Into The Wild Ministries

Blessed in Libby

2010-09-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

We were in Libby Montana last week for the Nordic Fest Show and it was a great weekend. After we set up our booth, we went out to our Amish friends for dinner. Roy makes the best hickory rockers that you can find. I was able to visit his shop to see how they are made with a labor of love.

On Friday a couple from Creston, British Columbia stopped by and before they left we had some new friends up north. They are great Christians praying for revival in their area. We look forward to seeing them again.

Later a white haired gentleman, named Richard Lang, came to the booth raised his hands and said God would bless our work and make it successful. He also had a prophesy for me that was the same as Pastor Tracey Armstrong prophesied to me two weeks earlier. That got my attention! Richard also had one for Ardella. Over the next three days we visited with Richard and were very encouraged by his words. Ardella is working with a prayer team to transform Sandpoint for Christ and Richard is for Libby. We have common ground across state lines and in British Columbia. The Lord is working!

We stayed at our friends, Trent and Peggy who have a beautiful home on the Kootenai River. One morning as we enjoyed a cup of coffee, a bald eagle flew up and perched in a tree on a small island. A person could spend all day on their deck and enjoy the river and beautiful scenery.

We said our goodbyes to everyone Sunday afternoon and headed home feeling very blessed. Richard was right; we had the best show in the four years at Libby as we had very little to load in the van. Selling the carvings was nice but the new friends we have made the weekend priceless.

Remove the Training Wheels

2010-09-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughter, Hannah, recently announced that the bicycle we had for her when she stays here was too small. Grandma and Aunt Connie found one at a yard sale and Lizzie claimed it so Hannah gladly took the pink bike that Lizzie had been riding. Hannah’s old bike had training wheels and the one Lizzie had been riding didn’t so this presented a challenge to the little girl.

As the family gathered here on Sunday, the girls wanted to ride their bikes. Uncle Thane went out with them and it wasn’t long before Hannah burst into the house with a proud smile that she could ride without training wheels. Everyone ran out to watch Hannah ride with confidence. She has discovered a whole new freedom in her life.

Christians are often reluctant to get rid of our training wheels. Jesus tells us to raise up disciples, pray for the sick, and help those in need. Just going to church twice a month isn’t enough. Jesus wants us twenty four seven and that is a challenge to most people. It is easy to hide behind the pastor and let him help us along.

God expects us to use the gifts He gave us to serve Him. So if you are still peddling around with training wheels, it is time to remove them and find the freedom in Christ that will propel you to new levels.

Anticipation

2010-09-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

The seasons are changing and I am anticipating spending time in the woods pursuing elk and deer with my bow. I am looking forward to the quiet time among the trees as I listen for the grunt and bugles of bull elk. My practice groups at thirty yards are good and now I need to fill my pack with only those items needed to be in the woods after dark and pack out an elk. Extra flashlights, game bags, sharp skinning knives, water, and some food will fill my pack. A big can of bear repellent is necessary since I don’t carry a hand gun as there are grizzlies around. It is always important to carry everything I need to spend a night alone in the woods.

I like the bow season and being alone in the woods as it provides me time to talk to

God and listen to what He wants to tell me. We need to slow life down and listen for his voice; Jesus did and it worked for him. Have you ever noticed that God sent men into the wilderness to teach them? I feel God calling me to use the wilderness to teach men his principles and truths. There is a lodge just west of Sandpoint in a forest setting that God keeps in my mind for his work. I need to get off my procrastinating and develop a plan to teach men in the wild. So this bow season, God will be revealing to me just how that should look.

We all need to take some quiet time and listen to what God wants each one of us to do to serve Him

Forty Five Years

2010-08-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

Ardella and I celebrated forty five years of marriage yesterday. It doesn’t seem that we have been married that long. Marriage is about teamwork and some give and take. I have learned a few things like not suggesting a shortcut when we are hunting in the mountains. I also learned a number of years ago to not buy your wife a chainsaw for an anniversary present. I was redeemed when I took her to Alaska for our thirtieth anniversary.

So by now you are probably wondering what we did on our special day. We went up to the woods and I pulled out logs with my tractor for firewood. That’s romantic isn’t it! The evening before, we went out to our favorite restaurant. We came home after wood getting and cleaned up and went to dinner at our friends Ken and Dee. Today we had dinner at Connie and Thane with the rest of the family and then everyone watched Thane drive a race car at the track in Post Falls.

I’m fortunate that Ardella likes the outdoors as much as I do. It helps to marry someone with similar interests. See, I’m smarter then you thought.

When Tragedy Strikes

2010-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning I turned on Fox news and saw that a plane had crashed north of Dillingham, Alaska. That is where I flew out of during the five years I was a hunting guide so my anxiety level shot up and I knew I wouldn’t be okay until more information came forth. I know the pilot and his wife from one of the flying services and the outfitter that I worked for is still operating both fishing and hunting camps in the Wood River Park. While I was there I got to know other outfitters and guides so the news really hit home. I said a prayer for the people as they indicated there might be survivors. About two hours later I found out the type of the plane and thought it probably didn’t belong to anyone I knew. That didn’t end the twisted feeling in my stomach because someone was out there in the wilds in need of help.

Alaska’s weather is very unforgiving and can change in minutes. I found out that it isn’t the brown bear that is the most dangerous thing in Alaska, it is the weather. I have seen storms rip tents to shreds, pick up a boat with a motor and toss it one hundred feet. Alaskan storms can last for days and stop everything from moving. An Alaskan storm can definitely improve one’s prayer life. The storms were often devastating on some men’s morale but I looked at them as an adventure and realized the power God can unleash in nature.

It is hard for us to understand why tragedy happens. It helps me to go back to the Garden with Adam and Eve when the serpent entered the picture. Until that time everything was at peace and God walked the earth and sought a close relationship with them. Sin caused separation and chaos. Jesus Christ came to bridge that separation between us and God but we are never fully immune from tragedy. We are required to walk by faith no matter what happens.

It is important that we pray for people that experience a loss of someone and ask that they will seek comfort from God. My prayers go out to the families in that plane crash and may they find the peace that only comes from God.

Random Thoughts

2010-08-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written for a while as life has been extremely full. For those of you wondering how our horse Spud is doing, I’m happy to say he is walking much better. Spud is still on a diet to lose about one hundred pounds. He is on a high vitamin and mineral supplement that seems to be helping his hooves.

I have been busy carving birds and trout for the art show at our city beach today and tomorrow. Over one hundred vendors will be there and usually a large crowd shows up and our weather is forecast to be great. We no longer have a website, instead Ardella created a blog site which we can have for free and she can change easy. The new site is woodnwings.blogspot.com.

Ardella is on her way to Iowa with our daughter Connie to visit relatives. They are already missing the mountains.

Yesterday I turned sixty five and thought back to simpler times. I remember when:

Gasoline cost twenty nine cents a gallon. A handshake was a good as a written contract. All stores were closed on Sunday. When I looked under the hood of my car I knew what everything was. Our country honored God. Prayer was allowed in schools. Fountain sodas at the corner drug store were five cents. Doctors made house calls. A milkman delivered milk to the door.

We need to pray for our neighbors, town, country and people in this world that don’t know Jesus. These are dangerous times but we can have faith that God is in control. The Apostle Paul always had complete confidence in God even in the darkest prison. Paul could see the victory no matter what happened to him. We need to ask God for the same confidence in our lives. Have a great week in Jesus Christ.

Testing Our Faith

2010-07-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

This has been one of those weeks that seemed to be a month long. As I wrote a while back, our horse Spud has been battling founder or sometimes called laminitis for quite some time. He has slowly been getting more lame. Dr. Bob came out and took x-rays and called that they didn’t look good and Spud might have to be put down. This has been a week of tears and restless nights thinking how much the little horse has captured our hearts in a year. Bob recommended that we call Jim Walker, a farrier, and have him look at Spud.

We were torn between losing Spud and being greedy keeping him alive but in extreme pain. Jim showed up this afternoon and said he could trim Spud’s hooves to shift the weight and make him walk better. So I held onto Spud as Jim worked on the hooves. Spud was very good and soon started nibbling on my belt loops and anything else he could find. As soon as Jim finished, I let Spud go and he reached over and gave Jim a kiss. Spud is walking much better and is on a strict diet to lose one hundred pounds fast. This will take stress off his hooves. I hope he likes the diet as much as he enjoyed the trimming.

Was I stressed this week? OH YA! I felt deep down that the condition with Spud was really an attack from Satan since he knew this was a way to shake my world. I had a few talks with God, especially this morning as I worked on a landscape project in town. I desperately wanted to turn the whole night mare over to God but found it hard to completely let go of it. I know God cares about everything in our lives even Spud. I also know that my God is all powerful. Peter said the devil goes around like a roaring lion devouring everything in his path. As Christians, we have the blood of Jesus to protect us from the lion as He defeated the devil on the cross. “The battle is mine” says the Lord.

God also sent two wonderful people in our lives. Our friends, Ken and Dee came over at noon to be here when Jim arrived. Their concern and feelings were a blessing. I can never thank them enough for what they did. They even brought a get well card from their mule, Blanch for Spud. What about those friends

A Day at Moose Lake

2010-07-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

My son-in-law, Vance and I went to Moose Lake which sets near the Montana border above Clark Fork, Idaho. Vance rode his horse Amos while I elected to walk in with Sadie as we both could use the exercise. Archery season is about six weeks away and I need to get my climbing legs in shape. The trail to Moose Lake is a gradual two mile uphill climb through spruce timber. Sadie and I took off while Vance saddled Amos and we had the trail all to ourselves. The dark spruce trees stood like stately spires pointing toward Heaven while numerous wildflowers bloomed on the forest floor. There was bright yellow arnica along the path’s edge and beautiful white plumes of bear grass flowers that are so delicate and sweet smelling. Moose tracks were prevalent on the trail but fortunately we didn’t encounter any of the huge animals. I wondered how many tourists meet these sometimes short tempered creatures and have to abandon the trail.

Sadie and I arrived at the lake and I took in the beautiful scenery of crystal clear waters with trout rising to catch insects and rugged forested ridges surrounding this magnificent creation. A cow elk was feeding in an open area above a rock slide and I watched her for about a half hour before she turned and went into the brush. The cow probably had a calf hid there from predators. Sadie soon was wading in the lake and wanted me to throw a stick for her to retrieve. It has been a while since Sadie had gone swimming so she enjoyed the water.

Shortly after Vance and Amos arrived so did some families. Everyone enjoyed the spectacular scenery. Vance caught several trout but released all of them so someone else could catch them another day. On our way down we met two families headed in with fishing poles and told them the trout were biting.

I thank God for the wonderful creation he made in North Idaho with so many majestic places reflecting his glory. It got me wondering how many people visit Moose Lake but don’t see the majesty of God’s creation. He made these wonderful areas just for us. I’m afraid too many people worship the creation instead of the Creator. On the way down the trail I stopped to closely examine how intricate God made the bear grass flower which is really a cluster of hundreds of small white flowers that form a beautiful white plume. Then I thought how wonderful He made each one of us.

Trusting In Dad

2010-07-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

We went camping last weekend at Jolene and Vance’s remote property to escape the noise and crowds of Sandpoint. It was a little chilly and some rain but we enjoyed the granddaughters and some great dutch oven cooking. I cut two loads of firewood and also cut down two dead trees for carving.

When we came home Sunday evening the neighborhood was erupting with the bang of firecrackers from all directions. Our horse, Spud, was very terrified and was actually shaking and breathing hard. I went out to calm him but that didn’t help much. I finally haltered him and lead Spud into our art studio. It has eight inch thick walls and so the bangs and booms couldn’t penetrate the walls. Spud willingly followed me through the door. He looked the place over and quickly decided everything was good. The studio has not been open to the public lately as I am storing various driftwood bases to use on fish and cardboard shipping boxes. The floor is made from two inch planks so Spud’s hooves clopped at every move. I sat down on the wood step going into the shop and Spud put his head down by me and wanted petted. We stayed in the studio until nearly midnight and as a steady rain came down I lead Spud back out to his pen and gave him some hay. All was good again in Spud’s life. Spud put his trust in Dad.

This got me thinking about what we do when life hands us some bangs and booms. Some people will just hunker down and tough the situation out. Going it alone is not a good way to get through a crisis. A better way is to turn the problem over to God since he knew you were going to have it anyway. Let Him take control and you follow along. David knew the importance of God’s protection when he wrote the twenty third Psalm. If you are having a problem in your life right now, read the passage and turn to God in prayer for peace.

Remember God is a relationship not a religion

The Price of Freedom

2010-07-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Our founding fathers paid a horrible price for the freedoms we enjoy today. Many of them lost their homes and wealth; some lost their families yet they knew the price of freedom always comes with a sacrifice. The men and women of our armed forces fight daily with their lives so we can be free. Many of the freedoms written in our Constitution are under attack by our elected officials as they deem them obsolete. Our country is in peril of loosing personal freedom by the big carrots the government dangles in front of us in the name of progress. The men that founded this nation would be horrified at the assault on the Constitution. Now, as never before, is time to pray for our country, government officials, and our military.

In the fourth chapter of Luke, Jesus proclaims freedoms for us. He refers to us as the poor, prisoners, blind, and oppressed. Our only true freedom comes from Christ because of his sacrifice on the cross. We are all captive of something, yet we can lay them at the feet of Jesus and he will set us free. This is the unending love and grace that God has for each person. Today can be your freedom day if you choose. No matter what is holding you captive, Jesus can release it now.

Jesus didn’t die just because he was a good guy; Jesus is the Good Shepherd that sacrificed his life so you can have a personal relationship with him. He is waiting to break your chains of bondage and set you free through the power of the Holy Spirit. No other religion can do that. Christ can because he lives!

Oh Deer

2010-06-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

We are used to having deer in the yard during the winter but usually this time of year we only see them in our neighbor’s field occasionally. The other evening, Ardella looked out the window and there was a doe munching her way around the garden. Our garden has been fighting to stay alive with all the rain we have had and it is finally looking like there is hope of a future harvest. I walked out to scare the doe off and went through the gate and finally got about six feet away asking her to please leave the cabbage alone. Instead of running away, the doe stretched out her neck toward me and walked closer. I guess she thought I wasn’t a threat so the doe proceeded over to the dwarf apple tree and plucked off some newly formed apples. I chased her from the apple tree so she pranced through the corn and stopped to eat some pears. Finally she jumped over the fence and joined the llamas.

Today the doe was out in the back of our property munching away and we suspect there is a fawn hidden somewhere in the tall grass and brush. Spud has been kept out of the grass areas so the doe figured this would be a safe place for her fawn. We like the idea of having a fawn in the backyard but don’t appreciate the doe eating off the garden. I took a blanket Sadie has laid on and hung it in the middle of the garden. So far it seems to be discouraging the doe from munching the vegetables.

We thank God for all the wildlife there is in north Idaho. Many people move here and can’t understand why a deer, moose, or bear visits their yard. What they don’t realize is that these animals have used the area for hundreds of years and we are the newcomers. Patience and understanding of their needs is important. Our friends left their garage door open and a bear helped itself to the garbage. Bears will never turn down a free meal so a little precaution of putting food items away is important.

Ardella and I appreciate all the varieties of birds and ducks that use our property this time of year. The baby robins at the front door are now flying around searching for worms, the catbirds sneak about in the flowering quince, and mamma mallard still brings her four young ones everyday to the pond to eat. So we will put up with the doe and hope to see the fawn soon.

Go out and enjoy God’s wonderful creation and thank him for the birds and wildlife that we can enjoy.

Prophesy or Political Correctness

2010-06-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

Events in the Middle East and Israel have been in the news lately with most of it being against God’s nation. Israel lives surrounded by hostile nations that would like to wipe it off the map. Even our country has distanced itself from Israel to appease the Muslim nations. Yesterday, while reading the Jerusalem Post, I read an interesting article about a mainline denomination in the U.S. that is meeting in July and one of the items on their agenda will be the condemning of Israel. They state that the whole unrest in the Mideast is due to Israel and that the Jews should go back to Europe where they came from. I guess they never read the Old Testament where it clearly says God gave the Jews that land when God directed Joshua to invade and take the land He had promised Moses. Joshua is also mentioned in the report as being the original trouble maker.

Is it any wonder our nation is in deep trouble since it is more concerned with political correctness than God’s plan for mankind? The Bible tells many times in the Old and New Testament that Israel is God’s chosen people and He will annihilate any nation that rises up against it.

Jeremiah 7:12 states that God wrote his name in the earth at Shiloh; you can go to Google Earth and see the actual place where God wrote his name in the land. Of course it is written in Hebrew so you may not recognize his name. Now if God signed his name in the land for Joshua it just might mean God intends to keep it for his people.

I would rather rely on the prophecies of the Bible than the political correctness of man. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection we can inherit the same promises God gave Israel. We can have the confidence through Jesus that we are on the winning side.

Have You Ever

2010-06-12T10:10:00.001-07:00

Watched the sun slowly rise on a beautiful morning? Then you witnessed God’s renewal for your life.

Seen a spectacular double rainbow? Then you have seen God’s promises written in the sky.

Marveled at a hummingbird in flight? Then you know how wonderful you are made.

Watched a mother hold her newborn close to her body? Then you know how much God loves you.

Heard children’s laughter fill a room? Then you have seen the smile of God.

Walked in a forest full of giant stately trees? Then you understand the majesty of God.

Sat down under a canopy of trees and watched water endlessly tumble down a rocky stream? Then you realize how eternal God is.

Been on a mountain top and felt the wind blow without ceasing? Then you understand the power of the Holy Spirit.

Watched an approaching storm with fierce lightning, loud booms of thunder, and dark clouds driven by unseen wild winds? Then you have witnessed God’s awesome power.

Gazed at the cruel rough hewn cross and fallen on your knees to ask forgiveness knowing Jesus died just for you? Then you felt the Father hug you.

Have you ever told God you love Him? He’s waiting to hear from you.

Spud's Recovery

2010-06-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Our Norwegian Fjord horse, Spud, came down with founder from grass about a month ago. It is a very painful condition in the lower legs that can be fatal for horses. Dr. Bob says he has had several cases this spring. So Spud was put on a strict diet and I am still giving him an oral medication daily which he hates. He is not happy that the llamas get all the green grass they want and he is eating hay. Spud was my best buddy before he got sick but now he isn’t so sure. I finally got a kiss on the cheek yesterday but Spud is still afraid that I will poke something down him.

It is good to see him nearly recovered and begging at the gate for food. Our granddaughters and Spud have a special relationship and he is always glad to see them. Hopefully they will be able to ride Spud soon. We thank God the little horse is getting better.

Our relationship with God can be similar to Spud’s sickness. People often fall down in life, thinking everything is always going to go great and then the train wreck happens. Many of us don’t seek God until the pain hits and is unbearable. We usually don’t like the medicine either. We can’t change our life until we change ourselves with God’s help.

Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and healed many people of various diseases. This made Him very popular but most people missed the point. Jesus wants to heal us completely from our heart. Yes, he will heal our diseases, but Jesus wants to do much more in our lives. He wants an everyday relationship not just when we get into trouble. That relationship will transform your life beyond anything you could ever imagine.

Jesus is a relationship not a religion because he lives and wants the Spirit to live in us. There are many religions out there and their gods are all DEAD. Which would you rather have? A dead god that is still in the grave or a risen savoir that died for your sins. A lifeless idol or a Lord that cares and loves you and wants you to spend eternity with Him.

You can change your life today by inviting the Lord of the universe into your heart. He is waiting and will heal you from the inside out. You will never be the same again! Invite Jesus in today and start really living.

Overcoming Obstacles

2010-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will be preaching at the Cocolalla Cowboy Church about Slaying Our Giants. We will examine 1 Samuel 17 about David and Goliath, Philippians 4:6, Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 16: 17-19, and Psalm 121. These passages all point to the truth that God will help us defeat Satan by the power of the Holy Spirit. Like David, we just need to acknowledge the power of God and that He will take charge when everything seems impossible. Most of us want to hold onto the problem instead of letting God handle it. David focused on the power of God not how big Goliath was. Saul’s army thought Goliath was too big to kill but David knew he was too big to miss.

We have the power to overcome anything with God’s help. It might be a bad relationship, losing a job, sickness and disease. It requires us turning the matter over to God and acknowledging he has a plan for us. The answer may be immediate or can take a while. We live by God’s time not ours.

Our daughter Jolene was born legally blind but grew up a normal kid knowing she had some visual limitations. Due to advanced technology she has been able to gain improved vision yet still doesn’t see like most of us do. I’ve never heard Jolene complain about her vision. This spring Jolene undertook a huge obstacle when she decided to take up hunting. She practiced many hours shooting targets with a .22 rifle then advanced to a 30-06. Ardella, Vance and I have walked Jolene up and down mountains looking for a nice bear. Last night Vance and Jolene sat up by a rock outcropping and waited all evening for a bear to appear. About the last half hour of daylight a good sized bear appeared on the hillside over two hundred yards away. Jolene had practiced out to one hundred yards so this bear was way beyond any shot she had attempted. Jolene took her time and got the bear with one shot. She overcame all obstacles of her vision and became a hunter.

What giants do you have in your life to slay? God is ready to take charge like he did for David.

All God's Creatures

2010-05-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Our small piece of property has been blessed with an abundance of birds this spring. We have a large population of robins and some babies are already full grown. Last week a mother robin worked furiously for two days constructing a nest on a beam above our front door. I marveled how intricate she wove the nest and now mom is setting diligently on her eggs.

The pond has been a busy place with about ten wood ducks and that many mallards visiting to eat cracked corn. This morning there was a mallard hen with her new babies who were busy chasing bugs. I could spend hours watching the ducks in the pond. Our dog Sadie doesn’t think it is fair that she can’t go swimming.

We are starting to see baby squirrels venture forth and explore their new kingdom. Many of the squirrels have little fear of us and I could probably hand feed them if I took some time to try it. But I believe I’ll let them be so they don’t get too trusting of people.

While the llamas are enjoying fresh grass, Spud our horse is confined to a small pen while he recovers from foundering. He has been sick for two weeks but is slowly improving. Dr. Bob says he may need x-rays and special shoes put on his hooves. Wow, I can only imagine that bill!

Everyone needs to get outside this time of year and see God’s creation bring forth new life. I’m always amazed how everything fits into his grand puzzle. To think this complex wildlife came about by accident defies common sense. Just observe a hummingbird and how it can hover, fly up or down, and forward and backwards with ease. Get yourself outside to a park or woods and sit down and let God’s creatures entertain you. It’s free.

Hour of Prayer

2010-05-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

Nearly 800 people gathered in downtown Sandpoint, Idaho today for an hour to pray to God . The Cowboy Church provided a half hour of great music prior to the event which was enjoyed under sunny skies. God turned off the rain for the first time in days to bless this gathering. Even though a federal judge says the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional, our county commissioners spoke briefly about the importance of God in government. The sheriff sang the national anthem and several law enforcement officers attended ceremonies. Pamela Fay Houston sang If My People and one pastor asked us to kneel for prayer. People later broke into groups to pray for specific areas of our community. I joined the military circle and listened to retired Sgt. Major Art Larson inform us on the number of people that we have defending us around the world. Art lead us in a prayer of protection for our troops and their families. I’m proud to be a friend of this great American.

I’m most proud of my wife Ardella who planned and arraigned this hour for the community to show unity to God. She has worked hard for months planning every detail and it came off flawlessly. Ardella has the ability to work across church borders and bring Christians together. I thank her for patience and loving people.

Everyday should be in prayer to God who wants a personal relationship with us. Our country is in deep trouble of losing its Christian foundation. Christians need to speak up and start by bringing God back into our lives. Pray for our Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church, and Family.

What is Ardella going to concentrate on now? Probably the granddaughters and bear hunting. Have a blessed week!

Map of Life

2010-04-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

There is a new book out written by David Murrow called The Map which is the greatest and simplest discipling tool for men ever written. You can order the book at www.threejourneys.com . The book uses a map to show men the way of all great men. I encourage all guys to order this book, read it, and then discuss the contents with a group of men.

Most men don’t have any map to guide them and they often get lost on the mountain of life. The book uses the Gospel of Matthew and it will make reading this ancient writing come alive. I will never read Matthew again and not see the map for me.

I’m so excited about this book that I have already written out a teaching guide for it. Now if I can sweet talk my wife to put it in power point, I will be ready to reveal this hidden map to men so they can be the man God intended them to be. If I promise to take her bear hunting she will do anything for me.

Between reading this book and going to Iron Sharpens Irons on Saturday I will be one pumped up guy by Sunday.

Prayer For Times Like These

2010-04-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

A federal judge recently ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional. It doesn’t matter to me what a judge rules because my God is greater than all the judges in this country. If I want to pray in public I will even if it means going to jail. This nation is sliding into the abyss at the hands of fools.

In 2 Chronicles Jehoshaphat appointed judges for the country and told them this warning, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice, or partiality, or bribery.” Our judges today would be wise to read and remember this warning.

May 6 is National Day of Prayer and Christians will gather in towns across this nation to pray for our government, the military, media, business, education, church, and family. In Sandpoint we will gather at a small park in the heart of downtown. We expect a record number of people to turn out. I’m looking forward to see what God will do, because the first year a man just walking by stopped to ask what was going on and ended up accepting Jesus as his savoir. Last year as Pamela Fay Houston was singing If My People, God sent two eagles flying over at tree top level doing aerial acrobats. Our God is an awesome God!

Franklin Graham was scheduled to speak at the Pentagon on May 6 but was told that because he said something after the 9-11 attacks about Muslims he isn’t welcome. Franklin, you are welcome in Sandpoint, Idaho to pray anytime. We just attended a service Wednesday evening where several people were healed. God hears our prayers.

Don’t let a judge discourage you from praying in public. Pray for the judge to recognize the Providence of God rules above all powers and people.

Working The Soil

2010-04-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

As Ardella and I were working in the garden last Friday, I remembered that last year the snow was just leaving. Ardella repaired the garden fence to prevent Spud from getting in to feast on veggies and I carried manure with my tractor and spread it. Then I tilled it under using the tractor tiller and the garden looked ready to plant. We did put in some carrots, spinach, lettuce, beets, and potatoes but it is too early for many plants as it can frost until late May.

It is always nice to get out and work in the soil. Last year a virus hit most of the tomatoes and peppers but the corn, cabbage and other vegetables did great. We are hoping the virus ran its course and will not come back. Only time will tell. At the present time Ardella has tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash coming up in the house. We will keep these under lights until they are put in the garden.

Our lives are similar to a garden. If we don’t let God work in our lives, not much fruit is produced. We too can let the virus of sin destroy us and only our Savoir Jesus Christ can cleanse us. The Holy Spirit will fertilize and water us so we are useful Christians. At times we need a little pruning.

We have times of growth when we get into the Word especially when it is shared with other people. Prayer is necessary to communicate and hear from the Father. When we surround ourselves with prayer warriors, our growth can be huge. The Holy Spirit stirring in us will produce a bountiful crop for God. Get ready to be pruned, fertilized, and watered so you can grow for the Kingdom.

Get Out of the Boat

2010-04-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

Jesus called Peter out of the boat three times in the Bible. The first was when he called Peter to follow him. Jesus asked Peter to use his boat so he could teach the people by being just off shore. After Jesus was done he told Peter to drop his nets which Peter did even though they had fished all night and came up empty. When Peter followed Jesus command the nets came up full. At this, Peter declared “Go away from me for I am a sinful man.” Jesus told Peter from now on he would catch men.

The second time was when the Disciples put out to meet Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus came walking on the water to them and Peter jumped out and started to walk toward Jesus. He was doing well at first then fear set in and Jesus had to rescue Peter.

The third time was after the resurrection when Peter and the disciples had been fishing all night without catching any fish. Jesus told them to put the nets down and when they came up full Peter remembered three years earlier and knew it was Jesus. This time Peter jumped into the water and swam to shore to meet his Savoir.

We often are content to go through life staying in the boat. That is where life is secure and safe. Too many Christians are satisfied with staying in the comfort of the pews for their Christian walk. They never get to experience a dynamic life changing relationship with God. When we let God lead, our lives are transformed into productive Christians. Yes we have to jump out and get our feet wet. We may even slip on the rocks but at least we are moving forward.

Did you notice that Jesus blessed Peter each time he jumped out. Don’t you think he will bless you when you get out of your comfort zone? The past three years God has called me where I didn’t intend to go and each time I have been blessed. If we keep our eyes on Him and let God lead we will walk on water.

What have you been putting off in ministry?

The Empty Tomb

2010-04-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

Caiaphas, the high priest watched the sun rise in the east on this peaceful Sunday morning, glad calm had come to the city. He was about to go to the temple to get a work crew to repair the earthquake damage when the soldiers guarding the tomb of Jesus came running to say another earthquake struck the tomb and the sealed rock rolled away. Besides that. an angel appeared and drove them off. How could this be happening? He told the soldiers to get back to the tomb but they refused even though they could be killed for abandoning their guard. Caiaphas instructed the soldiers to keep still about this and paid them to say the disciples stole the body. After three days in a tomb they wouldn’t carry it too far. After all, it wasn’t like Jesus came back to life and was walking around town.

Mary Magdalene and a group of women went to the tomb early in the morning and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Two angels appeared to them and announced that Jesus had risen to fulfill the scriptures just like he had told them. The women quickly ran back to tell the disciples but they didn’t believe what they had heard. Peter took off running and was the first one to the tomb, only to find it empty with the burial cloth folded up neatly. Peter went back into the city but couldn’t quite figure out where Jesus could be. Could He really be alive? So many crazy things had happened the last three days that Peter wasn’t sure what to believe. He was afraid the authorities would put the blame on the disciples and arrest everyone. They decided to lock themselves in the room and not answer the door for anyone.

Later that day two of the disciples pounded on the door asking to be let in as they had seen Jesus. Peter and the others were trying to figure this out when Jesus appeared to them. They didn’t know whether to run out of the room or faint. Jesus calmed them down and they finally understood what he had taught them. Wow! He lives!

Even today, many of us have a hard time believing Jesus really lives. He told them the Holy Spirit would come and transform their lives and that same Spirit can change us too if we let Him. Is something missing in your life? Are you like the disciples still hiding in your room? It is time to get out and proclaim the good news. Jesus lives and wants a relationship with you!

It's Friday But Sunday's Coming

2010-04-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

The streets of Jerusalem went from wild angry crowds to nearly deserted by evening. The Jewish leaders and the Romans crucified Jesus of Nazareth today after flogging him beyond recognition. He was forced to carry his cross along with two thieves but couldn’t do it, so they grabbed a guy from the crowd to drag it to the hill. Once there huge rusty spikes were driven through his hands and feet and then Jesus was hoisted up for all to see. The pain was unbearable for him yet he asked that they be forgiven. Can you believe that? Only one of his disciples watched; it is rumored the others are hiding in the city. Jesus’ mother had to endure the horrible scene as soldiers and some of the Jewish authorities mocked him.

The mockers grew slowly silent as the sky turned dark and lightning flashed viciously close to everyone. The earth shook as if it would swallow the whole city. A Roman officer fell to his knees and declared that Jesus must have been the Son of God as he had proclaimed. The Chief Priests backed off the hill and watched from a distance as a man named Joseph and Nicodemus from the ruling council; took down the body and buried it in Joseph’s tomb before sundown.

Just when everyone thought it was over, a courier came running from the temple to say the earthquake had damaged the building and somehow the heavy curtain guarding the Holy of Holies had been torn from top to bottom. Fear overtook some of the Chief Priests when they were told some graves had been thrown open and the people came to life and were walking around the city. How were they going to explain these things? A thick dust hung over the city from the earthquake and most people went indoors to ponder the day’s events. Pilate put his troops on alert just in case someone tried to cause trouble. Pilate looked out from his balcony wondering why he had to deal with these rebellious Jews. Oh, to be in Rome again.

Both Pilate and the Chief Priests were looking forward to Sunday when many people would be leaving Jerusalem to journey back home. Jesus’ tomb was being guarded by soldiers and his disciples hiding in fear for their lives. Things would be back to normal by Sunday. After all, what could go wrong?

Worm Catching

2010-03-13T09:16:00.000-08:00

Last year at this time we still had two feet of snow covering the ground but this March our grass is turning green and trees are budding out. We plan on going fishing with our friends Ken and Dee after church on Sunday so I thought some night crawlers would be nice to take as bait. The granddaughters stayed Friday night and they wanted to help me.
We went out with flashlights and a bucket and soon found worms everywhere. This was the first time the girls had tried to catch night crawlers and they found out the worms can be quick to slide back under the ground. After a few attempts they soon were pouncing on the worms and screaming with excitement. The neighbors probably wondered what was going on in our back yard.

Grandpa is just a little proud that I was on their first worm hunt. We did let their father participate. He carried the bucket. We invited their mother and grandma but for some reason they declined. It is hard to understand that they didn’t share in our excitement. My proverb for this week is “Teach a kid to catch worms and they will want to go fishing.” It might sound simple but it sure can help a youngster stay out of trouble. That philosophy could probably keep a lot of kids off drugs.

This is a great time of year to get kids away from television, computers, and electronic games and introduce them to God’s great outdoors. Take them fishing, hiking, or just go to a lake and skip rocks. Always point out that God made this beauty for them. You will enjoy the time as much as the kids do. Kids need to see a simple side of life.

Gathering Up Treasures

2010-03-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I went treasure hunting at the driftwood yard on the east end of Lake Pend Orielle. Now the treasures weren’t gold or silver, they were driftwood pieces that I can use in my carving. You know the saying that one man’s junk is another’s treasure. I had a man stop me one day a few years ago and wonder what I was going to do with the pick up load of old wood. I look for unique pieces that will be used to put trout on and sometimes root wads that I can turn into tables. Many other people also comb this area every fall when the lake is drawn down so I often end up scouring the most remote areas. I also look for juniper to carve beautiful red trout but never find too many pieces.

The time goes by too fast when I’m there. This time of year the area is filled with migrating waterfowl so swans and geese are calling the whole time I’m looking for wood. Sometimes eagles fly over stirring up hundred of ducks and great blue herons perch on old pilings soaking up the sun’s warmth. It is a peaceful setting that draws me back every year.

Jesus taught in Matthew 6:19 that we should not store up treasures on earth because they are only temporary. He said store up treasures in Heaven that are eternal. Then Jesus cut to the quick and said our treasures will reveal where our heart is. This is a good place for us to take an inventory of our personal and spiritual life.

Jesus went on to say we can not serve two masters. Too many people, including Christians try to serve both. Just look what a mess our country is in. Jesus went on to finish this lesson by stating we can not serve both God and Money. The reason Matthew capitalized money was because Jesus was using it in the same way he addressed Satan. Money by itself is neutral but we elevate it above God. People in our nation found out in the last two years that money is easy to lose; it provides a false security. The only security we have is in God’s promises.

We need to humble ourselves before God and get down on our knees and pray. He promises to bless any people that do this. Again I stress that God has always wanted a relationship with his people. At first it was the Jews but because of Jesus victory over the grave God wants a relationship with all people. It is a free gift that is priceless, an eternal treasure.

Sunday Stroll

2010-02-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

Even though our winter in north Idaho has been exceptionally mild, cabin fever still creeps in about this time of year. Sunday afternoon was nice so we decided to see if we could get to Jolene and Vance’s remote cabin area. Snow was not a hindrance but there was ice on the road was so we put on tire chains and drove there easily. We have never been there this early.

We parked at the edge of a clear cut and walked around on bare ground. Lizzie and I found a small deer antler that had been dropped so we were encouraged to look for more. Lizzie and Hannah are getting good identifying animal tracks and they were quick to point them out. Even though we couldn’t find anymore antlers it was fun to walk around and explore. The afternoon ended too soon and we had to head back home. It was good to see the deer, elk, and moose are wintering well this year after two years of deep snow.

The opportunity to get the granddaughters outside was the highlight of the day. Anytime you can get a child outside is good. Too many children do not get this opportunity. If you have a chance, go show a child the amazing world God created. You will both learn something about this wild creation.

Sport Show 2010

2010-02-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Sport Expo is over and it was a huge success thanks to the many volunteers that devoted their time over the weekend. It is proof that people from six churches can work together. Now if we can only convince some more pastors in the community that God really does exist outside the church walls.

It was great to see children catching trout with a big smile on their faces but I think the volunteers at the fish pond had as much fun as the kids did. Home Depot also provided a hands on work shop for kids to build things. We had Fjord horses giving wagon rides which were quite popular. People were able to browse through booths containing a wide variety of outdoor related sports. There was hunting, fishing, ATV, snowmobile, antique firearms, knives, taxidermy, rafting, boats, hickory rockers, stained glass, archery, float planes, and great food available. We also had booths for National Day of Prayer, The Luke Commission, and Love Inc.

The Sunday morning service was well attended even though it was at 8 a.m. I gave a message titled Unprepared, which was about a caribou hunt that went bad. We thank God for everyone that attended over the weekend. Now we will put our heads together to see how to improve it for next year.

God calls us to get out of the church into the community to transform lives. A sport show is just one way. We need to be aware that many people in our community are going through bad times and pray for them. People don’t care how much you know; they want to know how much you care.

Breaking Tradition

2010-02-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

Traditional Christianity seems to go something like this; go to church once a week, raise a family, work hard, and try to be generally good. The only difference from non Christians is going to church once a week or less. The national rate is something like two and a half times per month. No wonder we aren’t transforming America. Jesus commanded us to go out and make disciples which we think only means mission work to other countries. I believe Jesus was really saying, “Start right where you are.”

Since most church growth in this country is lateral, meaning people leaving churches and going to another, we aren’t growing much. I’m going into hostile territory, but most people and churches hinder the Holy Spirit by being afraid to break from tradition. When you read the Book of Acts you see the Holy Spirit very much alive in the early Christians and their churches. That is why Christianity spread like wildfire even against extreme oppression. We have grown afraid to challenge tradition and think outside the box.

A group of men in the Sandpoint area formed over a year ago to launch a ministry to reach the non churched people. We held an outdoor expo that targeted many outdoor sport venues. Results the first year exceeded our expectations because we let God take over. We were able to connect with the community in a way never tried in Sandpoint. Over sixty retail vendors signed up, many of those were not Christian. Several vendors stated after the show that this was the best show they had ever participated in. We don’t take credit for that, it belongs to God. The second annual sports expo will be held this year at the Bonner County Fairgrounds from February 12 through the 14th. We look forward to impact people’s lives with the realness of Jesus.

The lack of local churches to catch this ministry vision is disappointing. The men come from five churches but Sandpoint has over twenty. Many pastors will not bring it up to their men. We have tried approaching them through a variety of ways but tradition seems to block our efforts. Our prayer is for these pastors to catch the vision of transforming Sandpoint for Christ. You do that by building relationships with the community not by religion.

It's All About Time

2010-01-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock. Remember those old metal wind up alarm clocks that were so noisy? If the ticking didn’t keep you awake all night, the loud alarm would send you clearing the bed when it went off. I had a great dislike for the time piece and wanted to put it out of existence with a hammer. The new silent digital clocks are much better but I still don’t like being awakened by any alarm. Why couldn’t someone invent one with the sound of a bull elk bugling or the call of Canada geese?

I occasionally set an alarm but always wake up before it goes off. The old farm rooster was an alarm at first light when I was a kid. Every rooster wants to crow a few times before the sun comes up. That was how God probably intended for us to wake up. Remember, Peter heard one three times while it was still dark as Jesus was being accused of false crimes.

We seem obsessed with time. When I guided in Alaska we told clients to forget their watch because we had two times; daylight and dark. Many of those men’s life revolved around time and it would take them a few days to adjust to a slower pace. The only one that didn’t was a dairy farmer from Wisconsin.

When it comes to eternal decisions, many people put it off like they have forever. They don’t. Why is it so hard to accept Jesus as our personal savior? That is the only decision we need to make before time runs out. Too many people think they have to get religion; but they only need to make Jesus their savior by inviting Him into their lives. It doesn’t have anything to do with religion. Jesus is about having a heart change.

All you have to do is ask for forgiveness and invite Him into your heart. Ask Him for strength to change, wisdom to grow, and the ability to persevere. He won’t let you down. Don’t put it off; it’s all about time.

Remnants And Quilts

2010-01-22T13:38:00.000-08:00

Ardella has the gift of making beautiful quilts and has created several over the years. Most of the time she designs her own pattern which sometimes changes as the quilt is made. She has made some for fund raisers and I bought the first one she designed and donated to the Rocky Mountain Foundation. Last fall Ardella designed four quilts for our two daughters and granddaughters which are beautiful works of art.

Our basement holds vast pieces and remnants of material that look like they have no purpose until Ardella lays them together with other fabric. They suddenly come together to form a beautiful covering for beds. This got me thinking how we are lone remnants in this world until we come together with other Christians to form something beautiful. We are supposed to reflect Jesus to the world but often don’t. God calls His remnants to work for His glory and change lives of people.

Paul writes in Romans that we are a remnant saved by grace. We can’t save ourselves by works; it required a savoir. In Zechariah God promises an inheritance to the remnant of his people. He provided a way out for us in this huge sea of humanity, lost in its pride and sin.

Remnants don’t look too good until they are pieced together with other remnants. They look pretty bland and useless. When they are sewed together to form a quilt something beautiful is created. Christians by themselves aren’t very effective for God but when we come together in spirit we are unstoppable. Satan loves to separate us with all kinds of divisions.

While most of the world thinks they don’t need Jesus as savior, we do and can make a difference in lives of people we know by sharing the love of Christ with them. This world needs quilts so if you are a Christian going it alone; find other Christians and create something wonderful for God.

Misery Loves Company

2010-01-16T15:34:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I went ice fishing with my friend Ken and son-in-law Vance. It was the worst day I have ever spent on the ice in my fifty years of pursuing this unique sport. Maybe I should have known when Ken came to pick us up and told us that nothing had gone right for him all day, but we had dreams of buckets of perch. What could go wrong?

Our temperatures have been hovering near forty degrees in the day so that makes for some water on the ice but the frozen layer is abut twelve inches thick. We selected a frozen bay that requires access across private property so not too many fishermen are allowed to use it. As we started out on the ice, puddles of water dotted about half the surface. We walked using ice grips on our boots to prevent falling and covered about three hundred yards before we drilled the holes. My auger blades had suddenly lost their cutting ability so I borrowed Vance’s to finish the holes. Ken did the same.

As we settled into fishing a slight wind blew from the west and a light rain came down. We weren’t going to let a little rain prevent us from catching perch. Time went by without a single bite and the wind and rain increased. The wind started gusting and we could see waves pounding against the outer edge of the ice about three hundred yards away. Soon the water depth on the ice started rising and so did the wind. I stood up from the five gallon bucket to stretch and the bucket took off sailing away. After a brief chase which included falling flat on my back, I had the bucket and set down again to jig for perch. The wind and rain intensified and Ken said he was freezing; of course I was optimistic the fish would start biting any minute. Why quit now?

For some reason my memory of the bucket briefly failed and I stood up again. This time the bucket took off racing across the ice and Vance’s fishing gear box decided to follow in pursuit. The race was on with Vance and I trying to run across what now was ice covered by deepening water and little icebergs chasing along. The chunks of ice were being driven by the gale force winds as the outer shelf of ice was being chewed up by big waves. Vance’s fishing box suddenly stopped but the bucket continued another thirty feet and hit a pocket of open water caused by a spring. We watched the bucket make a slow retreat to the bottom of the lake. When I turned to go back towards Ken the wind hit me and I could feel it trying to push me toward the open water so I leaned into it and dug in with the ice grips. Cold rain pelted us as we gathered up our equipment and made the long walk off the ice. Another fine day off fishing came to an end.

The fierce conditions we endured on the ice reminded me how wild our God is. He flung the stars and planets into their positions, all creation follows his order. I have been blessed to experience His wildness many times in the outdoors and I thank Him for it. I am humbled by His great powers. I am sure that in a few days we will try ice fishing again, after all what could go wrong.

All About Trust

2010-01-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

Last summer our granddaughters talked us into taking Spud, a ten year old Fjord horse that they had picked up from a man in the spring. Spud is a small horse but doesn’t know that and wanted to challenge their big Fjord Amos. Fearing one of them would be injured; Vance said Spud had to find a new home so the granddaughters quickly figured that we should have him.

We brought Spud home without knowing much about his past but found out he liked to bite. I suspected that bad habit came from abuse he had received from his first owner. The guy said Spud was hard to catch without a grain bucket. Funny thing, I have never had any problem catching the horse. When Spud sees me with his halter, he comes right up and stands still while I slip it over his head. I have spent many hours with Spud grooming him and leading him around. Over the past few months, Spud has slowly quit trying to bite. He now wants to give me kisses on my cheek. The little horse has come to trust me completely.

God wants us to put our trust in Him. The word trust is used many times in the Bible. Proverbs says a lot about trust. Chapter 3 verse 5 says, “Trust in the Lord always.” Chapter 16 verse 20 states, “Blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Chapter 28 speaks of trust twice. “He who trusts in the Lord will prosper” and “he who trusts in himself is a fool.”

We often are so busy trying to manage our life that we don’t ever think about letting God in to help. Satan likes to fill our heads with thoughts of doubt about God. God wouldn’t want anything to do with us; we aren’t worthy. Do you know how much better our world would be if all men trusted completely in God? We are fools when we trust in ourselves or the words of other fools.

Our pride often gets in the way of relying on God to guide us. Guess who dishes out the pride to us? Replacing pride with humbleness will have us on the road to a relationship with the Father. Trust and relationship go hand in hand. Trust God; He is waiting for you to kiss Him on the cheek.

Ancient Paths

2009-12-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

Old trails and paths in the wilds have always been intriguing and beckon me to follow them. This sometimes leads me off course from my original intentions and has lead to a few nasty inhospitable places. Once in a while the path pulls me to a wonderland surrounded by ancient forests; a place I feel close to God as I admire his creation.

Guiding for brown bear one fall in Alaska, I came upon an old bear trail created by these large creatures over hundreds of years. The trail was about a foot wide and worn into the tundra four inches deep. The old path wasn’t just an ordinary trail as you could see the actual footprints of bears as they walked in each others prints through the years. It was a sight that I will never forget and I remember reaching down and running me hands over the worn footprints. This trail had been handed down from generation to generation by the great beasts as they traveled from a brushy lake bottom to this high pass between two mountain ranges. It was a road map of life for the bears.

As men, we often don’t have such a path of life to follow. Broken homes and fathers too busy working to pass on life lessons are taking a toll on men everywhere. If our own fathers didn’t take time to teach us important steps of life and share closeness, we may think God doesn’t care either. Men and boys desperately need a marked trail, not more rules, formulas, or another list of principles.

Even if you were fortunate like I was to have a father and grandfather to guide me on the trail, we still need guidance from our Heavenly Father to make it through life. God intended that in the Garden before Satan entered the scene and told the universal lie that God doesn’t care about us and he is holding back on us. God developed us for an intimate relationship. Jesus death on the cross opened us the opportunity to walk with God personally. Unfortunately, many churches want men to engage in another class or boring program that is about as exciting as going to the dentist. Men need challenged and engaged in real life situations in their community. Guys do best in small platoons or band of brothers because we are in a war and too many men become casualties without someone to guard their back. I’m blessed to have a great group of men to help me grow and fight the battles.

God is waiting to show all of us the ancient path that leads to a peace this world doesn’t know. I suggest men read some of John Eldredge’s books like Wild At Heart, Way of The Wild Heart, Fathered by God, and Epic. Read and study them with some other guys. Remember, it is important which path you take and where it goes.

The Peace of Christmas

2009-12-24T09:21:00.000-08:00

The Bible states that there will be wars and threats of wars but also speaks of peace numerous times. We certainly are aware of conflicts since our troops are involved in two wars in the Middle East and we have an undeclared war against drugs in Latin America. Then there is the hostile environment created by Iran and other Arab nations against Israel. We know how God will deal with that someday. The Bible is very clear that He will destroy all the nations that go against his chosen people. So, how do we find the peace of Christmas?

Jesus told his disciples about his death when He said, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean our troubles go away. The old ones may but usually we encounter a whole new kind that Satan throws at us to discourage us from depending on God.

Isaiah chapter 9 says,” For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government there shall be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

We can find total peace in this chapter if we truly believe in the baby born in a manager over two thousand years ago. It just takes having the faith of a child in our hearts. God made it simple for us to have a relationship with Him but we try to complicate it. The Peace of Christmas is only found in our hearts when we let Jesus in. My prayer this Christmas season is that you let Jesus take over your life. You will not be disappointed as you experience the Peace of Christmas forever.

Against All Odds

2009-12-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

The cooing of mourning doves was a sweet sound that I grew up with in Iowa. They are a gentle bird that God designed to migrate since they are seed eaters. For the last few years, we have had up to sixty stay the winter. I try hard to get them to move south and don’t put feed out until it snows. This year five doves showed up as soon as the ground was white. I put out cracked corn and now we have over twenty hanging around everyday. These doves appear to be all males as they have a pink and purple hue on their necks and breast.

Without supplemental feeding many of the doves would perish due to starvation. They also face the perils of winged predators like hawks and owls so they still have many dangers. One year a pigmy owl about their size killed many of them. They soon get used to me and will wait in nearby trees for the corn to be placed in a few spots in the backyard. I am their sole source for survival; they are living the winter here against all odds.

Jesus Christ, the baby in the manager, King of Kings, God’s Son is our only source for survival; without Him we will perish. Why do people have such a hard time accepting that? God provided a way for us to spend eternity with Him through Jesus dying for us on the cross. He created us for a relationship yet people reject that offer and perish. Too many people think about the present life and not eternity. Where will you spend it?

The doves and I have a very limited relationship but God wants a real one with us. He pursues us all through the scriptures even when we don’t deserve it. Jesus said, “I stand at the door and knock.” Jesus’ whole time on earth was about seeking people’s hearts. He didn’t come to earth to start another religion; Jesus came to offer us peace and the opportunity for us to know Him personally. He was the sacrifice for all the sins of mankind.

Open up the Bible to Matthew and read about the Christmas story. God is offering an eternal Christmas present to you, don’t pass it up. To reject Jesus is to go against all odds.

Christmas Thoughts

2009-12-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

Our house is decorated for Christmas with trees, lights, and garland announcing the birth of Christ. The grand daughters decorated our old artificial tree and they redecorate it every time they are here. We selected a white fir tree this year from the woods that Ardella has nicely adorned with many ornaments that we have had for years. Even my mounted caribou gets outfitted with garland and a Santa hat.

Commercialism has certainly taken over the true meaning of Christmas. The real meaning of this season is all about God’s love for us. He sent his only son to earth so we can have eternity with Him. Too many people do not believe that Jesus is the Christ, our savior. I suggest everyone should watch the Star of Bethlehem DVD which is about an hour long. If you can watch that and not believe in Christ and God’s love for you, then you are without hope.

The greatest gift you can receive is accepting Jesus as your savior and Lord. He wants a personal relationship with us everyday, not just on Sunday. If we let Him, He will transform our lives so His light shines through us to this dark world. You can accept Jesus anytime and anywhere; He waits at the door of your heart.

The most important thing to remember is His great love for you. Jesus is not a religion; He is a relationship because He lives. My prayer is for everyone to have a great Christmas, but don’t miss the real reason for the season.

Wise Old Bucks

2009-12-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

The phrase, “With age comes wisdom” certainly applies to hunting old bucks. After hunting for nearly forty days and not seeing a buck, I’m reminded and humbled about what I don’t know concerning deer hunting. They outfoxed me at every turn. I still have a seven day archery season that starts Thursday so we will see how that goes. The weather is supposed to be very frigid and standing still with a bow for hours turns one into an ice cube. I have been so cold in the past that I could not pull the bow back.

My friend Jeff slid into a chair next to me on Wednesday men’s group and whispered, “We have to talk.” He later told me that he never got or even saw a buck and wondered what he had done wrong. I told him he should ask our friend Paul since he harvested a deer and I didn’t. Then I remembered poor Jeff had attended a deer hunting seminar I gave last year and somehow got the idea I was a whitetail expert. Boy did I fool him!

God programs a buck’s brain so when they get about three years old it is like their memory bank expands dramatically. They get very nocturnal, change their bedding sites often, and live in thick brush and timber. These bucks know every inch of their home range.

The Bible is very clear that all wisdom comes from God. It says with humility comes wisdom. God also told us that we should humble ourselves and pray and He will hear our requests. Proverbs says blessed is the man who finds wisdom. Wisdom is mentioned in the Bible with words like knowledge, joy, correction, hidden treasures, discipline, and understanding.

I have noticed that some men get old and some men get wise from age. My Grandpa Swartz lived 97 years and was one of the wisest men I have ever known. I don’t think he attended more than grade school so his wisdom was based on his belief in God and it served him well. Wouldn’t the world be better if we could all humble ourselves and ask God to impart some wisdom to each of us.

Amoung the Giants

2009-11-26T20:46:00.000-08:00

My friend Ken and I recently hunted deer in the Lightning Creek Drainage north of Clark Fork, Idaho. This area was just opened to vehicle travel after being closed for years due to heavy destruction to the landscape after torrential rains fell. Lightning Creek is the wettest drainage in Idaho and has experienced flooding and mass washouts in the past. This generous precipitation lets trees grow old and get very large.

Ken was amazed at the size of the cedar trees; many over six feet in diameter. It was like walking in a garden of giants and we were the ants. We were in awe and realized they had been created by a wondrous God. Looking up at these giant trees is like gazing at night into the heavens and sensing how small we are. We were created by a God who knows no boundaries; His universe is endless.

I believe God didn’t make us to think small, that comes from Satan. God created us to serve Him and help others. Ed Silvoso wrote a book called Transformation which challenges us to take the principles Jesus taught and change the world. I recommend people read it especially in a group so it can be discussed. The principles that Mr. Silvoso writes about could transform lives, wipe out poverty, and change the world. It would put Satan out of business in trade and nations economies. It is already happening around the world, we just don’t hear about it on the nightly news.

What if we let God run our businesses, schools, and government? It would have a profound difference in people’s lives. First we need to humble ourselves before God, make him our partner in all aspects of life. He can run things much better than we can ever imagine. God can grow us like the big cedar trees in Lightning Creek; strong, deep rooted, and reaching toward the heavens.

We only have four days left in the rifle deer season and so far the deer have won. Ardella nearly got run over last Sunday afternoon by a doe that came running down the trail and decided to veer off right by her. She is going shopping tomorrow with the daughters and grand daughters. I told her tonight that a bad day of hunting is better than a good day shopping.

Ardella and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day.

Kissing a Mule

2009-11-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

Ardella was gone for three days to a sewing retreat with some friends so I explored the wild side on Friday with a gal that has big brown eyes with dark eye lashes named Blanche. Blanche also has long legs and large ears. I guess I forgot to say she is a mule that my friend Ken owns. Blanche was very pleasant to ride and taught me a few things. Ken rode his horse Firecracker and we spent the day looking for deer as a light snow fell on the mountains. I have hunted for about forty years but Friday was the first time I ever rode a mule to hunt. The deer were not cooperative but spending a day with a friend in God’s creation is always great.

Blanche taught me that God made mules quite intelligent. I tied her to a tree with a slip knot for two hours while we hunted a short distance away only to come back and discover that Blanche untied the knot. She was grazing about sixty yards away and I’m sure Firecracker tried to tell her to untie him too. Sometimes Blanche would stop and I could tell she was trying to figure something out. We were going up an old road with Ken and Firecracker in the lead when Blanche stopped suddenly. She would not move even though her friend Firecracker was leaving her. I looked around and could not see anything unusual but I knew Blanche wanted me to find something. I looked down by her feet to see a large foot print in the snow. It had been made by a wolf that morning. Even though Blanche has never encountered a wolf she knew danger had been there.

God placed the intelligence in animals to sense unseen danger yet we humans often miss it. We downplay Satan’s influence on our lives and many don’t even believe in him. We don’t need to fear him because of Jesus but we do need to recognize Satan is like a roaring lion trying to distance us from God. One of his biggest lies is that God doesn’t care about us. Like the wolf track that had just enough snow in it so the print was hard to see; Satan covers up things to trick us. He uses guilt, ways of the world, and compromise to make sin appealing. Only by putting our faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross can we destroy Satan’s power over us.

If you haven’t put your faith In Jesus, please do it today. Read Matthew 6:25 through 34 to find out how much God loves you. He will take care of you.

Thanks Blanche for teaching me an important lesson about God. When we got back to Ken’s place and were taking the saddles off the animals, Ken said I should give Blanche a kiss on the lips to show her how much I appreciated her hauling me around all day. I had a headlight on my cap and as I went to plant one on her brown muzzle she pulled back until I turned the light off. Then she let me kiss her. I didn’t know mules could be shy about a little kiss.

Roll Call

2009-11-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

Last week the nation was stunned by the senseless shootings at Fort Hood that left thirteen dead and twenty nine wounded at the hands of a man derailed by a vicious ideology. My prayers are with those families that at this time they will turn to God for peace and closure. Some may be mad at God and He understands their anger through the grief of the loss they have experienced.

Ardella and I watched some of the memorial service which was very moving. At the end of the memorial a Sergeant Major gave a roll call. He would announce a name waiting for a response. A soldier would yell back, “Here Sergeant Major.” Then He would call out another name waiting for a response that never came; the name of a fallen patriot. This scenario repeated until all the names were announced. It was a reminder how fragile life is.

Christ will come back at the end of the age and announce a roll call. Not everyone will be called; only those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savoir. Many will not hear their name because they rejected Him. Will your name be called? This roll call could occur any moment or it could be years away but that doesn’t matter. Be prepared! Just leading a good life won’t get your name on the list. We all fall short of the Glory of God.

The process to hearing your name called is actually very simple. Go to God and ask forgiveness for your sins. Make Jesus your Lord and Savoir. You are washed clean by His blood spilled on the cross. He took on the sins of the whole world so Jesus is able to handle yours too. Find another devoted follower to help you grow. Read the Bible and ask God for His wisdom in your life. He will change you!

Don’t delay this life changing chance. Jesus could come back tomorrow and give a roll call. Will you hear your name?

Twice Blessed

2009-11-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

We felt blessed when Ardella’s elk appeared out of no where; the first elk we saw in the clear cut all fall. On Sunday the 25th we were blessed twice. After leaving Ardella to watch an area that contained fresh deer tracks, I headed over the hill to explore a small part of the clear cut that we can’t see from where we normally stand. It over looks dark timber with a creek meandering along the border of the recent logged area. We have taken deer here before but never any elk. I just had a strong feeling that I was going to see an elk. I remember praying to God about several things and asking for an elk to come out; then I settled back to watch and listen to nature. Some wolves howled in the distance, squirrels busied themselves gathering food for winter, and a pileated woodpecker chattered as it pounded on a dead tree. About five o’clock a bull elk emerged from the creek bottom and ran like a race horse along the dark timber and disappeared. I moved about thirty yards and peered around a tree and could see him standing about two hundred yards away. Then just like that he was gone. I went back and got my pack and slowly started walking through the clear cut when I heard him calling about three hundred yards to my left. There he was on a hillside and I knew I had to shoot or the bull would be gone for good. I raised my Ruger 7mm magnum and fired and missed. The second shot missed but he still stood there. I shot a third and fourth time and the bull went down. On the third shot I asked God for some help. When I dressed the bull out I found out the third and fourth bullets were both killing shots.

I not only believe that God answered my prayer but helped with the shooting. Now why would He do that? Because God cares about every aspect of our lives; even the small ones. God wants to be involved in all of our life; He is a relationship God. He sent his Son to earth to die on a cross for all of our sins. We have the opportunity to bury all past sins with Jesus’ victory, yet too many people don’t believe in God’s redeeming grace.

When I include God in my life, things go much better. Satan likes us to go it alone and distance ourselves from God. He is the one who puts the thinking into our head that God doesn’t care. God does care about us; He calls us to fellowship with Him daily. Remember God is the awesome Creator of everything but He is also our Daddy.

So what would Ardella and I do with two elk? We had the family come over to help cut and wrap the meat and then divided it between Connie and Thane and Jolene and Vance. We thank God for the provision of food to feed our families this winter.

Experiencing Autumn

2009-10-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

Autumn is here with cooler temperatures and some needed moisture. The wood shed is nearly full which will supply us with warmth all winter. I have several projects to do yet outside before the snow flies, like building Spud a larger shelter and dividing the winter pen so the llamas don’t have to be with him. They do not like the horse. I also need to get two ton of hay to carry them through the winter; hopefully it is not as long as last year.

This year the freezer is full of elk meat which Ardella harvested last week. We haven’t had elk for thirteen years so we are very thankful for the great organic meat. The game we harvest is processed at home so we know the meat in the freezer is ours. It took us two days to cut and wrap the elk with the help of the family. The grand daughters helped by labeling each package so they realize where the meat came from. Hunting is criticized by some people but I believe it ties us back to the land and some basics of life.

Fall is a season of preparation for the long winters of north Idaho. It is my favorite time to be in the woods learning what the animals doing. The white tail bucks are starting to rub trees and paw ground scrapes so the rut is probably about two weeks away. I have located two nice bucks by their tracks that are using creek bottoms grown thick with brush. That’s why they are big and I will spend some time trying to figure them out.

Many people are preparing for winter knowing it is creeping closer and will pounce on them before they know it. Unfortunately, few people prepare their spiritual life by knowing Jesus as their personal savoir. Jesus waits to give them eternal life; it’s a free gift. He bought it on the cross.

Frosty Mountain Morning

2009-10-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

An arctic freeze plunged northern Idaho to record low temperatures over the weekend. Saturday started the rifle elk and deer season and Ardella has an elk tag so we got up at five o’clock to find a bull elk. We slept in the cabin on Friday night and kept the wood stove full so the cabin was quite toasty. The thermometer registered 14 degrees as we walked away from the warm cabin and the stars were brilliant in the predawn night. A half moon bathed the forest in light so I knew the elk had taken advantage of the moon to feed all night.

We tried to walk silently but the frozen ground was like walking on popcorn. Ardella and I trekked into the north wind as we made our way up an old road in heavy timber then out into a grassy clear cut. We sat down to watch an area where elk have been feeding recently but there was no sign of the tan bodies we hoped to see. The cold penetrated through our clothing and soon our feet were tingling. Some coyotes yapped to the north and later I heard wolves howling about a mile above us. The forest usually gets very silent once wolves announce their presence.

The sun was rising way too slowly on this cold morning. First, the Selkirk Mountains thirty miles west were bathed in light and the sun crept its way across the valley. It was nearly eight thirty before we felt the sun hit our backs and immediately the heat penetrate the cold clothing. As the sun hit the grass in the clear cut, millions of ice crystals danced like diamonds creating a beautiful sight. I thanked God for the glory of the morning.

As the sun warms our bodies, the Son of God warms us too. Jesus is the light of the world and illuminates warmth and hope into this cold dark world. Unlike the sun, His light is permanent and available for anyone that seeks Him. Unfortunately, too many people don’t believe in Jesus and miss out on the peace He has to offer. If you have never accepted Christ into your life, take time right now to ask Him in. You won’t regret it. Jesus is ready to forgive and forget anything you have done if you ask Him. Do it now! It will chase away the cold from your soul.

Making a Difference

2009-10-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

Too many people live a long life but not a full life of helping others. Today’s world calls us to focus on ourselves first. Rick Warren wrote in The Purpose Driven Life, “It’s not about you.” I have to admit it took me a while to understand that sentence. I find myself most blessed when I focus on other people as God intended us to do. I read an incredible story of a young man in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho whose life involved helping those in our military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Josh Wright was born with an illness that took his life recently at age 31. When the war in Iraq broke out Josh tried to enlist in the Marines but was turned down because of his illness. I’m sure Josh was mad that he couldn’t go but found another way to serve. He started gathering and sending personal items to Marines. Over time this grew into an enormous task. He talked corporations to send white socks to our military and wasn’t shy to get other people involved to help his cause. Josh would also spend hours on the internet encouraging those Marines and soon he had a band of brothers half way around the world looking forward to his packages and correspondence. When Josh found out that some wives back home were having a hard time buying diapers he got a diaper company to donate a whole truck load.

Josh got to meet with the Marine general that took Baghdad and during the meeting the general presented Josh the stars he wore on that campaign. Other Marines sent Josh the Stars and Stripes from various parts of Iraq and Afghanistan, along with other items they acquired. Several Marines looked him up to thank him personally. In their eyes Josh was a warrior and fellow patriot.

After reading this story and wiping the tears away I took inventory on how I’m doing helping other people. I found myself falling very short compared to Josh. I feel ashamed that I have only sent one box to Iraq. Then there are people right here in my community that are in desperate need for help. Many are unemployed and there are single moms that need things repaired.

We need more Josh’s in this world. Josh did not expect anything in return; his reward was knowing that he was helping the moral of our troops carrying out a difficult and dangerous assignment. Let’s be more like Josh and make the world a better place.

Climbing To The Top

2009-09-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

My son-in-law, Thane and I left the elk trail as it turned downhill because we wanted to go to the top of the ridge. There was a smaller deer trail that went left so I took it thinking it would be a short cut but soon a vertical rock wall loomed before us. The deer trail traversed across the steep face up to a lone pine tree. All I could think about is how many deer bones lay in the brush below for the ones that slipped. I asked Thane what he thought and his silent response was carefully working his way toward the pine tree. I knew then that I was committed to follow so I focused on the ground not looking off the trail. After we were safely on relatively flat ground I remarked, “Sometimes you and I do something crazy when we are hunting and that definitely qualifies.”

The mountain had many surprises for us as we would just get to what we thought was the top of the ridge only to be greeted by another ridge jutting up defiantly ahead of us. To make matters worse, we had to descend into a ravine before climbing up to the next bench. This pattern repeated itself for nearly two hours. When we finally got to the top ridge we took a rest before proceeding into the coolness of dark timber. It was there Thane whispered, “Elk!” I froze and looked just off the trail sixty yards ahead to see the antlers of a nice bull. Three bulls stood in a small swale trying to decide what we were. We cow called and thought they might stay but one bull finally turned and headed downhill. Soon we were left in the silence of the moment savoring what we had just encountered. The rest of the day we poked around a brush field and came across several fresh elk beds but never heard or saw any elk. We descended down through a clear cut as darkness closed the day but the afternoon encounter with three majestic bulls of God’s creation made up for the terrible climb we did earlier.

Life is full of terrible climbs as we go through the years. We try to climb the vocation mountain, the financial success mountain, and the social mountain only to come out battered and weary. Just when we think the top is in reach a ravine comes along. There is one mountain that we can climb and come out on top, the spiritual mountain. When we turn our life over to Jesus we have help to get to the top of life and eternity. God designed us for a relationship with Him so he can help us everyday. Sadly, many people never seek Him. They would rather tough it out on their own. I have a friend and spiritual brother going through a very difficult time financially but he is at peace because he knows the Father. He understands in his heart it is more important to know Jesus than anything else in life. His faith can not be shaken.

Are you having trouble with a mountain? God cares and wants to help. He is just waiting to hear from you. Grab a prayer partner and both of you spend time communicating with the Father. God is the ultimate mountain climber!

The Bear and The Bees

2009-09-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

We have all heard about the birds and the bees but I recently learn some facts of life from a bear and a hive of bees. Last Friday evening was quite warm for September but I headed for an old tree stand that I put up about ten years ago. Even though two well used game trails meet in the small clearing by the stand, I have never seen anything bigger than a pine squirrel.

As I approached the clearing it was very evident that a bull moose had just been there as dirt was freshly dug up and a few bushes received the pounding from his rack. A lovesick bull moose can be dangerous this time of year so I quickly put my elk decoy, Henrietta in the ground and started for the tree. I noticed a bear had also been there as many logs were freshly torn up. I climbed the ladder and had just put the bow on the platform when I heard the buzzing of bees even though my hearing isn’t too good. A glance to my left revealed a hive of bald faced hornets that the bear had just visited. Evidently the bear took advantage of the steps to the stand and crawled up, reached out and swiped the nest; removing the bottom half. The hornets were flying madly around and it is fortunate I blended into the tree enough to fool them. I bailed off the steps hitting the ground running. Then it dawned on me that my bow was still on the platform about four feet from the hornets. All I could do was set down and wait for them to calm down which took nearly an hour; then I slowly climbed up the steps and grabbed the bow. All I could think that this time I would see an elk since my bow was in the tree.

I chuckled as I headed to a different area for the rest of the evening and watched a glorious sunset. This evening reminded me how life can throw us unexpected obstacles and circumstances. It is only by having faith in God that we can deal with them in peace. God is in control; we aren’t. When life deals us a curve we should go to God immediately as He is waiting to help us. Men especially, often want to slug it out on their own which doesn’t work near as good. Grab a buddy and pray together.

Walking In God's Garden

2009-09-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

I took off Monday afternoon and went archery elk hunting even though the temperature hovered near ninety degrees. I left Ardella in camp with the Jolene and the granddaughters and off course, Sadie. I left in a hurry and forgot to take any water, binoculars, and my elk decoy, Henrietta. My path resembled the kids in the Family Circus cartoon when they are supposed to go to the neighbor’s house and instead cover two blocks and climb trees and fences to get there. I proceeded up an old road through Vance’s property and discovered the fresh scat of a black bear but my mind was focused on finding elk. I walked the old road out along the top end off a clear cut made several years ago but could not find any elk tracks so I headed farther out along another road that dissects a more recent clear cut still not finding any elk tracks. An old grown in road cut down toward a creek bottom where I had set up camouflage cloth for a ground blind at an old elk wallow; so I turned down it knowing it would be cooler in the dark timber. To my surprise I found the blind fabric strewn across the ground and ripped into two pieces. At first I thought a moose had got tangled up in it but closer inspection revealed a black bear had found it. The bear also dug out some insects at the base of a tree where the fabric was hanging. I hung up the big part and checked the wallow but there have not been any elk use it yet so I proceeded back to the road in the clear cut and soon found some recent elk tracks. I followed the road around the hill where it ended but could not find any more tracks so I headed up a trail that parallels a small creek. I have never been in the creek bottom that tumbles its way through big dark timber and decided to explore this cool area the God had created. I descended into the cool timber where the temperature dropped about twenty degrees. The forest floor was a mat of pine needles and the gurgle of the creek very pleasant. A few ferns grew near the waters edge but other than that it was like walking through a cathedral of old trees I found numerous deer trails and spotted some old four by six beams stretched across some old logs. They were the remains of an old log flume that over sixty years ago carried logs out of the mountains to the valley below where they were loaded on train cars and taken to the Humbird mill in Sandpoint.

I was trying to envision the kind of life these rugged men had living in the woods most of the year when I saw a bone of a deer leg. I looked up and spotted the jaw bone several feet away and picked it up to age the deer by the wear on the teeth and decided that this deer was probably four years old. As I cast a glance to my left, some white antlers caught my eye. There was the skull and antlers of a nice five by five white tail buck. I determined it had been here nearly two years and realized I may have seen this year the year before he died as a nice four by four buck. He was with a huge five point buck and though I could have easily taken him, I choose to wait out the big guy who seemed to have a sense that something wasn’t right and melted back into the brush. A year later I took the big buck but never saw this buck again.

I climbed my way out of the creek bottom and took up a position by an old log pile for the rest of the evening and watched the sun slowly disappear over the Selkirk Mountains. As I walked back to camp in the dark and to lazy to dig out a head lamp I talked out loud to God, thanking Him for the adventure of the afternoon. We all need to get out in God’s outdoors and wander around and thank Him for his wonderful creation.

Honor and Oath

2009-08-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

The Bible speaks about honor and oaths many times and how important they were. The two are hard to separate without affecting their meaning. God made oaths to his people and followed up that He would honor the oath. When people took an oath in biblical times, it was like signing a contract and sealed by honor. It was like sealing an agreement with a handshake which is rare these days. I still like to do that with someone because to me it is a binding agreement that I am willing to put my honor on the line. Our Pastor Steve is that kind of guy that believes a handshake is something that seals the importance of the moment. He is someone I can relate to and trust. Oaths are all about trust and belief.

You can tell our country has changed because now two parties need lawyers and written contracts and honor is often thrown out the window. Our elected officials take an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States as do our military. The difference is the military honor that oath but the politicians forget all about after they are in office. We have many of our leaders trying their best to circumvent the Constitution and tell us it is outdated for our times. I don’t think so! It is going to take this country getting back to God to see any of his blessings. Right now I’m not confident that will happen.

It is time for Christians to become active in government and demand accountability from our leaders. We need to remind them of the oath they took which the founding fathers knew was important for this country’s survival. Those men looked for guidance from God everyday with prayer to guide them. How many of our elected leaders do that?

The foundations of this Republic are being shaken and we are close to losing our God given freedoms that so many people died for. We need to pray that our leaders seek the Creator for wisdom and that this country will humble itself before God. He promises to hear our prayers and heal our land. It is an oath He made thousands of years ago.

Teamwork

2009-08-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

August 21 is our 44th anniversary which is getting to be a milestone in today’s world. We are blessed to have two great daughters and son-in-laws plus two sweet granddaughters. Life is sometimes a blur and we have to step back and realize the blessings Gods bestows on us.

Marriage is about teamwork; learning each others strengths and using that to help each other. Ardella balances me out with her peacemaker strength which I often need. I have learned much about patience from her. Fortunately we both like the outdoor world and love exploring God’s creation. Ardella has helped me band ducks in Iowa, climbed numerous mountains in Idaho, and enjoyed the wildness of Alaska as much as I did. She is an excellent shot and has harvested more black bears and elk than I have. She has always been my favorite hunting partner.

Too many couples opt out of marriage because they are not a team. Each lives a life without involving their mate in much of their daily lives. Going it alone will not make a marriage.

Color Purple

2009-08-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

The woods of north Idaho are experiencing a bumper crop of huckleberries this year. The purple fruit is highly prized for pies and jam. We like them in hotcakes. It has been several years since there was a good crop so both bears and people are enjoying the bounty. The other evening we drove up Baldy Mountain north of Sandpoint and came home with over four and a half gallons of huge purple berries. I kept an eye out for bears as I picked since they had visited the patch I found laden with big juicy berries. I have never had any trouble with bears while picking but you never know so I carry a can of bear spray. I always leave enough for bears to eat when I’m done as the huckleberry is an important food source to them so they can build up fat for their winter nap.

The color purple was highly prized by the Hebrews as a symbol of royalty. Fabric was dyed various shades of purple from a mollusk that lives along the Mediterranean shores. Solomon had the seat of his chariot covered with purple and the priest used it on their robes. Remember. They put a purple robe on Jesus at his trial to mock him.

Jesus didn’t need a purple robe to show he is King. The empty tomb declares Jesus is our King and Savoir. He will come back with an angel army to gather up his people. Will you be one of them? Spending eternity with Him really isn’t as hard as religion makes it. We need to recognize Jesus as our Savoir, ask Him to forgive our sins, and spend the rest of this life glorifying Him to others. If you don’t know Him, please invite Jesus into your heart right now. He is waiting.

Party On

2009-08-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday and we went out for lunch with Connie, Jolene, Vance and the girls. We celebrated Sunday afternoon when the whole family could be here. Ardella and the little girls made me a delicious chocolate cake from scratch which is my favorite. Hannah and Lizzie help Grandma decorate the cake and said it would be the best one I ever had. I totally agree!

Some people think life is an ongoing party and live only for the moment. Unfortunately they don’t see the whole picture and their lives are really hollow shells of what they could be. God calls us to live with purpose. Rick Warren wrote, “Its not abut you.” It took me three times of reading the book to get it. Jesus said we should have a servant’s heart; living a life of helping others.

The real party will be when we enter Heaven where there is no sickness or problems we live with on earth. The Apostle Paul was given glimpses of Heaven but said he could not reveal the glory he saw. I believe Heaven will be greater then anyone can imagine. The God of Creation is going to knock our socks off! Many people will not experience the party because they will not accept Jesus as their savoir. He offers us a free gift and we reject it. If you do not know Jesus this is as good as your party gets; but if He is your Savoir, the real party won’t begin until you leave this world. Which party would you rather be at?

I have a fourteen old cousin that found out today he has stage four cancer so I would like prayers for Trevor and his family. Ardella and I prayed with his Grandma and an aunt and uncle this week for a miracle of healing. We prayed for some of the family members to put their trust in Jesus and accept Him as savior. Pray that God uses this time to change lives for eternity.

It's All About Love

2009-07-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

My week was going pretty smoothly and then Ardella brought home this wonderful photo our daughter Connie took of the granddaughters loving on Sadie. Sadie loves these two munchkins very much and is always excited to see them arrive at our house. They return the love as you can see in this cherished photograph which I have titled, “Golden Moments." Sadie is totally immersed in the pouring out of their love; receiving it with total gladness.

The photo got me thinking about Luke 6:27 through 36. Jesus starts out by telling us to love our enemies. Now that is a hard commandment for me not to break! He told us to love our neighbor and right now mine are shooting off firecrackers even though it is extremely dry. Love can be hard for me to comprehend and convey; especially after I interrupted this writing to ask them not to shoot firecrackers, they still kept lighting them. My better judgment prevailed and I called 911 instead of going back to persuade them which would not have been good. Please God, give me new neighbors, ones easier to love.

Verse 35 says God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked and I thought how could the God of Creation do that; then realized I sometimes fall into that classification. Jesus closes this lesson telling us to be merciful because God is merciful to us. Jesus showed the ultimate example of love by nailing all our sins with him on the cross so we can be saved by God’s amazing grace. Now that is Love!

Rugged Majesty

2009-07-23T21:42:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday afternoon we went with Connie and Thane to Farragut State Park where they launched their boat among the many people that were enjoying the great varied facilities the park offers. There were picnics, campers, swimmers, mountain bikers, and boaters spending a leisure day relaxing. During WWII, Farragut was a busy naval training camp for tens of thousands of sailors. I knew a few of them personally so the park holds a special interest for me. They would have rather visited it as a park but never regretted the job they were called to do for us.

I had never been on the south half of Lake Pend Orielle and was captivated by the rugged beauty of the mountains that plunge straight down into the clear depths of the lake. God created spectacular granite rocks that perch hundreds of feet above the lake and descend deep into the clear water. Many times when we were only fifty feet of shore the depth finder measured well over one hundred feet of water below us. One time it measured seven hundred eighty eight feet which is not the deepest part of the lake. Every bend in the shoreline had something great to offer. We stopped one a beach that was all flat skipping stone rocks. The little boy came out in me as I tried to skip each rock a little farther before it disappeared into the depths of the lake. I pictured Jesus and the disciples doing the same thing on the shores of Galilee with Peter boasting he could beat all of them.

As we made our way up the east side many old mining sites are still visible and remnants of some communities remain. Huge ponderosa pines line the shoreline like guardians of the lake. There were several dead twisted junipers that got my attention as I could see neat pieces of driftwood in them to carve fish on. Next time I will have to take a saw. On our return trip back to the boat launch we saw a family of eagles that were learning to test their wings with an adult watching nearby.

Some people would say Lake Pend Orielle was formed by accident due to some natural disaster but I believe God purposely made it for our enjoyment. I think he sat back and smiled. God made it one of the deepest fresh water lakes in the world so it would give the valleys to the south and west an abundant supply of water for crops and cities. Do you think he knew Spokane would develop into a big city someday and need a fresh supply of water? I believe he did just as he knows about our life before we are born.

Summer is marching on so take some time to enjoy God’s creation and praise Him for all the beauty.

Spud

2009-07-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

Grandchildren can get the grandparents to do almost anything as we found out this week. Jolene and Vance own Fjord horses which are very beautiful animals. This spring they acquired a free ten year old gelding Fjord named Spud. Heidi, our veterinary’s wife says there is no such thing as a free horse and I know she is right. Spud is a little guy in size but thinks he is as big as a Belgian work horse. Their other gelding, Amos is a very big Fjord and wasn’t about to let this new guy boss him so they had to keep them separated by electric fence to prevent one from getting hurt. Vance decided that Spud had to go to a new home and thought a neighbor was going to take him but she backed out probably also knowing there is no free horse.

I didn’t know a four year old and a six year old could devise the right plan to find Spud a home. They each came to me twice in two weeks asking me if I liked Spud. Of course I said yes both times not knowing I was being set up. After the second time I said yes, they said since I liked him so much that I should take him. I told the girls they would have to convince Grandma, which only took a few minutes. So yesterday Spud arrived at our place. I thought he might be afraid of the llamas but they are afraid of him so we keep them in different pens.

Spud has a warrior heart in him not realizing he is small in size. He is a proud little horse that will follow me around the pasture like a dog. Spud seems willing to submit to me and trusts me. Tonight, I threw a pack on him while he grazed and Spud just stood there and let me cinch it up tight.

God puts a warrior’s heart in us but many people never find it. Jesus had that heart as did David, Peter, Paul, Andrew, John and hundreds of other people in the Bible. Just as Spud trusts me we should fully trust God in our lives. We are to be warriors reflecting the love of Christ to other people. Christianity isn’t a spectator sport; instead we should be on the playing field, running the ball to the goal post.

I’m sure I will learn much more from Spud in the coming weeks which I can write about. If you have grandchildren just be careful what you say yes to or you might get a free horse.

Knapweed

2009-07-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

I have been working at a new home that sets high above the Pend Orielle River with awesome views. It makes the time go fast. I first tilled the lawn area for hydro seeding of wildflowers and also a low maintenance grass. So I set up sprinklers on timers that water the lawn four times a day and today I could see tiny plants emerging. The owners are vacant landowners so I have the place all to my self; except for the deer and turkeys.

Today I decided to declare war on the knapweed that grows profusely in the light soil around the house. Knapweed is a plant that is hard to control and can take over other vegetation in a few years. It has a long tap root that goes deep to suck water in the driest soils. The plant produces multiple flowers and each flower casts off hundreds of seeds. The plant also produces toxins that kill off good plants so pretty soon all you have is knapweed. Because of these toxins it is good practice to wear gloves when pulling knapweed.

Knapweed is similar to the sin we have in our lives. It is often deep rooted and hard to pull out. Sin can consume our entire life and suck out all hope. The toxins of sin will definitely kill us and infect other around people; spreading the sickness over a large area. What are we to do? Jesus is the only source able to pull the long roots of sin from our life. There isn’t a sin that He can’t handle or hasn’t heard of. All we have to do is ask forgiveness and put our faith in Him. Jesus will kill the ugliest of sin in our lives.

Are you ready to get the knapweed out of your life? Go to the Savoir; He is always waiting. Remember He is a relationship not a stuffy religion!

Thank You

2009-07-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

We had a great family weekend camping and enjoying our nation’s birthday in the mountains. The granddaughter’s find nature so fascinating and come up with various insects. They both rode their new horse and I even got on her and went for a nice ride. Our camp swelled to thirteen people on Saturday.

Old Glory was erected at the camp entrance so we could remember those that have died for our freedoms. My thoughts and prayers were with a Marine Major in special ops that is in Afghanistan and emailed last week that they were about to enter into a new phase of battle. We were also visited last week by a young woman that is in the service with a squadron of top gun pilots and they could be employed to Korea. Her brother is just finishing boot camp in Oklahoma and headed to school for medics. Another young friend is headed to the Oklahoma camp where he will also become a medic after boot camp. We are very proud for these people and the rest of our military and pray God’s protection over them.

It frustrates me how we have forgotten that God lead our founding fathers in forming our country. They sought His guidance in prayer and God answered and blessed us with a mighty nation. We will only be blessed if we seek His face. I’m afraid that Americans have become arrogant and hostile to God and that we are on our way to self destruction. It is very evident that our many of our elected officials and citizens have turned from God and our nation is in a real mess. We can not heal ourselves; only God can do that as he promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

I want to thank our veterans and our current military for their service which has kept us a strong and free nation. They are the best of the best. Thank you!

Knock-Knock

2009-06-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughters like to make up knock-knock jokes to tell me. They usually don’t make much sense but I get a good laugh out of them. There is another kind of knock-knock that isn’t a joke. In many countries Christians meeting in homes fear the knock on the door that results in police breaking up their prayer meetings. Most of the time the people are threatened and sometimes put in prison for worshipping Jesus. The Voice of Martyrs is one organization that tracks the persecutions worldwide.

I was stunned recently when I read that it happened in the United States. Christians meeting for Bible study were told by authorities that they were violating the law. When did our Constitution get changed? It was hardly mentioned in the news media. Why aren’t we outraged that our country has forgotten God? Our country has been great because it was founded on Christian principals and we used that as our guide but in the last fifteen years we have rejected God. I’m not sure if this nation can crawl out of the abyss it is sliding down. We have forgotten what truth looks like. As Christians, we need to pray for our nation and the people in leadership that they will seek God.

If we want our cities, states, and nation changed for God it begins with us. Jesus said he stands at the door and knocks. He was talking about the door to our hearts because that is where life has to change first. Jesus wasn’t talking about a new religion; He was talking about a real relationship with Him. Go somewhere this week and get alone so you can hear him knocking. Let Him in and find His peace.

One Year Ago

2009-06-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

This time last year my body was under attack from a mysterious virus which baffled doctors. It started with a weird stiff neck and then proceeded into a headache, hot back spasms, and a high fever. I was poked, prodded, and x-rayed yet the doctors could not find the cause. Blood tests didn’t reveal anything but I believe I had west nile virus. The blood test for that was over $600.00 and there is no cure for it so I opted not to take it. Your body has to fight off the virus. Most people with bad cases of west nile end up in the hospital for hydration but I was drinking water like a fish.

I remembered finding some dead songbirds in our yard about two weeks prior and disposed of them. This made me search the internet about west nile and I had nearly all the symptoms. My doctor agreed but without the expensive test it could not be confirmed and according to the health district no cases have ever been recorded in north Idaho. So the high fever persisted and I sweat buckets of water as my body fought off the virus.

After seven days of fever my friend Ross called and asked to come over and pray over me for healing. I gladly agreed. Ross and some of my family read scripture on healing, anointed me with oil and prayed for healing. Within an hour my fever started to decline and by evening it had completely disappeared. I called the doctor on Monday and told her what happened. She said she believed in healing. Not all people that I have related this story to have shared her feelings. I tell the story to people and let God deal with their hearts. It was life changing for me and I look at life different then I did before this virus hit me. I savor each day as a gift and realize how precious life is.

I am very thankful to God for the healing and give Him the praise and glory. It proves He does want involved in our lives. God definitely got my attention that He is in control. Many people live like there is no God and even many that do believe in Him don’t really take his healing seriously. Jesus healed, the disciples healed, and the Bible says we can be healed too. Why do we doubt? Does everyone get healed? No, God has our life mapped out and He regulates our days, we don’t.

God has done some amazing things in my life the last two years and I wait with eager anticipation wondering what He will do next. We can never out guess God. Give Him praise and glory for your life and live like this is your last day on earth. It will change your life.

Landscaping Our Hearts

2009-06-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

Since carving orders have been very slow, I have turned to another gift God gave me which is landscaping. I like getting to improve people’s yards and each one offers a new challenge. One I just finished is a large beautiful home on the shores of the Pend Orielle River. They wanted some shrubs and flowers put along two sides of the house. You know the saying about building your house on a strong foundation- they did just that. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. I made up a diagram for the owners to see so they could understand what I envisioned. Once they agreed I started digging holes where the shrubs would be placed and dug up shovels of rocks. I than placed about fourteen inches of topsoil over the area marking the holes so I would know where to plant. In about two days the house was lined by many new shrubs that will give them a colorful border to their beautiful home. I placed ground cloth over the new landscape and brought in six yards of fine bark to finish off the new project. When I was done I stepped back to survey the finished project and was very happy that the home looked much more inviting than before. So I left for the weekend hoping the owners would be pleasantly surprised when they came home.

The surprise was on me when the lady called and said the bark was not to her liking. She insisted I remove it and replace it with bigger bark. I explained the reason for using fine bark was because she did not want any border on the beds and bigger bark would not stay in place. That did not do much to convince her and she said they would talk it over. What a way to start a relaxing weekend! On Saturday I attended an Iron Sharpens Iron event and realized I needed to turn the dilemma over to God. I thought that God could handle the situation better than I could You know what; he took control of it and they accepted the fact that small bark would be okay.

That got me thinking about how God wants to come in and landscape our hearts and minds and we often resist. He wants to tear up all the rocks and weeds we grow in our life and make us new and beautiful. Why do we resist so much? We think our life is in control so please God go work in someone else; they really need changed.

Jesus is always ready to step in and make us new. It just takes an invite. Don’t wait, eternity is too important. I find when I let God take over life works better. Let God come in and dig up all the dirt and plant something beautiful in your life.

Rufus

2009-06-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

Our yard is alive with birds and wildlife this time of year. A family of robins is nesting in a spruce tree in the front yard and some swallows are using the houses. Baby squirrels are out of the nest and enjoying the corn I put out for them. Mallards and wood ducks are also feeding on corn at the edge of the pond. God created the male wood duck one of the most beautiful of birds. Then there is the male Rufus hummingbird that occupies the front yard. He doesn’t know he is the smallest bird in our yard as he chases other birds that enter his territory. Ardella and I often get dive bombed by him as we water the outdoor plants.

I admire the personality God placed in him; courageous and committed to his purpose. God placed the same courage in David as he guarded his father’s sheep and as he faced Goliath. Then when Samuel anointed David as king, David lost that courage and was pursued relentlessly by Saul and his army. David’s life was in a mess for a while until he fully trusted God and the purpose God had called him. He went on to be a great king and a man after God’s heart.

We go through the same problems in life as David when we don’t believe in God’s promises. You know, it is easier to go it alone. Satan likes us to be separated from God so he can whisper lies to us. Christ is our armor and encourager. Through Him we overcome obstacles and lead the life God intended for us to have. Don’t be robbed of your full potential. Serving God always brings us to a fullness of spirit. The same courage that God put in the little hummingbird is available to us if we seek the Father. It works best for me when I call Him Daddy. Be a David this week and go slay your Goliath.

Restoring Our Soul

2009-05-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

The treadmill of life seems to run full speed wearing us down both physically and spiritually. Unless we find ways to slow things down many of us crash and burn. For Ardella and me it can be as simple as spending a few hours in the mountains. We recently went bear hunting one sunny evening and even though we didn’t find any bears, out spirits were lifted up by being in God’s creation.

I parked the truck on an old road separating a clear cur and thick timber so Ardella could watch the road and hillside. About twenty feet from the truck was a muddy area that contained the clear tracks of a medium sized grizzly bear. I cautiously walked over the hill to an old log pile that over looks the clear cut where we have taken some nice whitetail bucks. From this vantage point I could watch along the lower part of the cut where a creek meanders through some old timber. Soon I spotted some movement that turn out to be a doe with her last year’s fawn. They fed in the area for the rest of the evening. Two other deer appeared from the top as did a big bull moose. The bull was enjoying all the new green shoots on trees and was really chowing them down. He looked in good shape in spite of the long winter. One of the does fed very close to him but he didn’t seem to mind. As the sun lowered in the western horizon over the Selkirk mountain range I headed back to the pickup. Ardella had watched four deer too and enjoyed one that came closer to investigate the truck. We went home restored by spending an evening with God in his wonderful creation.

The Bible speaks of our restoration many times. Psalm 80:3 says, “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” We are only fully restored by a relationship with Jesus; without Him our lives are a mess. Jesus speaks of giving us a peace and freedom that come from the Father. Why do we resist that and try to find peace in this world. Have you noticed that there isn’t much peace right now in the world? Instead there are financial worries, wars and threats of more wars, complete breakdown of families, abortion accepted as normal, and many more problems. We look for governments to fix these problems instead of God. The Bible I read says that won’t work. But who needs God?

Take some time to get restored; take a hike in the mountains, go fishing, or spend an evening around a camp fire and let God refresh you. Let the light of Jesus shine again through you to the lost sheep of this world.

Freedom Requires a Sacrifice

2009-05-26T21:14:00.000-07:00

Freedom always requires a sacrifice. Yesterday our nation recognized the sacrifices of lives that have been given freely so we can enjoy freedoms we take for granted everyday. Men and women of our armed services have laid down their lives, others suffering permanent injury for our freedoms. A walk through a national cemetery brings home the realization how little most of us have given. Clebe Mc Clary, a Marine Lieutenant severely wounded in Viet Nam once said, “You have never lived until you nearly die.” Clebe went through years of surgeries yet never has felt bitter and is a great patriot. He is now in God’s Army and changes people’s lives and gives them hope. You can visit him at www.Clebe Mc Clary.com

I thank all veterans and our present service people for the sacrifices they have done and do every day for us.

Jesus said he came to set us free. What did he mean? Jesus took on all the sins of the world at the cross so we can be set free of all our sins. Too many people don’t believe in Him so they continue to carry the burden of sin. It is like being in spiritual chains. How about it? What is your life like? Are you willing to accept him as your savoir? He made the sacrifice just for you!

Mom's Day

2009-05-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day with the usual tradition of taking a driving tour at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge near Bonners Ferry. It was a gorgeous sunny day and our first stop was at the headquarters so the granddaughters could look through the telescopes and find some geese. They also enjoyed seeing a replica of an eagle’s nest and watching hummingbirds at a feeder. As we proceeded through the refuge on the dike road, we were greeted by several broods of new goslings, a turtle, various ducks, and an eagle setting in a tree. We were watching the eagle and noticed the old nest in a large cottonwood was gone but knew the eagle acted like there was another one nearby. Just then we saw the eagle’s mate fly up from some tall grass with its talons full of dry grass. The eagle flew directly over us about twenty feet off the ground and dropped the grass into a nest that contained its young. The parent that had been perched in the tree took flight to hunt food for the family and the other eagle remained nearby to guard the eaglets. That was not only a great Mother’s Day present; it was also a good lesson on raising children. Our tour continued as we watched hawks, deer, pheasants, and a beautiful mountain bluebird.

The whole time we were reminded how important mothers are in raising youngsters whether they are human babies or God’s wild creatures. Mothers shape the lives of their children and prepare them for life. I give credit to Ardella for the wonderful job she did raising our two daughters. Their relationship isn’t just mother and daughters; it is based on friendship and trust. The girls aren’t the only ones blessed for having Ardella as their mom, so am I.

Mom's Day

2009-05-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

If My People

2009-05-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

About six hundred people gathered at Farmin Park in downtown Sandpoint, Idaho today to observe the National Day of Prayer. We thought it was important even though our president has different ideas about praying as a nation. Our founding fathers strongly believed in praying to God for mercy and guidance. They were men who believed in the saving blood of Jesus.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says if my people pray and humble themselves and seek God’s face he will hear our prayers and heal our land. Right now our land needs a healing by God. We are sliding down the slope of self destruction bent on our own intellect to save us. This nation slaughters unborn children, worships riches, and the government is playing God. The government is trying to push God out of our lives and set their authority over God’s laws. We can only pray that God is able to change their hearts and minds. I encourage all Christians not lose the hope we have in Christ. We know the end of the story and who wins. Just make sure you are on the winning team. Christ is coming!

Several prayers were offered by area pastors for our country. We had a color guard shared by young boy scouts and some veterans of WWII. That was really neat. I believe the most stirring moment was when Pamela Faye Houston was singing If My People with her lovely voice and two bald eagles flew right over the park. They just didn’t slowly fly over but were sparring with each other providing a spectacular sight. Now what are the chances that two eagles would fly over the park at tree top height and especially during Pamela’s song? God is Great!

God has been working in the Sandpoint area the last two years and Christians are coming together like never before. There is a new unity in the spirit. This is the second year in a row that hundreds of people have joined to pray for our country. We had men from ten churches put on a Christian sport show and hundreds of people from various churches went out to do work projects throughout the community. Thirty cord of firewood was collected for needy families last winter and we are looking forward to doing that again.

Changing a country starts in our communities with each of us showing the love of Jesus to others. The first place to start is with prayer to God. He will hear us.

Our Life Line

2009-04-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

During the last thirty three years of living in Idaho I have done several things to put food on the table. I have worked in sawmills, cleaned chimneys, sold feed supplements, owned a janitorial business, landscaping, general tractor work, and wood carving. I tell people that I have done nearly anything legal. Last week a friend asked if I could repair cedar siding on a lady’s house. The siding on some of the second floor dormers had warped and cracked in need of repair before her house could be painted. So I took over all the necessary tools and ladders. Part of the repair was above the metal patio roof which wasn’t too hard until I had to use an eight foot ladder to reach the top boards. The ladder wanted to slide as soon as I started climbing up it. So I got my sweet wife talked into getting on the roof with me to hold the ladder. Ardella panicked a little but tried to hold the ladder for me. It wanted to slide down the metal roof.

The next day I took a young guy with me and he was barely able to hold the ladder but we finally finished the repairs on the metal roof. I told Eddie he could leave as the other repair required a rope thrown over the steep garage roof so it could be tied to a tree. Next I put on a harness and attached myself to the rope and climbed the ladder. I had to slowly work my way up the steep pitch allowing the rope to take all my weight. With my hands free I was able to get the repairs finished sooner than I thought I would. Because I have used the same system to remove snow from roofs at the ski mountain, I felt perfectly safe hanging two stories above the ground. It is amazing to put such trust in a nylon rope and harness.

I got to thinking about how God wants to be our life line; not just when we are in trouble but everyday. We can put our entire life in his hands and know He will keep us safe. You know what the trouble is? Many of us refuse to let God be our life line. Especially guys; now men you know what I’m talking about. Men want to do it their way; I have tried and have often fallen off the roof of life. Why do men have trouble letting God into their daily activities? For some it is pride, others may have had problems trusting their earthly father so why trust God. I’m afraid for many it is just plain arrogance, a hard heart.

Jesus taught his disciples they should call God Abba Father. What that means in Hebrew is Daddy. If you have never addressed God as Daddy, try it. It will break down the religious dogma that many of us learned when we were young. God wants to be a relationship to us not a religion. Our prayers do not have to be eloquent; just keep them from the heart. God hears us from our heart. I can tell you firsthand that keeping God as a religion for so many years in my life was a big mistake. MY LIFE WAS DULL AND BORING! When I realized that God wanted to take part in every day of my life; my life was transformed. That doesn’t mean all my troubles disappeared but now I know I have a life line.

Living in a Tent

2009-04-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Throughout our marriage, we have owned several tents. I have always liked camping and I still have a wall tent that my parents had sixty years ago. Ardella and I have set up tents and camps in Idaho and Alaska. Our elk camps usually had three to four tents and some falls the camp would be used for nearly a month by different family members and out of state friends. One of our most cherished tents is an old wall tent that a friend gave us after his father died. They had used it for many years and I knew if the tent could talk it would have some tall tales. We are looking forward to using it this summer and then our granddaughters will be a new generation to enjoy the old tent. Memories will be made.

Tent camping in Alaska took on a whole new dimension due to the weather and large bears. The first night I spent in the Alaskan bush, I realized how fragile a tent is in a raging storm. We were set down as a storm was brewing and only got two tents up and a few supplies inside before it hit with a vengeance. The bulk of our supplies for the next month were covered with tarps which were secured with rocks. Both tents shook violently all night but stayed up. In the five falls I guided, tents would be flooded, tent poles would snap like tooth picks, and sometimes we would keep someone in the tents to make sure they stayed in place.

When there is a large brown bear outside the tent at night, you realize how vulnerable and dangerous sleeping in a tent can be. I had a bear run into the tie down ropes and then slam against the tent wall, shaking me awake very fast. I didn’t go back to sleep and at daylight the bear was fishing for salmon about fifty yards from camp. While we never had a bear rip into a tent it happens often in Alaska every year. The thin fabric slices like butter in their claws. Ardella and I found a camp a bear had hit and evidently the campers jumped into their boats and left, never coming back to retrieve anything. The bear had ripped and chewed on every item. We were camped about a mile down the shoreline, not too far for a bear to travel. So we slept every night with that on our minds. I would always sleep with my rifle and flashlight beside me. When I had a bear problem the rifle was loaded as I sat up and then I would grab the light. I would let the bear know that I was in the tent, like it didn’t already know that. My advice for anyone camping in bear country is to sleep lightly and have a big gun. Tent walls don’t offer much safety.

Our lives are like living in a tent; fragile and vulnerable to this world. Storms will come and blow hard; shaking our foundation and sometimes our beliefs. The only way to stay safe is to rely on God for wisdom, guidance, and protection. Our Heavenly Dad wants us to communicate with him all the time, not just when life is going bad. We can do that through prayer, reading God’s Word, and having a band of brothers, or sisters for women, to help us. God says if his people humbly pray he will hear their prayers. That doesn’t mean God will give us everything we ask for: He knows what we need better than we do. John Eldridge of Ransom Heart Ministries wrote a book called Walking With God which is a great book about talking to God and hearing back from Him. John’s writings made me realize how much God wants to be a part of our everyday lives. Why do we put God in a box instead of enjoying a life with Him? Everyday I see people with empty helpless lives because they don’t know how much God loves them. Jesus said, “My peace I leave with you.” Only Jesus can give us true peace when there is a storm shaking our tent.

The Plane is Coming

2009-04-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Alaskan bush pilots are known for dropping their passengers and cargo in a hurry; then off they go. One reason is the pilots are usually fighting the weather and have to deal with storms on a regular basis. On my first time dropped off in the Alaskan bush, another guide and I were flown into a remote lake as a storm was approaching so the pilot wanted to get unloaded and out of there. I remember waves splashing cold water over the top of my hip boots as I help unload a small mountain of gear and food. It is always nice to start the hunting season with wet boots.

I learned that waiting on a plane in Alaska was normal. We knew it would arrive sometime between sunrise and sunset. It wasn’t too bad when we were just exchanging clients but sometimes the whole camp had to be moved. That required taking down the tents and packing up all the gear and food so we would be ready for the plane. Remember the Alaskan weather wasn’t always nice to set out on the shoreline waiting for the sound of a plane. One time we had the whole camp down and under tarps when a snowstorm hit and the pilot was turned back by the weather. We had to set up two tents and dig out a stove while six of us endured a cold night hoping the weather would improve. The next morning we ate and took down one tent. When we finally heard the airplane approaching the other tent was taken down quickly. Six tired and cold guys were happy to get on the plane. The pilot was in a hurry as he had several other remote flights that day.

There is plane coming for us some day; are we ready? Jesus Christ will come back when we least expect him. Many people will still be in their sleeping bags of life not ready for a glorious reunion and a fantastic flight through crystal clear skies. None of us know when Jesus will return and many don’t believe in him. How about you? Do you have your bags packed and camp torn down? Instead of having all our physical gear ready we need to have our spiritual gear ready to fly at a moments notice. We can dump all our old baggage and garbage we have spiritually accumulated right now at the feet of Jesus. He will be glad to throw it away for you. Just ask him in a simple prayer for forgiveness and make him Lord of your life. Then you will be ready for the Heavenly Plane.

From Lamb of God to Lion of Judah

2009-04-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

When I was a youngster many farmers in Iowa raised several kinds of animals and most had a few sheep to keep the weeds down around the buildings. One of my favorite chores was to bottle feed a lamb as they were nice to hold with the soft wool. Lambs always seemed delicate and innocent as I held them.

Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God because He was the sacrificial lamb for our sins. He went to the cross willing and silent much like a little lamb would. Jesus was nailed to the cruel cross to take on all the shame and sins of all people for all time. I shudder to think that I have a responsibility for the pain he endured. I wish God could have had a Plan B. You know, just squish Satan like a bug on concrete. Instead, Jesus was mocked, beaten nearly to death and then endured the horrible agony of hanging on a rugged cross for hours. He was the true Lamb of God.

Three days later Jesus emerged the victorious risen savior and changed history forever. Jesus died the Lamb of God but came back as the Lion of Judah. He is the King over all nations and will come back to judge unbelievers. Those who have asked His forgiveness and live a new life do not have to worry about judgment or the wrath that will be poured out on the people and nations who mock Him.

A lion is a fearful and terrible animal that rules it’s kingdom as the supreme ruler. It fears nothing. I once was face to face with a cougar, so close I could have kicked it in the nose. Instead of being afraid I could only think that I was glad it wasn’t an Alaskan brown bear. Meeting an African lion face to face would mean certain death. I believe a male lion is one of God’s most beautiful creations in the animal kingdom; flowing dark mane, rippling muscles and a roar that proclaims his supremacy.

Jesus will come back with a mighty roar and everyone will proclaim his Holiness. But for some it will be too late. For us who believe we wait in great expectation for that day. At the rate prophesies are being fulfilled that hour could be very near. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior, the Lamb of God for your soul, please do it today. He is waiting and is ready to forgive you completely. Sins gone and forgotten. Then Jesus will be your Lion of Judah.

No Fooling

2009-04-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

God pulled an April fool’s joke on us yesterday by giving us a blanket of snow and it is still snowing this morning. Yes, global warming is very bad in north Idaho. I saw robins with coats on today.

My dear wife pulled an April fool’s joke on me when we were in college. We had only dated about a month and a half so Ardella caught me unaware that she would pull a prank on me. I had a report paper due in a class where the teacher had no sense of humor and it was a required subject so I was trying to bear through the boredom. The paper was to have a title page followed by three typed pages. Ardella volunteered to type it up as I typed at thirty five words a minute and she did one hundred and twenty. The paper was due April 1 so I met her outside the school just before my class to get the report.
As Ardella handed it to me I could see it wasn’t three pages and then to my horror it had mud all over the front page. She said that she had just dropped it in the mud. I slowly opened it up to read in big letters, April fool! Then with a big grin she handed me the real report.

Some events took place this week that I was hoping were April fool’s jokes but unfortunately they were not. The first one is our Secretary of Treasury told congress that he was opposed to the one world currency being proposed by Russia and China. Less than twenty four hours later he spoke at a news conference where he said it might be best to evolve into that system. I’m wondering why he told a lie to congress. Next is the appointment of Harold Koh to be the top legal advisor at the State Department. Mr. Koh believes we should be obligated to international law rather than those set up in the Constitution. So we would have the rest of the world deciding if we can own firearms, how to raise our children, and be subject to their pagan morals. Congress should not confirm him and send a message to the President to leave the Constitution alone. Then in Kansas an abortion doctor was acquitted on sixteen charges brought against him for practices not acceptable under Kansas law and those laws a very liberal.

There is hope in all this and that is God’s prophesies are being fulfilled quickly. Israel has a new prime minister that could really irritate the Arab world and Iran’s nuclear ambitions may be targeted for destruction soon. I believe something significant will happen yet this year between those two countries. The Bible says God will destroy Israel’s enemies and the whole world will know he is God. It will be spectacular! I don’t think our nation plays a part of importance in the end times. But there is hope and joy for those who believe in Jesus. Do you believe?

Little Children

2009-03-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughters came over and stayed yesterday so our house was filled with laughter and shouts of glee. They never cease to amaze us with their questions and how they look at life. Of course, Grandpa likes it when they turn their attention to the birds in our yard and ask questions. We spent some time watching out the window at the songbirds hopping around the front yard looking for food. The deer seemed to know they were here so they came in very early and entertained the girls. More questions were asked about the deer family with the girls especially concerned about the babies.

Our world would be better if we had the same view of life as children. When Jesus rebuked the disciples about letting the children come to him, I believe Jesus was talking about all children for all time as they face death and suffering at the hands of adults. Many cultures have practiced child sacrifice and unfortunately we still do. It is called abortion. Abortion isn’t any different than the hideous child sacrifices practiced since the beginning of time. Children are innocent whether they are born or unborn. They are living breathing humans that respond to pain.

Some friends of ours recently had their first child that was born with bruised big toes. The doctor concluded that little Jake had sucked on his toes while in his mother’s womb. I wish I could be that limber, not to suck on my toes but just to be able to bend like that. Jake, Mom, and Dad are doing good and he is experiencing lots of love. That is the way God intended life to be.

Our new President seems on a mission to liberalize abortion and destroy the lives of millions of innocent children. The government has not only replaced God, they are mocking Him and coming up with their own sets of truth to satisfy their pagan desires. Our founding fathers warned us that government should always seek God’s guidance and keep Jesus Christ in the fore front of our country’s foundation. We instead have chosen a path of self destruction which will result in God’s judgment and wrath poured out on us. I believe God shaking our financial institutions was just a wake up call but I think most Americans missed it.
Pray for the little children everywhere and pray that our nation comes back to God.

Spring is in the Air

2009-03-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a long winter in north Idaho and residents are looking forward to spring. Well, today is the first day of spring on the calendar and feels like it has arrived. I noticed a difference this morning when I fed the llamas as the air was warmer. Just a week ago we were experiencing record low temperatures and have had snow nearly everyday. But today the sun came out and the temperature hit sixty degrees. The snow finally started to melt.

I also saw something that is a sure sign of spring; swallows sailing through the air in search of insects. When we see them it shows God’s promise of spring. The western towhees are arriving and so are more robins. Our mother squirrels seem to be close to having babies. The wild hen mallard has returned with a drake and eats corn every evening as she has done for years. Now if I can only convince the thirty deer to leave before they devour the new emerging flowers. The other evening some of them were playing tag in our neighbor’s field chasing each other back and forth. It was great to see they felt good after months of snow.

God orchestrates the seasons in perfect harmony and nature responds to it in obedience to him. The birds and animals prepare for their young as God plants a season of plenty for them. They respond to the orders of the Creator. Why can’t we have the faith the birds and animals have in God?

God gave us a choice in life and often we mess things up. We messed things up so much that God had to send his son to die for our sins. Even then many people reject Jesus as their savoir. Being saved from our sins is a free gift; all it requires is our confession. Many people are too proud to ask forgiveness and unfortunately others feel they are not worthy. We are all made worthy through the blood of Jesus. If you haven’t asked God for forgiveness now would be a perfect time. You will have a clean slate; all your mistakes will be forgotten. It is like a breath of spring air in your soul!

The Real Stimulus Package

2009-03-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

The world economies turned upside down recently and now all we hear from our government is about how we will all be saved by the stimulus package. I’m not a financial guru but how do you tax yourself into prosperity? Small businesses are the backbone of our economy yet our government wants more tax dollars all the time. If they really wanted to create a healthy economic environment they would free up useless regulations and taxes so small businesses could prosper.

We could save millions if our elected officials in Washington lived like we do. I would like them to take a huge pay cut and provide for their own health insurance. Traveling at our expense should be cut off. Taking money from outside interest should be punishable by prison. The American people should be outraged by how corrupt our elected officials have become. They have forgotten how our founding fathers wanted a government based on the moral law of the Bible. Also forgotten is the importance our first leaders placed on their belief in Jesus Christ. You will never hear that in school.

So what kind of stimulus package does this country need? It needs one based on the authority of Jesus Christ. We need to put him first in all things. What do you think would happen if this country; every man, woman, and child got down on their knees at the same time and prayed to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says he would hear our prayers and save us. Why don’t we believe that?

Instead of believing in Wall Street we need to believe in the God of creation. Instead of the government being our savoir we should put that trust in Jesus Christ. The Bible should be our law book. Life would go easier.

Puppy Love

2009-03-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves a puppy. When Sadie was a few month’s old we went shopping in Spokane. I sat outside the mall with Sadie while Ardella shopped. Many people came by and wanted to pet the puppy. I would guess if I was the only one setting on the bench their reaction would have been different.

Last week Lizzie and Hannah stayed at our house while their mom and cousin went to Libby, Montana to get a new puppy. They didn’t know anything about it. On their way home Jolene called and we could hear some yipping over the phone. We asked Lizzie what that noise was and she stared at the phone and said, “It sounds like a puppy.” We told her that was her and Hannah’s new dog. We could tell she couldn’t believe it. Later they sent a photo of Rosie and then the girls realized they had a new dog. Jolene and Gary arrived with a little ball of fur with big feet and the girls were overjoyed. Rosie won’t be small very long as she is a cross between a golden retriever and a Newfoundland. Jolene is not getting much sleep trying to train the little girl.

Our relationship to God is similar to a puppy. We make messes, don’t listen, and generally seem like we will never learn. God is patient with us and wants to be a loving Father. He forgives all our short comings and sins in a blink of an eye. God wants to scoop us up in his arms and comfort us.

Dream Big

2009-02-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

These are fish our Granddaughters caught at the Sport Expo.

Have you ever had a dream to do something and wondered how it could ever occur? I want to tell you about one of mine that was fulfilled beyond expectations. About five years I could envision a family based sports show put on by Christians at our fairgrounds. I had no idea how to get it launched into reality. What I didn’t know was a guy named Dave Lotze who had moved to this area also had the same dream. Dave and I kept the dream alive in our hearts knowing God would bless it at His timing. About two years ago God wove our paths to cross and we found out that we both held the same passions for outdoor based ministry plus having the vision of a sport fair.

God then moved to pull men from different churches in the Sandpoint area to work and pray together. The past year has been awesome! Men became excited to reach out to families in new ways. Last summer about thirty cords of firewood was cut and stacked for needy families. God created a new era in Sandpoint with men from different churches praying together; walls of religion fell and Christ was exalted in a new spirit of unity. A core group of men began to meet to plan and pray about a sport expo. The Lord honored those prayers and things began to fall in place. We still knew the task before us was huge. Were there obstacles? Yes, there were many but God removed them all and opened up doors for the show to move forward.

Saturday morning, Dave and I were like two kids on Christmas morning, eager with anticipation. I hardly slept the night before. Over sixty vendor booths lined the main building representing north Idaho outdoor sports. We had hunting, fishing, boating, horse packing, archery, all terrain vehicles, snowboarding, sled dogs, artwork, outdoor photography, and several more outdoor areas represented. There were seminars on hunting, fishing, and GPS use. Nationally known Archery Hall of Fame Larry Jones spoke and had a booth. A twelve foot fish pond was filled with nearly seven hundred lively trout, some up to seven pounds. The fish pond was the center of attraction for the show as youngsters pulled in trout with shouts of glee. A photo shop was set up so they could get their pictures printed on a cover of Field and Stream Magazine to take home.

The show was started with a prayer and the national anthem rang out as I had never heard before from a woman healed by God from cancer. Her name is Pamela and many people’s lives were blessed by her story this weekend. The Sunday morning service brought a real life message about using a bow to hit a target and our relation to God. Our Cowboy church played the music. God is amazing!

Through a simple sport show we were able to show that Christians can work together to impact their community. A portion of the profits will go to Love Inc. which is a faith based local charity that helps needy families. As men, we grew a little in our walk with God and are anxious to do it again next year.

I thank God for letting me dream big!

Myth Busters

2009-02-04T19:33:00.000-08:00

There is a show called Myth Busters that I occasionally watch where two guys take stories or myths to see if they are true. It is my kind of show because they blow things up, play with fire, gunpowder or some crazy force of destruction and have fun. It reminds me of my high school chemistry class many years ago. In a recent show they were trying to determine if the wind from a hurricane could blow the feathers off a chicken. Now they selected a chicken that had died from natural causes so please don’t get on me about animal cruelty. After subjecting the deceased hen to the wind force of hurricane strength, the bird still had all its feathers. So the myth was busted.

As Christians it is our responsibility to be myth busters for God. There are plenty to prove wrong. Here are a few:

God doesn’t exist.
God doesn’t love me.
God doesn’t care.
Jesus was just a nice person like a prophet.
The miracles of the Bible make good reading but really aren’t true.
You can get to Heaven by being a good person.
If God loved us, bad things wouldn’t happen.
The Bible isn’t relevant today.
Evolution makes sense but creation doesn’t. We evolved from goo.
Unborn babies can be terminated; they aren’t really living.

See, we have a job to do about these myths and many others. We often get content with life and let myths run our lives. The best way to be a myth buster with people is to be patient and rely on God’s help to soften their hearts. A little prayer goes a long way too.

Be a patient and loving warrior not a contentious Christian.

Count Your Blessings

2009-01-30T20:26:00.000-08:00

Winter can be the time when doom and gloom creep into our lives with the short daylight hours. The everyday events of the world don’t help either. It helps me to just get outside and enjoy the sights of winter. I got to thinking of the blessings God has given me and that definitely cheered me up.

I am blessed because:
God has given me a great wife and family
I have a wonderful view out our front window of trees and mountain.
We have over twenty deer visiting our yard every day.
I have a loyal golden retriever.
I can look in the backyard and see squirrels running around.
I have a band of brothers to support me.
I have a home.
I can go ice fishing.
I was able to experience wild Alaska for five falls.
I have heard the music of bull elk.
I have spent many evenings around a campfire.
I have encountered a grizzly bear at fifty feet and a cougar at less than two feet.
I have seen wobbly newborn calf moose and little furball black bears.
I have seen robins this week.
God healed me of a virus last summer.
Most of all- God loves me unconditionally.

Go ahead and count your blessings, it will brighten up your day.

Wind On Ice

2009-01-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

Since work has slowed down I am enjoying a favorite winter pursuit- ice fishing for perch. The bays of Lake Pend Orielle have about ten inches of good ice so we should have fishing for a while. I like ice fishing because it is simple; a sharp auger, some short poles and jigs are all you need to catch huge perch. I haven’t found them biting crazy yet but I have brought home several meals this week. There can be times when fifty or more perch will be caught as fast as you can pull them in. This year I have pulled up many perch nearly fourteen inches long.

One of the reasons I like ice fishing is hearing the ice talk as the wind blows across the surface and causes the ice to expand. The ice will groan, ping, and crack as the wind works on it. The loud snap of ice expanding can make you jump when it zings past as cracks travel at lightning speed across the frozen expanse. Sadie was with me the other day when the ice was very active and I laughed as she would look down the drilled hole to see what was causing all the noise.

Wind on the ice is similar to the Holy Spirit working on us. The Holy Spirit is often referred to wind in the Bible. You can’t see the wind but we all feel its affects. We have no control over the wind. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has the ability to move over us and change our hearts completely. We are energized by the Spirit for God’s will. This is a hard truth for people to grasp as we want to be in control.

Our prayer should be for The Holy Spirit to mold us, move us, and energize our hearts to new service. We can change this world if the spirit is working in us. The disciples went from lowly Galilean fishermen in hiding to bold warriors of Good News for Christ when the Holy Spirit descended on them. Even death couldn’t stop their message. You can not stop the Wind.

Nothing But the Truth

2009-01-17T18:23:00.000-08:00

Fisherman and hunters have been known to stretch the truth a little. A four pound bass is soon a six pounder. Hunters are no better, especially with the ones that get away. A buck quickly grows to record book qualifications. I have seen some of those old mossy horned bucks that rattle my mine later. Was that buck really as big as it appeared? I missed a huge buck a few years ago and I can still see him clearly in my mind and as I replay the brain tapes he is still the biggest antlered buck I have ever seen.

People are prone to stretch the truth; often called little white lies. A little embellishment leads us down a slippery path that soon tosses truth out the window. Satan is a master at telling us a little lie won’t hurt. Who is going to know? The world has rejected the truth for lies. It is easier to operate that way. Too many Americans really do not know truth. There is a great twelve part series by Del Taggert called the Truth Project that digs into what is truth. I recommend everyone to see it; you will see truth in a different light.

When Pilate asked Jesus what his purpose was, Jesus replied, “I came to testify to the Truth.” Pilate then asked, “What is Truth?” Pilate didn’t know, neither did the ruling Jewish leaders. Even the disciples had wrestled with the truth. Eleven of them would go on and stake their lives on the truth, most would die for it.

So what is truth? Jesus is the only truth ever to live on this earth, no one else has even come close. He is God and all truth comes from the Father. God encompasses all light, love, and truth. He designed them just for us in a relationship. Jesus is waiting to reveal his truth to us if we let him. Give it a try.

Press On

2009-01-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

There were times when getting the client a trophy was extremely difficult. Weather was a big factor in hunting success as storms would roll in from the Bering Sea and pound us for days. Then there were weeks when even in good weather we could not find a caribou; it seemed they had disappeared from the earth. We would persist and press on hard to see the clients had a chance at a good trophy. Most of the time the extra effort paid off.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians about pressing on toward the goal to win the prize. Paul was in a Roman prison yet you would never know it by this letter. He didn’t have an exercise area or three meals a day; it was probably an underground rat infested dungeon.

What was the prize Paul was writing about? He was referring to his citizenship in Heaven through the sacrifice Jesus did on the cross. Even a Roman prison could not hold Paul back from praising God. Remember Paul was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee who had helped put Christians to death until he met Jesus face to face on the road to Damascus. Paul knew his life in prison was temporary and he would soon reside with the King of the universe.

What is your prize that you work hard about pressing on? For some it is financial gain or climbing the ladder of a vocation. Most of us spend our energy pursuing earthly goals and very little time looking eternally. Take some time this week and think about what is really important in life. Paul knew the prize was eternal life through Jesus; my prayer is that you do too.

The Light Shines in the Darkness

2008-12-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

It seemed as if every caribou in Alaska had disappeared as we had not seen any for days. But Steve was a patient hunter and remained optimistic. Justin, Steve, and I took the twelve foot Zodiac raft six miles down the lake to see if we could find any caribou since the winds were calm. It was a cold sunny day and we glassed until our eyes were straining but still no caribou could be found. Very late in the day Justin caught sight of a nice bull two miles south of us. This bull seemed to be on a mission as he was trotting fast in a northerly direction. The caribou should have been going south but we decided his job was to come back and turn the lights out for the year. As the bull got closer we could see he was a good trophy class caribou. The alder brush hid him most of the time and we were trying to decide where he would show up when he turned for the lake shore. The big bull came running up the shoreline a few yards away and Steve took a nice trophy. We quickly dressed out the bull and put the meat, cape and rack in the boat. By now it was dark and a north wind had picked up so we were getting sprayed with water. I used a flashlight to follow the shoreline and look for rocks as the wind continued to pound us. Suddenly out of the darkness a light appeared on the shoreline miles away. It was our beacon to safety and gave us a renewed hope. The guides had put out a lantern on the shoreline so we could navigate safely to camp.

Light is good when the night is dark and threatening. Light is good when life is dark and threatening. The apostle John wrote, “The Light shines in the darkness.” Jesus is the only true light that can pierce the black domain of Satan. The tragedy is the many people don’t believe that; they are oblivious of the war going on for people’s souls. We decorate our homes at this time of year with lights and miss the real reason in the message of Christmas.

It is my family’s prayer that you would invite Jesus, the only true light, into your life this Christmas. You won’t be disappointed and Jesus is waiting to have his light shine through you as a beacon of hope in a dark world. Be a light to someone this Christmas.

A Blanket of White

2008-12-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

North Idaho has turned into a winter wonderland blanketed by several inches of snow with more on the way. The white cover dramatically changes the landscape. Many things will disappear until spring. Our weather is quite cold too, so the snow helps insulate the plants from damage. Our pansies were still blooming just a week ago.

Some of our winter visitors have showed up to feed. We have many species of birds including about twenty mourning doves that feed daily under the oak tree. Several squirrels built nests in the spruce trees and a few are using the wood duck nests boxes. The deer will soon return as the snow piles up. The neighbor has blocked their normal route with a high fence but I lowered one of ours so they can jump over and come into the back yard.

The snow takes the brown dirty looking landscape of fall and makes it sparkling clean and bright. Jesus does the same for us. He takes all our sins and wipes the slate clean; white as snow. Jesus cares about our heart. This is a great time of year to give our hearts to him. The only true joy can only be found in Jesus and it is a permanent joy.

O Christmas Tree

2008-12-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Our family made the annual pilgrimage to find our Christmas trees recently. It is nice when we all go together because sometimes it takes the whole family to find the right tree. Ardella and I actually picked out our tree in October and marked it so we did not have to look for one. Nephew Gary cut one just right for his table and Jolene, Vance, and the girls took a nice tree that we spotted as we were driving up to ours. That left Connie and Thane so it should have been easy but Connie likes to inspect all the trees in the surrounding forest before she chooses the right one. So we went up a road that had several nice tall trees, then we came back down the road to check them again. Some of us wandered around above and below the road to find more selections. Finally as darkness was approaching Connie selected a tree; the first one they had looked at.

Our trees are not perfect as they are just growing wild and we often cut one so another tree will have more room to grow. Sometimes there is a branch missing or a bare spot but after they are up and decorated we forget all about the imperfections. They grace our homes to announce our belief in the true light of the world, Jesus Christ.

We are similar to the Christmas tree because we are not perfect either. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God but Jesus covered our sins on the cross. He did it for everyone who believes in him. Through Him we can shine as a light to this dark world.

If you haven’t accepted Christ into your life do it right now! He is waiting and forgives all sins. Jesus wants to walk with you everyday. Jesus is about a relationship not a religion.

Lesson in Tracking

2008-12-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

As I glassed the edge of the old clearcut in the early morning light a buck appeared in the binoculars; he wasn’t there a few minutes ago. I put the scope cross hairs on him I and realized that the scope was turned down to three power because the previous day I was hunting thick brush. As I tried to turn up the power he sensed something wrong even though I was nearly two hundred yards away. I saw his tail come up and the buck started to walk away toward thick trees. I put the crosshairs on him but was having trouble keeping steady so I tried to calm down and pulled the trigger. He quickly turned and disappeared into the thick trees and I felt my shot did not hit. There was a thin cover of snow so I walked directly to where he had been walking when I shot but there was no blood or hair. I followed his tracks into the brush field but there wasn’t any indication of a hit so I went back to the old snag where I shot from. Something kept bugging me to go back and look again. I approached the area again and studied his tracks. Before I shot the front tracks were pointed but after the shot they were spread apart which sometimes means the animal is not steady on its feet. I followed the tracks again and just ten feet farther than I had walked lay a beautiful five point buck!

I thanked God for the animal and for prodding me to look again. I usually follow an animal hundreds of yards before giving up. For the rest of the day, it bothered me that I almost made a huge mistake on this buck. It definitely will not happen again.

Reflecting on this has made me aware that I sometimes don’t go far enough when I know someone is hurting or has a need in their life. It is easier to stop and not get involved in their situation. Jesus wants us to minister to everyone, not to pick and choose.

Feast or Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T13:14:00.000-08:00

Some of the first Thanksgivings were celebration feasts from bountiful food supplies and did not recognize God as the supplier. One of the first feasts was in Florida in 1565. In 1607 the governor of the Jamestown colony said this day should be kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God. The Plymouth colony started out as a feast until drought hit and after prayers for rain God quenched the parched ground. It was than declared a day of thanksgiving to God.

George Washington declared the first national Thanksgiving Day after the British defeat at Saratoga. He recognized the Providence of Almighty God in his victory over the British. He also stated that through prayers God forgives because of Jesus Christ and blots all sins from memory.

It seems that this day has changed significantly from Washington’s day to more of a feast of our bounties. Many Americans are more interested in the parades and football than praising God for his rich blessings. We have been blessed because our founding fathers realized the importance of God in every part of their lives. Millions of families will gather this week to share a meal which is great. Hopefully they will take time to praise God.

Thursday our family will thank God for our homes, each other, and our health. We will recognize God’s love for us through Jesus and his forgiveness of our sins. We put all our hope in Him.

Yes, we will have too much food as all the good cooks bake and prepare the meal. And in usual tradition some of us will spend the morning in the woods deer hunting. This day has often been a blessing to us for a deer.

God's Paintbrush

2008-11-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

The sunsets this fall have been spectacular with God painting shades of orange and purple across the western sky. I have been in the woods more this fall so I always look forward to see how God will end the day. I find a peace in his artwork; a reminder He is in control. The day’s end is often announced by a pack of coyotes as they prepare for a night of hunting. Once a bull elk bugled in the twilight and I thanked God for this wonderful part of His creation.

In a world spinning out of control, I find strength and confidence in the wild places and animals God created. There is order and harmony in nature because a great God planned it that way. Why can’t people see that creation is so wonderful compared to evolving from muddy goo? The bright colors of a delicate butterfly, how a hummingbird can fly backwards announce a Creator.

Get outside this week and enjoy God’s creation. Watch a sunrise or sunset; take a walk in the woods. Go slow so you won’t miss anything. Set down on a log and listen. You will be in God’s garden where you can talk to Him without distraction.

I know He put deer in the garden but I can’t find them.

In a Jam

2008-11-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

The familiar drone of the Grumman Goose was heard before we could see the plane as Phil came in low as usual. We had just completed a ten day brown bear hunt with two archers. One client scored on a nice bear the first morning and the other had two opportunities but didn’t get a shot. It had been a sunny morning which made breaking down camp a pleasant task but Phil said a cloud front was coming in fast and we couldn’t get through the mountain pass he wanted to take and drop me off at Kulik Lake for the next bear hunt. So we were going to go out the north end of the lake and up a long shoot between two mountains. As we flew over the north end where a river entered, the water was red with sockeye salmon and we enjoyed seeing this spectacular phenomenon. Ahead of us loomed several glaciers that hung on the mountain sides and we could see the ascent over the mountain range would take a while since the goose wasn’t known for speed but dependability. Dependability would prove crucial very soon. The glaciers seemed like we could almost reach out and touch them when we hit the first turbulent. The old plane shuttered but the engines growled on up the mountain. A few minutes later the plane shook then dropped about fifty feet like we were being push down by a powerful unseen force. The camp gear in the cargo hold hit the ceiling and we braced our bodies to stay in the seats. The sudden drop shut off the engines and Phil was working to restart the plane; we were relieved to hear the engines come to life. This scenario repeated at least three times before the plane topped the mountain range. Minutes later we were landing where I would make camp for the next two weeks. Phil said that was the worst turbulent he had experienced in forty years of flying. Wow, we got to share in that! When I reached the sand shoreline I fell down and kissed the ground.

Things were bound to get better and I had two days alone before the clients would be flown in. Soon I was all alone in the stillness of the wilderness and loved it. I set up the clients’ tent, cook tent, and guide tent. I was in the cook tent putting things in order when a bear growled just a few feet away. I chambered a round in my .338 magnum and poked my head outside. I heard it walking behind the client tent so hollered at it and could hear the bear leaving. Next, I tried to eject the shell which didn’t want to come out of the rifle so I hit the bolt real hard and out popped a shell without the slug. I tore my gear bags apart looking for the aluminum cleaning rod to knock out the slug but realized it was in Idaho. You get creative in these circumstances, like whittling a willow branch to fit down the barrel and several other hair brained ideas that didn’t work. The slug would not come out so I would have to wait until the plane arrived. It would be just me, the bears, and a jammed gun.

It turned out okay and I enjoyed the two days with just me and God on a beautiful lake He had created. I had no choice but to put my complete trust in Him. I had mixed feelings when I heard the plane approaching but at least they had a cleaning rod to knock out the bullet. Lester had to land in a protected bay about a mile away as a good blow with driving rain was coming down. Welcome to Alaska.

We often get in a jam and want God to bail us out. That wouldn’t be so bad if we had confided in Him in the first place. If we only had the foresight to see these situations coming but often we don’t notice until we are in the jam. For me it is male tunnel vision. Most of us guys think we can do alright on our own without God’s help. I’m slowly learning it is easier to turn things over to Him. Try it; it will save you ulcers and high blood pressure. Reading the Psalms helps me put life in perspective. David was a guy just like us, often trying it own his own. He worked through the problems and realized life went better when he put God first.

Invite God into your life this week. Problems always look smaller when He is involved. Have a great week and don’t get in a jam.

Fear Not

2008-11-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

A light snow had fallen overnight on the tundra and this was the last day for our clients, two brothers from Wisconsin, to hunt. Caribou hunting had been difficult all week for these two guys so Justin and I teamed up to take them out. We left our rifles in camp to lighten our load; after all what could go wrong hunting caribou? Shortly after day light we were setting on a hill that offered a good view of the valley. Soon a large herd entered the far end of the valley over a mile away and looked like they would skirt the edge of a mountain above the main caribou route so we decided to make a run for it to cut them off. Caribou move very fast at a walk so we took off like high school sprinters. Our course required us to cut through a band of thick alders that stretched for miles at the bottom of the mountain range. I was in the lead as we entered the brush and could hear the three others guys were right behind as we sounded more like a herd of elephants than three hunters’ sneaking on this herd. Half way through the alders I looked down to see a fresh grizzly bear bed in the snow but didn’t slow up. As we broke out of the alder patch a loud popping of teeth sounded behind us accompanied by threatening huffing. We looked back to see a large grizzly sow with two cubs. The hair was raised on her back as she stood on her hind legs and we knew she meant business. I could feel fear building fast as I pressed on to put some distance between the sow and us. We had just looked death in the face and recalled later how fortunate we all were.

There is no mama on earth more protective than a grizzly bear. I have a healthy respect for any grizzly knowing what they are capable to do with their massive claws and bone crunching teeth. I know meeting a bear can be dangerous yet I try to remain calm and assess the situation by reading the bear’s body language. I lived with them for five falls in Alaska and found most of them wanted to avoid conflict. If I would have feared the bears, they would have picked up on that. A calm and confident attitude is best when you encounter a grizzly.

After this week’s national elections, many Christians are in fear that the life style they believe in will come under more assaults. They are probably right but that is no reason for fear to rule their lives. Remember we have a great God and He wins in the end! God sets up rulers and disposes them as He chooses. We just can’t see into the future so we don’t know His plans.

Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord and He answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. I suggest Christians pray for guidance in these times and for our country. Remember we are to let Christ’s light to the world. Read Ephesians 6:10 to 18 and you will be reminded what our fight is about and how to do it as an effective warrior for Christ.

Gone Too Soon

2008-10-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

We have had golden retrievers all our married life and our daughters also have had the red dogs in their families. It has been fun watching Cody, Mattie, and Sadie playing in a whirlwind of red blur. Unfortunately, Cody’s life has been cut short from cancer at age seven. How do you explain that to two little girls who loved him dearly. Cody was a lot like our first golden Pal; guarding the family was always a priority. Cody’s first owner was abusive and he ended up in a shelter and was adopted by a loving family. They gave him up to Jolene’s family when they decided to go on a missionary trip for two years. Since Cody didn’t trust men he gave me a very cool reception at our first meeting and I respected him for it. It didn’t take me long to win him over and he would howl and bark when I went to Jolene’s if I didn’t pet him. Cody loved to spend time at our house where he could play with Sadie and swim in the pond. The dog would smile from ear to ear. He leaves a big hole in our hearts.

We were in Sunday school class years ago when a couple asked if their dog which had just died went to Heaven. The teacher immediately went into a long lecture embarrassing the people who left the church and as far as I know still don’t attend a church. I believe their question could have been handled better. This event also has affected my life as I haven’t attended an adult Sunday school class for years knowing it drove two hurting people from church and maybe from God.

Christian author John Eldridge believes there are animals in Heaven. After his golden retriever died, John went to prayer asking Jesus if his pet was in Heaven. Moments later John heard a “Yes”. John then asked what he was doing. “Chasing balls” was the reply.

A friend of ours lost their family dog and his eleven year old son grieved for months about the loss of his dog. One night the son had a dream which I believe only God could give. The boy went to Heaven and was greeted by an angel who showed him many wonders that were too awesome for an eleven year old to make up. He remembered them in great detail. Then he asked the angel if his dog was there and the angel said, “Yes, do you want to see him?” He got to hug the dog again and was very comforted by the dream. I encouraged the father to make a children’s book with his son about the dream since he is an artist. I think this would be a wonderful book for children and adults.

There were animals in the garden before man sinned and all were at peace. I believe Heaven is a lot like the garden full of all of God’s goodness. After all, it wasn’t the animals that caused the earth to go bad, it was man. If God can forgive us, I’m sure He can find room for the rest of his creation.

Dogs are God’s gift to us and leave a huge paw print on our hearts.

Thank you Father for helping me write this difficult message.

Thank you Dr. Bob for being such a super vet.

Good News Bad News

2008-10-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

Several years ago I guided white tail hunters for a local outfitter. The weather was very warm for November so the deer were not active. I was guiding a hunter named John from Indiana. John and I had hunted several areas and tried rattling but never had a buck respond. One morning I put John in a tree stand in a sliver of timber along a lake where a buck had made some ground scrapes and told him I would be back in about three hours. I drove two miles above the lake where a creek meandered through a brushy draw that I knew contained deer. There was a power line that cut through the timber toward the creek and I stopped to check a deer trail about seventy yards from the road. As I got to the trail, some fresh tracks revealed a doe had used it recently. Then I heard a buck grunting continuously as he followed the scent of the doe. The three by three buck and I stared at each other from about fifty feet apart at the power line cut. I had raised my rifle part way to the shoulder but knew I could not shoot this deer so slowly lowered the gun to my waist. The buck immediately lowered his rack and charged. Time slipped into slow motion but it only took him two bounds and he was ten feet away and still coming. I pulled up the rifle to my waist, pointed it and fired. The buck cart wheeled backwards and lay dead. I couldn’t believe what had happened as I looked down at the buck. What was I going to tell John when he had not even seen a deer?

I went back to John later in the morning and asked him if he saw any deer. “No” was the quick reply. He asked how my morning had gone. I said, “Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is I saw a buck. The bad news is he charged me and I shot him at ten feet.” I could see that John didn’t believe my story. Unfortunately John went home without a deer and I am sure the bad news stuck with him for a long time.

We sometimes do the same thing with new Christians. We have the good news of the saving grace through Jesus as they enter a new walk with God. Satan does not own them anymore; they are free. Now we tell them the bad news. “You have to take 101, 201, 301, become a member, volunteer for greeter, Sunday school teacher, work in nursery, help with youth group and a host of other mandates. We pile enough Christian material on them to earn a degree. All many of them want is to get to know God and read the Bible. Do you see why many people leave church?

Maybe if we took them along side and helped them grow in Christ before we saddle them with jobs, they would stay excited. Along the way they will find their gifts to serve God. I believe Christ intended Christians to serve outside the church walls more than inside. How else do we evangelize the community?

What is your gift? Are you building relationships outside the church to reach people for Christ? Yes, it is okay if you want to teach Sunday school. Just go out and tell the Good News.

Refreshing the Soul

2008-10-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

The realities of life hit the world big time the last two weeks. Stock markets crashed, governments scrambled to stabilize their monetary systems, people have lost life fortunes and many individuals saw their retirement incomes plummet. The news media does a good job of promoting fear and anxiety. What is a person to do?

At times like these I am reminded of Matthew 6: 25 through 34. Most of us should really start at verse 19. When we started the carving business I wondered how we would survive and asked God to show me in His Word. I opened my Bible to Matthew 6:25. That was the signature verse on the back of my carvings for a long time because I thought many other people needed the peace this scripture offers. Have these twelve years always been easy? No, they haven’t but I have grown a lot with the help from God and He isn’t done with me yet.

There is nothing like a walk in the woods to help me clear my mind and refresh my soul. It brings me back to the basics with God. Sunday afternoon I put on my pack, loaded the rifle and went for a walk to search for a whitetail buck. It was a cool crisp day with the sun shining brightly through a beautiful blue sky only God could create. It seemed I could almost touch it. I meandered around checking a few trails and set down on a small timbered ridge for a while and reminisced about the big buck I shot three years ago from this spot. I thought about staying there until dark but I was pulled to my feet by what might be found up on the old road two hundred yards above me. An hour later found me in the clear cut that has been productive for Ardella and I the last two years. The green and gold of the trees jumped off the mountains into the amazing blue sky and I felt worries swept away by God’s artwork. Two Ravens came by playing tag and I was reminded of Luke 12: 24.

About six o’clock a young buck appeared one hundred yards below me and I watched him until he fed out of sight. Slowly the light faded and a beautiful full moon rose over the Trestle Creek Mountains. I put the pack back on and headed for the cabin. Today wasn’t really about deer hunting; it was about refreshing my soul.

Can You Hear the Bell

2008-10-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies is the Polar Express because it is about believing. The children were the only ones who could hear the bell because they believed. People are the same way with God; only those who have faith and believe in Him can hear Him. I often get asked what Into The Wild Ministries believes so I will list some.

I believe in the God of the Bible, Creator of the universe.
I believe Jesus is Savoir and God’s only son.
I believe Jesus is the only way to eternal life.
I believe in the Trinity.
I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and is complete.
I believe God is love and wants everyone to spend eternity with Him.
I believe he gave us free choice.
I believe God wants a personal relationship with us.

These are the beliefs that guide this ministry but I do have several personal ones.
I believe marriage is to be between a man and a woman.
I believe abortion is an abomination to our country and we will be judged for it.
I believe in the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
I believe shooting an animal inside a high fence is not hunting.
I believe the far left environmental groups will use the liberal court system to slowly choke off our right to hunt.
I believe our country is sliding into moral decay.
I believe many of the world’s problems could be solved around a camp fire.
I believe children raised in the outdoors are better grounded in life.

What you believe is important. Can you hear the bell?

Wiley Wapiti

2008-09-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Last week my son-in-law Thane and I archery hunted the elusive elk. We found a small herd on Monday but immediately got hit by a severe thunder storm so we retreated to the truck for a while. Late in the day I heard two bulls bugle. We tried to find one of the bulls the next day so climbed a mountain that has some wallows. As we approached the first wallow, fresh bull tracks gave evidence that the bull heard us coming and ran off through the old timber. Thane and I checked out the other wallow but it had not been used recently. We circled the timbered basin only to find a few single elk tracks.

One day we went high and found a winter wonderland with snow that was frozen so walking around was too noisy. Two moose were the only creatures we could find. Most of the week was sunny warm days so not the best elk hunting but it was enjoyable to spend a week with Thane. God painted some glorious sunsets and we even got Thane a load of firewood.

I noticed most elk tracks we saw were single animals, sort of strange for a herd animal. Have the elk figured out that staying apart makes them harder for the wolves to hunt them? I heard wolves howling on Friday evening.

My season closed today and I thank God for the time I had in his great creation. I enjoyed every moment; even the hawk that thought my camouflage head was something to eat. It pulled out of the dive just inches away and I felt the air from its wings. We had a bear hit our camp twice mainly checking for left over food. That made us keep things cleaned up. My decoy, Henrietta, must think she is stuck with a guy that can’t find elk. There was a cow moose that really did not like Henrietta and roared at her but when the decoy did not move the cow yielded the territory.

Dr. Bob

2008-09-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

When one of us gets sick and should go to a doctor we say call Dr. Bob. Bob Stoll is our veterinarian and we wish there were more human doctors that were as compassionate and caring for their patients as Dr. Bob is. He has laughed with us and cried with us over our pets. Last week I called him out to look at Capoo, one of the llamas who was having difficulty breathing. Bob found the source of the problem immediately which was a large tumor in his neck that wasn’t visible under all the thick wool. Unfortunately Cappo had to be put down. As this was happening, Bob and I shared some personal things that are going on in our lives. Again his compassion rose to the surface and we did not look at each other as doctor and client but as friends. Bob has a great love for his family and God. He sees God’s hand in all the animals that he treats. Before Bob left he turned and gave me a big bear hug and helped make the day a little brighter.

As I was digging a burial place for Capoo, each of the other four llamas took their turns standing by their friend one last time. The compassion they showed for him was quite moving. After he was covered up they took turns lying by the grave the rest of the day.

I learned that it is important to look for peoples hurts and offer them comfort. Take time to listen to their story. I don’t always have a good answer but I know God Does so pray for them. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we showed more compassion to the people we meet everyday? Be a Dr. Bob this week to someone.

Alpine Glow

2008-09-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

It has been two years since I’ve been to my favorite elk hunting spot. It is a half hour climb from the truck following some game trails and relying on dead trees as my markers to a small bench where cold water gurgles from the mountainside. When I left the truck it was nearly 80 degrees so I only wore a tee shirt for a top. After I arrived and set up Henrietta, I took off the shirt and wiped myself down and put on a clean camo shirt. I set up a ground blind about fifteen yards from Henrietta and sprinkled some elk scent on spruce trees near her.

The smell of huckleberry and spruce filled my nostrils and I took several deep breaths of this wonderful scent God had made. The mountain was alive with color of yellow azalea, crimson red of huckleberry, and the dark green of spruce. Small patches of white pearly everlasting poked their heads among the berries. Many huckleberry bushes still have berries and it was hard to resist them but I stayed in the blind. It wasn’t long and I had to put another shirt on plus a fleece jacket. I have named this place the Icebox. I have seen temps go from 80 to 30 in a just a few hours.

Two ravens flew over the ridge catching the afternoon thermals and one rose high into the air. It folded its wings and dove straight down toward the trees, then leveled off and did some rolls. The other raven seemed to approve with some chuckles. These birds seem to enjoy life. Two chipmunks seemed to accept me and kept busy eating berries.

As the evening progressed I cow called frequently but did not get any answers. About 6:30 some brush broke up me but I never saw anything. My mind flashed back two years to the bear that came rushing in to eat an elk and I was too cold to pull the bow. I asked God to help and he did with a fatal shot that put the bear down. He definitely helped me pull the bow as it came to a full draw with no effort.

I spent much of the evening praising God for the beauty of this place. I feel He made it just for me as I have never seen another hunter there. I have taken Ardella up there a few times and she likes it as much as I do. Being alone on a mountain with God does a soul good and I left feeling revived.

From The Tree Stand

2008-09-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon I arrived by my tree stand at 4:30 and checked the trails for fresh tracks. Only a few elk had used the trails all week but I thought it only takes one. I set up Henrietta. Oh, you haven’t met Henrietta! She is the prettiest cow elk decoy you have ever seen. I’m sure a bull would fall instantly in love with her. I climbed into the stand to be greeted by bald faced hornets which were very aggressive. My hat became a hornet swatter.

At 4:57 a bull elk bugled in the distance but I couldn’t pinpoint his location. Soon after, a pine squirrel spotted me and told me I was intruding on its territory. The little guy was busy cutting pine cones from trees and gathering them for winter. He ran out through the brush and jumped up on a log by Henrietta seeming very surprised to see an elk. Henrietta even startles me once in a while when I look up and see a cow elk and then realize I’ve been fooled by my own decoy.

The growl of an ATV on a closed road system at 5:15 raised my blood pressure a few points. I can understand folks with physical challenges using them but everyone else can walk. If they want to ride something; take up golf. Closed roads provide elk and other wildlife with security to move around without vehicles bothering them. Some people don’t get it or don’t care.

Between hornet swatting my mind wanders to other matters. I think about God and how to serve Him better. Tree stand time is a good time to communicate with the Father and listen for his reply. We all need to have this kind of time with God. I should put one up in my back yard.

Next I consider the importance of the November election outcome. Yes, I too am concerned about rising prices for food, energy, and healthcare, but only one issue decides how I vote. Abortion! Abortion is a plague on our nation which leads us down a spiral of moral decay and self destruction. No country can survive that kills its own people. If we can kill unborn babies than we can find reason to terminate life of old people. What if our government decided that anyone over 87 should report to the closet hospital for a lethal injection? It would be the same hideous mindset as abortion. Scripture says God knows us in our mother’s womb and Jesus warned about harming little children. I guess some of our judges have never read those verses.

Finally around 6:45 the hornets slow down as the shadows lengthen but I haven’t heard the bull again. The next hour is spent in silence, just me and Henrietta. As darkness descends, I climb out of the stand and gather up Henrietta and head for camp. Coyotes howl to the south announcing their hunting plans for the evening.

I arrive in camp and Ardella tells me an elk barked three times very loudly just above camp. That’s why they call it hunting.

Redneck Hornet Tennis

2008-09-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

Our family spent the last weekend in the woods as three of us pursued the elusive elk. We enjoyed some great cooking; one day was spaghetti, then black bean and lentil soup, followed by jambalaya. The granddaughters love to camp out and find the natural world a source of endless wonder.

I find archery elk hunting the most challenging animal I have ever pursued. Friday I hunted from the ground blind and the elk were at the tree stand on a forested hill, so Saturday I hunted the tree stand. The elk were about one hundred and fifty yards below me walking up and down an old road. Sunday I set up in some big cedars along the road but the elk were elsewhere. Are you sensing any frustration here? God made elk quite intelligent with a nose that can smell humans hundreds of yards away, big brown eyes that detect the slightest movements, and ears that can hear a pine cone drop from a tree two drainages over. How am I supposed to get one within thirty yards?

One thing about camping with our family is that we are always open to a new ways to entertain ourselves. Jolene and Vance brought up a bee killer that looked like a small tennis racket except this one can be electrified. The handle is filled with D batteries to deliver 1500 watts of shock to a hornet. We soon went crazy swatting these pesky critters as they got zapped, snapped, and sometimes just went up in smoke. Many hornets and yellow jackets never returned to their nest. I think this sport could qualify for the summer Olympic Games and Ardella and I would be a mean pair’s team. We are looking for other couples that would like to compete in Redneck Hornet Tennis. The champion hornet killer was our dog Sadie. A hornet stung her on the hip and she declared war on them for the rest of the weekend. Sadie wasn’t content to just snap at one that buzzed her; she would look around for one and run it down.

As our granddaughter Lizzie says. “We were making memories.”

I Am a Soldier

2008-08-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name.” Our God is not a wimp but you will not hear this verse in many churches today due to political correctness. There is a war going on folks and we can not escape it. This war will rage on earth until Christ returns; the Bible makes that very clear. God wants us to be soldiers. The following was sent to me by a fellow soldier in Christ and I thought it worth passing on to others.

I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, of the army of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, Prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity. I will rather retire in this army at the Rapture or die in this army; but I will not get out, sell out, or be talked out. I am faithful, capable, and dependable. If my God needs me, I am there.

I am a soldier. I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up. No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me.

I am a soldier. I am not a wimp. I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His Kingdom.

I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around. I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside. I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into this army, I had nothing. If I end with nothing, I will still come out even. I will win. My God will supply all my needs. I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ.

I am a soldier. Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments cannot silence me, and hell can not handle me.

I am a soldier. Even death cannot destroy me. For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to a captain and then bring me back to rule this world with Him.

I am a soldier, in the army, and I’m marching, claiming victory. I will not give up. I will not turn around. Here I stand.

Will you stand with me?

Tracks

2008-08-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Much of my time in the woods is spent looking at the ground. I’m looking for animal tracks to figure out what the critters are doing. From the first time in the mountains in the spring to the snows of late fall, I examine tracks. A footprint can reveal much information for me. First it shows the size of the animal, where it is heading, and maybe what it is eating. Following a track for a while can tell me where the animal may be bedding or feeding. If it is during the rut it can show me where the girls are hanging out. That is a tremendous help when I’m after a bull elk or an old buck.

When I guided in Alaska, we would check the shorelines and river banks for brown bear tracks. We were always looking for those big prints that we could put our foot in with hip boots on, and the bear print dwarfing ours. One evening I took my hunter to the back of a small bay where a creek entered the lake. I looked down to see a large fresh bear print over fourteen inches long that had sunk into the mud several inches with each step. The hunter and I barely made an imprint with our feet. I knew that bear would go over ten feet. We did not find the old boy that night but a few evenings later another hunter in our camp took a ten and a half foot bear in the same area.

Archery season starts in two weeks so I will be concentrating on elk tracks and large deer tracks. I was out to my hunting area the other afternoon and found some cow elk tracks so I’m hoping next time to find the bigger bull tracks in the same area. Most bulls spend the summer in bachelor groups but when the velvet is rubbed off they go looking for their ladies.

We leave lots of different tracks through our lifetime and people are reading them constantly. Some of our tracks wander all over the place like we are lost in the woods. Sometimes we are lost in life with no purpose; a lack of direction. I find my tracks are most clear when I read the Bible regularly, pray, help someone, and stay in touch with my Band of Brothers. My wife, Ardella has always helped me stay on the right path. I also do better when I can look down and see the prints of someone else walking beside me –Jesus.

Through the Eyes of a Child

2008-08-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

Ardella and I had a booth at the Arts and Craft Fair at the Sandpoint City Beach over the weekend. A terrible storm hit after we sat up the booth but our canopy and display stayed up and dry; some vendors were not as fortunate. One pottery booth was blown down and most of their product ruined. The skies were mostly sunny on Saturday and Sunday was cool and a few sprinkles of rain fell occasionally. People seemed conservative in their buying compared to past years and we mainly sold lower priced items.
Sunday afternoon, a mother stopped by our booth with a three year old girl who had big brown eyes and an equally big smile. The girl was fascinated with our carvings and began to ask questions about the birds and fish. “What’s that?” was her favorite question. She then pointed to the pileated woodpecker and asked, “What’s that bird with the red Mohawk?” Ardella and I burst out in laughter and the little girl certainly livened up our day. I like young children because through their innocence they say it as they see it. They also have a mind that wants to learn.

As we get older we become more cautious after numerous assaults on our minds and hearts. Satan is the master behind these attacks and some of us accept this as a part of life and others just become numb to the assaults. This is not how God intended us to live. We are to live a victorious life through Christ. He won the war for us!

Psalm 121 was a favorite of my Mother and should give us assurance God is watching over us. Psalm 121: I lift my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.