Tag Archives: Being God’s Creation

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God’s Got Your Back

It's not your grip on God, it's God's grip on you!

Look who’s living in my log home. The little fellow moved in before I did. He moved in before the house has even been constructed. Yesterday, he popped his furry little head out from a hole right beside the foundation wall.  He blinked his eyes and looked at me as if he didn’t have a care in the world.  So naive, so innocent, so cute,……. he doesn’t stand a chance in this mean world.  Let’s catch him!

Well, the little critter jumped, darted, ran, squeezed through my fingers, cantered, scooted, slid under my hands, scurried, spun, boogied, and hot-footed away every time.  I know I’m not as fast as my hawk, or a fox, but the little booger would get away lickety-split every chance I had to catch him.  If today was his first day out of his rabbit hole, he’s well equipped to get away from danger.

What was funny (and amazing!) to me, was that bunnyboo would let me put my hand right beside him. Just like in the picture above, I could get really close, but the minute I tried catching him,  HE GONE!!

God is our refuge and strength,  an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear. Psalm 46:1-2

I’m may not be as cute as this baby rabbit, but I think as a Christian I’ve got something in common with the bunny.  I’m considered naive, innocent,…. and well, I’m not given a chance in this mean ole world!  Too many “foxes and hawks” out there trying to get me spiritually.  But just like baby bunny, we are able to “escape” from being caught.  By being caught, I mean we “jump, scoot, and run away” from those foxes and hawks that are set on destroying our spiritual walk with God.

But, our own abilities to escape from bad or evil is not enough.  We must rely on God and His strength for our protection. He can even protect us from ourselves as well.  He sees the bigger picture and plan for my own life way better than what I can see.  It’s not your grip on God, it’s God’s grip on you!

“Big, Bad, Bunny”, or (BB’s), that’s what I’ve named him, has found a place in our home.  He’s welcome to stay.  Whenever I see a rabbit at the log house I will think of the day I tried to catch BB’s. I’ll think of how he doesn’t live with worry, but with being aware.  I’ll think of how God has given him abilities to escape.  (I’ll think of how I fell and tripped twice trying to catch him.  It’s OK, I looked around and nobody saw me. 😉

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher  part time rabbit chaser

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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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I’m In Over My Head

......and Why You should Join Me.

And it begins…….Time to take my log house apart, log by log, load this house on two flatbed trucks and haul them 1140 miles to our property in Westcliffe, Colorado.  Woohoo!!

I’ll admit it, I’m “in over my head”.  It’s too much.  It’s too hard.  I don’t have control over anything!   You’ve had that same “in over your head” feeling, right?  Something very important to you has become too much to handle, too expensive, or maybe just too difficult because you have lost control!  What ya gonna do now?

This blog writes about everyday things, and shares a scripture.  My prayer and goal is that God somehow then uses it to help you on your very own spiritual journey. I firmly believe that He uses me to reach out to others.  My writings have been described as simple, nothing elaborate to me or my writings.  I’ll take that as a compliment! (I plant the seeds, God takes it from there). Here is the mystery and complicated vision to my simple way of writing.  When I’m writing a story about an everyday ordinary event, what I’m really writing about is how this applies to my spiritual journey.  What’s even more puzzling is how this writing is actually describing what is going on in YOUR life and YOUR VERY OWN spiritual journey.  So, am I writing about a physical activity concerning the building of the log home, or writing about what is being seen and shown spiritually in this same exact activity, or really and truly writing something about you, but just using a physical example to help you better understand yourself?  Well, yes to all three.  Whew!!!    Let me try explaining this again.

I write a story about a physical activity that is showing a spiritual truth.  You read this story, but somehow, someway you realize that this story really is to be used by you, for you to become one step closer to God on your spiritual journey. See, there is no way that this country boy with no formal theological training from some great big prestigious school or seminary should be doing this right?  Right, cause it’s obvious that I’m “in over my head”.  The wilderness preacher tries to write a story and reveal the spiritual meaning so that it applies to you?  Really?  That requires knowledge, communication skills, and the ability to reach you in your busy everyday life.  I’ll admit it, I’m “in over my head”.  I don’t stand a chance.  I don’t have a prayer.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait……….. I do have a prayer!    “Lord, could you help me?”

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

Being in over your head causes me (and I bet you) to rely on God’s Will.  Asking God for help means you are willing to give up controlling your life yourself.  That’s a big step.  We normally want to do things our way.  Getting in over your head focuses you on God’s Will, His timing, His desires for you.  Looka there,……. you are being what God created you to be!!!!!

 

My friends, over the next several months I’ll be sharing all about the activities concerning the building of the log home.   But wait, what I’ll really be writing about is the inexhaustible riches and love of Christ.   But wait, what you’ll really be reading is something that is drawing you one step closer to God.  Go figure!!

Ephesians 3:7-10The Message (MSG)  8-10 And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ.

Are you “in over your head” spiritually?  Maybe you are just standing in ankle deep water afraid to go deeper?  Are you saying “little prayers” because of the fear and lack of faith in the “Big Prayers”.  Do you still keep God inside of this tiny little box that you want to control, or have you realized that this Awesome, All Mighty, All Powerful Holy Being, wants to have a living loving relationship with you?

When someone says that they are “in over their head”, they usually mean that they no longer have control.  That’s why I’m admitting that I am “in over my head”.  But it’s a good thing in my spiritual life.  I no longer have control of my life.  I gave it all to God.  He is in control.  A song I’ve been hearing a lot lately says this in one of the verses.  My faith has become my eyes.

My challenge to you is to live so that you are “in over your head”.  God can take care of those problems too big for you to control.  God will also provide opportunities to grow with Him that only He can provide.  When you spiritually live life “in over your head” you break out of that little box you hide in, you step out of that comfort zone that has made life a rut.  Most important of all, you have let your faith become your eyes.  Was blind, but now you see (with faith).

Join with me over these next few months. I’ll be sharing what’s going on with the construction of the log home.  Tell others to join as well.  This log cabin adventure has taken a life of its own.  I’m wanting to share with you through the building of my log home how God is working (and loving) each of us each and every day.

[prayer]  Lord could you be with my friends and me this week. Be with us in a way that we feel your presence.  Be with all of us as we live life “in over our heads”.  Be with us as we look to you for direction and guidance.  Lord help me and my friends.  Help me to BE what you’ve created me to be.

I’m in over my head……… and it’s right where I need to BE!!!

 

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher