Tag Archives: nature

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I Can Sell It for $325, or It Can Be Yours For Free

Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder

Yep, I drew it.  It’s worth $325.00.  But I want to give it away…… to you.

Suppose I told you that someone from and of the  “art world” saw my painting and told me this. “Your art is original, simple yet inspiring,…….simple, yet complex.  You take colors and weave together a story.  It has a beginning, but begs of the person viewing to continue the story as they see it.”

Huh??  I had some left over floor paint, so I drew a picture on a block of wood.  Now I’m being told that it has a value to it.  Funny isn’t it how we place a value on something.  It’s worth what someone will pay for it, right?  It’s worth what we hear someone else say THEY will pay for it.  

Funny how you yourself place a value on your own life.  Too many times it depends on what others are saying about us right?  Too many times we put ourselves down because we know our own faults, we know what needs improving.

Shucks, my picture that I drew……… I can see fifteen things wrong with it,… I can see fifteen things I need to do to improve it.  Yet someone has placed a value on it.  A value that I myself didn’t think was there.  He makes me realize that my painting has true value in spite of what I think of it myself!

I guess I’m brought up in the world of “it’s not good enough”. (You too Huh?) No matter what I do, my painting,my work, MY LIFE……. it’s just not good enough.  And then someone of the “spiritual world” comes long and says, “You, Dan, and you _______, you are very valuable to me.  I pick you.  I want YOU!

 You have been bought and paid for by Christ, so you belong to him—be free now from all these earthly prides and fears. 1 Corinthians 7:23 TLB

Don’t we do a disservice to Christ our King when we put ourselves down.  I mean if “art world guy” were to say my painting is worth $325, why should I argue him down to $15.  Only because I feel like I’m never good enough.  You say $325?  Sold!!!  It’s all yours.  Art Guy Buddy, You want me to draw ya another one?

So when Jesus says you and I are worth dying, (and living) for, do we instead put ourselves down?  He died on the cross for us.  He rose from the dead.  That’s why we celebrate Easter!  It’s how He paid the price for us!

He died so that you and I may TRULY LIVE!!   Sold!!  I’m all yours Lord. Jesus, Can I live another day for you Lord?

I’m not going to sell this picture to “art world guy”.  I want to give it to you.  Then you can take my picture with a story beginning drawn in it……. and continue the story for yourself.

Interested in owning this picture for yourself?  Private message me on this blog site, or message me on facebook.  It’s free!

Well, Dan, what if more than one person wants this picture?  Hmmm…..then looks like I got some more painting to do.  We can do this together.  Tell me your favorite three colors.  We’ll see what story that I’ll begin, but that you will continue.

YOU ARE VALUABLE!!  YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE KING!!   In spite of what “someone” says, (including yourself sometimes), you are a masterpiece in the making.  Jesus says you are worth it!!

See Ya, Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time artist

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The Beehive

God is my Rock, my Fortress, my Place of Safety

That’s the entrance to one of my beehives here in Colorado.  It’s gotten down to -9 degrees this year and they still survive.  It’s just so amazing to me that this colony of bees can survive such harsh bitter cold.

Notice that they made the entrance to their hive even smaller.  They take propolis (bee glue), and form a more perfect fitting entrance for their colony.  The original hole is too big.  It allows too much valuable heat to escape.  They constructed a smaller entrance.  It still allows them to venture outside on warmer days (50+ degrees).  But they seek refuge inside on the cold days.  The hive provides them with a warm place to stay.  Also it’s a place they can get nourishment……..honey!!!

How do they stay warm?  They form a big cluster of bees the size of a basketball and continuously vibrate their wings which gives off heat.  The bees on the outside of the cluster,(where it’s coldest), gradually work their way back into the middle of the cluster, (where it’s warmest….around 70 degrees).  It’s a continuous journey from outside, to inside, to outside, to inside the cluster with several meals of honey along the way.  The queen stays in the middle where it’s warm.  Get this…… this spring when it’s time to begin laying eggs, she’ll tell the ‘thermostat committee’ of bees that it needs to be 90 degrees.  The bees vibrate their wings and increase the heat for the queen and her eggs.  Amazing how all this comes about.  Now you’ll just have to trust me on it being 70 to 90 degrees inside that ball of live honeybees……….unless you want to stick your own hand in there!

Their beehive is not just a place to store honey.  It’s there refuge.  Their place of safety and comfort.  It’s home!

Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.  Psalm 71:3

I have a place that I can go in times of stress.  I go to my Lord and Saviour.  I call out to Him in prayer.  I sing praises to His name.  I search for a quiet place to BE with Him.  He gives me nourishment for my soul that’s as sweet as honey.  He also “warms” my soul as I travel in and through this “cold world”.

Maybe you’ve been on the outside too long and now it’s time to work your way back into the inside.  Back into the warmth of a continuous relationship with God.  This Christian journey is not a one time event.  It’s a continuous daily walk.  Jesus has provided us with a way to experience life to it’s fullest.  We live in this world, but spiritually we have Him to provide us with shelter, a place of rest and refuge,………. and spiritually………..HONEY!!!!

Lord, BEE with us as we travel in this world.  Help us in our everyday activities.  Provide us with opportunities to share your love.  Thank You for BEING my refuge and shelter.  Thank You for our blessings (honey).  Help me and all my friends reading this……… Help us to BEE what you’ve created us to BEE!    Amen!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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Why You Are Different From Everyone

Discovering Yourself

 

photo by Randy Ainsworth

It’s obvious that the one sunflower plant doesn’t quite fit in with all the others.  What’s up with that?  I mean, they all are in the same field, same growing conditions, from the same bag of seeds, and yet……… There she is …….. different.  I wouldn’t say different in a bad way, but different.  I see that plant all by itself out there and it reminds me of ME……, and it reminds me of YOU.

I remember being told that I was different.  I talked different.  I preached different.  What I also remember was that the person telling me this was trying to get me to conform to his ways.  He was telling me to be and do like he and they said I should. (Who is he and who is they?)  That got me to thinking. (Oh yeah, I was told that I think differently as well,…….go figure!)

But I got to thinking that in this spiritual journey that I am on, do I DO as others tell me?  Do I conform, try to “fit in their box”?  No, I chose to be and do something that is SO DIFFERENT in today’s world.  I didn’t choose to be like someone else.  I chose to be ME.  The me that God created.  The me that follows my Lord and Saviour seeking His will for little ole me.

Don’t get me wrong.  I listen to other people’s advice. Other’s experiences can be valuable for me on my own journey.  What I’m talking about is listening to others and not listening to my own heart.  I’m talking about following others, not following Christ and His teachings.  To me, that’s living your life without TRULY living.  I chose instead to “come alive”.

By focusing on what God has given me, that’s how I come alive.  His grace,His Love, His direction and guidance all help me to be what He has created.  And it helps you to come alive as well.  But dig deeper my friend.

That passion you have for the outdoors, the desire to help others, the ability to lead, your love of music…….on and on (and so very different for each of us).  Maybe your gift from God is the ability to connect with others, or a talent of working with your hands, or painting, or working behind the scenes.

Maybe what God has given to you is being hidden inside of you because you feel that it causes you to be “too different”.  UH OH  That’s not a good way of thinking right there.

 Romans 12:6-8 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

A better way of thinking is this.  God has created me.  He made me a unique child of his.  I’m different from others (and this whole wide world) because I am ___________ and I look _______, I feel  __________ .  My passions are _____________ . My God given abilities are _________  (Spend some quiet time with God and the both of you fill in these blanks.)

I certainly wish I could change some things about myself.  Let’s see, be better looking, not be afraid of heights, wish I could play a guitar, be better looking, wish I could work my phone, and be better looking.  Even with all those changes, I would still be ME!

A very sad thing is there are lots of people who can’t stand themselves.  They don’t like who they are.

I have to realize that God created me.  I have to live with me!  Me is who God created me to Be!  Me, myself, and I are the ones on this spiritual journey.  I myself, must choose to be Me!  (told ya I think differently)

God created me.  He’s still working on me.  He’s got a hold of my life.  He is in control.  I come alive by living for Him, and with Him.  Boy, that makes me different.

How different are you?  Are you like the tall sunflower standing alone in the field?  Next week I’ll share what it’s like to be a wolf in a “puppy dog” world.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher  living fully alive (and that’s different)