Tag Archives: wolf

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“Granny” Steps Out of Her Comfort Zone

There were visitors at my gold and silver mine this week.  “Granny” stepped out of her comfort “box” and joined in on the adventure.

It’s more than just a short hike to the mine.  It involves walking down a steep slippery mountain (and climbing back up).  Lots of loose rocks to twist an ankle.  The thin air will cause you to have to breathe a little extra.  Did I mention that there are rattlesnakes in the area?  Oh, don’t forget the bats that hang out in the cave.  I’ve seen a scorpion or two.  Well since I’m telling all,……… we’ve seen mountain lion tracks, two bears, and the ever present pack of coyotes all within walking distance of the mine.

I talked “Granny” into going.  Really what motivated her to go was that her “babies” were going and THEY wanted her to go as well.  I’ll admit, I wasn’t much help.  Telling her all the DANGERS and BAD THINGS that COULD happen only brought out the worry and doubts about this trip.  But then again I did encourage “Granny”.  Step out of the comfort box was my advice.  You can’t hear a true wolf howl unless you get off the pavement and into the dirt roads and paths.  You gotta go to the gold mine to see the “babies” find their gold.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

A sound mind………. that means don’t do anything stupid.  But for so much of our lives and our spiritual journies we hold back out of FEAR,……DOUBTS,……and WORRY.

On your spiritual journey, as you search for that “gold mine”, remember God has given you POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND.  Use it to find your treasures.  Use it to draw closer to God on your Christian Journey.  God gives you His Power and Glory so that in return you give the Glory and Love back to Him.  An awesome arrangement if you ask me.

Did the grandchildren, “babies”, find there gold in the mine?  Possibly, they all took a chunk of rock back home with them.

But let me share with you the treasures they did find.  They all stepped out of their own “comfort boxes”.  They hiked up a mountain pass, drove in the middle of a wilderness to see (and hear) a wolf, floated the rapids, saw fantastic views, and maybe, just maybe realized that God is with them everywhere they go.  Along with His Power and Love. 

And “Granny”, because you cast aside your fears and worries, you were there with your family as well.  They have wonderful memories of their “Granny” in the Gold mine.  You gave me a sweet memory too!

Live, become fully alive, not by hiding in your “comfort zones or boxes”, but by using God’s Gifts of power and Love.  Don’t let doubts and worries be your focus.

This family will tell ya that.  Yea, the journey involves a long, hot, bumpy, dusty,  “are we there yet” road (that’s the doubts and worries).  But the rewards are worth it.  (When they heard the wolf singing and howling)

“Granny”, there is another adventure waiting on you when you come back!  See, there is this ghost town with an abandoned mine…………..!!

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher   AAAAWWWWOOOOooooo!!

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OK, I’ll Admit It, I’m A Wolf

Being What God Created. What are You?

God used a wolf to guide me to a closer relationship with Him. (Closer to God, and the wolf as well.)  Here’s what happened.

Mission Wolf is a solar powered wolf sanctuary in the remote mountains of Colorado.  (25 miles from our log cabin).  It’s a rescue place designed to make a home for wolves and wolf dog hybrids.  No more are they kept in cages, or on chains.  They are allowed to roam free in LARGE fenced, protected areas to live their lives as a wolf, not as a dog.

Each wolf here has their own story.  Some were raised to be used in a movie.  Take the movie shots, now they are not wanted.  Get rid of them.  Bummer.

Some (a lot ) of the wolves here were bred to be someones pet.  Oh how cute to have a pet wolf.  Especially a wolf puppy.  But here’s the problem!  The wolf puppy is not a dog.  He will grow up to be a wolf.

The people at Mission Wolf are very educated and helpful in explaining how wolves are designed to be the beautiful creatures God created them to be.  They explain how a wolf likes to nip and bite(playfully) as a way to show affection.  But when a human owner sees the wolf BITE, they automatically think, “Oh No!” and on a chain leash he goes!!!   Wolves also like to lick other wolves (and people) in the face and in the mouth.  This is their way of greeting.  You shake hands, you give a hug……… but a wolf will jump up to lick your face.  Ever noticed that your own little cute dog would do the same? (If you’d let him).  Yep, that cute civilized, obedient, trained dog of yours still has a “little wolf” in him.

I had my own personal meet and greet with the wolves themselves.

Yep, it’s the wolf’s way of saying, “Hey friend,  Glad to meet ya!”

Now I’ll be honest with ya.  I don’t mind getting “kissed” by the wolf.  In a strange way, it’s almost like I connect with them more closely than others.  The wolves seem to seek me out from the other people. (The owner says they know a kindred spirit. Hmmmm.) They accept me, I accept them.  For a brief moment I feel that my soul is at peace.

The owner/manager was giving us an educational tour.  He was speaking to us about the wolves and how they interact with us humans.  Then he said this……………. and I felt God speaking directly to me when he said……………“When you treat a wolf like a dog, to the wolf it’s pure torture!  Bam!!  Eye opening to me.  Life changing to me.  I’ve been taken off my chain leash and now I’m free!  LET ME EXPLAIN!!

See, on the spiritual journey that I was on,  I was expected to be a puppy dog not a wolf. Please people first, not necessarily my Saviour. A puppy dog begs, rolls over, fetches, and plays  dead on command.  A nice doggy obeys commands and directions from a man. (his owner)  He becomes a people pleaser.  We allow ourselves to get collared and chained.  We submit to a lifestyle that causes us to be only half of what we could and should be.  It’s more important to fit in and please people than to please God.  Did I actually just say that?  Are you actually living like that?  Well. when you compare your life to other Christians…… I have more faith, I go to more meetings, I donate more than she does, I try harder than they…… my friend, you just showed me your collar and leash!!  Now hold on.  Down boy.  Sit!

But a wolf,………well, he’s a wolf.  Spiritually he chases a relationship with his Lord and Saviour.  He’s alive and lives an abundant life just by BEING with his Lord.  No need to compare with other Christians.  No need to seek a petting on the head, (or a pat on the back).  No desires to become successful as defined by this world.  All these are collars and chain leashes that have been taken away. His life is filled with abundance just from BEING God’s creation and living/being with God.  What he does each and every day comes from this being with his Creator.

See, a dog fetches so he can get petted on the head.  A wolf doesn’t fetch, he CHASES.  He chases something to catch it, and EAT it. (Now that’s being real!)  A wolf doesn’t beg, roll over, and dang sho’ nuff doesn’t play dead.  He’s out there where it’s real.  He runs, he howls, he LIVES.  He has no chains, or a collar to hold him back.  He experiences life to the fullest!

A doggy has a comfortable, nice, easy, (can I say it?) BORING and “going through the motions” life.  His rewards are,…. treats, dog chow, and a people pleasing existence. I got a dog myself, I should know. Hey, I’m not knocking it, except from a wolf’s point of view it’s not enough.  So,…. spiritually are you being a puppy dog, on a leash, living life only to please people?  Or is there a wolf inside of you wanting to please God and experience a truly one on one relationship with Jesus?

Are you beginning to see the difference between Sparky and Lobo?  Is there a “little wolf” still inside of you, wanting you to take off the leash and become alive again spiritually?

1 Peter 4:10-11 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Are you hearing what (the wolf) I’m trying to say concerning our spiritual journey?  When we live our spiritual lives like we’re a cutesy,nice, puppy dog,……. it’s pure torture.  But when we live,……. when we truly LIVE our lives being what God has created us to be……. Well, can’t you feel that “little bit of wolf” in your soul comin’ out.  Ready to Howl??

Don’t get caught in the trap of not being yourself.  The trap of not using your special gifts and abilities in your own individual way to glorify God. There is the poison of allowing others(and not the Holy Spirit) to dictate what and how you do things. There is a  deadly snare of letting this world put you down,  to fall for the trap of believing that you are not good enough, that you don’t have what it takes, or what you are or do will not amount to anything.  A wolf living in the wilderness gets to live free, but at the same time he must avoid the traps and snares set just for him.  So must you!  Live free, but avoid the traps!!

You have your own God given gifts.  Use what God has given you to come alive. Your glory is for God’s Glory!!  Don’t play fetch, but chase and follow our Lord.  Don’t roll over, but live life to the fullest!  And…..and,….. don’t play dead in this world.  But become alive spiritually by BEING What God Created You to BE!!  And LIVE!!!    AAAWWWOOOOOOO!

Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher   Spiritually, a wolf   AAWWWOOOOOO

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The Prodigal Son/Dog!

Dudley/wolf

Dudley, our sissy house dog is terribly afraid of thunder..  Just ask our Ole Miss friends, the Parkes.  While we were gone, a large and loud thunderstorm came over our house.  Dudley, I call him “the Big Dud”, went berserk, crazed, wild.  Because he was so scared of the thunder and lightning he decides to leave.  First, he goes upstairs and chews and claws the door trying to get in.  No luck.  He then pushes open the front door, chews a hole in the dogproof wire of our backyard………. He gone!!!

Now when we drive up and see the door open, and then no Dudley, our hearts are in our throats because we know how he gets in a storm.  We call, yell, honk horns, everything.  We call out the cavalry/family.  We are out riding the country roads while it’s still raining.  I get on the 4-wheeler riding the back pastures.  Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Staci and I go to bed but there’s no sleep.  Not for me especially.  I’m mad because I didn’t lock the door behind me when I left earlier in the day.  If only I had locked the door, then he would still be in the house.  I’m fearful because I know what’s in the backyard and woods. (see last weeks blog about the Whompus cat)  Also, I’ll admit to this.  I am sad.  The thought of losing this dog has saddened me.  I’ve always had manly dogs. A Lassie Collie, then a brown Lab, then a bloodhound.  This dog is the only dog we have now.  He is Staci’s pet.  A shih-Tzu…….but he’s my little wolf!

Look it up.  What dog is the most closely related to a wolf.  You would think it would be a Husky, or a German Shepherd.  But the guys at Mission Wolf told us that the Chinese breeds like the Shih-Tzu are closest kin.  Now it makes sense to me.  I’m attached to this little fellow because deep down he is a wolf.  I can relate to that!

At 2 am, it’s unusually quiet. Spooky because it’s so quiet  There’s fog and no wind.  The rain has finally stopped.  I go outside and call.  I can hear sounds from the 4-lane highway a couple of miles away, the trucks and their gears shifting.  What’s so bad is that I can also hear the owls, the coyotes, and all the other predators that roam the nights.  What’s good is that I promise you I hear a little dog howl.  Immediately, I wake Staci (she’s not asleep).  “Get out here and call for Dudley” I’m telling her and rushing her outside.

Staci comes outside and calls for her puppy. She yells, “Come get a treat, let’s go to Mimi’s, want a puppy cup?”  All these phrases are things that get the Big D to respond when he’s at home.  I thought I heard a howl off in the distance.  But nothing.  Staci goes back in, I walk around in the woods for another hour.  Mad, fearful, saddened, now dreading what the outcome of this will be.  Why?  Well, if I did hear a small dog whimpering somewhere in the night, so did all the predators.  As I walk in the woods, the howl of a coyote only a short distance away raises the hair on my back, but at the same time lowers the feelings in my heart.  My dog is gone.  Where oh where can he be?

It’s morning now.  The search party of kinfolks has arrived.  We start asking neighbors, riding the roads, and searching.  We get a call that he was seen over a mile away at a neighbors driveway.  Off we go.  It’s rather comical now, but you would think that we had lost something special.  Well, we have.  Dogs become part of our lives, part of our own being.  If you have never experienced the loyalty and love from a dog, then you must have a cat.  Or either you have a huge hole in your heart that has never experienced a companion with 4 legs.  I feel sorry for you.

The search party spans out over the area.  I get a hunch that maybe the little wolf may be trying to get back home on his own.  He’s a house dog, spoiled, can’t walk on grass ’cause he gets stickers.  There’s no way ……….well, except somehow God gives these creatures a sense of where home is and how to get back.  While everyone is searching this last place he was seen, I begin the mile long trek back towards the house.  Halfway home, in a sandy road bed I see little dog tracks, along with fresh deer, turkey……….. and coyote tracks.  They are fresh, too fresh.  I start running and calling as I go.  A quarter mile from the house I am on top of a large hill.  I let out a holler for my little wolf.  And he answers! boo woo woof.   I take off running.  I’m trying to call the search party on my phone as I run.  “Get home.” I yell, “He’s close to the house”.

As I run to the backyard, I see the prodigal dog.  He’s scared of me.  I guess he’s been through a lot.  Now he won’t even come to me.  I kneel down and wait.  Suddenly he bolts to me whimpering and jumping into my lap.  His whimpering sounds as if he’s crying, the little wolf pup.  The daddy wolf is shedding a tear or two himself.  Why?  Because Dudley has come home.

All the search party celebrates.  We eat Pizza!

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20

But this story was about a dog.  He left on his own. He’s done it to himself. Doesn’t matter what caused him to leave.  He may have been scared.  But even if he had been rebellious, disobedient, or well, think of whatever reason YOU can think of to leave home yourself.  The point is that there was love waiting for him when he returned.

We have a Loving, Living, Heavenly Father who waits with open arms for me and you to return to Him.  Why do we run away when we’ve got it made where we are?  We get scared.  Or maybe we get rebellious, disobedient, or well, think of whatever reason YOU can think of to leave God yourself.  The point is our Heavenly Father’s love is waiting for your return.  You’ve never experienced His love?  Well, you must have a huge hole in your heart (and soul) that has never had this experience.  I feel sorry for you.  He’s waiting….

See Ya!

dudley