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How Hawks Use Talons: A Lesson for Your Spiritual Journey

Are those claws sharp? That’s the most asked question about my hawks and owls that I fly. And YES!! They are sharp!


Claws? Talons is a more correct word used for birds of prey. Talons must stay sharp as they are the tools the bird uses to grab, hold, and tear prey apart. Not only are they sharp, but there is immense power in the hawks “pressing power” This is her ability to squeeze, whether its prey, or as it perches on my glove.

When training a hawk, a great way of knowing her mental state is by how she is pressing/squeezing my gloved arm. If she’s nervous or scared she clamps down with intensity. If she’s relaxed there is very little if any pressure coming from her talons When my hawk gets excited to go hunting she will “dance” on my glove with a grab, release, grab then release motion indicating her raised level of excitement. So I do talk or should I say communicate with her. She makes me aware of her thinking by the amount of pressure applied to my glove.

These talons and beak must stay sharp! The beak and talons are critical tools that these birds of prey use for their survival. Hawks have a way of sharpening their tools. It’s by continually using them. If you place a hawk in a pen, always giving it cut up meat (they don’t eat salads ya know), their beaks will grow abnormally long. This would require a manual process called “coping” to file the beak down to where it would function. My hawks must always be able to rip and tear their food. They have been created to do just that.

“Talons/tools” used on your spiritual journey

What are your ‘tools’ that you must use on your spiritual journey? A) If I’m not continually sharpening my relationship with God, it stands to reason that it will grow dull. A dull, boring walk with God doesn’t give you the joy and peace that would come if you stay sharp.

B) Another tool I value is my guidebook (the Bible) to keep me on the right path and provide spiritual food.

C)I value the power/tool of prayer as it sharpens my awareness of what I’m sharing with God as well as what He’s sharing with me.

D) I value the worship that I have to Jesus for His not only forgiving me, but His desire to walk with me each and every day

All those tools just mentioned are our “talons” that have been given to us to keep us going and growing on our spiritual journey. How do you stay sharp? By continually using these “tools/talons”. My prayer for you this week is that we stay hungry, and that we stay sharp!

I have come to realize the power that talons give my Redtail hawk. (I’ll show you my scar from wearing too short a glove one day.)

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword (or talon I might add). It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 Now that’s sharp! See Ya! Dan Ainsworth Wilderness Preacher

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From Manure to Miracle

Cowboy poem by Dan Ainsworth Wilderness Preacher

edit….This poem shares 2 Corinthians 5:17 how Christ makes old things pass away

and all things become new. Read and enjoy!

In this world, there’s a catch pen, a congregation of cows,

inside this fence, these cows walk slow but sure.

And gradually over time, and it doesn’t take that long,

this ground gets covered with manure.

How the manure piles develop, why they congregate here,

that’s something I ain’t quite figured out.

Yet it’s reminds me of me, and my very own life.

So here’s what this story is about.

See, you got to understand. I was low down and stinking’.

The cleanest name I could be called was manure.

Twasn’t the best of situations, wasn’t my plan or idea,

I didn’t want this for my life, that’s for sure.

I felt stuck in that gross stomped ground, gettin’ crusty on top,

I stared straight into the bright morning light.

And there on the fence, nailed to a large fence post,

was this man with his arms stretched out tight.

Jesus Christ, I yelled! caused it scared me so,

it’s just something that I shouldn’t see.

Cause remember where I am? Right there, on the right.

See right there? Yep, that big ole pile of…. that’s me.

What I’m seeing is a mystery. My eyes must be lyin’,

my heart says it’s real …. What’s this about?

I didn’t know what to do, didn’t know quite what to say.

Lord Help me!!… was all that came out.

That’s all that it took, cause He reached out, picked me up,

and from there began my new journey.

Look now where I am! Right there in His Hands!

see right there, that big ole pile of …, that’s me.

The Son of God grabbed me, and with His perfect touch,

His Spirit molded in me, through and through.

Old things passed away, all things became fresh.

God planted seeds, He watered and things grew!

From a heaping pile of waste, comes new life and new meaning

Shucks, a song is now placed in my heart.

My Saviour saw fit to come pick me up,

this organic mess, now has a new start.

His flowers now grow from His seeds and His water.

From inside, God’s love sprouted out.

All you former piles out there, in whose lives God has changed…

you know what I’m talking about.

His love has changed me. I really can’t explain it.

You’ll agree that it’s still a mystery.

Didn’t recognize me! Why, here I am, sprouting all them there flowers?

Thank you, Lord! God’s Glory! That’s me!!

New meaning, New Life

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My Plumber Friend and the Promise of Heaven

How I KNOW my Mother is in Heaven.

My Mother passed away a few weeks ago. She is now in Heaven. The best way I can explain my KNOWING this is for you to read the following.

I invited some friends over to hang out, spend some time to watch a ball game, talk about fishing, and eat some BBQ. One of my close friends asked if he could invite one of his best friends over. I readily agreed, though I’d never met this friend of a friend.

Turns out, this friend of a friend, (his name is J.C.), was a plumber by trade. As he interacted with all of us guys, he became one of us. I mean, he loved fishing and sharing his stories. He also could eat his share of BBQ and was as big a sports fan as any of us. He’s just a fun guy to be around.

Coming back from my bathroom during a break, he commented the toilet wasn’t working, but that he had fixed it.

I’ll admit, I had been working on that leaking contraption for days. The float or valve thingy must have malfunctioned in some way. I checked. Guess what? There was no sound. No leaky noise, no hissing to interrupt what should be the normal quiet.

I asked J.C. how did he fix it? I’ll never forget his comment. “It’s what I do.” 

Jason, who brought us together, told me later. “J.C. is the only plumber I need to KNOW! He can fix anything. If you have a plumbing problem, He’s the only one I recommend. I BELIEVE in him. 

Hmmm. You know that old ‘country boy’ saying….. “It ain’t what you know, it’s who you know.”

How does my plumber friend, J.C., relate to your belief in Heaven?

Everything! I try to solve my plumbing problems, but J.C. comes in and fixes them (permanently, I might add). Even if he explained his work, I wouldn’t comprehend his methods. My experiences tell me I KNOW this guy is real.

There are other plumbers out there, but I’ve made my choice! It is J.C.!

I’ve got this friend, Jesus. A friend of this friend introduced him to me. Jesus didn’t just come in and try to “fix everything” in my life. Nope. He wanted to be in my life, even when I was fishing. He KNOWS about Heaven because He’s been there. There are many scriptures written about Heaven and how Jesus is there preparing it for my Mother. And me! And you!

It’s a choice, clear and simple. Jesus wants to just ‘hang out’, be a part of your life.

It’s a choice for you. Jesus could explain all the ins and outs of Heaven, still you and I wouldn’t understand how He does it.

It’s a simple choice for you to make. J.C. is my plumber. I believe in him. I know he can do what he says. That’s my personal experience, so let me know. I’ll introduce you.

Here’s another choice that is yours and yours alone. Jesus is my Savior and my friend. I BELIEVE in Him. I KNOW he can do what he says. That’s from my personal experience, so let me know. I’ll introduce you.

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher I KNOW what I know, ya know?