Category Archives: People I’ve met along the way

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Walking In My “Bare” Feet

Train up a child in the way he should go!

I told my mother that I’m walking outside in my “bare” feet.  She scolded me and said, “get your socks and shoes on or you’ll catch ‘new moan’yer’.  (Hey, that’s how we pronounce it, so…. that’s how I’ll spell it!)

It reminded me of when I was 12 years old.  She said the same thing back then.  I hated socks and shoes.  Rather be barefoot anytime!  But in a Mother’s eyes, I’m just asking to get sick.  Playing in the rain, or snow, or in mud puddles for some reason didn’t seem like much fun to her.  But, to me….. yeehawwww!

There were many times my parents were “training” me back then.  I’m reminded of it almost every day, because I’ve “used” this training each and every day of my life.  It also reminds me of this……..

Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it.  Proverbs 22:6

I got my training from two wonderful parents.  I’ve given my training to two wonderful children.  So I’ve seen this “training” experience from both sides.  Funny how I’ve passed my parents training of me down to my training of my children.  Yeah, I’ve even told them that “they better quit that or they are gonna catch new moan’yer’.

I think you have got to agree with me that our Heavenly Father also is in the training business.  Least I hope He is cause I need a little help being His Child.  I even ask Him in my prayers for this “training”.  Most of my prayers include asking Him to lead,guide,and direct me.  That’s what I call TRAINING in a most personal way.  Thank you Lord!!  Pray and ask God yourself for this training.

Relax, Mother……… I was outside in the cold in my BEAR feet, not bare feet.  I’ve listened and learned from your advice…….and I thank you as well.

Now, about that “Don’t eat raw brownie mix” advice……………

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wildernesspreacher  a grown man, but still haven’t “growed up”.

 

 

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The First Christmas Without My Father

Yep, I Am My Father's Son

This is my first Christmas without my Father.  He passed away back in May.  In memory of him we had a breakfast of big biscuits, BACON!!, deer sausage,… and fried squirrel (his favorite).

Over all these years, I learned a lot from my Dad.  Here’s one of the many stories.  I was about 12 years old.  It was Christmas Day, but we were out early giving hay to the cows.  Back then, it didn’t matter what was happening, there were farm chores that had to be done.  Feeding the cows their daily ration of hay was one of them.   So we left the house a little early to get this done that day.  I’m twelve, but I’m feeling just as big a man as anybody.  See, Daddy would drive the truck into the field.  I would jump on back of the truck and throw the bales of hay off for the cows.  (AND I GOT TO USE A KNIFE!!).  For a young fellow, the excitement of using a knife to cut the baling twine from the hay bales was…….. (well, you just have to be a twelve year old to know how that feels)

We are trying to finish early with the feeding. One more small herd of cattle on the way back home to feed.  Then it’s back to the house and play with Christmas presents and eat,eat, and eat.  But first we had to stop by a house.  The house was one of the part time workers that would help occasionally with our farm.  As I remember, Daddy went in and gave the guy some money owed him.  I stayed in the truck warming up with the heater on, as it was really cold that day.

My Father comes out shaking his head, gets in the truck, and says to me, “He doesn’t have anything for Christmas.  He’s not celebrating or nothing!”

I guess that’s all that Daddy needed to see.  We go straight back to the house.  He tells me to wait in the truck.  It didn’t take him long to come back out with a grocery bag.  It was filled with oranges, some sticks of peppermint candy, and a few odds and ends from the food pantry.  Nothing special, no toys, no big surprises.  He told me as we were driving back to the man’s house that oranges and fruit was what my Daddy himself would get for Christmas.  Oh, occasionally they would get a toy or new clothes, but they could count on the oranges and fruit each Christmas.

We made it back to the man’s house.  Daddy got out, carried the grocery bag in, didn’t stay but a minute, and was back in the truck driving towards our home.  and he said, “Now he’s got Christmas.  He may not like oranges like I do, but at least He’s got Christmas!”

So what do you and I do when a loved one is no longer with us for the Holidays?  Well, we keep their traditions going, Don’t ya think?

This Christmas Day, some of my family and I will go somewhere to someone who is not having a Christmas.  It may be a needy family, or someone at the gas station, or maybe the waitress or one of the food servers that have to work on Christmas.  (Wherever my Heavenly Father gives me an opportunity) I will go and give them a present.  When I get back in my car, I will then say, “He/She may not like the present as much as I do, but at least He/She’s got Christmas!”

Yep, I am my Father’s Son!!!!!

But the angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”  Luke 2:10 

I spend a lot of time with my Heavenly Father as well.  He’s teaching me a lot!  One of the many things, I’ve learned from Him is this.  This world can sure use a lot more love.  My Heavenly Father has filled me with His Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness till I’m overflowing with it.  So,………. I choose to go out and give some of that love away.  To a stranger, someone I’ve just met, an old friend……………  and to you reading this.  There is a great news of great joy I want to share with all people.  It’s the news of living a Christian Life.  I want to share it with you!!  Truly Merry CHRISTmas!!!!

There, you may not like it as much as I do, but you now have a little Christmas for yourself,…….. and maybe enough for you to now share with others.

Yep, I am my Heavenly Father’s child!!

(UPDATE)  At Daddy’s funeral a man came up to me and said he was a grandson of someone who use to work for my Dad.  Pretty sure because of what he told me his Grandfather was the one that got the oranges.

Merry Christmas!!!  Look for opportunities to “give a gift” to someone.

I thank ALL of you for reading this blog.  For sharing this with others, and for being with me on this journey, THANKS!  I’m looking forward to this new year!  Tell your friends to “saddle up” and join us!   We are all riding “different horses” but we are headed to the same destination!

SEE YA!!!! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, spreading Christmas Cheer just like Both of my Fathers!!!

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Why Is The Sky Blue?

You need to understand as a small child

“Why is the sky blue?”, the young child asks.  I’m guessing you would answer the same way I did.  “It’s blue cause, well,……. the colors are….. well, molecules in the air are,…….uhhhh,  the blue light is scattered more than red, and the human eye ah, well, hmmm, we perceive blue color because.  Shoot. C’mon kid, it’s blue just cause that’s the way it is!”

It’s irritating to me that I can’t explain something to this little child.  She’s definitely too young to understand.  She’s too young to have had the experience that I’ve got.  My brain is holding a lot more knowledge than what her tiny new brain would have. Yet, she’s fixin’ to teach me a lesson.

Hey, I should be the teacher here.  I’ve read and studied lots over the years.  My IQ is high enough that I should be able to communicate my thoughts clearly to another person.  Yet here I am stumbling and mumbling trying to explain my thoughts to a 6 year old.  Honestly, it’s because I feel superior to this young child.  What does she know?  Could she even understand what I’m telling her in the first place. (Even if I didn’t stumble and mumble.)  Wait a few years kid, then you’ll be able to understand things (just as good as me).

 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18: 2-4

When I asked the young girl why she thought the sky was blue she gave a short, precise, and confident answer.  “God made it that way”.  (And she didn’t even mumble or stumble with her words.

Bam!  Showed me who the teacher is.  Bam!  Showed me who has faith. Bam!  That little baby girl showed me how to live!!

We live in a world where knowledge is important.  If we don’t know an answer we “google it”, we ask Siri, we seek most all of our answers by seeking more knowledge.  I guess that’s good,……. it makes us more “smart”.

To live in a Christian spiritual world, we must come as a small young child.  That is, we must seek answers to our life’s questions in a trusting way.  Show up each day with questions, but come as a child.  Curious, but not already filled with doubts and fears.We must look to God for answers and KNOW and BELIEVE IN HIM.  Easier said than done, right?

Oh, it’s hard!!  Because you “done growed up”.  You now think as a grown person.  There is more value in understanding how something works than in trusting that it works.  There is this perception that if you have faith and trust, it’s a sign of weakness. Wrong.  It’s a sign that you are thinking as a child.  A child of the King.  A child in the Heavenly Kingdom right here and now on this Earth.  Bam!!   Thank You my Heavenly Father!!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher    and “Never growing up”