Tag Archives: a step onward and upward

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These boots were made for walking

 

These boots were made for walking

These boots were made for walking

A ritual that happens in churches every Sunday is that the flowers are placed on the offertory table in memory of someone.  Flowers, but a boot on the offering table? Or is it the alter table? Or do you call it the communion table?  What ever you call it, there’s a boot with flowers sitting on the “in remembrance of me” table.

Now, maybe someone with an artistic eye is using the boot in a neat artistic way.  After all, I’m in a church service here in the West (Colorado).  Or maybe just maybe……… the person that we are remembering actually wore this boot.  Well, I hope they cleaned it up cause there is no telling where those boots have been!  Remember, I’m out West with all the pastures, mud, corral pens, horses, cattle, and ………… stuff that you need your boots to walk around in.

Then I catch myself………..  What is God showing me through someone’s idea of decorating the church with these flowers?

Why flowers?  It’s to remember someone with this gift that in turn is used to glorify God.  I’m “catching myself”, actually now I’m “kicking myself”, for looking for dirt on these boots rather than the flowers that are brightly shining from within.

Ain’t this a “poke in the ribs”?  It’s enlightening me as to how you and I view other people.  Even how we view other Christians.  Might as well get personal here……. even how we view our family and friends.  Well hey, yeehaw,  let me “stomp on your toes”, (since you’re not wearing the boot).  This is how you view yourself.  You focus on the dirt and crap on your boots, and not on the flowers blooming from within.   Say it with me…… I focus on the dirt and not on the flowers!

God put us on this Earth.  We each have a journey to travel, (some wearing Cowboy boots).  We all will get “dirty”.  You walk around in the mud and cattle pens called “SIN” and partner, you gonna have some dirty boots.  But back up on your horse here a minute.  God put us on this Earth.  He knows we are gonna get our boots dirty.  But He has planted a seed within our boots, (our heart) and one day this seed will bloom into a fresh bouquet of flowers.  Huh?  Hang in there with me. You see, His Glory will be growing, blooming, shining, for all the world to see right there inside of little ole you.  Don’t get hung up on whether it’s my glory, or God’s.  Don’t get caught up wondering if it’s my talents, or talents from God.  Everything about you is from God!!  Even those stinky boots.  I think He knows how to clean them up.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Yep, He found a way to clean up your boots(your life) and even plant a seed of Glory (eternal life) inside of you.  I think you and I need to focus less on every one’s dirty boots and enjoy the flowers that will be eternally blooming from within.  To God be the Glory.

See Ya!!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

 

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Who holds you accountable?

Who holds you accountable?

Who holds you accountable?

“You have done something wrong“.  When someone tells you that,…….. well, it depends on who that someone is as to whether you become defensive, mad, or at least willing to listen.

When someone calls you out on something that you’ve done wrong, it’s hard to accept.  Especially when you take matters into your own hands, are an independent person able to make his/her own decisions, and basically think that you know all there is to know about the situation.  That would be me,……. and you,….. and people in general.  We are able to justify at the drop of a hat why we are doing what is now being told to us is wrong.

Brett D. is my CPA, my accountant.  He keeps me organized and helps me with paperwork.  He knows all the forms that must be filed.  He completes all the reports needed to back up any and all transactions in my business world.  He’s a cool guy.  I like being around him.  But now he’s gone too far, because he is saying I’m in the wrong.

The short version of our conversation is this.  The numbers don’t add up.  Unless I just want to pay bunches and bunches of extra taxes, (and hurt myself in the process, $$$), then I must admit I’ve made an error and correct it.  When I explain about my new computer and the new program with lots of bells and whistles that does all this neat stuff, he patiently listens.  Then he quietly asks me, “Who types in all the numbers and info?”  I say I do.  He quickly says, “well, there’s your problem.  You my friend, have made a mistake and it’s going to hurt you big time.”

I suddenly feel that awful feeling of someone else telling me I’m wrong.  It’s a kick to the gut.  I’m feeling like that 3 legged cat being jumped on by the dogs.  And, it’s probably true.  I am wrong, and it’s gonna hurt  myself unless I fix it.

Proverbs 27:17 The Message  You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.

A most difficult situation ever faced as a human is to be told (by another human) that you are wrong.  An even more difficult situation is to be a human who loves another person, who cares for them, who doesn’t want to see them get hurt, and now feels they must tell them, “you are wrong”.  Brett is my friend.  He knows me.  He is in a position where he can see my actions.  He is close enough to me that he and I both know that he holds me accountable.  It’s just that simple.

Iron sharpens iron.  Do you know of someone who can hold you accountable?  Someone who tells you what they see.  No “do it my way”, no “making you feel like dirt”, no “be like me” person.  Do you know someone who genuinely cares about your journey enough that out of love they say, “You’ve done something wrong”?  Iron sharpens iron.

Now that you are thinking about this, Are you someone who genuinely cares about someone else that you could say to them they are wrong.  And do it without being that “know it all”, “my way is better than you’re way”, “make everyone feel stupid”, “holier than thou” person that everyone hates.  It take love and concern given from above as the first step.

When you have developed an “iron sharpens iron” friendship with another Christian, you have taken another step on this Christian journey.

Brett, I’ve found my stupid mistake.  I owe you big time.  I owe you an “iron sharpens iron” friendship!  You da man!

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher

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On the same journey, but riding a “different” horse

On the same spiritual journey, but riding a "different" horse

On the same spiritual journey, but riding a “different” horse

I met a new friend while on the movie set.  His name is Jack.  We are both extras working with the movie.  That’s about all we have in common.  You see, he’s tall, very dark, and very, very, handsome.  I’m, well, sort of tall……….  He’s the lead singer in a rock band, and he’s very, very good. He’s done this for years, has a strong following, and he makes a career playing and writing his music.  I ah, well, I play the Indian flute.  But rather than seeing how we were different, the focus from both of us was what we have in common.

As plain as the nose on my face, this is what I saw.  Sure enough, I see what you ladies see in this man.  He’s physically attractive.  He’s got the look.  Guys, He’s got the “it” factor as well.  He leads a rock band, writes music, he’s a man’s man.  I watch as he talks with other guys.  He’s easy going and fun to be around.  Other guys respond to him and his manner.  Guys, you would be envious of this man.  Seeing all of this myself, I also saw his heart.  We shared with each other about our lives, our children, how both of us try to communicate with other people.  He uses a guitar and music to get his message across to others.  I was truly surprised when from his heart he shared his frustration of being unable to “reach” some people with his music.  He gave the example of playing a song and within 15 seconds seeing people on the dance floor stop and begin texting to other people, (on the same floor).  What Jack didn’t know was how I’ve been frustrated myself with how the world today seems to make it harder to truly connect with others.  Sure we’ve got more technology, but we were in agreement that in this modern world it is becoming harder and harder to truly connect with others.  Whether a hard driving energetic singer like Jack, or a wilderness preacher like me,  lots and lots of distractions out there to keep us away from our passions to share with people.

Imagine how our Lord and Saviour must feel.  Where does He fit in all the mix of your life?  Do the distractions in your life rob you of time that could be spent with God.  Isn’t this what our spiritual journeys should be about?  Time between you and God.  The relationship (very personal) between you and Jesus.  Distractions can come from a cell phone with all it’s texting.  Life, (the very gift from God), can also become a distraction, if we allow it to be. Keep God in your life’s journey.

Acts 8:36-38New Life Version (NLV)36 As they went on their way, they came to some water. The man from Ethiopia said, “See! Here is water. What is to stop me from being baptized?” 37 (*Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The man said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”) 38 He stopped the wagon. Then both Philip and the man from Ethiopia went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Something else Jack shared with me the next day was this.  He had never been baptized.  He knows what you have to believe.  He knows what baptism represents.  He asked if I baptized people.  I was surprised, startled.  Remember, we are on a movie set.  The only thing around is a horse watering trough.  And it’s empty.  We need some water!!!!!!!

Jack, this is for you my friend.  You name the place and time.  It doesn’t have to be a baptism in the chlorinated, sanitized, compartmentalized, and sometimes impersonalized baptistry  pool of some 1st Church of wherever.  The baptism needs to be in your heart (that’s personal).  Then the water symbol of baptism can be done anywhere.  Pick a spot man.  A mountain lake in Colorado, a local river or stream, the neighbors’ swimming pool.  Just long as it’s deep enough to dunk ya!  Bring your friends.  Bring your family!  Bring your guitars, we will celebrate!  We will party!

If you don’t know that there is a God that loves you and wants to connect with you in spite of all the “distractions”,  then you don’t know Jesus.

If you don’t know that you can say Lord help me and Believe in Him with all your heart, and that He’ll be with you on your very own journey, well………. then you don’t know Jack.

See Ya!

Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher