"Bells for Belle"

It was Christmastime in Texas,

I found my old sleigh bells,

Gettin’ ready for the big parade,

And hoping things go well.

I’d hate to have a buck-off,

But you know there’s lots of noise,

People and commotion,

And of course the old cowboys.

So would the sleigh bells scare her,

I didn’t really know,

She didn’t seem to mind the lights,

I hung upon her so,

I took down those old sleigh bells,

And shook ‘em round her head,

On both sides and from behind,

And underneath with dread.

But surprised me with her calmness,

You just can never tell,

Even with a broke horse,

And this mare’s name is Belle.

Christmas bells for Belle I’d say,

It all turned out all right,

She came down the crowded street,

Beside the wagon on that night.

The sleigh bells they were jingling,

The music playing loud,

Kids running, people cheering,

There were hundreds in that crowd.

And even ‘round the courthouse square,

With the manger scene in view,

She trotted down the thoroughfare,

Like she lived there, it’s true.

A very merry Christmas,

Is what we wish to all,

And keep the sleigh bells handy,

‘Cause Belle’s not frightened, y’all.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV)

Horses, like people, can be afraid, and a certain amount of it is a normal response to the threats of life. But many go through life being afraid of things unnecessarily. God is not the author of fear. Paul reminded Timothy of this. God did not give a spirit of timidity. Rather, the Holy Spirit gives us power, love and self-discipline. We are energized to overcome fear and anything that tries to intimidate us. This is especially true during holiday seasons, when many people feel the most threatened. But we are called to rise above our fears. And His Spirit makes that possible.

Lord, help us overcome our fears, in Jesus’ name.

Personal photo of Belle.