Plan B

Our men’s ministry group had been preparing for months in eager anticipation to host Larry D. Jones. Larry is well known among elk hunters for his expertise on elk and their habits. Two churches were planning a barbeque and seminar for two evenings. The flyers had gone out, newspapers contacted, our cooking team had gone over all the details, and door prizes had been purchased. Then a phone call from Larry two days before the event put us in a panic. He could not travel because of a fragmented disk in his lower back. What should we do? Lock the doors and say cancelled, try to find someone else, or have a barbeque anyway.

Our men’s team initiated Plan B; have the almost Larry Jones barbeque and seminar. We had Larry overnight mail us a CD of four hunts. We also decided to not charge for the meal and called men to let them know a few changes had to be made. Nearly seventy guys and a few gals showed up to enjoy the evening. We will reschedule Larry when he can travel and now have the opportunity to see what to improve next time.

Many of us need a Plan B in our everyday lives because life doesn’t always go as we plan. I’m getting ready to archery hunt elk in three weeks and even though I have a ground blind ready in my favorite area; I know things can go wrong. Last year wolves moved all the game out of my hunt area and if that happens this year I need to move where the elk are.

Many people treat their spiritual life like they can have a Plan B, C, and D if necessary. They try a little of Jesus but mostly reject his teachings. They don’t need God and He probably doesn’t even care about them. A little mix of religions is okay. Just go with what is coming out of Hollywood, after all they are always right.

If you read the same Bible I do then you know God doesn’t have a Plan B for us. Jesus is the only way to eternal life with God. The whole Bible points to Jesus as our savior and no other. Either Jesus is the savior of the world or he is the greatest fraud to ever live. Who is he to you?

Summer Marches On

After our winter of cold and record snowfalls, folks in north Idaho are enjoying the warmth of summer. With August fast approaching, summer is fleeting fast as a deer running through the woods. Where did it go so fast? I haven’t accomplished half what I intended. We did get the hay in the shed and our garden is doing great. Everyday I check the big tomatoes to see if they are turning red.

We spent one weekend in the woods pulling out firewood with my tractor and probably need to retrieve more so the family has enough for winter. It was nice sleeping in a tent again. I look forward to using the tent in five weeks when archery elk season opens. Wow, I need to practice shooting! So much to do and so little time.

A young father in my men’s ministry group said men with kids don’t have time to devote to ministry programs like older guys do. Several of us chuckled and told him life doesn't get less busy when the kids leave home. I believe we should seek God’s advice on our priorities so we achieve a better balance. Life goes on and races down the track of life like a run away freight train. Our life becomes more productive with God’s help. Our number one goal should be to serve Him first. He will show us how to live a full life and still get the little things done.

Being a disciple should be first on our life list; there are far too many people who do not know Jesus as their personal Savior. There are people dying everyday that never knew they could have had a life changing experience and will spend eternity without the presence of God; an eternity in hopeless hell. There is a saying that goes something like this, “For Christians living today on earth, this is as close to Hell as they will ever get. But for people living today that don’t know Jesus, this is as close to Heaven as they will ever be.” Which group you are in depends on life or death. Go disciple someone.

Lost In The Fog

The cold Iowa winters froze the lakes with thick ice, often over two feet deep. I built an ice house and pulled it with my car onto Spirit Lake to fish for perch, northern pike, and walleye. One of my frequent fishing partners was Mouse or Gary as most people knew him. He wasn’t the most talkative guy in the world but we had many fun times fishing. Mouse and I decided to try the evening walleye bite so arrived at the ice house late in the afternoon and fished for about four hours. Around 9:30 I peeked out of the house to discover a thick blanket of fog had engulfed the lake. We were about a half mile off shore so didn’t think we would have trouble finding our exit. The car was parked facing north and we needed to go south to get off the lake, so I drove around the fish shack and proceeded south. Well, I thought it was south but soon discovered an unfamiliar shoreline. Normally that would not have bothered me except I knew there was a strip of open water off Stoney Point due to the rocks close to the surface. I turned the car around and hoped to find the fish shack when we saw head lights from another car. He was lost also but thought he had it figured out so Mouse and I decided to follow him at a safe distance in case his car suddenly disappeared. Finally the familiar exit appeared to our relief and we were on land.

Driving around on a large lake in the dense fog gave me a helpless feeling of which I had no control. A compass would have helped but who needed it to get off the ice. The guy’s headlights brought a wave of relief and following his tail lights was like following a beacon to safety.

Sometimes we get lost in the fog of life not knowing which way to turn. There are financial disasters, broken relationships, job losses, health challenges, and deaths of friends and loved ones that will blanket our life with a shroud of hopelessness. Where do we turn? Knowing Jesus does not guarantee us a life without problems but Jesus is always ready to listen and help us through them. He tells us to bring him our burdens. Many people don’t do that; guys are really bad about turning our problems over to Him. We prefer to work through it alone when just handing them to Jesus would lift such an enormous weight off us.

If there is a fog that has overtaken you ask Jesus what to do about it. Then listen for an answer. Gather some prayer warriors. Don’t face the problem alone.

Contact me and Ardella and I will pray for you.

Camp Out

As many Americans, we celebrated July 4th by watching the hometown parade which really hasn’t changed in over thirty years. Then we packed up and the whole family went camping to some remote property in the mountains. The weather was perfect and we had a comfortable camp of two tents and two trailers. Laziness was permitted and everyone had fun with the two grand daughters. Lizzie and Hannah were busy playing in the fine sand, riding their bikes, and keeping the adults busy. I took them on a bike ride with two dogs and they were able to keep up with Grandpa.

We had three golden retrievers in camp most of the weekend and they didn’t get many naps with swimming in the creek, keeping an eye on Lizzie and Hannah, and hoping someone would drop a morsel of food. Sadie came home and collapsed on the floor.

The men took time to scout for elk and deer. Archery season starts August 30th. Now we wait in anticipation and are planning how to hunt these wily critters. I am anxious to try out my elk decoy. There are more areas I need to check out as season gets closer.

It seems that food cooked outdoors always tastes better. I forgot to take some meat out of the freezer and Connie and Thane left a big box of food at home on the table but we had plenty to eat. I always look forward to sipping the first cup of coffee at camp. We perked the coffee but really good camp java is made by pouring the grounds into the pot and let them roll around the brew as it boils. It is even better the next time as you add more coffee grounds.

I indulged in the ultimate s’mores. Take two graham crackers and lay them on a plate. Put three marshmallows on a fork and roast them to your liking. Place a big double fudge Hershey brownie on the graham cracker, then the toasted marshmallows, and the other cracker. Now open wide and enjoy! You will never use a candy bar again. Remember chocolate is healthy.

The best part of the weekend was just relaxing and enjoying the family outing in God’s great creation. I thank Him for the great time we had making memories with two little girls.

Power Of Prayer

Two weeks ago we went to Whidbey Island with our daughter Connie and her husband Thane and had a great time exploring the island. But the shock of going on vacation was too much for me and I came home very sick. So Most of my week was spent in the doctor’s office as they looked in my ears, took a few blood sample, and x-rays. The more they checked me the more perplexed they became. I was running a low temperature most of the day than in the late afternoon it would climb to around 102. The temperature would rise and fall at night along with drenching sweats. As the week progressed the doctors were working to eliminate various possibilities but the one that continued to dominate the picture was West Nile Virus. There is not an antibody for this virus so it has to run the course which can last several weeks. I had all the symptoms of a severe case which include stiff neck, backache, headache, fever, can’t breathe, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

Friday was the seventh day of a fever and during the morning it was holding at 100.5 degrees. A friend, Ross Hall asked if he could come over and pray for me. I said,”Yes!” Ross came at noon and anointed me with oil and prayed over me as he and my family laid their hands on my shoulders. By that evening my temperature was 97.7 degrees! Praise God!!! I was also on several prayer chains across the country and could feel the support of those prayers all week.

Prayer for others is important and is something most of us could do more often. God hears our prayers. Philippians 4:6 says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. We often want an answer right away but everything is in God’s time not ours.

This week I’m trying to remember those in the mission field, people with health issues, our service men and women, those around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus, people right here that do not know Jesus as their savoir.

A Slug's Pace

We have had backyard visitors for two months. First there were two hen wood ducks that used our nest boxes, and then about three weeks ago a hen mallard brought ten ducklings into the pond. Poor Sadie has been restricted to her inner pen so she can’t bother the ducks. Golden retrievers do not like to share their pond. The hen and her brood left for three days so I fired up the lawn mower and now the back yard looks pretty good. The morning after I mowed, the yard had several mallards strolling around eating duck delicacy, slugs. With all the wet weather and the grass a foot tall the slugs had prospered. They consumed a row of young lettuce and some of the green beans. The mallards are providing good organic slug control on these slow moving pests.

Slugs aren’t the prettiest creature God made. They move very slow but always seem to get where the food is. We have some trophy sized and a few that are spotted like a leopard. It’s too bad they don’t eat dandelions. About all they are good for is duck food.

We are sometimes just like the slow old slug;not wanting to get involved in much but our little own world. We crawl along in life munching on everything in our path but not giving anything back. You know, playing it safe. God had a different idea when He formed us. He made us for relationships! It seems easier to crawl under a rock and forget about anyone, but that makes discipleship sort of difficult. God calls us out of our comfort zone into an exciting service for Him. When we use the gifts and talents He gave us, we can change the world one person at a time.

If you would rather be a slug than a disciple look out for the ducks!

Living a Full Life

Many people live to a ripe old age but never experience a full life. Several years ago we worked in a building where a guy had a coffee cup that said, “Life sucks and then you die”. That inscription really fit the man’s view of life. A life without dreams, a lack of any eternal hope, and a life without Jesus. Most people go through life in a survival mode not knowing a ransom has already been paid for them. Even many Christians don’t live the full life that Jesus offered. They believe in the whispers they hear from Satan about how bad they are. “You will never amount to anything” repeats in their mind until they believe it.

Jenny Meyer, age thirty four, went home into the loving arms of Jesus last week after battling cancer for several years. Jenny lived life to the fullest. She was small in stature but huge in heart. Most people would have given up, but not Jenny. She was an encourager to anyone who knew her. Jenny had two priorities that guided her life; God and family. She knew Jesus personally as her Savior and was a great witness for Him. Her hope was for everyone to know Jesus as a personal friend and Savior.

Jenny knew each day was a gift and celebrated it with friends and family. She loved the beauty God had created in north Idaho and often wrote about His glory on her blog. We will miss her smile and the love she radiated to others. I think Jenny’s cup would say something like Romans 15:13. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

What does our cup say?

Peace And Tranquility

I spent three days last week bear hunting with two friends from Indiana. It was an honor to be with these guys and enjoy God’s great outdoors. We walked a few miles and sat for hours watching green clear cuts but the bears won. That’s hunting. White tail deer were abundant and we got a peek at some nice bucks. The elusive elk even allowed us to stop and glass them as they stood like royalty. We saw several cow moose and enjoyed seeing a new born calf following mom up a road. As we observed all this wildlife one would have thought the world was at peace as many of these animals accepted us at close range. But I knew different as we sat on a hill overlooking a recent clear cut where a buck strolled through slowly to bed down in the cool heavy timber. Some where in these woods a lion was killing a deer, a bear eating a newborn, a coyote chasing a rabbit, and a hawk diving for a squirrel. The world was not at peace; war was raging.

Nature knows a war is happening. Why is it that animals know this better than we do. They have a better sense of this deceit and destruction that has raged since creation. If they didn’t, they would not survive.

We have become too comfortable. Our country and most of the world has abandoned God. People think they don’t need Him anymore. Mankind does not recognize the spiritual battle going on for the hearts and minds of people. What is really sad, many churches deny the chaos and have adopted a lukewarm attitude. Better to play it safe than upset anyone. Jesus confronted Satan head on. The Apostles warned us not to be complacent to Satan and that his goal is to deceive mankind. Peter said He goes around devouring like a lion. If you have ever watched a show on how a pride of lions eat their prey you should have an idea how Satan works. Total Consumption!

Author John Eldredge states, “You have an enemy. He is trying to steal your freedom, kill your heart, and destroy your life.”

Here is what Jesus 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.” Jesus is the only way to true peace. He has defeated Satan with his resurrection and through Him we can too. Just don’t forget, we are in a war. The outcome has permanent consequences of where we will spend eternity.

Relentless

The cinnamon bear was persistent, relentless in pursuit of the cow moose ready to have her calf. We have seen two moose giving birth to calves but never watched the scenario that was unfolding, even though it happens frequently this time of year to elk, deer, and moose.

Ardella heard some weird noises coming from a small ravine about two hundred yards away while we were bear hunting last Saturday. I could only hear a whitetail deer blowing an alarm. We decided to check it out so dropped down the hillside and worked our way up the far side of the ravine. A cow moose emerged from the ravine and glared at us not to invade her territory. She seemed to be ready to calve so we were going to turn around and let her have some space, as cows won’t hesitate to attack. Suddenly, a bear appeared above the cow and we new what the noise was all about as the cow was trying to fend off the predator from killing her calf as soon as it was born. The bear didn’t care that the cow weighed about one thousand pounds; it closed in the distance and the cow walked off hoping the bear would go away. But the bear persisted dogging the cow, waiting for the birth of the calf. This was an adult bear but we thought a bigger bear was also using the area so at first didn’t intend to shoot it even though the color of the bear’s coat was beautiful. The cinnamon had dark red legs and long red brown hair over the body. As the bear closed in on the cow I told Ardella to shoot. The cow only moved a short distance away and seemed relieved that the bear was gone. I was amazed how the moose suddenly accepted us.

We have a relentless pursuer, Satan. He chases us our whole life trying to deceive us with His lies and He is good at it. Satan whispers that God doesn’t love us, we aren’t good enough, and God doesn’t care. He dogs us continually like the bear, hoping we will lose hope. The apostle Paul was beaten, put in prison, driven from towns, put in chains, falsely accused but never gave up. Paul new how much Jesus loved him and his writings reveal how much God loves us. There is a war raging for everyone’s soul; we can’t escape it. How we face the battle determines where we spend eternity. The Bible says Satan has to flee at the name of Jesus. Pray against Satan in the name of Jesus and we can face life with peace and confidence.

Know this. Jesus didn’t die the horrible death on the cross because he was just a good guy. He died for ALL people who believe in Him. Jesus wants you to spend eternity with Him. How cool is that! He wants to hear from you and if you listen, He will talk to you. It’s about a relationship not a religion. It’s time to face the bear.

When Williwaws Blow

The Coleman lantern felt good as it took the chill away in the tent. Steve and I had settled into our sleeping bags hoping for a good night sleep as the pace of guiding clients was starting to tire us. Even though it was cozy in the tent, I sensed something was about to change. The weather was overcast and cold with a threat of snow but that wasn’t unusual. We soon turn off the lantern and snuggled down into the warm bags for the night. An hour later we were jolted awake by a blast of wind that shook the tent violently as it howled past us. Normally the winds came from the southwest so I set the tent up on the north side of a clump of alders thinking we would be safe from storms. As we lay in the sleeping bags a strange howl echoed from the glacier five miles up the river valley above camp. The noise level grew as it changed to the sound of a freight train barreling down the valley and our little tent seemed to be in its track. We were hit with a blast of wind that nearly lifted us off the ground and then it sailed south across the tundra until the wind slammed into the mountain range three miles to the south. There was silence for a few minutes; then the vicious wind came back to life and was headed back north to the glacier so this time the clump of alders took most of the brunt of the beast. As the wind headed home to the glacier it turned back to howling like a pack of wolves on a kill. Then an eerie silence enveloped over our camp and we hoped that was the end of that Alaskan experience. But that was not to be, a few minutes later the howling up the river valley started again. Faint at first, it grew louder as it gathered speed hurtling down the valley toward us. The force hit us and the north side of the tent caved in only to be stopped by Steve and his cot. I was sure the aluminum poles would snap or the fabric would rip apart, but my Eureka tent held together. The wind quieted as it hit the mountain range but a few minutes later revived and wanted to rush back to the glacier. I grabbed some camp cord and tent stakes and put more tie outs on the north side of the tent. About ten minutes later the wind howled as it launched from the glacier and headed toward us. This scenario continued for hours and we finally drifted off to sleep from exhaustion, unable to continue fighting the beast of Nishlik Lake.

In the gray dawn light the wind was silent, apparently sleeping in the bowels of the glacier. One of the aluminum poles was bent but the tent had survived the onslaught. Steve and I stumbled into the cook tent anxious to down a cup of strong coffee. As we discussed the winds with Justin, the outfitter, he told us it was a Williwaw wind. Williwaws are strong winds that sail one way only to turn around and hit from the opposite direction. They are usually caused by strange weather conditions. We had experienced another Alaskan weather phenomenon.

We will get hit by Williwaws in this life no matter how careful we are. Here is what I learned about facing a Williwaw. Put out plenty of stakes and hold the tent down. For our spiritual walk that means reading the Bible and believing in God’s word. It is also better if you face a Williwaw with another person. Two are much stronger and can withstand trials better than one. Satan likes to catch us alone. Pray for strength to survive; Williwaws will tire us out. Turn the Williwaw over to God and let Him fight it for you. This way you will get some rest and overcome it.

Babes of Spring

Renewal and rebirth are occurring in God’s natural world as babies of spring burst forth on the landscape. Little yellow furballs of Canada geese can be seen with their proud parents. Sometimes two or three pairs of geese get together followed by fifteen to twenty goslings. They know more adult geese can keep track of all the kids better. We have a hen wood duck nesting in box on a cottonwood tree. She has been very secretive of her location but I had the good fortune to watch the hen fly from the nest box yesterday. The drake has been perching in the trees keeping guard.

We have two litters of fox squirrels that are so much fun to watch as they explore their new world. Their mothers allow them to run around up and down trees gaining new confidence everyday. Whitetail does have spread out; soon to drop some new spotted fawns in their favorite hiding place. God gave them a perfect camouflage with a spotted coat and also made the little wobbly legged fawns scent free. How neat is that! A variety of birds from humming birds, chickadees, swallows, finches, to robins are nesting on our property and soon the parents will be busy feeding the hungry little ones. We feel fortunate that so many birds raise their young here every year.

God orchestrated this renewal at the beginning of creation. This isn’t the result of a cosmic accident as some people believe. Too many people have things backwards and worship the creation not the Creator. That’s why our forests are diseased and unhealthy with a terrible fire danger building every year. Trees have become sacred. Many people are putting the wolf on a high spiritual pedestal and are disregarding what one predatory specie left uncontrolled will do to the whole ecosystem. I better leave the Creator verses the creation issue until another time.

Back to renewal. God has set rebirth in the natural world in precise order that repeats like clockwork every year. He offers us renewal through our faith in Jesus. Jesus can strip away all the old baggage in our lives and give us the promise of a new spirit. It isn’t hard but we try to make it that way. Dump it all on Jesus; He is ready to take it. He not only forgives us of ALL past sins, He wipes the slate clean. Jesus said ask and it will be done. Jesus wants to reside in us. How cool is that? If there is something holding you back from a relationship with God, lay it all out there. He knows everything about you but wants to hear it from you. Every little detail. Nothing will surprise Him and you will feel a whole lot better. Don’t wait, do it today.

A Mother's Day

God created mothers to help us understand His grace, love, and patience. A mother’s day is everyday when they are raising children and training husbands. I gave my Mom plenty of “Mother’s Days”. Not intentionally, just because I was a boy who liked anything that crawled or slithered. One summer, in about fifth grade, I decided to collect some garter snakes. I soon had about fifteen snakes in an old wooden barrel which required feeding so I was busy catching mice and bugs. After about two weeks, I decided to let them go. I should have put them in a sack and carried them a far distance from our house but no I dumped the snakes out right by the garden. This tested my mother’s love. So for the rest of the summer it was my job to pick the beans, strawberries, and cut the rhubarb. When I was in high school, I would often come home stinking of skunk, fish, or covered with mud. Many times Mom made me change clothes in the garage.

Moms love us just as we are. They put our interest above theirs without second thought. Mothers mend, bandage, cook, clean up our messes, and become fulltime taxi drivers without complaint. Moms are Gods special gift to the family. He knew we would require extra grace and Mothers would understand. Take time to thank your Mom and give her a big hug.

His Chains Are Gone

Last Thursday over 400 people gathered at Sandpoint city square to observe the National Day of Prayer. Fifteen churches in the area were represented. It was great to see Christians put aside their theological differences to pray for our country. It was all about prayer. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “ If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” It was also a patriotic time as we honored our military past and present. Singing God Bless America with the sun beaming down and the flags waving in the breeze was emotional. Hearing Amazing Grace played on bagpipes was awesome!

The whole ceremony was great but what occurred just prior to the event was a miracle. Ardella and I met a man named Jon who I hadn’t seen for several years. Jon was very emotional. As Jon arrived at the city park he had a man wearing a back pack ask him what was going on. Jon explained about the National Day of Prayer and asked the man if he believed in God. The reply was “No.” When Jon asked him where he would go when he died, the man answered Hell. Jon asked him if he could pray for him anyway and the man said yes. As Jon was praying, the man stopped him and said he wanted to accept Jesus as Savoir in his life. Jon helped the man through a prayer of forgiveness and asking Jesus to come into his life. The man was about to leave when he asked Jon if they could pray about something else. He just came from the hospital and was diagnosed with cancer. Jon grabbed hold of the man and prayed for his healing and as he prayed felt God’s presence come over them. Jon gave the man his business card and asked the man to call him soon.

God’s amazing grace came down and touched that man’s heart. His chains were gone; he was set free by the blood of Jesus. What happened on that sidewalk in downtown Sandpoint was no accident. God put the man on collision course with Jon. Most of us would not have inquired about the man’s belief in God and he would have just kept on walking without knowing about God’s love. That really haunts me as I’m afraid I would have been in that crowd. What is really great about Jon is that he didn’t give the man a lecture on theology but asked if he could pray for him. God took over and went to the man’s heart. It is not about religion, it’s about a relationship with our heavenly Dad.

When Life Stinks

Don’t! Don’t! Don’t let the skunk out of the bag! That’s what I wanted to say but my tongue seemed tied and I could only point at the teacher. Then pandemonium broke out in the class.

During my second year in college, the zoology teacher was trying to collect a pelt of each animal specie in Iowa. He enlisted my help since I trapped so my trap line was not only earning me some needed money but providing the school with a great collection of native specimens. It was January and I took the last of my hides to a fur buyer and was planning on calling it a season when the guy asked if I could supply him with some spotted skunks. These miniature skunks pack a powerful aroma. My mother would make me change clothes in the garage in January, talk about goose bumps.

I could not turn down the opportunity since the fur buyer told me he would pay twenty dollars for each skunk and I didn’t have to skin them. That was good money in 1965 and they were easy to catch. When the zoology teacher heard I was trapping, he asked if I would donate one for the collection. I was glad to oblige as long as I didn’t have to skin the stinky critter. One very cold January morning, I caught a nice spotted skunk which I placed in a bread wrapper, tied the end shut, and placed that in a brown bag. After lunch I grabbed the bag and headed for the school. I walked to the teacher’s room and knocked on the door. He seemed surprised to see me and I held up the bag which had a faint odor emitting from it. The bag was grabbed out of my hand fast and he took it over to his desk at the front of the class. The room was full of students wondering about his sudden joy. I thought he would wait until after school to investigate the prize but no, he opened the brown bag and dumped the skunk out on the desk still tied up in the bread wrapper. Not able to contain the excitement like a child on Christmas morning, he tore open the plastic wrapper and the stinky little skunk plopped onto the desk. A strong pungent aroma immediately filled the classroom. Students started coughing and gagging! The odor was overwhelming! Some guys started throwing open the windows even though it was barely above zero outside. Luckily, the bell rang and students were able to escape the confines of the classroom. Their fortune didn’t last long as the forced air system picked up the scent and spread it through the entire school.

I wasn’t the most popular guy in school for a while. The principle was not someone to fall in disfavor. He ruled with an iron hand and didn’t take any pranks or disobedience without heavy discipline, yet he never said anything to me. Not sure how the teacher faired with the episode.

Sometimes we are going about living, working hard, dreaming of new accomplishments, planning the future and life drops a big stink into our laps. We can’t always avoid those times, yet sometimes we cause them to happen. Stinks can be broken relationships, financial crisis, health challenges, job losses, drugs; the list goes on and on. Each person has had at least one. How we handle them is important and determines if we grow through them. God doesn’t cause them, yet we are quick to blame Him. He wants to help us with life when the going is good and bad. Turning problems over to Him is hard for us.

Jesus said he came to carry our burdens so let Him do it; you will feel better. Get personal with Jesus about your problem, even though He knows all about it. He will reach down and touch your heart and comfort your soul. Go to Him in earnest and continuous prayer as He is waiting to listen. Also enlist some people close to you that can be your prayer warriors. Remember you are in a battle so you need a platoon of soldiers covering your back and attacking the problem with you. Confront the attack with the help of God. Losing is not in God’s vocabulary. Don’t let it be in yours.

Let’s Take a Shortcut

Those words make Ardella plant her feet on the ground like she is glued there and her eyes pinpoint deep into mine. I can’t understand why! A shortcut in the woods is full of unknown adventure and surprises. It can really liven up a day; create lifetime memories.

One fall, our son-in-law Thane, Ardella, and I headed into a high basin to hunt. Thane and I had archery tags for elk and Ardella took her rifle for bear. We walked in using an old road that was grown up with alder so it took a while to reach our destination. I think the only game we saw was a mule deer bounding off into the brush and way too soon it was time to leave this remote spot and head back to the truck. As we started to head back down the road I noticed a dry creek bed that dropped off the mountain side and looked inviting. It would save us miles of walking the road and it came out right by the truck. How could we go wrong? Ardella didn’t quite agree for some reason. Of course Thane understood my sound judgment and thought it would be great. Thane took the lead and all went well for about one hundred yards then the dry creek plunged off the mountain. We were soon in a small canyon the stream had cut into the rock formation and the walls crept higher. Ardella was following me and I could hear her mumbling words like crazy, idiotic, unbelievable. I think it was caused by high altitude sickness or maybe because the light was fading and the little canyon getting tighter. Suddenly Thane stopped and told us there was a ten foot drop off which in the spring would have been a great waterfall. He slowly climbed down the rock wall and made it fine. I turned and look at Ardella and decided I should take her rifle for safety reasons. Not hers, ours!

I tried to cheer up us by saying we could proudly claim no other people had probably ever set foot where we were going. It was like making history! Now I know how Lewis and Clark felt. We ran into a pine marten that was very surprised to see human life in this rocky domain. Finally just as the last light was leaving the day, we bumbled out at the truck and a bear greeted us with a loud woof as it rocketed down the mountain side.

Shortcuts can be dangerous too. Late in the deer season many years ago, pre four wheel drive days, I walked up a Forest Service road early one morning. It had snowed about fifteen inches that night so I left the Luv pickup at the bottom along the lake. After walking a mile an a half, I cut some fresh deer tracks and soon took a large doe. I tied a rope around her neck and proceeded to drag her back to the truck. The doe was easy to pull but when I arrived at a curve, the truck was visible straight below me. I decided to take her over the side even though it was very steep, to save a half mile of dragging. Instead of me pulling the doe; she was pulling me and we were soon sliding down the mountain making good time. She hung up on a small tree and I was going to flip her loose when I noticed the slope seemed to change. I let go of the rope and let her go and the doe disappeared from sight. I carefully lowered myself a few feet and discovered she had plunged off a one hundred foot cliff. Had I followed holding the rope, I would have gone with her and been badly injured or killed. I slowly worked my way to the doe and pulled her to the truck without incident.

We are tempted to shortcut many things in life in this fast paced world. Usually it results in a wreck. The worst is leaving God out of our daily life. Most people want Him only when a disaster strikes. Jeremiah says ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it. God is concerned about our path of life and wants to show us the good way. That means there is a bad way, concealed by Satan to look good. Oh, we are so tempted to take those paths, those shortcuts. Ask God to help you with the good path and you will discover He is waiting for you. Prayer is a great way to start. Then listen for His reply.

A Walk In The Park

Saturday we went with our daughter Connie and her husband Thane to Farragut State Park. It was an absolutely fabulous day with sunshine and temps in the 60’s. As we ate lunch, a bald eagle soared on the warm thermals above the calm blue waters of Lake Pend Oreille. It is a place of peace and tranquility and many people were like us who brought the family dog along to enjoy the afternoon. In fact, I think it was golden retriever day at the park. Maddie and Sadie enjoyed meeting the other red dogs but Sadie growled at other breeds. Sadie and I walked out on the docks where you can look down and see the bottom of the lake fifty feet below. I felt blessed to live where the water is so clean and clear.

Farragut is a recreational area that draws outdoor enthusiasts from Idaho and Washington. You can mountain bike on miles of trails, bring you horses for trail rides, llamas for pack trips, dogs for walking, fly model airplanes, play horse shoe, camp, boat and fish, and play disc golf. The park’s origin was far different. Farragut was established during WWII as a naval boot camp and training center. Thousands of sailors trained there before shipping off to war. Not much is left of that era; mainly a water tower and a large one story building that was a brig. A memorial has been erected to those who served in the war and as I touched the sailor a realization swept over me that I was touching history. I had the privilege to personally know a few men that trained at Farragut and on Saturday I said a silent thank you to them. Their sacrifices make it possible for us to enjoy picnics and a walk in the park.

I had different plans for Saturday, working in the shop on an order and possibly fishing later in the day. God had other plans for me. He knew it would be better for me to rest and enjoy the warm day with the family. Being a work a holic, it would have been easy for me to come up with some excuse; but I knew God thought differently. I could feel Him nudging me to go. John Eldredge has a new book out called Walking With God. John says we can’t walk with God if we don’t listen for Him. Unfortunately, many of us busy ourselves with work and meaningless activities so we miss out hearing from the Father. Then there are those people who don’t think God wants to communicate with us. He sent Jesus to offer us life; now and eternally. Jesus told his disciples that they would be hearing from the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. They did and so can we if we are tuned in to God! It requires us to take the clutter out of life and really seek the Father. Through quite time, reading the Bible, and prayer we can hear the voice of God. What will surprise you is the voice is like hearing from a friend.

Through a simple walk in the park, I heard from God!

Exploding Caribou and Other Alaskan Phenomenon

Alaska is a vast region of unique people, wild animals, and an environment that can turn hostile in a minute. I thrived on the wildness that was beyond my control. Our society tells us we need to be in control; too bad these people have never experienced a month in the Alaskan bush where time of day means nothing and people are toward the bottom of the food chain. That helps put life in perspective.

Early one fall I was guiding two hunters from Wisconsin so the weather was still warm and the insects wanted to suck out all our blood. On the second day of their hunt a big bull with a small band of cows popped up in front of us about noon. One of the hunters immediately put the bull down so we propped it up for a photo shoot. We took rolls of film from all angles often with the hunters sitting on the bull. Caribou bloat up fast due to the lichen they consume and this one started resembling a balloon that would float off across the tundra. I said we better get to dressing the bull so we could get all the meat to camp before dark. We skinned out one side and were going to remove the legs and loins before I attempted to remove the entrails. I thought I would save the worst for last. As I was working my knife around the pelvic socket the blade point made a small slit in the abdomen. Instantly a piece of intestine popped through and exploded green goo all over my face. Both hunters jumped back and I’m surprised they didn’t crack up and roll on the ground in hysterics. I quickly became a fly magnate and a black swarm followed me all the way to camp. I stripped down, waded into the cold lake, and took a bath. As I thought at least nothing else can go wrong today; a game warden landed his helicopter in camp and wanted to see all our hunter’s paperwork.

Night wasn’t the best time to take a stroll on the tundra especially when there were grizzly bears feeding after dark on recent caribou kills. I was the one guide that usually came in last, often guided by a head lamp. The lichen was snow white because of the high phosphorous content and gave off a glow so we could traverse without lights many nights. A spectacular night show was the northern lights that would dance in green, red, blue, and bright white. We would often bring out chairs to watch this amazing heavenly display. There is something about the earth’s magnetic field that pulls in meteorites in record numbers. One night as we were setting up tents at midnight, a spectacular flash made everything look as midday. We exclaimed, “Wow”!

Unlike much of the lower forty eight states, Alaska hasn’t been tamed. It is big, wild and threatening just the way God intended. God formed wild places because he is a wild Creator. Our God isn’t some phony wimp. Psalm 104 says, “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations, it can never be moved.” Yes, our God is a wild God! If you want to have a wild life, grab hold of Jesus’ hand and hold on. Peter did and never looked back.

Twelve foot Bear

Sometimes, things are not like they seem. People are known to stretch the truth or create an illusion of the real events. Even my title did; I should have written bear at twelve feet. You were probably envisioning a monstrous brown bear with snarling teeth. But this was a nine foot bear just ambling down the shoreline looking for salmon.

It was early September and I was dropped of with two archery hunters on a remote lake in the Togiak Wildlife refuge who had come to pursue brown bears. I had never been there before so the outfitter told me to set up camp midway on the lake which was about four miles long. I found a fairly level site in some aspen trees where we could blend in without the bears knowing we were there. The only trouble was a well used bear trail went through the camp. I put up the clients tent and set up the cook tent so we could have dinner that evening. Night descended upon us before I could set up a tent to sleep in so I spent the first night in the cook tent. As we settled in to sleep a bear started fishing for salmon just forty yards from the tents. We heard sploosh, sploosh for about an hour as the bear caught salmon. This raised the adrenaline level of the clients as I told them to be very quite so the bear would stay and fish. The next morning those two guys couldn’t talk about anything except the bear. I asked them if they heard the one that came up the path at midnight and woofed at us camped on his trail. Their eyes got big and said “No”! Later that day Justin the outfitter flew in to join us for the hunt which started the next day.

The next morning we were in the cook tent finishing up breakfast and planning the days hunt when the seagulls became very noisy so I went outside to take a look. One hundred years from camp appeared a nice brown bear walking the shoreline. Both hunters were still in their long underwear and stocking feet. I ran back into the tent and whispered, “Bear coming down the shoreline”. They both ran to their tent to retrieve the bows. One guy was so excited he couldn’t get his gear together so the other hunter, Paul got ready to shoot. We positioned ourselves just above the gravel shore as the bear closed the distance. It was walking directly at us so Paul could not shoot. The bear passed under an alder bush beside us and stopped. Paul released an arrow at the bear now just twelve feet away. Our hearts were pounding as the bow launched the arrow into the lung area. We were very relieved when the bear turned and ran off into the brush. An hour went by before we followed its trail. The bear was dead sixty yards from camp.

We propped the bear up to take photos and a video. By now both hunters had dressed and collected their equipment. Paul wanted us to video him as he explained how he harvested the bear for promotional purposes. First he said the camouflage scent lock clothing worked great as the bear never smelled him at close range. When Paul shot the bear he was wearing blue long johns and wool socks. He said the broadhead performed great by penetrating deep. It was an expandable head which on contact with the heavy hair slowed the arrow down and only about one third of the arrow made it into the chest cavity. He brought out some other gear that supposedly was used to harvest his trophy. Even the manufactures of the products he was promoting wouldn’t know the story wasn’t true. The video made it look like the truth.
Truth is hard to come by in today’s world. We become so accustom to lies and half truths that soon people believe just about anything. Politicians tell us what we want to hear to sooth our minds. Hollywood wouldn’t know the truth if it bit them on the rear. Unfortunately, some churches even conceal the truth so they won’t upset their members. They water down the Bible to make it sound good. Others completely dispel parts that are hard to accept; like some of the miracles and teachings of Jesus. Jesus said he was the way, the truth, and the life. He is the only way, the originator of truth, and life without Him is like a dead man walking. Jesus has a deep compassion for us and wants to reveal what an amazing life we can have with him. The Bible uses the word truth over two hundred times because God is Truth. Let God fill you up.

Pandemonium

Guiding at caribou camp could get repetitious and slightly boring ; taking out two hunters then two more, then two more and some weeks caribou were scarce to find. It was common during the first two weeks to spend hours, day after day, looking through binoculars hoping caribou would appear on the horizon. The weather was usually warm and the insects’ horrendous if the wind wasn’t blowing. One fall we arrived at camp without a shovel which would prove foolish in a few days.

Our first group was an interesting mix of people. We had three Italians from New Jersey who may have had ties to the mob. One day in the cook tent I heard Little Tony ask Big Tony what he was going to do with the truck load of butter. Then there were the three rednecks from Montana and a truck driver from Pennsylvania. It was an interesting mix of cultures. I figured the Italians definitely weren’t hit men as they couldn’t shoot accurate enough to inflict any damage on a four hundred pound caribou. It took all week before they harvested a bull and then I had to get them within forty yards. Big Tony brought one cooler full of home made sausages and one of fresh vegetables from his garden so we were enjoying some good food.

Everything seemed pretty normal; then a three day storm hit. Alaska storms can last for days with winds over sixty miles an hour and inches of rain per day. Our camp was on the north end of the lake and the storms came from the southwest so we really received a pounding. The only shelter was some alder and willow bushes that stood six feet high. In front was the six mile long lake and behind was a huge impoundment of water formed by a series of beaver ponds A river flowed into the lake nearby so as the lake rose over two feet, the river spilled over into the beaver ponds and was rapidly rising toward the tents. At dark the water was just inches from us and we started checking the level frequently with flashlights. Justin, the outfitter, told everyone to put their belongings on top of their cots to keep dry. This was the last straw for Little Tony; he came completely unglued and started yelling, “We’re going to die!” This wasn’t helping the moral of the rest of camp so we tried to calm him down as the furry of the storm seemed to increase with his shouting. We decided to try to dig a channel from the beaver ponds to the lake at midnight with some empty coffee cans, pans from the cook tent, and an axe. All the guides and some of the Montana hunters pitched in and after an hour we had a small stream of water draining into the lake. We hoped for the best and went to bed. At daylight we checked the work area to discover the little stream had widened to several feet wide and three feet deep. We were saved! Life at camp returned to normal and so did the weather.

I always looked at these storms as great adventures and put my trust in God to keep us safe. I was usually the only one in camp that thought like that. There is a big difference when life is handing you a storm on how you face it. If your relationship with God is right, you will feel His strength to calm the storm. Remember how the disciples were amazed when Jesus rebuked the wind. The Lord is our rock and salvation and wants to be in our lives to help us. Satan is always looking for ways to send arrows at us so know God is there to help ward them from us. One of the best ways to face the storms is to find some prayer warriors who will lift you up to the Father. A grove of trees can withstand strong winds because their roots intertwine to hold each other up; but remove a few trees and several will blow over. Christians are similar to trees in the storms of life. Pray, pray, pray to the Father; pray with others and meet the storms head on.

Hey, it is snowing outside on this March afternoon!

Where"s The Body ?

It had been a weird week in Jerusalem but finally that Jesus guy was dead and sealed in a tomb . Guards were placed at the tomb so the disciples couldn't steal his body and claim he came to life. They didn't want that rumor going around with all the people in town ; that might energize his followers and create new problems for the ruling council. Yes, things would get back to normal at last after three years of dealing with that nut and his disciples. There were some strange events that took place at his death which were hard to explain but the people would soon forget them. You know, the earthquake that shook the temple and tore the curtain from top to bottom. Oh well, that curtain was getting old and needed replaced. Not sure why it got so dark on Friday afternoon but the weather has been normal since then. How do we explain the dead people who came out of tombs that many people recognized and have been seen walking around the city? Some of the population must have celebrated the Passover a little too much.

Then there is the biggest question of all. Where is his Body? The soldiers said some guy in a shining white robe came by and rolled the large stone away. They came back to the temple terrified; like they had seen a ghost! But the guards were paid a large sum of money to say his disciples came and stole the body during the night. If Pilate hears about this heads will role as he didn't want Jesus killed to begin with. This has to be kept very quiet or those eleven guys might cause an uprising yet. Why can't things just be like they used to ?

They never can because Jesus came to change us from the inside out. Once Christ is in your heart you will be ever changing. It is a life long process for all of us. The empty tomb is what separates Christ's believers from other religions of the world. Those other people who claimed they were the way to eternal life are Still in Their Tombs! Jesus was seen by over five hundred people after his resurrection and all but one of his disciples died a cruel death because they knew and believed without a doubt who He is.

The most important question to ask yourself is who do you think Jesus is?

The Announcement of Spring

This has been a long hard winter for people and wildlife in north Idaho. Several roofs collapsed and folks had to deal with snow daily for two months as it piled up to near record levels. Wildlife suffered from deaths on highways and train tracks and from starvation. Over one hundred seventy five moose were killed in our county and no one knows how many deer perished to vehicles. We are glad to see the snow melting and winter fading away.

Ardella and I went to the Clark Fork River delta this week to pick up driftwood that was caught in the holding basin last summer. We always look forward to these trips to hear the melody of spring in the air. There were thousands of waterfowl congregated in the shallow bays waiting to push their way north to their nesting grounds. A constant noise filled the air with geese honking and swans trumpeting with their deep voices. Mallards quacked and a large flock of pintails whistled over us. A group of blue herons wer standing in the shallow water as if they were discussing the best fishing hole. This great display of nature always lifts our spirits and gives us the promise of spring.

God orchestrated the spring rebirth at the time of creation. He knew how much we would enjoy the season change from winter to see green grass and flowers poking through the ground. Our lives under go seasons of change both physically and spiritually. Without our focus on Jesus we are spiritually dead and live without hope. Jesus died on a cross and was buried for three days but by the power of God was resurrected to life eternally. Through our faith in Jesus we are offered the same miracle; a rebirth from winter to an eternity of sunshine with the Father.

If your life is like an endless winter , then it is time to ask God to help you come to life and bloom again . He can make all things new, a springtime of endless flowers and green grass , just for you.
God is waiting for your communication with him so He can shower you with blessings. He wants a personal relationship with you . Just ask Him

Fishing With Grandpa

Recently we took the granddaughters ice fishing as they had been asking to go for quite some time. It was a nice sunny afternoon and they were excited to be pulled in a sled across the ice to where their dad was fishing. Vance had been fishing all morning and had around one hundred nice perch . I bored some new holes and set down to catch some fish but the fishing had slowed down. After catching six perch I decided to try some other holes nearby. Lizzie and Hanna were patiently waiting to catch a perch. Lizzie finally caught one and her excitement could be heard by everyone on the ice. I started catching perch from one hole about twenty feet from Hanna and Lizzie. I could look down the hole into three feet of water and see nothing but swirling perch. Fish after fish soon lay on the ice. Lizzie was watching me and slowly pulled out the line from the hole she was fishing and came shuffling toward me. Even though she never said anything, I could see by her expression that she wanted me to share some fish with her. I told her to get ready so when I caught the next one ; she could put her line down the hole. When she caught one I would put mine down. Soon Lizzie was shouting with glee as we had fish flopping all over the ice. In about a half hour we caught nearly sixty nice perch. Hanna even caught two on her own as she patiently set on a sled and fished.

I noticed some other guys catching fish and they were soon swooped down upon by two other fishermen like hungry vultures. Some guys are so brazen that they will drop their line down your hole when you pull up a fish. Two days later I went fishing right away in the morning hoping the early bite was on. I took our dog Sadie along for company and she enjoyed playing on the ice. Soon I caught a nice perch which really entertained Sadie by flopping around on the ice. One of the vultures was fishing about one hundred yards away and immediately grabbed his gear and headed toward us. I kept on watching the pole as the man approached. Sadie sat down and fixed her eyes on the approaching fisherman who was closing in fast. Suddenly a deep growl emerged followed by a very loud bark. The fisherman quickly turned and went past us , heading for another section. He definitely knew Sadie wasn't going to share our fishing spot. The funny part is that was the only perch I caught all morning.

God and Grandpa's are very much alike. Grandpa will always hand down blessings to the granddaughters ; reading their favorite stories , sharing fishing holes, buying their first bow. All they have to do is ask in a child like manner and it is Grandpa and Grandma's pleasure to fill their request. We have a loving God who blesses us with the same child like requests.

Mark 10 :15 tells us to receive the kingdom of God like a little child. It is saying to have the faith a child has in their parents and grandparents. Anticipation of love and security; trusting in them for everything. As adults we aren't too good at relying on God , instead we often try to get through life without Him. He waits patiently for us to communicate with Him. Remember God wants a relationship with us every day. He will even let you fish out of His favorite spot , be prepared for a tremendous catch of blessings

Fellowship

Last Thursday I drove to Princeton, Idaho and spoke at their annual hunting and fishing banquet. It was great driving down there through the rolling hills of farmland and timber as the sun warmed the day with a hint of spring. I saw several herds of deer feeding on the open hillsides and was greeted by a chorus of red wing blackbirds at the church. They still have quite a few old barns that are nice to see from an era gone by.

I met Pastor Jim and found him to be a warm and caring person which was reflected in his congregation. The people were very friendly and can cook up some great game dishes and desserts. It was good to see them bring in antlers and head mounts to decorate the banquet room which is going to be a new gymnasium. Some of their best hunters are women which doesn't surprise me since I'm married to one that is a very good shot.

My talk to them was about using the outdoors to reach people for Christ. They live in a perfect area to do that. Nearly everyone living in that area is tied to the land and wildlife. I believe this loving church can impact their area in many ways as they offer the hand of fellowship to their community.

My advice to them is keep shooting those big deer and elk and keep loving each other and your community. You have a great church!

Dangerous Times

Greg and I were sitting against a big rock, the size of a small garage, waiting for a caribou or moose to wander past us. Greg was an archery hunter so he needed to be within thirty five yards for a shot. A cow moose appeared about one hundred yards away and we were hoping a bull was around. Two bulls soon showed up; unfortunately they were two small caribou bulls. The cow decided she didn't like them and charged the bulls and drove them off. A short time later the bulls came back and the old cow was waiting ; she drove them back down the trail . We never did figure what had put the girl in a bad mood but it may have been a bear in the area or maybe she just didn't intend to share her domain with any caribou.

Later in the morning we spotted a nice caribou bull about six hundred yards away on a rock outcrop. We plotted a way to sneak to him so off the two of us went in pursuit. Greg and I took advantage of the timber to reach the bottom of the huge rock. We found a game trail that would take us up where the bull should be feeding , so Greg went first slowly climbing to the top of the rock , but the bull had disappeared. There was a rock about four feet in diameter that we hid behind hoping the caribou would feed back into the open . Forty yards in front of us was a mix of blueberries and low brush, after that the thick timber and alder brush made it impossible to see anything. Suddenly a large brown bear appeared feeding toward us on the lush blueberries; it was joined by two small furballs . The cubs were having fun playing and running around. Mom kept her head down lapping up the big berries with her tongue and was walking directly toward Greg and I. The cubs ran ahead of her and were approaching us fast. I slowly put a shell into my .338 magnum hoping I wouldn't have to use it. One cub was only thirty feet away and the sow was now about sixty feet from us. I looked around and behind us the rock dropped about thirty feet straight down to a patch off green grass. I whispered to Greg to slowly back up and I would join him when he got to the drop off. Everything seemed to freeze in time. This was like a bad nightmare; I knew at this close distance the bear would instintly charge us to protect the cubs. One cub stood up on its hind legs to get a better look at us. I slowly joined Greg and told him to slide off the rock and hope for the best. He quickly slid from sight and reappeared in a few seconds smiling in the grass below. I took one last look at the bears and the sow was still busy feeding and had not seen the her cubs were intent on watching two funny looking creatures sliding backwards and dropping out of sight. We were elated that a disaster had been avoided.

Greg and I took off for another rock ridge a half mile to the south of us only to run into another brown bear eating berries but this young bear took off at the sight off us. When we reached the ridge lunch was eaten and we rested trying to plan the rest of the day. Later I stood up to glass the area to the west and saw something reflecting in the bright sunshine. It was the palm off a moose antler; a very big bull moose. Then I spotted another bull a few yards from the first one. Both bulls were in the sixty inch class but were over a mile away in a grass filled meadow. We took off after them hoping to find the meadow. The first thing we found was a small creek that would lead us to the bulls and help hide our movements. We soon found fresh moose tracks and areas where moose had recently fed on willows. I picked up a large stick and started rubbing on a spruce tree and grunting but there was no repsonse from the bulls as the rut had not started yet . Greg and I stayed there until late afternoon and being three miles from camp reluctantly left the area and started working our way through the heavy birch and spruce timber. We had made a semicircle around the spot where the sow and cubs were in the morning and were trying to stay to the right in the timber to avoid them. I found a game trail and thought we might as well follow that instead off fighting the brush. The trail finally ended and we were looking at a wall of alder brush,except for one that entered the brush field and there was a tunnel about four feet high that we could take instead of back tracking. I looked at my watch and it was getting late; I wanted to be back in camp before dark. So we bent over and went into the tunnel- a tunnel made by brown bears. I reloaded my rifle again. Soon we were finding very fresh bear scat and bear beds. There were beds made by a big bear and beds made by small bears; we had entered the bedroom of the old sow and her cubs. The hair stood up on my neck just thinking about our predictiment and I told Greg we needed to start talking to let her know she had company. Eventually we entered an open area filled with blueberries and spotted the rock we had hid behind that morning. We quickly took the trail off the rock and hurried on to camp . It was a relief to see the safety of the tents.

Life can be dangerous , especially for christians. We are looked down upon by many in the world, even in this country. In some countries, worshipping Jesus can mean death. The Apostle Paul faced beatings, ship wrecks, snake bites, and imprisonment for his beliefs but he never wavered. Paul had met Jesus face to face on the Damascus road and completely turned his life from a persecutor to being persecuted.

God will help us walk through the dangerous times. Psalm 91 is a great message for us when trials and tribulations come our way. Two people can also face danger better so make sure you have a brother or sister in Christ .

Breaking Trail

Last Saturday my son-in-law, Vance and I snowshoed into his cabin to shovel the roof . We accessed some private property so there was about a mile an a half to walk. The snow level was over forty eight inches and it had warmed up so the snow was soft. With each step on the snowshoes , I sunk in about six inches. My legs were soon telling me that they were not in the same great shape as last fall. Vance was pulling a sled with gear and shovels so he was struggling too. We would go about one hundred yards and take a break. This allowed for us to enjoy the snow laden scenery. We found some fresh coyote tracks, grouse and snowshoe hare tracks. When we were nearly to the cabin some recent moose tracks cut through the deep snow. The moose were staying near the creek bottom to avoid the deepest snow. We were relieved not to find a moose as they can be bad tempered this time of year. I carried a rifle as cougar season is still open and we have encountered the big cats around the cabin.

Once at the cabin we enjoyed a lunch and drank water to hydrate our bodies. It took about one and a half hours to clear the roof then we retraced our tracks back to the truck. Because we had a packed trail the way out was easy going. We glided over the snow with little effort.

Our trails in life can be difficult and drag us down. Letting Jesus break the trail for us makes the walking easier. He is ready to head out in front to help us in our troubles . It doesn't mean we won't encounter bad roads and steep trails, but He will guide us through them. Psalm 23 says He will guide us in the paths and even when we walk through dangerous valleys we will fear no evil. Jesus not only broke the trail for us on the cross, He conquered death for anyone who will believe in Him.

So strap those snowshoes on and follow Jesus ; the trail will be much easier than doing it alone.

Which Way's Camp

During my second year of guiding in Alaska, the outfitter and I were dropped into a remote lake about sixty miles north of Dillingham. It was a beautiful lake surrounded by fir and birch timber. To the north , huge granite ridges jutted from the landscape and were called the Guardians. Some nice caribou bulls were grazing on the granite ridges as we set up the tents for the two clients that would fly in the next day. One bull was a record book animal with heavy antlers and massive double shovels. We felt getting a bou wouldn't be much trouble but didn't see any moose as night descended on us.

The next day the clients; two doctors arrived at camp. Their names were Don and Greg, both hoped to get a moose and a caribou . Don was nervous sort of guy and I could see he might be a handful to guide. Don immediately questioned Justin, the outfitter, about my capabilities. I could sense some doubt on his part about my guiding ability. Justin assured him I was qualified and one of his best guides. I was hoping to guide Greg the next day as he was an archer and so am I. But Justin turned to Don and said, "Larry will take you to the meadow behind camp for the day." So off we went and worked our way up on the side of an outcrop to get a good view of the meadow. The insects were horrendous and a head net was the order of the day. Don and I settled in and glassed for any movements in the timber below us. Late in the afternoon a cow and calf moose wandered by but no bull moose or caribou.

The second day found us at the same place at Justin's suggestion. I could see that Don wasn't too happy with that decison as he wanted to explore some other areas nearby. We sat there a few hours when a giant caribou bull appeared about three hundred yards away . I got Don fifty yards closer then we ran out of cover. I told him to hold his .270 just behind the bull's shoulder so Don took a rest on a small tree. I waited and waited for the shot and finally Don turned to me and said he had never shot at anything that far. I understood and said "okay". The big bull soon melted into the trees. This event really made Don want to walk and he pointed to some water we could see through a saddle about a mile away. I said let's go, thinking a walk might calm him down. We fought our way to the small lake through thick brush and found some fresh moose sign and way to much brown bear activity due to a heavy crop of blueberries. After slowly circling the lake Don said let's call it a day and go to camp. He was getting worn down. I said fine and told him if we turned left into the heavy timber we could save a mile of walking. I thought the timber would be easier than the thick brush. Don didn't see it that way and wanted to go back the way we came. I held firm and and said "Load your gun in case we suprise a bear." Don still objected and said we would not find camp that direction. That's when I said "Let's check my compass." I unzipped the compartment on my pack only to find it empty; then remembered having it out that morning in the tent when I was checking the map of the area. I felt sort of embarrassed and could see big concerns in Don's eyes. He was doubting my ability as a guide.

Eventually I won the debate and we took off through the spruce and birch . In about a half an hour we broke out on the lake shore one hundred yards from camp. Don was very quiet and said he needed to lay down a while. Later that night Don told Justin about our day and said I did a good job getting them back without a compass. Don shot two caribou and a large black bear that week and by the time he left camp I had a new friend.

Our lives are sort of like that hunt. Sometimes we forget the compass and wander around aimlessly in life. When we remember the compass for our life is Jesus , things go much better. We can always count on him to get us through the thick brush and trees that life throws in our path. All it takes is to invite Him into our lives. Do it today and he will show you the way to camp.

Raising A Fawn

The snow is piling up deeper and deeper in north Idaho and we may soon set a new record for snowfall. The deer are having a difficult time getting around so I put on the snowshoes and packed down the trails for them. There are seven does and one fawn feeding in the backyard. I don't know what happened to the rest of the babies; probably coyotes killed some of them last summer. The does are a family group of mom, sisters, and aunts and they stay together for protection. Without them the fawn would not have much of a chance to survive. They all seem to tolerate the fawn and even let it eat with them. The does are teaching the fawn survival instincts it needs to know so the youngster can live long enough to have it's own babies. God instilled in the old does the ability to care for and teach their young so they can survive in an environment that is often hostile .

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Teach a child in the way he should go , and when he is old he will not turn from it." God is telling parents to love and guide their children in His ways not the world's ways. The way of the world will lead a child down the wrong path. Raising a child is the responsibility of both the man and woman. In the world of deer and elk the mom's do it all but God intended for humans to share in the upbringing of their children. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles are also responsible to teach the children.

The outdoors is an excellent learning environment for children. The basics found in nature can be a great learning tool and children usually enjoy it. Taking a child fishing, a hike through the woods, and hunting can teach them responsibilities for life. The most important lesson we can teach them is that God loves them unconditionally. He wants to be a part of their growth process. Teach them God is a relationship not a religion.

On Thin Ice

Two fishermen fell through the ice on Lake Pend Oreille last week. Lucky for them the water was only waist deep and a rescue team helped them. Walking around on ice can be dangerous depending on the temperatures, currents, and under water springs. We are in a deep freeze so the lakes will add good ice, but people need to let it get thick enough before venturing out too far. I have had some unexpected cold water baptisms in the winter and a person can develop hypothermia very quickly. I fell in at eighteen below zero and had to walk a half mile to the truck. By the time I got there my fingers refused to work so I could not open the truck door. A coworker started the truck and got the heater going full blast so I slowly thawed out enough to drive home and jumped into a hot tub of water.

In Iowa we would often drive vehicles out on the lakes when the ice got two feet thick. One day a friend and I drove my car out to a fish house we had on a large lake. Fishing was pretty good so we decided to stay after dark and fish for walleye. Later we went to leave and discovered a dense fog had moved in but we were sure finding right spot to get off the lake wouldn't be too hard. Wrong! We drove around and around until some headlights appeared through the dense fog. That guy was also lost but was sure he had figured out where the exit spot was. We decided to follow him and finally got off the lake. We were very relieved to be off the lake as there was a stretch of open water not too far from where we entered the lake due to a rock point that jutted into the lake.

There are times we walk on thin spiritual ice when ignoring God . Going our own way until we fall through and then we holler for God to rescue us. God wants us to walk with him so He can help and direct us around the thin ice. Remember even Peter could walk on water as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. When he panicked and started to sink, Jesus held out his hand and pulled Peter back up with him. Jesus will do the same thing for us. But if we keep our eyes on Jesus we don't have to worry about thin ice

Out The Back Door

The world seems peaceful and serene in the back yard as the snow has now piled up about three feet deep. There are a maze of deer trails in the white blanket where they feed on the corn I put out everyday. Several deer now feed every night; some arrive before dark. I have been cutting the tops off the high bush cranberries so they can eat the red berries as the birds don't seem to like them. I tried one and they are very tart.

The peace of the yard has been turned into a scene of terror by a winged predator. I have been finding dove feathers and the birds are often perched in the tree tops looking for this killer. Sunday afternoon I found a fresh pile of feathers and after searching the trees found a sharp shin hawk perched in a cottonwood . I threw snowballs at it and clapped my hands but the hawk would not leave. So I went in and got the 22 rifle and placed a shot about six inches from the bird and it quickly left. I wouldn't mind if it ate a few of the starlings but doves seem to be the daily cuisine. At this rate the forty doves won't last long. War has entered the peaceful life of the doves.

The drama unfolding in the back yard is similar to our lives. The book of Peter says Satan is like a roaring lion going around devouring people and destroying lives. Satan hates God and will do anything to keep us from having a relationship with the Father. Prayer is the best defense we have to thwart the devil's plans when he attacks. He flees at the name of Jesus. Jesus defeated him with an empty tomb and promises to come back again and personally throw him into the lake of fire. In the mean time we are to pray and pray and pray. God will hear us!

A Fierce Heart

We have a covered roof that wraps around two sides of our house that I use for wood storage. It is very full of various woods that I will use this winter. The other morning I was heading out to feed the llamas when I noticed a small set of tracks that emerged from the wood pile across the snow and disappeared into some tall grass. The tracks were from a weasel or ermine as they used to be called when their fur was in demand for women's coats and accessories. The little animal was very sought after in the early 1900's but now their pelts bring very little money. I have caught a few when I trapped pine marten as they both use the same habitat. They are a great mouser and will eliminate a population quickly. I'm happy it is here and hope the little guy spends the winter.

If a weasel weighed 35 pounds instead of a few ounces we would be in big trouble. They are a fierce little animal that will take on something much bigger. They are capable of killing a snowshoe hare and climb fast enough to catch squirrels. Several years ago I left Ardella on a log beside a brush pile to deer hunt and she heard something growling near her when a white head with beady black eyes appeared and was trying to chase her from his winter home. The little guy wasn't about to share his space and kept appearing , disappearing , growling his disgust with her. They seem to be an animal with a high energy level like they are overdosed on caffeine.

God put a fierce heart in that little animal so it can survive in a world much bigger. It is that kind of heart and determination that can drive people to greatness and overcome great opposing odds. David had that fierce heart when as a teenager he tool on Goliath. David never once doubted the outcome. Peter had the boldness to proclaim the good news even under the threat of death. Paul's fire of the heart could not be extinguished in a Roman prison and converted many of the prison guards. Jesus had it when he chased the money changers from the temple and as he took on the Jewish leaders when they tried to trap him with various provoking questions.

We should pray to know when to use that same courage in our daily lives. If we stick to the truth of the Bible and not our own feelings, we can accomplish great things in our walk on this earth. God doesn't expect us to be trampled and walked on. But we should let God lead our hearts in all areas of our lives. He wants a relationship with us not a religion.

Whiter Than Snow

The recent snowstorms have created a wonderful blanket of clean white snow in the valleys, through the woodlands to the mountain tops. Everything looks so much different than the brown colors of November; creation glistens with God's splendor. I enjoy the snow as it piles up on all the tree limbs and fence posts. I grew up in Iowa and that rarely occurred in the windy country.



This is a great time to take the family out for sledding, cross country skiing or snow shoeing. The exercise will help burn off the extra calories we consume this time of year. Our dog loves the snow and likes to roll in it to make dog angels. Most of her tennis balls are lost until spring thaw.



Psalm 51 tells of God willingness to make us whiter than snow. It tells us about his compassion for us and that He can cleanse us from all our sin. God is a loving Father ! The psalm goes on to say that we need to pray for a clean heart and ask God to renew a steadfast spirit in us. This Christmas would be a great time to ask God for renewal of spirit; after all he sent his gift of love for everyone 2000 years ago.

Go to Matthew or Luke and read the Christmas story. It is a story of God's love for all of us. My prayer is for people to realize how much God loves them. Remember, Jesus is a relationship not a religion. Merry Christmas!

Winter Visitors

This time of year our property is a sanctuary to hundreds of birds. Each morning I put out a gallon of sunflower seeds and a large container of regular bird seed. By late afternoon all the feeding stations are empty. We also have suet in two locations. Our regular visitors are house finches, chickadees, gold finches, juncos, flickers, starlings, morning doves, stellar jays, pine siskins , and downy woodpeckers. Each year the dove population seems to grow. This year we have at least thirty. Several fox squirrels also call our property their home. Deer wander through at night to see if there are any seeds left for them. Once the snow gets deep I will feed the deer some grain to keep them off the railroad tracks.

The stellar jays are one of my favorite birds as they are so beautiful . God made the blues so vivid and striking on this bird and instilled a boldness in the jay that matches it's colors. Our jays have grown accustom of me and often approach me very close. The other morning a chickadee flew down and briefly perched in the sunflower container as to tell me I was late at putting out their breakfast. It amazes me that something as small as a chickadee can survive in this cold climate . It seems so fragile yet adjusts very well to winter.

We have recorded over sixty five bird species on our property; each unique and created in a special way. People who think we were created by some cosmic accident or evolved from a single specie need to take a closer look how each bird is so different and wonderfully made. God not only created them; He cares for them. Matthew 6:26 says' "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. "

Then it says, " Are you not much more valuable than they?" Our Heavenly Father loves us more than anything yet we often do not show the love back to Him. He wants us to have a relationship with Him not a religion. You are part of His story, an old old story. You can not escape it. We all are born and all die. What we do between those times is our story. The one thing He wants us to do is seek Him. It is decision with eternal consequences; we will spend eternity with God or be separated from Him.

So who would you rather spend eternity with; God or Satan?

Dad's Forgiveness

As the eighth grade approached I became very interested in learning to trap. That year I read many books and magazines about trapping beaver, mink, muskrat, and raccoon. I purchased some traps and asked permission from nearby landowners to trap the Des Moines River that meandered through their properties. The first year was a learning process but I caught a few animals and that fueled my ambitions for the next year.

By the time I reached high school, I had become very proficient and during November I would earn as much from trapping as I would working the rest of the year. Dad let me turn the garage into a place to skin , stretch and dry the hides . The wooden garage doors held beaver hides tacked to them and hides hung from the ceiling trusses. I also teemed up with my brother Ron and between us we checked over 500 traps every day. We would catch over 1500 muskrats, 30 mink, about 30 raccoon and 20 beaver every season. We even hired our brother-in-law to skin and stretch the pelts as we did not have the time. Our trap lines extended over a large area of creeks and rivers as our father knew many farmers in the county so getting permission to trap was easy.

One summer I read how to make our own sure fire raccoon lure out of fish. I thought about the money we would save by making the lure and went down to the river and caught some carp. These were chopped into small pieces and packed into quart jars. I talked Mom out of a few canning jars. The jars were supposed to be buried in the ground in a cool shady spot with about two inches above the ground. I looked around our yard and decided the big leaves on the rhubarb would be a perfect spot to bury this treasure. So the jars were carefully placed under the rhubarb and had to stay there for at least four weeks. Three weeks went by and I was anticipating unsealing the best lure ever made. One evening I was working in the garage when Dad came in and said he was going to mow off some of the garden plants as summer was nearly over and many vegetables were finished for the year. The mower came to life with a roar and old vegetables were being cut off to clean up the garden but suddenly there was a loud kurthump, and a moment of silence. Then Dad hollered, " Larry, bring a shovel out here right now!" As I rounded the garage a putrid odor hit me and was spreading rapidly throughout the neighborhood. My prize lure was ruined! Dad walked by me with a scowl and told me to clean up the mess and also clean the lawnmower. So I sorted out pieces of rotten fish and broken glass and hosed down the mower.

Dad was a little upset at me and I wondered what I could do to get back in his favor. A few days later I brought the subject up to Mom and she said he had gotten over it and was actually having a good laugh at work telling people about the episode. My Dad had forgiven me and I was back into his grace. What a relief that was to me .

Now our heavenly Dad is like that too. We goof up and create a big stink in our lives and God is merciful and forgets the whole thing. Psalm 103 says God forgives ALL our sins and heals our diseases, and redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion. He satisfies our desires with good things and our youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I continued trapping through college but never, ever made anymore lure.

Thanksgiving Tradition

Families across this nation will gather on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving. It is my prayer that they remember to whom we are thankful. Psalm 100 puts thanksgiving in perspective. It says, “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his loves endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

I am afraid most people don’t appreciate that Psalm. We try to rely on wealth, status, and ourselves for happiness and thanksgiving. If every person in this nation would get down on their knees Thursday and thank the Father for his rich blessings, He would bless our socks off. God is waiting for us to praise him and thank him all the time, not just on Thanksgiving. Give Him the praise all the time!

For the last thirty seven years Thanksgiving morning has often found me in the woods deer hunting. It has become a family tradition with the son-in-laws. There is usually one of us still needing to fill a deer tag. This year we all three still have tags. I have a doe tag, Thane has a regular deer tag, and Vance has two deer tags. It looks like we will be able to work up a good appetite before dinner. I am thankful to have these magnificent creatures that God put here. No matter what time of year I see a deer, I praise God .

Take time this week to praise God for all the blessings he has given you. Read some of the praise Psalms that David wrote and realize that God wants to richly bless you.

Doubt, Humility, and Patience

My deer season began last spring when Ardella and I saw a big buck briefly one evening as we were bear hunting. He had a huge body and dashed away fast into the timber. I immediately envisioned this old boy on our wall. Everytime we were in the area during the summer I would search for his tracks. The buck's hoof print was easy to distinguish from the other deer by the size and how he sunk into soft dirt. Just seeing his footprint raised my hopes for a chance at this old monarch.

In late August we saw him in the clear cut and got a glimpse of the immense rack as the buck once again melted away into thick cover. During the first week of September I was archery hunting elk in the clear cut when I noticed two young bucks feeding about one hundred yards away and below them was the big boy munching on some tender grass. This time I had a better look at his big rack before he fed out of sight. For the rest of the bow season I would see the same doe every time but no buck. Something told me she was the key to getting the big buck.

October rifle season opened and the doe was out the first afternoon and helped draw in a three pointer for Ardella. For the rest of the month I would hunt this area many times but could not find any deer. It was like they vanished from the earth. We heard wolves howling a few times in the vicinity and thought this was the reason no deer were around. I hunted hard and could only find an occasional track, none which were the big buck's. The old doe was gone too and doubt about my success started to creep in my mind. I doubted my ability to find tracks, my knowledge of whitetails, and if I would miss one if I did see a deer. The dream of the big buck was fading fast. Then one evening while glassing the clear cut I reviewed my season. God had provided several spectacular sunsets, I was serenaded by coyotes, and I saw autumn in all the splendor of golds and greens. This hadn't been such a bad season after all. I praised God for His creation and how it works in such precision and harmony. I started to feel better but where was the doe? Did the wolves get her?

Sunday afternoon I started searching several deer trails for fresh sign as it rained the day before. The first trail yielded some deer tracks but none that were the big buck's. I came to the clear cut and decided to walk down to the area the doe liked to feed . As I stepped over a log , a huge fresh buck track jumped out at me! It was the old buck and he had been here last night. I walked up to an old wood pile we use as a blind and started glassing. By three thirty my eyes were getting tired of staring through the Burris binoculars when a doe appeared in them. The old doe! A smile came across my face; my friend was back. She was about one hundred and fifty yards away so I settled in to watch her. Later she jerked her head up and gazed down hill but there was a big log pile in the way . Her body language told me it was a deer but she did not seem real thrilled. I was sure it was the big buck so checked my rifle and scope. Several minutes later a huge buck with a heavy rack ran around the log pile. It was the big guy! I waited until he turned broadside, put the cross hairs on the shoulder and slowly squeezed the trigger. He bolted uphill and I shot once more but knew I missed that time. As I looked up the buck went down. The old doe looked around and slowly bounded away waving her big white tail as if saying goodbye.

I walked down and found him laying behind a brush pile. I couldn't believe the size of his body and big rack. I praised God for allowing me to take such a wonderful creature. His meat will give us organic protein and some day his great head will grace our home. As I walked back to the truck, God painted another glorious sunset across the Selkirk Mountains.

I learned some good lessons from this fall while hunting. We let doubt settle in our minds instead of relying on God for help. Satan is the master of doubt. Through prayer and talking to the Father we can make doubt flee. I finally humbled myself that I didn't know everything about deer hunting and decided to just enjoy the rest of the season no matter what happened. I need to be more patient and realize that big deer and other blessings can take time .

Like An Old Friend

Every hunter has a favorite rifle or shotgun. Mine is a bolt action Ruger 7mm mag. that I have carried up and down mountains for thirty years. Last week I sat watching a hillside on the last day of elk season and took notice of the gun on my lap. It has several character nicks and dings in the stock and the bluing is worn off where the scope has rubbed against my coat over the years. An inscription on the barrel says" Made in the 200th year of American liberty. I bought the gun the next year after someone had it only one hunting season. It was two weeks before elk season and I needed a rifle but searched several sporting shops without finding one. A friend told me about a guy that might have some in his shop. He mainly built custom rifles but also did some gun trading. I found two rifles; one was a short barreled 30-06 that looked like a toy gun and the other was the slightly used Ruger. I questioned the shop owner why the person had traded it but he had no answer. I'm left handed but have always shot a right handed bolt and I can deliver fire power with great precision and speed if necessary. I decided to buy it even though I had some doubts. Now I needed a scope. He brought out a used Weaver 3to 9 power scope in the original box and said it was a good one. I took it with some doubts too. I zeroed the gun in for 200 yards and it has performed flawlessly for thirty years. It is like and old friend, reliable and I trust it to do what I ask. I can not remember all the bear, deer ,or elk I have taken with it but do vividly recall the shortest shot and the longest.

The shortest shot happened one morning when I was walking down a deer trail to check for sign when I heard a buck grunting loudly as he walked up the trail directly toward me. Since the buck was just a 3 by 3 and it was early in the season, I decided not to shoot him so lowered the rifle to my waist. The buck closed to thirty feet and stopped, lowered his head and charged me at full speed. Everything seemed to unfold in slow motion but he was coming fast. I brought the rifle up to my waist , pointed it at his chest just ten feet away and pulled the trigger. The impact spun him around and the buck crumpled in the heap . It took me a few minutes to get my composer.

The longest shot was over 500 yards at a nice bull elk in Idaho's Clearwater Unit. Ardella and I were walking an old road early one morning when I spotted this bull in some timber across a timbered swale. I didn't have a range finder so estimated the distance in one hundred yard increments. I put my pack on the ground and placed the rifle across it and put the scope on him but there was too much timber in the path to shoot. While I waited for him to move , I checked the box of Hornaday shells that gave me the drop of bullet at five hundred yards. Soon the bull moved into a small opening ; I put the cross hairs just above his back and slowly squeezed the trigger. He folded up about sixty feet away.

Now this relationship with my rifle is one sided. I appreciate that it is reliable and I have great confidence in the gun's ability, but it doesn't respond back. There is a friend that is always there and ready to help us and seeks a relationship with us. His name is Jesus. He will forgive us of ANY sin and wants to walk with us daily. Proverbs says there is a friend closer than a brother, that friend is the King of the universe . Jesus is ready to listen to you and you know what? HE will talk back to you if you take time to listen.