Category Archives: building a log cabin

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She Died! But Three Days Later,………. New Life!!!

Trying To Explain How I Will Die, But Then Live Forever

Ole Sally Sue Died.  She was a good chainsaw. My pride and joy, my helpmate, my “dancing partner” of the past five years, finally bit the dust.  She kicked the bucket, she expired, she croaked, she’s gone to meet her maker.

Sally Sue chainsaw is survived by her family;  Buzz saw, Rip saw, Hack saw, Skill saw, and her eccentric aunt from Florida…….. See Saw.

Sally Sue was with me for three years as I did volunteer work at Horn Creek Christian Church Camp.  She turned many storm damaged trees into railings, braces, and various log repairs to the camp buildings.  Good ole Sally Sue was also with me from the beginning of the log home project.  She cut the first log, she cut the nine foot log walls (all of them), and she was there cutting the very last log needed.

She died peacefully.  Actually I think I flooded her trying to crank her.  I pulled and pulled on the starter rope.  I yanked and yanked but no purring of the motor I was used to hearing.  She dead.  She gone. I’m gonna miss that loud noise she was always making.

Sally Sue was laid to rest at Robby’s Small Engine Repair.  See, I heard that these guys can work miracles on dead lawnmowers and chainsaws. After three days.……………….

I don’t understand a lot of stuff.  I know how to use a chainsaw.  But when the saw dies and won’t crank, then I’m stuck,  my hands are tied, I’m in trouble.  I’m helpless.  I don’t understand how a chainsaw can be brought back to life.  But these guys at Robby’s did something.  They replaced a sprocket, adjusted the carberator,(I can’t spell it much less understand it).  Cleaned out filters, replaced a spark plug, on and on.  And Sally Sue has a new life.  She runs!!!  She cuts!!!!  She basically has a BRAND NEW BODY!!!!!

John 11:24-25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

OK, ok, I know it’s a chainsaw.  But my story hopefully helps to understand what I believe as a Christian.  I want you to see that I believe  Jesus will “do something” that lets me have life.  I don’t understand, (nothing says I have to), I just have to believe.  I don’t understand what Robby’s Small Engine Repair will do to my “Sally Sue”.  I just have to believe.  This belief causes me to walk in the door to their shop and say “fix this”!

So, friends, I believe that I can bring my life to Jesus and have Him “fix this”.  He can fix my life.  He can give me a new life while here on this Earth.  He will give me a new glorified body when it comes time for this ole body of mine to “croak”.  My new glorified body will live forever in Heaven.  Can’t explain it.  I’ve come close to having “panic attacks” thinking too deeply about how I will spend eternity.  I just can’t grasp in my mind how I live for thousands and thousands of years.  So I’ve decided to live a day at a time.  Enjoy life.  Enjoy the life my Lord and Saviour has given me today.  Enjoy the life I will be given for thousands and thousands of years. And even more.    HAPPY EASTER! my Christian friends!!!!

I think Sally Sue and I will go out and celebrate her new life.  I think we’ll carve a cross from one of the stumps.  I just hope I don’t “flood” her this time when I try cranking her up once again. 🙂

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher,  celebrating New Life one day at a time!!!!!

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Experiences make you,……well, Experienced

Why most jobs want you to have experience

During the making and construction of the log home, I used 5 gallons of chainsaw chain oil, wore out 5 pairs of jeans, destroyed three pairs of gloves, reduced 7 chains on the chainsaw to “nubbins”, obliterated a pair of knee pads, tattered two shirts, ruined a hat, severely cut my finger, and I wrestled with a double case of tennis elbow.  (A doctors term is tennis elbow, I think in my case it should be called chainsaw elbow.)  I also had my dancing partner for the last year to die on me.

That’s right.  Ole Sally Sue, the chainsaw, she “up and died on me”.  It was a challenge to see who would go first, me or her.  See, together we “danced” through many a tree, log, post, and beam.   I whooped it, she didn’t whoop me! (Read her obit here next week!)  First, I’d like to share this week’s blog.  Join me as I share part of my life.

 

The experiences that took place over the past year have led to one great experience of my building a log home.  I experienced a lot of learning.  I experienced a lot of frustrations.  I experienced a lot of situations that actually required thinking my way through.  I experienced the pride and joy of accomplishing a task.  I experienced the satisfaction of using my own hands to build something that I will call my own.  I experienced the total failure when MY chainsaw refused to crank for ME!!  I experienced the heavenly taste of a cold glass of sweet tea.  I experienced working while sick as a mule.   I experienced the highs, the lows, the temporary failures, the success of two cuts fitting together.  I experienced SO much that these experiences can only be summed up like this.  I am an experienced log home builder.

Yep, I am having so many experiences building this log home (and I wouldn’t have it any other way), that I can’t tell them all.  I enjoy reading a book that teaches me how to do something.  Better yet, I enjoy actually doing what I’ve just read and learned to do.  But this learning process,………..  these experiences that give me experience,…… this learning and gaining knowledge (at least in my case) seems to come from the mistakes, the boo-boos, the slip ups, and the downright failures.  I guess what I’m saying is that I learn from my mistakes.  I learn much more from MY mistakes than I do from other peoples’ successes.

One big thing I’ve learned from all these experiences??     A mistake is not a mistake if you’ve learned from it.  It’s now called a “learning moment“!   You’ve now heard that from a guy “with experience”!

A wise man (my father) once shared with me these great words of wisdom.  “Son, you’ll know what you are doing by the time you get through”.

I bet I will Dad.  By the time I get finished I will have experienced a lot of experiences!  That will make me experienced!  (Tire of that word yet?)

 

The job market out there in today’s world has a lot of requirements.  Whatever careers, job titles, or occupations, I’ve noticed one thing.  While most require some type of education (college degree), there seems to be a rushing wave of jobs out there that require someone with experience.  I’m beginning to realize what these job openings are asking for is this.  We need men and women who have encountered mistakes (oops, I mean learning moments) in their lives.  This type of experience is vital in this world today.

What about your experiences you are having in your spiritual journey right now?  Can you say that you are seeing a lot of “learning moments”?

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25: 4-5

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  Experienced wilderness preacher,  experienced log home builder, experienced sweet tea drinker

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Ready,…. Set,….. now Wait

Here is the picture of  “Shadow” the red tail hawk I trained for falconry a couple of years ago.  When I’ve completed the log house construction, (in a few months), I’m looking forward to getting back in  my hobby of falconry, which I’ve done for 18 years.

These birds are amazing.  The skills they use to hunt, the abilities they possess for flying, their keen eyesight, all make these birds of prey a creature of beauty to be around and fly. They already know how to hunt, they just have to get use to being around me.  Every bird I’ve used in falconry over the years quickly adjusted to flying to my glove, allowing me to “partner” with them on their hunting adventures. What do I admire most about hawks and birds of prey?  There ability to wait. Huh?

Take a look for yourself.  When do you normally see a hawk or eagle or other bird of prey?  Yep, you see them casually sitting in a tree or on a light pole.  Maybe you see them effortlessly circling high in the sky.  They are waiting.  Waiting on the next opportunity to catch a meal.

They are sitting on go.  The bird is very much prepared for the next move.   I’ve never noticed any of my falconry birds (ten different hawks and owls the past few years) act as if they are anxious, or fretful,………. or worried.  They just wait…….  I wish I could be more like that.

[Confession time] I get in a hurry sometimes.  I get anxious and even worried for what is usually no reason at all.  But I’m ready to go.  Get the show on the road, hit the trail, move it.  But what is truly necessary is for me to WAIT.

Last week we were full steam ahead on the log home moving and construction.  This week,…….. a delay.  Probably the first delay of many to come..  My construction guy in Colorado is building a house currently.  He will have to get finished with it before he starts mine.  There is a problem with the painting of his current project, and it’s pushing everything (including my log home project) back two weeks. (or more).   So, I got to wait.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

Waiting on the construction of my log home is a good physical example of my also waiting on God in my spiritual journey.  Don’t you sometimes feel like God could be moving at a faster pace in your life?  I mean if you could do this, or have this to happen, then you could go ahead and get this, that, or the other done.  I’ve even had times where I’ve suddenly felt closer to God, and that’s when I wanted to go out and DO something good.  But wait……..

God’s got a much better idea and plan for your life.   Wait on Him.  I’m not saying wait on the couch with a sack of ‘tater chips!!!  I’m saying that you and I need to be like “Shadow” the hawk.  Be prepared, be in tune, be sitting on go!   Opportunities are provided to us by God Himself.  Opportunities to show others His love, opportunities to Be a Christian in everyday activities.  But the most important opportunity is when our Lord and Saviour gives us a chance, or allows something to happen that helps us draw closer to Him.  Many times that involves waiting.

So, wait,…….wait on the Lord,……… then fly my friend, FLY!!!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher