3.16.2009

Horses and Heaven

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Hello my dear friends in Christ,

It is nearly 3:00 in the morning and I just can't sleep. After the death of my most precious horse companion-friend, Ace, yesterday, I feel like a living zombie (if there even is such a thing). Today before he was buried, we clipped strands of his mane and tail to have a few bracelets tastefully braided.

I wrapped a blue rosary around his right front hoof and asked our Lady to watch over him. (Later I realized how perfect 'blue' was for Ace due to all of the blue ribbons he won when he was in Hunter/Jumper competitions before we adopted him). My husband said, "I didn't know that horses were Catholic (trying to cheer me up) . . . and I said, "Mine is." We'll plant a tree over him when the time is right.

I'd like to thank Esther, Reenie, Kathy, Sally, Janice, Adrienne, Maryann, and Danielle, my blogging friends, for their immediate sentiments of sympathy to me. My tears flooded with gratitude for their caring concern for me.

But I wanted to just talk about my prayers that I said tonight before (trying to get to) sleep:

I am feeling this emotion of sadness, Lord, and yet I feel so SELFISH because there are so many FAR WORSE situations and issues in this world that are taking place right now. I am so sorry, Lord, if I am being selfish.

Yet, on the other hand, Lord, I believe that you gave us our emotions to feel, and to love, and to mourn, and to feel joyful. So I think that if You gave me these emotions, that it must be OK to feel them.

Lord, I truly do believe that you gave Ace to me. You love me and all of Your children so much, that You would do anything for our happiness, including the sacrifice of Your son for our eternal life with You in Heaven.

You gave me a love for horses upon my conception or even before the human thought of my conception! You strengthened that love throughout my younger years. You instilled in me, my own special dream . . . the goal of living on a country acreage with horses someday. Dear Father, I KNOW that You gave Ace to me and my son. He was a gift from You. Because of Ace's need for pasture, we found this lovely acreage that we know he enjoyed in the last 5 years. Father, I thank You for him and the years that he had with us.

Once again, Father, please forgive me for my sins and please help all the souls here on earth who suffer from loss, whatever that may be.

~ bella

P.S. If you care to see photos and a poem (author unknown) for Ace and how it all came about, you can find it on the 2 posts on March 15th, on my "La Bella Vita" blog at http://bellavita-bellasblog.blogspot.com

Buona Notte' (Good Night)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

7 comments:

Cradle Trady said...

I'm sorry for your loss and that your beloved horse Ace had to pass the rainbow bridge . May the eternal light shine upon him and rest in endless peace !
I'm sure that he is in the beautiful Heaven .
With deep sympathy , Danielle

Here is a great link : http://www.rainbowbridgepoems.com/rainbow-bridge-for-horses.html

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Danielle, Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I hope that you don't mind, but I thanked you, along with others, in this post. I also went to the Rainbow Bridge site and printed off the poem. It really meant a lot to me that you took your time to do that for me.

I wish you many blessings in return for your kindness to me today.

Love, Roz

Kathy said...

I am sorry to hear of your loss & my prayers go out to you. I myself just laid to rest today my 29 year old guilding, Romeo. I was looking for some comfort and searching the internet for heaven & horses and came across your post. Thank you for your prayers to others who are saddened by a loss of a beloved horse. I invision him today as running through fields of green alphala. I know I was meant to find this post. Thank You Again and May God bless you, Kathy

Kathy said...

I want to thank you for your post and to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. I too just laid to rest my 29 year old guilding,Romeo today. I was looking for some comfort and found your post. Thank you for your prayers to others that have had a loss of a dear friend. I today invision Romeo as running through fields of green alphala and eating off of apple trees. Thank you again and may God Bless,Kathy

Beth said...

I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful "Ace." Three weeks ago today I lost my beloved "Artie" to a devastating immune system disease. He was in the prime of his life and career and he was my best friend. We who have known and loved these magnificent, kind, and generous creatures have no doubt but that they are galloping across the great, green fields in Heaven.
My heart goes out to you,
Beth

RQuest said...

So sorry for the loss of your horse.. I was drawn to your story because the picture of Ace looked so much like my great horse companion, Quick To The Point. when we lost her I sent her w/my great St Christopher medal given to me by my Father (also in Heaven. The medal stayed attached to my saddle & insured we'd alwasy have safe trips & she always delivered.. so I tied it in her mane & gave her 1 good trip too... I foud a poem tonight I think will give you comfort... (Rainbow Bridge) & also a poem I wrote for her... (Bay Dreams)... Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

*******

Bay Dreams

The color of dreams for me is bay…. You came when we were both willful but missing a reason… at first there was a wall then something touched both of us and partners we became…

You could read me like no other, you were all business and you never let me down…. you were always sure and you bested me with your poise…

Oh bay mare you were my friend through thick and thin and you lit my very soul…. We journeyed highways East and West to peruse purses of gold…. And we’d turn the next bend then run around again…

There was a moment when it appeared it could never-ever end but; now I’ll step down and we’ll walk through the gate…. Somehow it just got too late…

Gold buckles go tarnished…. Sapphire ribbons fade to light blue…. The pay window is closing but my true treasure was always you…

So go now Quick To The Point…. go swift on silver wings…. You were never mine sweet girl you were only here on loan…

There will be a day when we’ll both be home again…. I’ll know I’m there when I can see you running wide-open and free straight back to me…
~Rose PiazzaMarek~

Quick To The Point
4/23/1987 to 8/19/2011

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Dear RQuest, I'll leave this response here on my blog because I do not know how to reply to you directly. Thank you so very much for your lovely, kind and compassionate words. When I read the poem that you wrote about Quick To The Point I was quick to tears; these beautiful creatures of God are so precious, wonderful, loyal, kind, and ever so more than I can find words to describe! I am sorry for your loss too, and can completely understand your pain and sorrow. I pray that the Lord grants you peace, and the patience for that peace to come because it takes a very long time.
Blessings to you!