Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

Dear Lord,

It’s pre-dawn and everything is still. The Herd is out grazing the new grass while the stars are visible in the dark sky. It is calm. It is peaceful. And I am grateful for this day.

It is an Open Barn day today. Our 6th here at Refuge Farms. And I have much to ask of you on this day...

Please bring the people to hear our stories and to share in our wealth! Bring people from The Cities, from Eau Claire, from Menomonie, and from all around. Bring people who have been here before and return to hug us once again. Bring people who have never been here and are curious to see what they find. May they find the peace and welcoming and healing gifts that we offer. And may they, too, return to hug us once again.

I thank you for this day of clear skies and promised sunshine! What a gift that is to all of us! Last year’s rain was a true test of our faith! Hopefully, we have passed and put that one behind us!!! Please keep the winds calm. And thanks for the clear skies!

I thank you, too, for all those who will arrive in a few hours with their willing hands to complete the final preparations. May they work in happiness and anticipation and may the leadership of THE FARM reward them with gratitude and sincere appreciation. May the small gifts we have for them reflect our feelings and may they know those feelings to be real and honest. Bless The ‘Other’ Herd and all of our Friends who come to us today to host this event. Give them a day of celebration and joy and allow them the chance to shine and reap the rewards of all of their hard work and dedication. Please give their hearts the ownership of these Missions! May they know it is theirs!

The businesses that support us are so vital to us! Bless Jeff Hines as he returns again to lead our auction. Give him a strong voice and a great talent today as we strive to support our missions! Bless the lenses of Jim D'Angelo as he captures those precious moments of our history. Bless Bob Link with Pete and Emma as they give wagon rides in the fall sunshine of today. Give him smooth grounds and strong horses. Bless Terry Brabos as he once again works to provide the gift of feed to The Herd. Bless Randy's Septic for the spare potty. Extra blessings to Jeff Jaeger and his crew from Applebee’s® as they once again set up and prepare their delicious food for all of us to enjoy today. May they reap the reward of their generosity and continued support of THE FARM. And bless all of the vendors who will set up in the yard. Please make this day worthwhile to them and also exciting for our guests.

I thank you for those who have worked so hard these past weeks in preparing the barns and the yard and the equipment. Please, give them a day of joy and celebration! May they feel the satisfaction of a handsome yard and clean, shiny barns! And may they know that without their works and dedication, this event and even the entire organization would be at risk! May you give me the way to express their significance and my gratitude. I think they probably know it all, in their hearts, but please give me the way to tell them to reaffirm it for them.

And The Herd, Lord. Give them a day of goodness, too, please. May they desire the touches of those who come to meet them. May they yearn for the human interaction that will be readily present today. Please grant them calm and grace today. Please allow them to share their gifts today with all of us Humans who are so in need. And please, allow every member of The Herd to realize today and every day, just how treasured and loved they are. We celebrate them today! Let them feel our pride and rejoicing in them!

We need a day of safety today, Lord. We need safe grounds and safe horses and safe handling when it’s time for the presentations. And we need safe drivers and safe walkers. Please provide yet another day of healing without accident.

Finally, Lord, I pray for the words and the heart today for me. I have much in my heart, you know, and I struggle to find ways to express it all. My heart rejoices today but at the same time my heart is breaking today! Please, today, give me the words to express what it is that we do here. Help me to express the joy and the grief and the work and the pleasure and the absolute thrill of being here in this very place at this very time. Give me the purpose of Andy Durco. Give me the strength of Jerry, the Roan Horse. Give me the kindness of Big Jim. Give me the determination of Miss Bonita. Give me the stamina of Richard. Give me the welcoming of Lady-the-Dog. And give me the heart of Big Guy. Keep them all close behind me today. I would give time off of my life to feel their breaths on my neck today! Please, give them to me just for today so I may feel their presence and their guidance on this day! Please, share them with me today so I know they are close.

I celebrate this day! I celebrate this year! With all its trials and griefs and with all its joys and rewards, I celebrate where you have taken me on my life’s journey. May today be another day of making a difference in people’s lives with a horse. A simple horse. A horse that nobody wanted.

I pray all of these things in your name, Lord. And I pray for peace in this world.

Amen.