Category Archives: nature

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Snakebite! Conquering Fear With Faith!

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?

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth Wilderness Preacher

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Finding Hope in God’s Beauty: A Wilderness Adventure

Seeing the Beauty in Life using God’s Enlightenment

On a cold, dreary, late winter’s day, I’m propelling my kayak towards a remote and hidden spot in the swamp. This area is one of my favorite places for a wilderness adventure because it’s so secluded and quiet. Across the bog and with the water mirroring its image, a pink colorful plant catches my eye.

What is striking to me is the color from these delicate flowers contrasted to the colors defined by the dead. The dead tree, the dead grass, the dead branches and dead limbs. Everywhere on this dull, dreary, overcast day the drab is overwhelmingly painting a gloomy scenario. Yet, planted within this dullness, this plant full of pink flowers is offering a glimmer of hope to draw me away from the humdrum . The hope that no matter the dull and colorless that is seen in this world, my focus can be on beauty. I’m being drawn to this beautiful display as if my eyes are unquestionably focused on the good, not the everyday mundane.

I steer my kayak closer and take a moment to let my senses overflow with this beauty. The locals call this plant a “Wild Azalea”. Have you ever seen one growing in the wild? The fragrance from these flowers is nothing but SWEET! The colors can only be described as vibrant and beautiful.

It makes me come alive just to be experiencing this perfect illustration of seeing beauty in a dull, dreary world.

Here’s my prayer for you and me. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His Calling, what are the riches of the Glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. Ephesians 1: 17-19

Do you ever feel pulled into the “going through the motions” routine in your everyday life? It can feel so dull, so day to day, so normal, over and over, rinse and repeat. But there’s hope! On our Christian journeys we can know the hope of God’s calling to you. We can share in His riches of Glory! And we experience His power! All we have to do is believe.

How do you believe? Look at it like this. Don’t get “stuck in your kayak” surrounded by doom and gloom. Instead steer your kayak/your life towards that spirit of wisdom and revelation that comes from knowing God. I’ll keep praying for you to find Him. Many of you out there have found Him. I’ll pray for you that everyday you see the beauty that comes from not only knowing about God, but through Jesus Christ you will use your enlightened eyes to see the true beauty He is showing you. (even in a kayak!)

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135 year Old Tree Gives Birth to a Baby Tree Already Filled With Memories.

Our 135 yr old mulberry tree is our family’s favorite tree. It’s been there for four generations. Learning how to take cuttings from the tree and potting them to grow its own roots has given us a chance to have several new baby trees identical to this icon of our family farm.

Four generations. First, Rice Ainsworth grazed cattle around this tree in the early 1900’s. The tree was already large enough to provide cooling shade from the sweltering heat for his cows. I imagine Rice himself stopping a time or two to eat the delicious berries produced starting in May of each year. Close your eyes and picture the cows resting underneath this tree. That’s a calming picture wouldn’t you agree?

Second generation, Wiley Ainsworth grazed cows and cut hay around this tree during the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Even before then he climbed the tree to eat his share of mulberries. As a child he would walk out on the huge limbs to feast on the berries. There was a reason he could just walk the limbs and not climb them. The tree had blown over,probably from a storm. It didn’t die, but would from then on grow with these huge limbs stretching out horizontally to the ground. All bent and mangled, it definitely lost its timber value. But,….. it provided easy access for us Ainsworths to climb in and around the canopy of leaves. Why would generations be climbing in this tree? Well, to grab handfuls of those tasty berries is the main reason. But really the main reason was it was such a calming place in nature to be.

understanding your roots
(Wiley Ainsworth 86 yrs old, tree roughly 127 yr old in this picture)

Third generation. The 70’s and 80’s brought a young Dan Ainsworth (me) traveling to and from this tree. My memories with this tree are uncountable. Jet, our horse at the time provided me several rides to the tree. I would then stuff myself full of berries. The tree was conveniently located between two of my best fishing holes. I’d stop and stuff myself full of berries. By the way, don’t eat a belly full of mulberries and then eat green plums. It will make ya sick!

Some days I would just climb the tree and sit. I want to say that I heard God speak to me at an early age while in this tree. All kinds of sounds could be heard while in this tree. A Mockingbird, a Bobwhite Quail, cows mooing, a distant train whistle, and the most exciting sound for me,…….. the screeching call of a Red Tail Hawk. Hmmm, maybe it was God. He was speaking through his creation/choir members.

The calendar keeps turning. 2000’s and 2010’s, the fourth generation of Ainsworths (Jamie and Jordan) are enjoying their time with the mangled but majestic tree. Jordan could spend hours in that tree if you’d let him. Just the other day, Jordan and his wife Jill took a picture holding the sonogram picture of their soon to be born baby close to the tree. 5th generation coming into the scene?

Jamie had such an impression of the tree that she named her store Mulberry Dreams. I like the sound of that myself. It gives you such a picture of calmness. Wow, just like when the cows were grazing there years and years before.

Excitement is now in the air! I have learned how to propagate a mulberry tree using cuttings from the tree itself. They will be genetically the same as the old, old tree. These cuttings/ baby trees will begin their life in a Solo cup, then repotted to a one gallon pot as their roots grow. Then they will be planted wherever Jamie and Jordan choose to plant them. The trees (loaded with memories from past generations) now will grow roots and continue to flourish providing a newer place of calmness for generations to come.

(I love this translation of this scripture from THE MESSAGE Bible translation) Deuteronomy 32:7 Read up on what happened before you were born; dig into the past, understand your roots. Ask your parents what it was like before you were born; ask the old ones, they will tell you a thing or two.

We all have a history, a past. This history has a tremendous effect on how we face the future. Naturally, if you have a past then there will be good and bad memories mixed in. But all in all you’ve been growing roots to prepare you for the future. Just like my baby tree in that Solo cup, you’ve got to be providing a place for your roots to grow even more.

Spiritually the same applies. Maybe you’ve got your own Mulberry Tree/ a calm place/ a safe place. It’s where you like to hang out. God provides you with a “cutting” so that you can carry this “calmness” with you. But you’ve got to let the roots grow! Feed your roots with prayer by talking (and listening) to God. Grow even more with readings from the Bible. The times in your “spiritual Mulberry Tree” can then be passed on to future generations!

As I write this I’m watching a squirrel in the Mulberry Tree acrobatically climb out on limbs and stuff himself with the fruit. I think I’ll join him. It’s probably best if I stay on the ground to eat mine. See Ya!