When I was around 8 years old, my mom cleaned for Jamie Clarke, former US Congressman (now deceased) from Fairview NC, who had property a few miles from our house. On this property was a clubhouse, a somewhat dilapidated, plank-sided house full of bunk beds and cubby holes. The Clarke's would bring some of their horses for the guests to ride and to graze the pasture there during the summers.
There were four horses that I remember distinctly: Pete, a brown Tennessee Walker; David, a black quarter horse; Holey Smoke-the most gentle and eveyone's favorite-a brown and white Appaloosa. Then there was Young-un, a giant white mare, several hands taller than her male counterparts. I was warned not to get anywhere around her at any time; no exceptions. She would bite, kick, or stomp any human female that got too close to her. She had been severely mistreated by the woman who formerly owned her. The Clarke's had had her only a few months, and was trying to undo the damage done.
That summer, there was a visitor from Samoa, named Ossi. He could have passed for the brother of Freddie Fender, a country singer popular back then, in the mid-70's.
One of the times my mom was there cleaning, I was out back, looking out through the pasture. Loving flowers even way back then, I spied some purple blooms not too far away. Scanning the field, I saw all the horses all the way at the other end, almost out of sight behind some tall white pines. Climbing over the gate, I thought I could sneak over, check out the blooms, and get back to the gate unnoticed. Oh, how wrong was I!
I was hurrying along the fence, when I heard hooves beating down behind me. I looked back to see a white giant barreling down on me, mane flying and nostrils flared. I began to run as fast as my 8 year old legs would carry me.
As I began to run, I heard a voice call out, and looking down the fence line to the gate I saw Ossi, perched on the gate, leaning over motioning me to come to him, his arm waving in the air. The closer I got to the gate, the closer the horse got to me. I could hear her snorting and feel her hot breath on my back. I didn't slow down, and as I passed by, Ossi reached out and grabbed me by my shirt and hauled me over the gate in one swift motion. Where my feet left the ground was where Young-un planted hers in her next step. Ossi had literally saved me while I was running for my life.
Back then, I was running from the danger I had gotten myself into. Now, I do a different kind of 'running for my life.'
Therefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us
run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the
right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
