Tag Archives: Being God’s Creation
Caught Until Mercy Came Along
Poor Baby Deer got caught in the fence. But with my phone taking pictures in one hand, and my fence cutters in the other, this little fellow is fixin’ to experience mercy from me, ………and FREEDOM!
As I was driving to the log barn, I saw this fawn at the edge of the field. He took off running,….. well, running like a deer. But this time when the poor thing tried to cross the fence, he got caught. Lord have Mercy! Wait, maybe I can have mercy on this young deer myself. I’ll help him escape.
“Lord have Mercy!” That’s the second most common sayin’ in the South. It’s almost up there with “Bless Her Heart”. It ranks just ahead of “Hey, whatcha doin’?” This deer is in dire need of some mercy. He is stuck. He is trapped, caught, unable to get away, and having the “worsest” day of his life. (That’s badder than bad there). Lord have Mercy. 😉
Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Definitions of the word mercy: a compassionate treatment of those in distress, it’s a kind or forgiving treatment to someone in a bad or desperate situation.
Much like this deer, I’ve been in bad situations, even desperate situations. Just like this deer I’ve cried out! He cried out “Baaaaaa”, as I cut the fence from around him. I’ve cried out “Lord have mercy” even as I guess God was in a spiritual sense “cutting me free from fences”. I’m sure you yourself have been caught a time or two. Did you approach God for His mercy? I’m betting you did like this deer and kept trying to get out of the situation all on your own. We struggle and struggle to get out and away, all on our own too many times. Lord have Mercy!
So take some advice from this deer. Approach God, allow Him to approach you when you are trapped “in your fence”. Accept this mercy and grace from above. We don’t deserve it, but God is more than willing to give to us. Lord have mercy…….. and thank you Lord.
PS The baby deer was not hurt in any way (except maybe its pride), just lost a little hair.
See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time hero for a baby deer
Do Not Conform, But BE Transformed
I’m nervous. See, I’ve been talking with several builders who I want to help me finish my log home. I’m doing the log work, I need these expert carpenters to help with the foundation, roof, and all interior work. One has already declined because he can’t guarantee HIS work because he doesn’t know how good MY work is. (Can’t blame him…..It’s not everyday that you hear of a Mississippi ‘redneck’ building a log cabin in his barn in Mississippi and then planning on bringing this cabin out to Colorado piece by piece on a truck).
One of the builders has taken an interest. He’s got lots of questions. So I send him the set of blueprints, along with the list of questions answered ( how big are the logs, what kind of tree used, how long have they been drying, etc,etc). And…… he wanted pictures. So I sent pictures. Pictures of my carving and cutting the notches. Pictures of what I’ve done. (He’ll have to decide if this Mississippi boy is qualified to undertake building a log home….. and decide if he wants to help.) That’s when I saw the picture of all the waste.
Man, look at all that waste. A big ole pile of sawdust, shavings, knots, bark ,….. all removed so that my trees can be transformed. What was once a tree (that I planted 35 yrs ago) has turned into a log. This log now must be carved and cut using my chainsaw to be transformed even further. What was once my tree, what was once my logs, are becoming transformed into something even more special……. my home sweet home.
Romans 12:2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is– His good, pleasing and perfect will.
This log home is a physical way of me showing how I live my spiritual life. I take a tree I planted. This tree is probably more crooked, bent, not so perfect as what you could buy in the wood yard. But hey, it’s my tree. Through a lifelong process, (some days it seems like forever), I’m gradually cutting and carving (TRANSFORMING) this log into part of my house.
God takes an interest in me (and you). He sends His Son Jesus to show His Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness to me (and you). He “helps” me with my own life by sometimes carving and cutting what I’m doing and BEING into what HE wants, what HE thinks is best. (Call it BEING Transformed!!)
Back to my log house. The log home builder is going to decide if I measure up to him deciding to build this house. (Decisions, decisions, huh?) Do you think he will choose to help with this project? ( I’m taking a moment as doubts and fears creep into my thoughts. OK times up, get outa here doubts and fears!)
He will choose to help. Why????? Because he’s not using not so perfect trees,….. he’s not using logs that have not been cut and carved,……He’s not looking at an amateur log builder,…….., Or a Mississippi ‘redneck’ , or whatever you and I could see as an excuse. What will he see? Will the builder agree to build this project? And Why??
Yes, the builder will agree to this. The Builder will see the transformation. From trees to logs to what I have been seeing all along from day one. My HOME SWEET HOME. (BAM! The sound of my microphone dropping.) 😉
(Picture of what my TRANSFORMED logs will look like!)
See Ya!! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time (full time) transformer