Tag Archives: Being God’s Creation

Posted on

Have You Taken a Road Less Traveled?

Road Less Traveled

My order is ready, at a town two hours away.  I make the decision to go get it myself.  The best decision I make today…….. is to travel on the road less taken.  The back roads, the dirt roads,……. away from the hustle and bustle.  I met someone who I haven’t talked with in a long while,…..  Myself.

It would have been so easy to hit the four lane, the expressway, and follow the crowd.  I’m sure I could have made the trip in under two hours, (instead of the three and a half).  There was the possibility of sending someone else to get it for me.  Matter of fact, why didn’t I just have it shipped to my home address.  Nope, I’m going to make this decision.  This trip will become part of my journey on Earth today.  And like the poem says, taking the less traveled road has made all the difference.

Here are some of the things that happened to me.  My radio hasn’t been that loud since,….. well, I didn’t know it would play that loud.  With the windows rolled down, (who needs air conditioning), I had the music blasting.  Country songs, a couple of praise songs, and then… Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ down a Dream”.  Yep, it’s sing along, karaoke time.

Stopped at a country store, got a Root Beer.  Thought about, well, for a while there I thought about nothing.  Until an old rock and roll song came on…… highway to the Danger Zone!

It dawned on me that my phone hadn’t rang in a while.  I check it.  Sure enough, there is no service here!  I would later realize that I’m surviving without my phone.  What is amazing to me is that in this modern world how we have become slaves to our phones.  They are mobile devices which means that we must let them follow us everywhere.  Then we religiously check them to see if any messages have come in, to see if facebook has done anything that I need to know that very instant.  I do the unthinkable…… I cut mine off.

That’s when I saw this kid on a bicycle.  He must have been about 12 years old.  As I’m driving past a large graveled driveway, I see him.  There is a mud hole about the size of my truck in this driveway.  I see him.  “Don’t do it” I yelled.  I actually did yell out loud.  (I’m the guy in movie theaters that yells “don’t go in there” to the screen during a scary movie).  As I’m yelling, the kid plows his bike into that big ole mud hole.  It probably wasn’t but a few inches deep.  But his reaction was priceless.  In his mind, he must have jumped the Grand Canyon, or won the Olympic gold, because he raised his hands up in the air in victory.  I laughed from the bottom of my heart.  I just witnessed the glorious victory of a twelve year old kid on his bike winning some gigantious event!!!!!!  And now I’m jealous.

I miss those days when I used to ride my bike through the mud holes.  The days of stopping at a country store for a snack and drink.  I miss those times, especially now in this world we face and live in.  But wait a minute.  It’s my decision.  I can choose how I live in this crazy world.  I can follow the crowd on the interstate, or literally and spiritually, I can take the back road.

(Jesus said), “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to LIFE, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:14

That scripture sounds like a “country dirt road” to me, doesn’t it to you?  I mean spiritually we can follow the “interstate” and let life pass us by, or we can make the deliberate decision to take the narrow road.  Follow Christ’s teachings.  Live the Christian way of life.  It’s a narrow road, but it makes me come alive.

As I make my way back home from this trip, it dawns on me.  There is a HUGE mud hole about 5 miles from my home!  I’m not twelve years old anymore, but a part of me has and will never grow older than that.  I don’t have a bicycle, but I do have a Toyota Tundra pick up.  It going to be a thrill to hit that mud and plow right through.  I can taste the victory now.  There’s room in my truck for all of you to join in.  Better yet, get in line.  Join me!  We’ll make a convoy!  A blasting radio is a must!

Safe travels on your journeys.  My prayer is that you spiritually take and follow the narrow (back country) road.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time stunt driver!!

 

 

Posted on

A Heat Advisory Issued For Your Spiritual Journey

heat advisory

The more I work, the more I get done, right?  You can’t afford to slow down no matter the conditions, I mean time’s a wastin’.

Here in Mississippi the last few days, the heat index has been around 104!  Inside the log barn where I continue building my log home, the temp is more like 110 bacon sizzling degrees.  IT’S HOT!!  It’s so hot, my dog was chasing a rabbit and they both were walking.  It’s so hot the trees down here are looking for shade.

It’s so hot……… My neighbor’s horse got into my corn field.  It was so hot, the corn started popping.  The horse thought it was snow and froze to death. 😉

OK, you get the picture.  It’s hot.  Yet, still I feel that I must continue working at a pace that I must admit is harmful. In these conditions heat exhaustion, even heat stroke can become a major problem.  Why do I kill myself?  We have to realize in certain conditions that maybe we need to slow down, take a break,….. cool off.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:8

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Don’t ya think we get caught up in our spiritual journeys with doing instead of being?  We think that the more “good stuff” we do, the better person we are, (and the more God will like us and bless us).  😉  In spite of the conditions around us we spiritually work ourselves into a type of “heat exhaustion”.  It’s so easy for us to want to do things ourselves, our own way, in spite of how “hot” it is.  Well, as a Christian the peace that is inside of us comes from God, not from how much we do for ourselves.  And to top it all, He gives you and me this peace freely and abundantly.

What I’m trying to say is that doing “good stuff” is good.  What’s better than good?  Jesus………  He came to seek and save……..  He wants to share His peace and love.

Grow your relationship with Him.  How?  By taking the warning of a “heat advisory for your spirit” seriously.  Refresh yourself by praying with Him.  Seek a “cooling off” by reading the Bible.  Learn to pace yourself in this “hot and dried up world” by following His Will.

This world and even those around you may be hotter than a billy goat in a pepper patch.  They may be hotter than a firecracker lit at both ends.

You my friend will be cool.  Cool as a cucumber.  Joe Cool.  Better yet, Jesus Cool!!!

See Ya!!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher,  writing this while drinking Lemonade!

 

 

Posted on

Free Bees for Me; Free Honey for You

free bees

Free Bees for me. Now, free honey for you!!!  I’ve learned how to set a trap to catch bees that are swarming/(looking for a new home).  That’s a handful of bees right there.  I like the honeybee that did a close up photo bomb in the picture (lower left hand side).

Bees swarm as a way to reproduce and make more colonies.  Lots of troubles out there because the bees are declining because of pesticides, mites, beetles, and really no one knows what’s going on.  So they need all the help they can get.  I’ll help them.  I’ll provide them a brand new bee hive to live in.  In return, they can share a little of their honey for me and you.  DEAL!!

To catch a swarm of wild bees, you put an empty box in a tree usually and bait it with a few drops of lemongrass oil and some old honey comb from another hive..  The bees smell this lure from up to 2 miles away.  The scout bees come over and take a look.  Basically they check out the box, see that it resembles a Holiday Inn and notify the queen bee.  They somehow decide when to swarm, who stays and who goes.  The older queen leaves for the new hive.  Her daughter now takes over the old hive.

When the swarm takes up residence in my swarm trap, I then transfer them to a regular bee hive…….. and we are in the honey business.

So many parallels to these wonderfully made creatures (the bees) and how we should live as Christians.  It’s all about the queen ( and what she wants) in the bee world.  Shouldn’t it be all about God and His Will in our lives?  Hmmm……. could God be the Queen not King?…….just wondering.

I’ve developed a knack for catching these wild bees.  Caught 10 swarms so far this year.  If I were to buy a bee colony (just bees, no wooden hive) it would be around a hundred bucks for each group of bees.  Do the math!  If I catch them…….. it’s free!!!

2 Corinthians 9:6-8New International Version (NIV)6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

These honeybees have produced some wonderful honey.  I want to share.  Private message me on facebook (Dan Ainsworth) with your mailing address.  Or leave a comment with your mailing address here (I’ll not post them to the public).  I’ll send a pound of wildernesspreacher honey to all who have subscribed and ask for it.  No money, no shipping costs, its free.  I just need your mailing address.

My prayer is that we all set a trap (our lives) for the Holy Spirit to come into.  It’s free as well as freeing.  Amazing how so much activity (and honey) can come from this collection of tiny insects working together for the good of all.  Amazing to me how someone living the Christian way of life can experience so many blessings from a loving God.  We reap what we sow, so……. sow what will give Glory and Honor to our Heavenly Lord. Also, BEE what God has created you to BEE!  What’s that?  A wondrously made creature and child of the King (or Queen 😉  )

honey

Don’t forget,  this is my way of saying thanks.  If you are a subscriber then leave a comment with your name and mailing address and you’ve got some fresh honey on the way!

See Ya Dan Ainsworth wildernesspreacher,  part time bee keeper