readers from California and Alabama. My editor and her sister from Oregon came over for a week in September and we took the Red Bus Tour through Glacier Park, cheered on the Dragon Boat Races at Flathead Lake, and tried to wrap our arms around one of the biggest larch trees in Seeley Lake, MT.

October was a whirlwind. I was privileged to meet one of my dear prayer partners face-to-face for the first time in Los Angeles. Ellie Kay gave me “The Tour,” which of course included Hollywood. The next day we met Steve and Elizabeth, a couple more of my prayer partners & dear friends, for breakfast. Then Ellie whisked me away to her home, where I instantly became one-of-the-family and helped work a food concession stand at her son’s football game. Prayer partners are the best!

From Los Angeles I flew up to San Jose and took a shuttle out to Monterey, CA where I met my literary agent and her clients for a retreat. In a beachfront hotel, with the waves lapping the shore, we gobbled up cutting-edge information (incredible food too) and explored Cannery Row.

Upon leaving Monterrey, I drove up to Ukiah, CA where I was the featured guest on the Barbara T. Marshall show. Barb is an incredible host. We bonded instantly like we were sisters, which we are in Christ. We taped the two episodes and they are airing now.

In late October I drove up to Maple Creek, Saskatchewan to teach a writing class and speak at a couple churches. The rolling Cypress Hills, dotted with cattle, are enchanting and the people are so gracious. The gal at the home where I stayed wanted to give me a key so I could come up and stay anytime. I fell in love with the folks up there and will be going again.

I boarded a plane bound for Minnesota in November. I stayed with Dad and Mom 16 days while Dad attended a Continuing Education Class for his attorney’s license (yes, at 86 years old he’s still learning) and then while he recovered from surgery. The first night after surgery, with over a four inch incision, he willed himself to walk up and down the basement stairs three times—WOW!

Oh, did I forget to mention that I’m still working a full-time job brokering lumber? Yup, I squeezed that in there too.

Whew! Now I’m home. I just finished catching up on my accounting bookwork for the year and I’m opening Christmas cards. Tonight I’ll start putting the Christmas family photos on the refrigerator where they’ll stay until next year. Often times I pray over all of your photos—so thank you for sending them.

I’m praying that 2013 is the best year of your life.

Love, Rebecca

Divine Encounter on the 4th of July

If I would have known that God planned a “Divine Encounter” for my 4^th of July I would have been bouncing off the walls with excitement and probably would have missed God’s timing. I was pretty excited already. My plans included a sunrise horseback ride in the mountains with a cup of coffee in hand. Before dawn I sat in my prayer chair sipping my first cup of coffee while reading my Bible and chatting with God about my day.

As I shared my plans, He gently rearranged them. Then one thing after another delayed me. By the time I drove out the driveway pulling the horse trailer it was 9:30 a.m. and He directed me to go to a trailhead an hour away. Although it wasn’t anything similar to my original plan I was thrilled because I was going riding. Little did I know that it was all about timing—His timing. Perfect timing down to the second so I could have what I call a “Divine Encounter.”

On my ride I met a woman who was by herself and felt all alone. Tears streamed down her face as she spread her mother’s ashes in the woods at what had been one of their favorite horseback riding spots. I was able to give her (a total stranger) a hug, pray for her, and share that God loved her. If I would have been a couple minutes sooner or later, I would have missed her. But God loves her so much that He had me at that location at that exact moment in time when she needed to know that He cared. Best of all, God gave me a new friend.

God loves you that much too. He’ll send people to comfort you if you need it. I’d like to encourage you to share your plans with God each morning. Ask Him to lead you in the way He wants you to go—and He’ll give you Divine Encounters.

I pray that your summer is filled with incredible adventures!

Love in Christ,

Rebecca

 

Join the Spring Fling!

This is so awesome—at the end of the month I’ll be doing a mailing to cowboy churches in the United States to let them know about my newly released devotional book “Heavenly Horse Sense”. I’ll be enclosing a coupon in the letter—and my publisher has offered to send a free copy to the first 50 cowboy churches that mail back the coupon to me. Wahoo! So if you attend a cowboy church or know of one that wants to be included, please email me this next week with the pastor’s name, church name and mailing address. You can get my email from my Website: http://rebeccaondov.com/Contact.html  Join in the spring fling by emailing me before April 28, 2012.

In the corral at home, Brian just tacked shoes on SkySong—1^st set this year—and I can’t wait to put some miles on. If I lived a bit further south…like in Naples, Florida, I would have loved to put some miles on with one of my readers, Linda Kay Thomas.

Talk about creative! Linda Kay Thomas sent in the photo on the right which I’ve featured as the new photo on the “Horsing Around with God” page of my Website. Linda Kay says, “Frisky and I are going for a Red Shoes Ministry prayer walk through our neighborhood. This ministry was created to attract our neighbors’ attention as we walk through our neighborhood praying for them (it was not originally intended to include horses, but when I found Frisky’s red boots I decided to paint my riding boots red too and take her with me). Frisky is the same horse I wrote my children’s story about, ‘Little Miss Frisky’ A Story About an Unwanted Pony.”

Do you have a photo you’d like to share on my Website of how you “Horse Around with God”? For more details, check it out: http://rebeccaondov.com/Horsing_Around_with_God.html

Until next time~~Happy Trails to you!

Rebecca Ondov

Love–In Spite of…

Yesterday I stepped off the plane, returning from a visit with my parents. The highlight was celebrating their 60^th anniversary—WOW, 60 years! And we love each other more deeply with every passing year. I’ve been in awe the last couple days, pondering, How did we become a loving family?  

The last couple weeks I’d invested every spare moment into planning the open house. I even put together a movie which we played in the background throughout the evening, starting with the old slides of us kids as babies and family vacations, up to the modern day photos of celebrating Dad and Mom’s birthdays with us wearing hillbilly teeth and dark sunglasses. (And yes, when possible, we’d sing Happy Birthday after taking a deep breath of helium so we could sound like the chipmunks…some folks never grow up.)

Last Friday night the three of us kids decorated the Youth Building at Mom and Dad’s church with balloons and flowers. The caterer brought in food, cake, and a punch fountain then a couple of Dad and Mom’s friends came to help. I was hoping for a good turn-out in spite of the fact that it was Memorial Day weekend and besides the fact that Mom is 86 and Dad’s almost 85, most of their contemporaries are long gone. But I needn’t have worried. The fun began when they and over 150 of their friends filtered in. Even Mom’s Maid of Honor—from 60 years ago graced us with her presence (what are the chances of that?). I was honored and humbled that so many came to pay tribute to them and again I pondered, Why?

At the end of the evening I felt like a part of the royal family as we sat on the stage and the cameras flashed. Perhaps we even looked and sounded like the perfect family. But how can families be perfect? When you take imperfect man and pair him with an imperfect woman then sprinkle on a couple imperfect kids who grow into wild teenagers…that’s a recipe for disaster.

But families and friendships aren’t about agreeing 100% of the time or being perfect. They’re about supporting each other by having the mercy to forgive and the grace to love…in spite of. And the only way that it’s possible is through Christ. Tonight when I place my head on the pillow, I’ll be marveling at how our family’s faith in Christ has held us through the storms of life and that God will continue to faithfully support us with each passing year.

And I’m praying that your faith in Him gives you hope, grace, mercy, peace, and most of all—love in spite of….

Blessings,

Rebecca

Dad & Mom's 60th Anniversary

A Bear Hug for a Wet Dog

The Wet Dog Today was my first “day off” since February so the dog and I hiked up to a high mountain lake. The crystal clear water reflected the blue sky and the snowcapped peaks, which rimmed the lake.  While Sunrise swam, I napped on the sandy beach in the sunshine. Okay, the sand was between piles of snow   but it was so relaxing to lay there. That was–until the dog rolled in the sand to dry off and snuggled next to me, putting her face on my chest. She stunk as only wet golden retrievers and water dogs do and clumps of sand fell on my face.

 

True Love  I peeked through my closed eyelids, Her big brown eyes watched me. When I didn’t move, she nestled into me. Curling her front legs under my arm, she pushed her body against me. Water seeped through my fleece jacket and now I was covered in sand. At first I wanted to scold her, but then I   realized that she wanted her whole body to be as close to me as she could possibly be, because she loves me.

The Bear Hug I wrapped my arms around her and my mind drifted to my relationship with Jesus. With nearly every step up the mountain, I had chatted with Him. I can’t seem to get enough of His presence. But I know that often times when I snuggle with Him, the cares of this world are sticking to me like sand and perhaps I appear to be soaking wet. Maybe I even smell like a “wet dog.” But He always opens His arms wide and gives me a big bear hug. That’s who love is. Love is a person. His name is Jesus and He loves you too—just try snuggling with Him when you’re covered in sand and He’ll wrap His loving arms around you and hold you tight.   Wishing you a “wet dog” spring!   Blessings, Rebecca