Riders of Shetland ponies can ride anything! Riders of Grattitude ............. |
Gratitude Dear little pony, the children’s clown, Rough mane stands tall, his thick tail tumbles down. Jiggety, jog. Yes, some riders have frowned. Dad can ride him with two feet on the ground! He’s a tough little, nuggety, wonderful chap Who can live on the roughest of diet mishap. We don’t feed him oats much, he’ll founder on those, But if you can ride him you’re right home and hosed! He’s full of the tricks that intelligence brings. He’s always a challenge until mummy sings Out loud, lets him know that he can’t get away With presenting his backside to children today. The children must learn how to command him too. It isn’t the easiest thing they must do, But they look for the pleasure of riding again, So they learn how to handle tough diamond disdain. They must learn how to stop him from racing away Towards home when his head is turned facing that way. His mind is on resting with food in his trough, But his job is to teach, and he does it but tough! Tough diamond’s a doorway to wonderful thrills In the glorious world of the horseman’s spills And great challenges. Once you can master this rascal Nothing can daunt you. Introductory sample Of every excitement that riding can offer, He’s cute, pert, adorable, and he can proffer Essential abilities. Gratitude is The gateway to mastery, sire of bliss! Every offence becomes laughable when You think back to this tough little customer. Then Your mind turns to teaching, as Daddy once did. No more can the mud of offence cause a skid. You’ll go round it. Or jump it. There’s no need to fall When Gratitude’s mastered. Remembering all Those scuffles you had that your dad helped you through, You’ll mother, or father, or teach others too. ‘Children’ who first learn to manage this tough, nuggety wee pony can rise to great mastery. Those who miss out on this basic training will struggle more, and have a lesser chance of winning the prizes. Discussion questions Gratitude is seen as a gate of entry to much bigger prizes. What cannot be gained without the attitude of gratitude? What experience have you with gratitude that has opened up doors? Would that question have a different range of answers if we asked it of Appreciation? Why What happens to the Christian who cannot learn to ride Gratitude? Why is Gratitude seen as such a tough ride? Once we have learned to ride tough little Gratitude, how is our attitude to Offence changed? Why? |