Category Archives: Great Outdoors

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Wings of Eagles

Hundreds of hawks are riding in this thermal. It can carry them sometimes for hundreds of miles. These birds of prey soar in the rising heated air. They don’t have to flap their wings! They fly! They soar! But first, they have to wait.

I took this short video with my son in Houston Texas last week. It was an amazing sight to behold.

The science and biology class is now in session. From the website allthingsbirding.com is this explanation. “Birds use gliding and soaring to save energy while flying. Gliding is when a bird flies without flapping its wings. Birds can glide by using the wind to stay aloft. Soaring is when a bird flies without flapping its wings and gains altitude by using rising air currents. Birds can soar by using thermals, which are columns of warm air that rise from the ground.“

Class dismissed.

How can a hawk fly such a long distance as well as stay aloft for great lengths of time? Thermals. Riding the thermals allow these hawks to soar for hours and travel many, many miles. Again understand that they don’t flap their wings. They don’t have to. BUT,………they have to wait!

Thermals are only active during certain times of the day. (Usually mid-morning until late afternoon.) As you drive out and about, look for hawks. You’ll tend to see hawks perched on trees and powerlines during early morning and towards the end of the day. There is no thermal activity then. That’s when they are waiting. During the middle of the day, take a look above you. Odds are you will see a bird riding the thermals of the sky. It may be a vulture, a seagull, a hawk, and yes, even an eagle.

They stretch out their majestic wings. Wings stretched out, feathers lined up in patterns that catch the power and forces of the wind, this bird of prey can travel effortlessly. By waiting on the thermals, they now have the power and the ability to travel on their journey. You and I get to see these magnificent creatures being and doing what God created them to do. They live this way because they know they have to wait.

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

So, live your spiritual life like a hawk. Be ready to soar, but also be ready to wait! Wait on upon the Lord.

That doesn’t mean wait by sitting on the couch eating Cheetos! No it means waiting on the Lord for His strength, His power, His direction. Wait like a hawk by looking for the next “thermal.” Oh sure, you can live this life on your own, but you will constantly be “flapping your wings”,…… and growing tired!

Instead, wait upon the Lord. “Go with the flow”, in the “thermals” that He supplies for you. It causes you to focus on His direction and His timing. It causes You to be in “His Will”. It causes you to rise as if on Eagles wings.

How can you find the “thermals” that God provides for you? Leave me your comments. We will continue this adventure on finding God’s thermals for YOU in the next blog.

Until then, listen to the song by Chris Tomlin– I Will Rise

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wildernesspreacher

Soaring in this life, not because of me but because of my Lord

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The Best Is Yet To Come! (It’s an attitude, it’s a Way of Life, and It Can Be Yours,…..Today!)

The view at the end of my hike.

This morning’s hike was COLD!!! How Cold? My beard and mustache are covered in ice. My heavy breathing was from…. a) hiking up and down rough terrain while strapped to my backpack, and b) the thin high altitude air. The moisture from my breath was freezing to my face because of the 8 degrees this morning’s temperature. Why do such a thing you ask? Grab a chair, sit by the fire with me and let me explain.

I’m glad you have chosen to “partner up” with me as we answer the question, “Why do all of this?” Why go out into the cold, cold world? Why cause yourself a lot of pain (sore muscles)? Why bring on hard times (heavy breathing)? Why be in a situation that causes fingers and toes to go numb (cold temps)? Why? My answer is this. The best is yet to come!

I hike for the exercise. I’m in the outdoors to experience nature. I experience a most magnificent sunrise while at the same time falling and skinning a knee. It’s exhilarating to see where a bobcat’s tracks just crossed in front of me, yet it’s humbling to know my joints ache more than in years past. My fingers and toes, (and today add my nose to this list), go numb on these hiking excursions. The fireplace and coffee are that much more of a pleasurable time when I come in to dwell for a spell in our log home.

What you say? Get with the modern times? Get a Peloton exercise bike? Explore an entire world of workouts with your own personal trainers, right there on the TV screen in front of you………. and not leave the comforts of your own living room. Hurry, Call now!

I don’t think so. I want it REAL! I want to journey in this cold, cold world to experience all I can. That means taking the “bad” with the good. I’ll be out and about in this cold, cold world but at the end of the day I will be dwelling in my warm, warm log home! That’s kinda like knowing the the best is yet to come.

The hike today was special because of the cold. Picture yourself tagging along with me. (Ready? Strap your boots on!) Together we are taking a hiking journey together. I’ll guide you pass the gold mine, and over to the rocky lookout,(Careful, don’t get too close to the edge.) We will maneuver past a steep gully and climb up a good ways to a hidden cave area. I was hoping to show ya mountain lion tracks, but nothing has passed through today. Oh well, next time. Probably about now on this hiking adventure is when you realize that you have no feeling in your feet. Good! Cause now is when we go in and warm up by the fire. It’s where I like to dwell!

Psalm 23:6 Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever…….. (starting TODAY)

If you focus on this cold, cold world, you can’t help but feel the pains, the hard times, the numbness. Hey, we’ve all been living in and through it haven’t we? Covid this and Covid that. Pure lies thrown at us from government leaders. Scientist twisting “science” so they can promote their own activities. That causes pain and hard times. Loosing friends and family also brings grief and sorrow into these hard times. Numbness? The loss of contact with other people, the inability to communicate with others because I don’t believe EXACTLY like they do. I’ve grown numb because of the “Cancel culture” from both sides!

But partner, we must remember that we are in this world but not of the world. We travel/hike through this world everyday knowing that at the end of the travel/hike we come home to a warm house and can sit next to a warm fireplace!

On our spiritual journeys/hike we are to enjoy our everyday travels in this cold, cold world. Soak up the atmosphere, see the grand views, experience life to the fullest! Hmmm. That also means feeling the hurts, sensing the cold, experiencing the numbness. You don’t climb to the top of the mountain without a few skinned knees and elbows!

The best is yet to come! I can say that because of my belief in Jesus Christ. I can travel through this cold, cold world because I know that I get to DWELL in His house forever! I choose to do that starting today. And every day! My hope and faith and trust are in Him. No matter how cold the world is that I am walking in today, I know that there is a spiritual place for me to dwell.(with a cozy warm fireplace!)

My 92 year old Mother likes to remind me that my own human body is not as strong as it once was. It doesn’t handle the cold like I think it should. Falling down hurts a lot more than it used to. (I guess her baby boy of 63 years is having a hard time of admitting it is true.) But in the same breath she talks of being blessed and thankful that she is able to keep going. What keeps her going? Knowing that the best is yet to come!

Let me break it down. To you older folks who have partnered up with this visit and talk. We are traveling in a cold, cold world having to deal with death and dying of our family and friends. If you don’t believe in a life after death with Jesus, that’s like staying outside in the cold and refusing to come in by the fireplace to get warm. It’s your choice. You can choose to sit in the cold world and grow numb or DWELL in the warmth of a Living and Loving Saviour. I want to invite you to come in. ( I’ll be spiritually waiting at the door with a cup of coffee!)

To my young friends who are reading this. You are traveling in a cold, cold world that is wanting you to not think for yourselves anymore. Let the government think for you. Let some celebrity tell you what to do. Copy how some sports GOAT lives and your life will be great! Settle for fake and not have to struggle with the REAL! BUT…….. If you want to live your whole life knowing that the BEST Is Yet To Come,……. I’d like to introduce you to Jesus. You can dwell with Him forever…….starting TODAY! (I’ll be spiritually waiting at the door with a cup of chai latte!) 😉

Love you guys! Dan Ainsworth Wilderness Preacher, wilderness hiker, part time barista! 😉

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Following The Way

I’m planning a hike/journey up the side of this mountain. I’ve got to know The Way to be able to get to the top! Not just any ole way, but The Way! I can see from where I am standing that there are many ways to climb up this mountain terrain.

I could go the easy way, but where is it? It might end up being the hard way in the long run. I scan the beautiful side of the mountain for any clues. Pretty sure I see a dangerous way straight up the middle Over to the left is a less rocky way, but more snowdrift. That’s OK ’cause I’ve got snow shoes just for that purpose.

There’s a way with a scenic view (over the rock cliffs). Looks like there’s a way that everyone has gone. How do I know? Tracks…… and lots of them.

That’s a lot of tracks!! What kind? Mainly people, lots of dog tracks, horses? llama?? Whompus cats??? Finding the way you say? Just follow all the other tracks. It’s not that easy and not that obvious. Most of these tracks go about 40 yards up and then double back to the main road in the valley. My destination is to the top. But to get there, I must find The Way.

Part of the fun in this type of adventure is in not knowing what lies ahead. Part of the headache and worry in this type of adventure is in …….. (you guessed it,) not knowing what lies ahead.

Whether I am guiding folks on a hike or out on a solo venture, my eyes are constantly searching for the way.

Any way, the best way, the quickest way, the shortest way, the fill in your own kind of way. Friend, I don’t know about you but when it comes down to it, just give me The Way.

“You don’t need to see the way if you follow the one that is the Way.” — Author Unknown

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

So, if I’m to get to the top I don’t have to see the way. I just have to follow the way. How do you follow the way up a mountain? Faith and trust…… I must have faith in my experiences in the wilderness to keep taking one step at a time. I must trust my instincts, my physical abilities, my senses, (including the most valuable sense…… COMMON SENSE) to help me find a way to the top.

How do we get to the top spiritually? I don’t have to see the way,….. I just have to follow The Way/JESUS. That’s too simple to us humans isn’t it? We need faith and trust. We will take a journey putting faith and trust in ourselves. Yet in the spiritual journey, we find it difficult to put faith and trust in Jesus.

When Jesus says that He is the way, he also give us a big extra! What folks call “abundant life”. He adds in truth and life. You don’t know about any of this till you have experienced The Way.

Here’s something more to ponder over. If Jesus is the way, then HE WILL BE WITH YOU no matter what your way is at the moment. Your way may be hard, long, stressful, joyful, sad, confusing, on and on,…….. When Jesus is The Way for you, then you don’t need to see your way. Just follow.

“Lord would you please be with us as we journey. Give us guidance and protection. Keep us focused on You because you are THE WAY!!

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth Wilderness Preacher, part time guide, always looking for an adventure, Following THE WAY!