Category Archives: Being What God Created

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Give me a sign, Lord. Then I’ll…. ooops!

Give me a sign, Lord. Then I'll...oops

Well, here’s your sign laying in the road.  I stopped, backed up, and moved the sign off of the pavement. It started me to thinking.  Did someone hit this sign with their car because they didn’t see it?  Maybe they were going too fast, or texting while driving, or so preoccupied with whatever was happening on their side of the windshield that they didn’t see what was on the other side of the windshield.  Whoa!!!!! What if they had hit a child instead of just the sign?  Would whatever reason they have for this collision be good enough to justify that they hit something or heaven forbid someone?

Signs, signs, everywhere signs (a 70’s rock song).  But do we read the signs?  Stop sign? only if there are other cars. Caution light?…..means hurry up before it turns red.  Yield sign?…… not if I’m havin’ a bad day buddy.   A slow- children at play sign? To someone it must mean plow into it and launch it from the shoulder of the road to the driving lane itself.

Too many of us live our lives the same way that we drive.  We concentrate on just what’s inside the windshield.  You know, me, myself, and I.  We even ask God to give us a sign and help me and what happens?  We plow right through it. Whoa!!!!!

Mark 8:11-12 The Voice   11 they were met by Pharisees—ready with their questions and tests—seeking some sign from heaven that His teaching was from God.

Jesus (sighing with disappointment): 12 Why does this generation ask for a sign before they will believe? ….

Why is Jesus disappointed?  He knows that He has already given us many signs.  He also has given us…… Himself.  Yet, we try to do it without Him, focus on our inward selfish lives, preoccupied with me,myself, and more of me.  Is it any wonder that we don’t see Him?  He’s disappointed also because we plow right through chances and opportunities to “slow down” and just BE His children.  (Do you ever play with God?  After all you are His child.  Just a thought.)

  In your spiritual travels, that slow- children at play sign is there for you.  You are the child that God is trying to protect……. from you yourself.  While “driving” down this “road of life”, we can actually run over ourselves.  We can be our own worst enemy. Focus on being God’s child, not on wanting more signs.  He won’t be disappointed!  Neither will you.         See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher

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Made from Scratch (something from nothing)

 

made from scratch

made from scratch

 

 

It’s a badge of honor and glory.  When something is home made, hand made, made from scratch, it means that it’s a better product, right?

“Made from scratch” definitely makes it better to me.  Betty Crocker brownies from a box are pretty good.  Brownies that are home made, hand made, made from scratch just have that extra oomph to make them a special treat. Chocolate pudding?  Well, start with cocoa and all those scratch ingredients, cook it according to the recipe book, serve it warm…….. and Man, what you talking ’bout!   Compared to “made from scratch” chocolate, instant chocolate pudding is like eating the wet paper towels used when you spill your coffee on the computer. (There it’s cleaned up, sorry for the interruption)

Friends of mine, Jon and Liz have a farm where everything seems to be made from scratch. It’s a beautiful site.  You would agree with me.  Picture a country setting, a warming spring day, tractor plowing the fields and garden, and what looks like close to a hundred chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, and other feathered friends. These birds are canvassing over and across the just plowed corn field scratching to their hearts content.  It was a beautiful site seeing all those birds free ranging in Jon’s field. This farm will be producing lots of vegetables and fresh eggs.  But, as a fly fisherman, what was the beauty that I was most interested in? ……….Feathers!!!

It’s a badge of honor and glory to tie your own “made from scratch” flies.  Even more glory when you catch fish on the flies that you yourself have tied.  Jon and Liz gave me a bagful of feathers the next day. (I guess he could tell I was drooling over all those “feathers” walking around in his garden.)  Hey, fly fishermen don’t think exactly like everyone else.

I’ve taken those feathers, and have made a fishing fly that is home made, hand made, and made from scratch.  In a few days, this fly will be cast on the water ever so gently, with the hope of catching another trophy.

Ephesians 2:10New International Version (NIV)10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God has made you.  You are His home made, hand made, made from scratch.  It’s a badge of honor and glory.  Yet sometimes we put ourselves down.  We think that we are no good.  I’ll never forget even though it was years ago.  A severely mentally handicapped young man came to our church and sang “Somebody bigger than you and I”.  It made me realize that I was not much more than this mentally handicapped  young man.  But there he was saying “I know I’m somebody, cause God don’t make no junk!”

Well, there you go.  In spite of your problems, your shortcomings, your not being perfect……. you are home made, hand made, and made from scratch.  And God don’t make no junk!   It’s a badge of honor and glory.  Make something from nothing!  Let your glory be for God’s Glory!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

 

 

 

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I’m singing the Church special, and I choke!!

friends

Yes I actually choked up.  Here’s why.  I’m singing the song ‘Wayfaring Stranger’.  The song means a lot to me because it tells us that no matter what, we’ll see our Heavenly Father.  Our journey at times will be rough and steep.  But no matter what, we will be with Jesus.

Sitting not 10 feet in front of me is my dear friend.  He has seen dark clouds, He has lived a steep journey.  Health issues, stroke, have left my friend in the position of only being able to speak maybe three words at a time.

But I see him. And also yes, I see my living Lord and Savior shining through this man.  My friends’ eyes are watery, and squinting tightly together.  His lips are moving and he does something that he can’t do.  I get choked up.  My throat is tightening, uh oh, I’m having thoughts that I’m not gonna make it through the song…..

I love to sing.  Also when I sing, I look at people while singing to them.  I want to connect.  Make sure they are hearing me, make sure the words are being heard.  I see people smiling, some are nodding along to the beat.  As always, there are a few with that “bored, whatever” look.  What pleases me is that there are people singing along.

So, what was my friend doing that he can’t do?  He was mouthing the words to the song.  Not just two or three words that his physical body will only allow.  But he is singing every single word.  I’m getting choked up again writing this.  My friend isn’t just singing a song,  he lives it.

To see a fellow human being actually living in Christ is inspiring to me.  I do not pity my friend, nor do I feel sorry for him.  Actually I want more of what my friend has!

What does he have? He’s got God’s love shining in him, faith and trust in the unseen, and a joy coming from deep within.   He is the Wayfaring Stranger.

Travel well my friend, knowing in your heart with all the confidence in the world, that you will one day in Heaven see your Heavenly Father.  Continue to travel knowing that each day you’ll see your Lord and Savior right there with you every step of the way.   We need more friends like this.  Thank you Lord for my friend and his inspiration to the world.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher