I Got Some Sense Knocked into Me!

Here’s a picture of some of the tools I’m using as I build my log home.  The blue tool with the long handle is called a peavey.  It has a metal spike at the end and also a hook.  When this is placed on the log, I now have leverage to roll a massive log wherever I want.  Power!!  I feel like a MAN because I can now move a 1500 lbs log with just my own muscles.  Be careful, I know, I know.  But it is a rush to be able to move that much weight.  I feel like a super hero.  Call me Thor, or Batman, or a Jedi,…….or LOG Man!!!! cause I got the power!  I need a theme song.

But be careful.  With the proper leverage, you can move the world.  Amazing to me how this huge log can be rolled with such little effort on my part.  With these forces of weight and movement battling with and against each other there is a high probability that things may not roll your way.  Things may not go as planned. Did I remind you and myself to be careful?  Well let me say it once again.  There is danger involved with moving and building with logs.  Be careful.  But sometimes I don’t pay attention, ……….even to myself.

While humming my “theme song” and enjoying all this power, I proceeded to roll this log into position.  It continued to roll on its own.  I ah,.. I ah,….. turned loose of the handle.  Ok, I’ll admit it.  I turned loose of the handle, it continued to roll, but then flipped back in reverse and the end of the handle caught me square on the side of the face.  (I feel like I’m giving an insurance report.)  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  I felt like Rocky Balboa himself had just given me an uppercut.  The theme song in my head suddenly changed.  I saw stars,……. my knees buckled…….and now I am down for the count.  It didn’t knock me out, just knocked me cuckoo.  Didn’t knock my brains out, just “changed the channel” I was on.  It didn’t knock me senseless………. It knocked some sense into me.

Proverbs 24:16– For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

It’s good to know I got up again.  But in a way it’s good to know that I got 6 more times left.  I feel like a cat with 9 lives now.  Well, down to about 4 now.  What I mean is this.  We all fall. We all fail.  At least one of us here falls while singing his own theme song!  I tell myself all the time to be safe,…. be careful.  There is not a day goes by that Staci doesn’t tell me to be careful.  She even calls me from time to time to make sure “I’m OK”.  ( I’ll have to tell ya sometime about the time I fell off the log pile cause I was trying to get to the phone.)  Be safe, Be careful.  I here it over and over.  But when it hits you up side of the head, you get a better understanding of it.

I’ve always said that God Himself will remind you of things that are needed in your life.  He will even hit you between the eyes to get your attention.  With a two by four, on in my case a peavey tool.

I bet you’ve had God “hit you” just to make you take notice of a situation in your life.  That’s what is so “good” about falling.  When you fall, He is there to pick you up.  He’ll pick you up seven times which in Bible terms means as many times as is necessary.

Be careful out there.  Stay safe.  With a very sore jaw this has taken on a newer and more important meaning in my life.

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time Rocky punching bag

Until the day I die, as for me and my LOG house……….

The cabin in the background was built by me 30 years ago.  I told 100 people back then that I was going to build it myself. Ninety five of those people told me “you can’t build a log cabin”, “you don’t know what your doing”, “you’re not strong enough” and on and on. Those people were right except for the “can’t ” part.  Well, I showed them didn’t I?

See, I didn’t know what I was doing, I wasn’t strong enough.  However…….., God gave me a talent of being able to read a book, and use this for learning…. always learning.  From a book I learned how to move 1200 pound logs with ropes and pulleys by literally using one hand.  There is no such word as can’t.  Say it with me out loud…..There is no such word as CAN”T!

It’s surprising to me that this cabin was built 30 years ago.  Not surprising that it was built, but that it’s now been 30 years.  Lots of great memories, family times, and most definitely a spiritual place for me.  Why did I build it?  Well, the challenge was there.  I needed to prove to myself that I could do it.  (And yes, I wanted to prove to all those who said “I can’t”).  But the main driving force was this.  I needed something physical to show what my spiritual being was about.  The cabin has been my passion, my love for the outdoors, my desire to build it myself, the beginnings of wilderness preacher. All these traits in my life came from my Lord up above.  I used them for my own life, but at the same time to give honor and Glory to God.  It’s called serving Him.  It has been rewarding.  How?  By allowing my spiritual being trapped in this body to actually make me “feel alive“.  That’s why there is a cabin in my life.  I wanted to “feel alive” before I die.

So, what passions, desires, motivations, or yearnings does your spiritual being want You and Your physical body to do and/or be before you die?….. Well,…….Ah…… You don’t have any?  Then you’re already dead.  Sorry to be as blunt as a grizzly bear attack, but “you dead!”  Spiritually, you’re dead.  Now you’re just waiting on your physical body to catch up.

……… Choose whom you will serve……. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Joshua wrote this to make a stand.  He was now on old warrior.  But he wanted all the people to know that EVERYTHING he is, owned or had influence with would be serving the Lord.  Now that’s commitment.  That’s taking a powerful stand.

Back to you now with those passions, desires, motivations, and yearnings.  You go find out from your spiritual “heart and soul” what it takes for you to come “alive”.  With God’s help live this way until you die whether it’s 3 days, 33 weeks, or 35 more years!!  Your passion may be your children, your garden, your guitar.  Your desires may be to help others, to build something.  Your motivations may be with charities and church.  Your yearnings may be to read the Bible, to connect with other Christian warriors.  Any and all of these will cause you and your physical being to “come alive” in  a way that is only brought on by the spiritual.

Over these past thirty years my hair has thinned and grayed.  I’m getting old….. like Joshua.  I am a Christian warrior….Hey, like Joshua.  OK, Joshua and I have got something else goin’.  I’m joining him to make a stand.  Everything I am, all I own, and whatever influence I may have with others I will do and be so that I can serve the Lord. I make this commitment before you my friends.

How do you serve the Lord? By becoming “alive”! Take those passions and yearnings that’s been given to you by God and use them to Honor and Glorify God!  That’s serving God Joshua style! What about you? Can you be a Joshua or a Joshuette?

What’s next for me as the wilderness preacher?  Well ONE of the things that my physical body will be doing  to give  more spiritual meaning and insights to me is to build a new log house.  Why you say?  I’m already hearing the “can’t ” crowd as I share my plans.  “You can’t build a log house, you’re too old, it won’t be good enough, why bother”, etc, etc.  Oh yeah, expect to hear from the “Can’t crowd” as you pursue your own passions, desires, and yearnings.

Choose this day who you will serve (the Can’t Crowd?), but as for me and my LOG house we will serve the Lord!!!!!!

1st log to be cut and the model of the log house

1st log to be cut and the model of the log house

See Ya!    Dan Ainsworth wildernesspreacher, log home builder

 

The Baptism of Jack

So raise your glass, clap your hands,

Everyone share a high five!

Jack is getting baptized.

His heart has come alive.

The preacher may have dunked him under.

By God’s Spirit he’s been raised.

This man has been saved by Jesus.

It’s to Him we give glory and praise!

 

1) There was an Angel right there in the pool.

No, wait.  This angel is Jack’s wife.

Through thick and thin, by his side she has been.

And several times she has saved his life.

As Jack slid under the water,

she waited on him from above.

And when he popped up, she stretched her arms out,

and gave Jack a soul mate’s love hug.

jackbaptismhug

 

2) He’s always been known as a “rock star”,

got the looks and he knows how to sing.

But add one more name, to how he is  known.

Now he’s also called child of the King!

 

So raise your glass, clap your hands,

Everyone share a high five!

Jack is getting baptized.

His heart has come alive.

The preacher may have dunked him under.

By God’s Spirit he’s been raised.

This man has been saved by Jesus.

It’s to Him we give glory and praise!

 

3)This preacher has been around lots of baptisms.

this one I promise was real.

As the family all gathered, sittin’ round the table,

God’s presence and His Love you could feel.

Such a special and spirit filled occasion.

But there is one more thing I must say.

All baptisms that this preacher does from now on,

must include Dawn’s crawfish etouffee !!! 😉

 

4)So Jack, a new journey you’ve started.

Don’t be hard on yourself ’bout anything.

Cause no matter what you do, or wherever you are,

Now my friend, you’re a child of the King!

 

So raise your glass, clap your hands,

Everyone share a high five!

Jack is getting baptized.

His heart has come alive.

The preacher may have dunked him under.

By God’s Spirit he’s been raised.

This man has been saved by Jesus.

It’s to Him we give glory and praise!