Tag Archives: growing spiritually

Posted on

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!!!

Posted on

What God Gives Me For Christmas

For Unto You (that's me and YOU!)

For Christmas, God gave me a gift!  A one time, yes you can have it gift!  I accepted my gift from God, and this has led to daily gifts.

Not just a present to open one day a year, but gifts given daily.  Gifts from a God to a little ole me.  Now that’s what I call a Christmas experience!!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord  Luke 2:11

First things first.  One step at a time.  The first Gift from God that I accepted was His Son Jesus.  You see, along with choosing this gift, I chose to make Jesus my Saviour, my King.  I willingly decided that I will follow His teachings, read the Bible and follow His directions.  I accepted God’s Gift of Love into my life when I was about 10 years old.  I eventually accepted His desire to lead and guide me when  I was in my teens.  I FINALLY accepted His gift of wanting a TRUE LOVING RELATIONSHIP with me when I reached my 50’s.   (I’m a slow learner with a stubborn streak. aka a human being)

After receiving and accepting God’s Gift of Love, (Jesus), into my heart, I was given another gift.  I didn’t ask for it.  I really didn’t know about it, much less how it worked, or how to use it.  Didn’t matter.  There the gift was right there in front of me…..  With my name on it……. I opened it……. It said “Forgiveness”!   I realized I had been forgiven for what I had done wrong….. and I learned to forgive others.

There were other gifts that began to appear…….. peace, comfort, joy.  I realized that this Christian way of life was truly filled not with just words, but with a daily walk with an omnipotent, all powerful God.  And……each day there was another gift.

UHOH!  Confession time!!  I have a confession to make.  There were many days that the gifts given to me from God weren’t opened.  Some small gifts, some large……. and for whatever reason, I chose not to open them.  Seems strange that I would choose NOT to open a gift.  Honestly it appears that I was either selfish, doubting, stubborn, “in a bad frame of mind”, lazy, or just plain human stupid.  Somehow, some way, I decided not to open that day’s gifts.

But the gifts would keep coming.  No matter how bad, disrespectful, selfish, or I’ll say it like this……….no matter how bad a sinner I was being, there would still be another gift waiting for me to open.

So,……. if I can make my decision making, my thought process, my everyday walk in life line up with what Jesus wants and has in store for me, then these presents and gifts are mine on a daily basis.  Wheww, that’s a mouthful.  What I’m saying is this.  Follow Jesus.  His gifts to you are there every day.  You are the one making the decision to OPEN them.

Every day, there is a new gift from God.  Not because of you, but because of Him.  Each day another gift of abundant life, a closer walk with Him, a prayer (that goes both ways).  Each day a new beginning.  Each day is a gift from above.

What about you?  Are there too many gifts from God that you haven’t opened?Are there too many gifts from God just waiting for you to accept?  Yet, you won’t open them.  Why is that??

Look in the mirror in your home and you’ll honestly see why you don’t open God’s gifts to you.  Hey, go right now.  When you look in the mirror you’ll see the problem.  Nothing to be ashamed of.  You are just plain human stupid. (I should know.  I’ve got a mirror too…….in my house, in my car, mirrors everywhere).  We see our own human stupid weaknesses.  Other people are sometimes quick to point them out as well.  We aren’t good enough, we don’t understand, we don’t deserve, we can’t, we can’t, we can’t.  See, plain human stupid thinking going on right there.

Do you want to get rid of the “stinkin’ thinkin’ ” that keeps us from opening God’s gifts to us each and everyday?

First things first.  One step at a time.

For unto     _____your name_____    is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  There, that’s the first gift opened.  Now be watching for all the other daily gifts given to you.  And tear into ’em.  Now that’s Christmas!!!  Wishing you a DAILY Merry Christmas!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher

Posted on

Magnify Your Lord

actually feeling like you're right there with God

Pretty picture, that’s for sure!  Now let’s zoom in and magnify what’s seen.

Wow!  When I looked through Jamie’s (my daughter’s) camera, she had the zoom lens on.  The camera magnified the image so that I felt like I was actually there!  So,………if I magnify what I’m focused on, it will become even more clear to me.  Vivid even!  Bam!! There’s a spiritual lesson in this photography lesson if ever I’ve seen one!

What’s so special to me is that I have been on the tops of these mountains.  Now with the help of a zoom lens, I can get (even closer) to these special places.  By magnifying what I’m focusing on, I now see a clearer more meaningful picture.

 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.Psalm 34:3

God is already bigger than any mountain.  Magnifying Him doesn’t make Him any bigger.  It just makes me see MORE of Him. (Also makes me see LESS of me.  Also makes me see less of my whiny problems, my shortcomings, my insecurities, and most of all my own doubts)

By magnifying and focusing more on my Lord, I’m not hiding my head in the sand.  Instead I’m lifting my head for guidance, seeking His love to share with others.

Once more……….O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.Psalm 34:3

He’s My All, My Everything     song by Jack Woodson and Dan A

There’s trouble in this world today, it comes from all around.

We’ve got so many questions, the answers can’t be found.

Well maybe we should turn to God, He’ll help us find our way.

He’ll give us love, He’ll share His joy, and we can proudly say- ay-aaay

He’s my Saviour, Lord and King. He’s my all my everything.  I just want to let the whole world know.  He’s my Saviour Lord and King, He’s my all my everything. Just let Him in your heart.  Give Him control.

Now I got to tell you this one thing, and you better believe it’s true.

If you don’t know my Jesus, then you’re singing with the Blues.

Cause if you don’t have Him my friend, You’re goin’ the wrong way.

But if you know Christ as your Lord, then you can proudly say-ay-aaay!

He’s my Saviour, Lord and King. He’s my all my everything.  I just want to let the whole world know.  He’s my Saviour Lord and King, He’s my all my everything. Just let Him in your heart.  Give Him control.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. It saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.

Those words were written long ago, in an age that’s past away.

But the message that those words contain, grows stronger ever day-ay-aaay!

He’s my Saviour, Lord and King. He’s my all my everything.  I just want to let the whole world know.  He’s my Saviour Lord and King, He’s my all my everything. Just let Him in your heart.  Give Him control.

(If you want a copy of this song recorded with the music, send me an e-mail or message)  See Ya!!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher