Looking back, I remember hearing that slithering noise that a snake makes as he’s moving through the leaves. I even remember asking myself,….. is that a snake moving underneath the limbs I’ve just picked up to move?
There is barely enough light to see as the sun has set for the day. The sun may be through doing its job, but I’ve got just a little more to do. I’m cleaning brush and fallen limbs from around the lake. A few more handfuls carried to the trash trailer and I’ll call it a day.
Five minutes later, I’m sitting on the bench at the front door of the house removing my hiking boots. Staci insists I remove whatever footwear I’m wearing before I can enter HER house. After forty-two years of marriage, she has me trained fairly well. I usually remove my shoes/boots before entering her humble abode. (The only time in my mind it’s permissible to leave my shoes on, is when she is away and I’m only coming in to drink milk, water, or Sprite straight out of the container……no glass needed.)
So, as I was saying, I’m removing my hiking boots. I feel a pain, more of a sharp tingle. Allow me to compare it to this. Not so much as a bee sting, but more like three or four fire ants biting at once. But I’m definitely thinking, something has bitten me.
That’s when I see it. The undeniable fang marks of a snakebite. Well, this isn’t good. What to do now? Google snakebites to see how long I have to live? Show Staci so I can get sympathy and “babied”? All that will come later. Right now, I’m going to monitor this injury to see just what, if anything, is going to happen.
A doctor friend of mine (who is a specialist in snakebite treatments) once told me that when snakes strike, they do not inject venom in up to thirty percent of all strikes. Another thirty percent of snakebites may not have a full dose of the venom. (Somewhere between ‘boy that’s gonna hurt’, to ‘well maybe we won’t have to amputate.) What?
I’m thinking that I must be playing the odds in my situation. I did not see the snake strike me. There is definitely a fang mark on the back of my ankle. I feel a slight pain that is honestly hard to describe. So, I wait. Two hours later, after wasting time googling snake bites and trying to get sympathy from Staci, I make the prognosis that everything’s going to be OK. I definitely got bit, but no venom to amount to anything! Woohoo!!!
In all honesty, if I had seen the snake strike me, I would have first screamed like a girl! Next, I’m sure that I would have overreacted and called four different people to see who could get me to the ER the fastest. Hyperventilation would have set in along with stomach issues. (I had just eaten about half a watermelon). Let’s just say I would have not been an easy patient to deal with.
But,……. everything was OK. In fact, it turned into a Thank You Lord moment! I mean, I got lucky right? Could be that when we pray for protection and provisions, our Heavenly Father says, “I gotcha on that!”
Now the burning question…… for me anyway. Do I go back out to the pond and continue to clean up trash and limbs? Hmmm…. I have to answer with a yes! I can’t live in fear! Sure, I’m going to be more cautious. For a while, I may be overly cautious. Shake that stick before I pick it up. Poke a stick or rake in the leaves before stepping into it.
How would it be to live a life full of fear? That’s not the life you or I want. Neither does God want this for you!
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
In the spiritual journey we take, there are many “snakes” out there that can cause us harm. We have the power, the love, and a sound mind given to us by God through his son Jesus. That power is much stronger than the fear.
I have a hunting buddy who will not walk through tall grass. Why? Because he’s afraid of snakes! Even when I tell him to follow in my tracks, he won’t do it. (Says I’ll just stir ’em up then they’ll bite him.)
So how can I, the wilderness preacher, tell you not to fear? (especially when you know I scream like a thirteen-year-old girl when I’m scared). FOCUS. Focus on the power, not the fear. The churchy way of saying it is like this. Faith is the opposite of fear. So fear is the opposite of faith.
This Christian journey is a growing time. A time to grow your faith. The fear will always be there, to some extent. But when it paralyzes us (like my hunting buddy who won’t walk in the grass), faith has no way to grow.
Take one step at a time. Step out into the grassy world of snakes, (spiritually). Use the sound mind given to you to help with your decision making. Realize you have a power, also given to you by God, to help overcome the fears, and take the right directions. Last but definitely not least…….you have the gift of love.
This gift of love is eternal. Nothing, no one, no circumstance, no evil, nothing even mistakes of your own doing can rob you of this love. Say aloud the previous sentence. Hmmm, it’s already helping with the fears you are facing, isn’t it?
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased Hebrews 13:16
Several years ago I enjoyed a long hike into the Colorado Wilderness. When I say that I enjoyed, it means that I endured, persevered, and patiently withstood the trek straight up into the mountains. But the beauty and the amazing sites on top of this mountain made this strenuous hike enjoyable.
On a trip of 5 miles one way, you need to carry as little weight as possible. I’ll always remember the guy who would cut his toothbrush in half to save the space and weight. Seems such an insignificant thing to do right? Yet this guy would be ready for an amazing backcountry trip carrying only 26 pounds on his back. Me? My pack would be totally ready for the same exact trip but would weigh in at 38 pounds! Who knew that extra socks and clothing, extra food (just in case), extra batteries, and those EXTRA bag of cheetos would add so much weight!
One thing that I did learn over my many mountain adventures was how necessary a saw would be. Maybe I should say how necessary a saw BLADE would be.
Think about the difference in size and space. A saw, let’s say a bowsaw is considered light. But that handle is extra weight that will add up when you count each step up the steep, steep climb. Why take a handle when you can FIND a handle when you arrive at your destination?
See the L shaped tree limb in the picture above? I found it. Perfect! Yep, it made a perfect handle to the saw that can now be used at the high altitude camp location.
I shared some advice with several younger guys who were heading out on a hunting trip and were planning to camp at this very same camp I was at months earlier. I said to them, “Look around when you get to the campsite. There will be a rusty, but sharp handsaw that you can use when you get there. No need to burden yourselves with the extra weight as you ascend to the top. The saw will be hanging on a tall tree to the left of where previous campfires were established.
I honestly forgot about that saw blade. I left it knowing that someone else could benefit from my actions. Isn’t it a good feeling to know that YOU can do something that will help others. And you don’t do it to promote yourself. You don’t do it to collect “brownie points”. You do it because somewhere in your journey on this Earth you learned to ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.
I’ve never considered helping others to be a sacrifice. But God does! So give, give, give! Give to others what you have. Not just money, but give of your time and talents. Someone you know may be feeling down. Reach out with a few cheerful words. Someone may be going through marital problems, or bad days at their work, or just plain experiencing the age old situation of “everything that can go wrong is going wrong”. You don’t have to be a professional counselor, or expert on giving scholarly advice, or even someone who is able to solve each and every problem.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE SOMEONE WILLING TO GIVE A LITTLE OF YOURSELF TO OTHERS!!! even if it’s just a rusty saw blade.
Giving of yourself. I guess that’s why it’s called a sacrifice. If you and I keep everything to ourselves then that action of giving is not experienced. But when we give of and from ourselves to others, then that experience of giving is activated. Thus a sacrifice has been made. No need to focus on whether the actions were microscopic or super big!
Oh yea! I honestly forgot about that old saw blade I left for others. Until, until these young hunters brought it back down off the mountain to give it back to me. “We figured you would want it back. Thanks for leaving it there for us to use. It really helped.”
Hmmm. Now what am I going to do with this rusty saw blade that is now 5 plus miles from the camp? Well seeing it again gave me this idea for another wilderness preacher story. And you know? This saw blade has something in common with me as well as a lot of you out there. We may have become rusty over time, but we still can be useful to others.
Hmmm. Guess I’ll head back up the mountain trail. Just to leave this saw again for others. In some small way I sense that God is smiling. I know I am.
See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher rusty but still being useful
