The Ladybug

Tag: Strength

  • What Are We Asked to Carry? A Reflection for Hard Times. 

    Hello readers, welcome to the 40th post of The Ladybug Blog!  Are you struggling in the dark with all the difficult events going on in America and the world right now?  I would like to offer you some hope, please read on!  Today I would like to share a reflection I wrote for a church service on April 12, 2026.  Unfortunately, I am quite sick right now and could not deliver this reflection in person, but a kind member of the church stepped up and delivered it for me.  Thank you!  Here we go: 

    NH Church Sunday Reflection: 

    It is no secret that the world is a difficult place to live in for many people currently. We are witnessing war in more than one country, and America is becoming more divided than ever along political lines.  I feel that many of us are quite stressed now, and I would like to address that pain in today’s reflection.  The main question that I hear in my own heart is: why does God let us carry heavy things?  The answer to that is perhaps that God does not cause heavy circumstances in our lives, but instead, gives us the strength to carry them, and sometimes carries them for us.  I would like to tell you two stories, one fictional, and one from real life, to illustrate this point.  

    First, I would like to talk about the novel The Lord of the Rings, written by J. R. R. Tolkien, which I am currently re-reading.  The novel is large and is divided into 3 separate books.  It has also been turned into a very successful movie series which came to theaters in the early 2000’s. Maybe you are familiar?  For those of you who do not know the story, the main plot line is that there is an evil lord who creates an evil ring of gold that he pours his malice into. The ring causes lust for power, and it destroys all who bear it.    

    Fortunately, there are good soldiers in this fictional land who want to destroy the ring and its evil master.  Frodo Baggins, who is a creature called a hobbit, travels with his best friend Sam, who is also a hobbit, through the magical land of Middle Earth on a quest to destroy the ring.  Frodo is the ring bearer, and he wears it on a chain around his neck.  The burden of carrying the evil ring is not easy, and Frodo suffers daily from what he describes as a feeling of “heaviness.”  In addition, Frodo must try to resist the evil powers of the ring, which always tries to make its bearer want to turn towards wickedness.  

    At this point you may be wondering why I am telling you this fantastic tale? I believe we all deal with carrying difficult temptations to sin and turn to evil daily in this world.  We must carry much that could destroy us if we let it, but thankfully we have God’s grace to guide and protect us.  In the scripture reading 1 Corinthians 10:11-13, God promises that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear.  We have Jesus and the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and guide us through our lives.  And, Frodo also has someone to help him, too: his best friend Sam.  To finish the tale for you, at the end of the story, when hope seems lost as Frodo and Sam are struggling to complete their journey, Sam literally picks up Frodo and begins to carry him on his shoulders.  Frodo can no longer go it alone, and he does not have to; Sam is there for him.  The evil ring is destroyed after a long trial for both Frodo and Sam.  In our lives, God is our best friend, who carries us when the difficulty of life is too great.  Remember, you are never alone.    

    Now, I would like to share a second story which is from the daily devotional guide in The Upper Room, written by Lauren Walker.  Lauren tells an honest account of her struggles growing up with her mother who was and is an alcoholic.  Lauren describes how angry she was at God for allowing herself to suffer so much with an alcoholic parent.  She did not have a good relationship with her mother.  Finally, one day Lauren began yelling at God.  As she did so, she began to feel a release, and God’s presence suddenly began to feel real to her.  Lauren realized that God could handle all her feelings of hurt and pain, and that He wished for her to simply communicate more with Him.  She began a practice of prayer and daily devotions with God.  It was not an instant cure for the years of suffering Lauren had experienced regarding her mother, but slowly and surely, talking to God helped Lauren heal.  Lauren expresses a thought for the day in The Upper Room, which is, “I can be honest with God, trusting that God will transform my heart.”  Prayer and communication with God can help us to bear pain.  God will change it into something that we can carry.  I invite all of you to let God help you to soar on wings like eagles, and run and not grow weary, and walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:27-31)!    

    In the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 11:28-30), Jesus promises that His yoke is light.  Jesus loves his sheep, which is all of us together, you and me.  I encourage you to reach out to our Lord Jesus through prayer and feel the love that He has for God’s people. No matter the stress or difficulties you are carrying currently, Jesus understands, as one who has been to the cross.  On Easter, we celebrated Jesus’ triumph over suffering as He rose from the dead on the third day.  Let Jesus raise your hearts and help you carry your difficulties.  He is faithful.  The times we are living through currently are certainly requiring all of us to carry a heavy burden, but take heart, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will help us to live a life of love and light, even in the darkness.  We do not carry our burdens alone.  God bless all of you, Go in Peace.  Amen. 

    Walk On in God’s Strength, G. 

  • Once a Barn Girl, Always a Barn Girl

    As the seasons begin to change and the “ber” months arrive (September, October, etc.) I am thrilled with the cooler crisper air.  As a person living in New England, I relish the colder times of year.  For me, summer is my least favorite time, as my body struggles with the heat due to my chronic illnesses.  In the fall/winter months, I feel refreshed again.  I enjoy the holidays, as well as my birthday and those of my parents, which all fall in these months.  While I understand that some people detest the cold, I feel that I was prepped to cope with it in a special way while growing up. 

                            You see, I am a barn girl.  Completely and totally horse crazy.  I inherited this trait from my grandmother on my dad’s side, who was “half-horse.”  I began riding her horses when I was 3 years old and continued to be a “barn-rat” until age 23.  Unfortunately, both my health problems and my financial situation do not allow for me to interact with horses on a regular basis today, but I try to live out the important lessons from the barn in everyday life.

                            For example, the barn made me tough and yet gentle in important ways.  First, I became tough due to pushing my physical stamina to perform demanding tasks in all kinds of weather conditions.  From mucking out horse stalls, lifting hay bales, carrying water buckets, and turning out horses in extreme heat or freezing cold, my body had to adapt.  In addition, I worked as a groom at horse shows, polishing the horse’s coat and body until it shined as it competed at top levels.  The groom should support both horse and rider to do their best during competition, with no detail going unnoticed.  I also learned to braid manes for competitive horses, which was an art form.

                            Being gentle is also an important aspect of working with horses.  One must first and foremost remember that horses are beautiful precious animals that are to be always respected!  Never take your frustrations out on the horse!  A horse can be your best friend, and each one has its own personality and little quirks and traits.  You must learn to work alongside each horse with tender care, and you will be rewarded with the bond that is formed between you and that noble animal.  I absolutely found that the grueling physical labor of riding, barn work, and grooming was worth it due to the happiness of being in contact with horses as much as possible!  Some of the most joyous times of my life have been spent in a cold barn snuggled up to a gentle giant. 

                            Today, I am no longer in constant contact with horses, but I follow the professional sport on Facebook and Instagram.  I follow jumping, dressage, and eventing, as well as some equine therapy practices.  I enjoy seeing the incredible range of sport that horses can be trained to do, so long as they are handled properly and treated with the respect they deserve.  In addition, I visit horse rescue barns on occasion so that I may fill my nose with the wonderful smell of horse!  Being a barn girl taught me a form of endurance and resilience that has equipped me to handle difficult situations my whole life long.  The phrase “Once a barn girl, always a barn girl” is no joke!  When I face something tough, my barn girl days have provided me with the inner reserves to stop and say, “How would barn Gaelle handle this?”  There is always a do-able solution.  I hope horses are in my future in an even greater capacity, but for now, my precious memories and early training are enough to give me a firm foundation to stand on.

                            Thank you to all those who made barn girl Gaelle a reality, you know who you are!!  I will go forward with strength and perseverance!

                            With Gentle Toughness, G.

               PS The first photo is me with a draft horse at a rescue barn.

         The second photo is me with my parents’ dog walking on a recent chill morning in what my dad called my “barn girl” fashion.