When the Time is Right

Yesterday, my sister, (a), and I went on a special adventure.  We climbed in her truck and headed to central Kentucky to pick up (a)’s new pony, Snoopy.  Now if you know us personally you might be counting and realize that he now has 3 ponies, but this one is extra special- he isn’t another pony for the farm in Indiana.  Snoopy is coming to live at our house in Illinois.  Back in March when the world shut down, we had more time at home for projects, and we made a promise to a little cowboy. He had been begging for a pony to keep at our house so he could ride much more often than just when we came to the farm in Indiana.  We promised him that if he would help with the work, we would dedicate a space in our barn and build some fence so we could get a pony for our house.  And thus began the project he has referred to as “the pony palace” for the last several months. 

(a) and Snoopy were fast friends in about 2 minutes

Building pony fence with his Poppa Loran

 I talked to my mom about “the pony palace” project several times over the months.  He was SO excited and I had to share giggles about all the funny things he said in his excitement.  But I also shared with her my concerns about actually finding the right pony.  See, awesome kid ponies are kind of like unicorns, they are pretty tricky to find.  By nature, lots of ponies are kind of ornery, persnickety creatures.  We were looking for one that was so gentle our cowboy could waller all over it, already broke to ride like a pro because the rider is still learning, and didn’t have any ornery habits like biting or kicking.  My sister is amazing and had been on the hunt for quite a while through her many equine connections, but one day several weeks ago as I was talking to mom, I was just feeling bummed at the wait/trickiness of finding a good one.  Mom said something very wise (as she always does).  She told me, “when the time is right, the right one will come along.”  Those words have resonated with me nearly every day since. 

 

It made me think of all the times I life I didn’t want to wait for things.  In high school I would have loved a cute boyfriend like so many of my friends had.  Coming out of college I wanted the perfect teaching job like many of my friends in bigger cities were landing.  Six years into marriage I wanted a baby like our friends were snuggling.  When we accepted our new ministry in Illinois I wanted to have a new house picked out before our house in Indiana sold. I could go on and on… but each time MY timing wasn’t right.  But God is gracious, and in His perfect timing the right one came along.  The right guy came along to be a great husband and walk through life with me.  The right teaching positions came along to mold me and make me the educator I am today.  The right doctors walked beside us to help give us two wonderful, healthy little boys.  The right home for our family (with plenty of room to welcome a pony) came along right after we sold our house.  When the time was RIGHT… the right one came along.

 

And like she usually is, Mom was right.  Snoopy is super sweet, gentle, and exactly right for our cowboy.  They were fast friends complete with hugs and kisses in a matter of minutes, and within 10 minutes of his pit stop at the farm they were having a VERY successful first ride together.

 

I realize the “right” pony pales in comparison to the right husband, kids, career, and home.  But this pony had been the daily prayer of a 4-year-old boy (and truthfully his parents) for months, and our new pal, Snoopy, is the perfect reminder of how God cares for even the smallest details, the sparrows of the air, the lilies of the field, or in our case- the pony of our pasture.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11