Category Archives: Steps Along This Journey

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Taking the fork in the road (decisions, decisions)

fog

There’s a fork in the road about 40 yards ahead, but with all this fog you would miss it if not somehow made aware. (lots of wrecks happen here.) Experience will save me because I travel this road daily.  How did I gain this experience?

Living on a small farm one of my daily activities was to ride in the truck with my Father.  We had the daily chores of checking on the cows, mending fences, harvesting hay, oh, and occasionally eating blackberries, mulberries, and wild plums growing in the fields.  I was riding with him starting at an early age of about 7 and continuing through my teenage years.

It’s a small farm with cows and hay fields.  What that meant to me was GATES…….. and lots of them.  Barbed wire gates, metal gates, wooden gates, and yes more and more gates.  Some gates would be hard to open.  They were secured by wrapping barbed wire around the top post.  My father’s favorite saying as I was opening the gate was “Squeeze that gate likes it’s your girlfriend”.  And I would….. By hugging the wire gate closer to the loop holding it, it would release and the gate would open.  But most of the time you had to squeeze and hug with all your might.  So, I squeezed her like she was my girl.  To this day I think I squeeze my wife too hard because of this.

Most of the time my father would drive and I would ride “shotgun” in the passenger’s seat.  The cow dog was always in the back.  Whenever we would come to a gate, my father would stop the truck.  I would then look at him and say, “Father, does Thou want me to open the gate for Thee?”  “I will wait for thee to answer me.”  “Thou will be done in the truck as it is back at the house”   C’MON MAN!!!   Are you crazy????  I don’t talk that way with my Daddy.  After stopping in front of the gates on the farm, (probably 15 gates from one end of the property to the other), I just knew!!  Repeat the process of stop the truck, now open the gate.  Well after repeating this a few times, I didn’t have to wait to be told to open the gates, I just knew.  Does this mean I can read my Father’s mind and know his will and what he wants me to do?  More likely it means that I can be taught and I can learn by repeating something over and over.

That’s how I learned to bale hay.  That’s how I learned to vaccinate calves, or mend fences, or work the chicken houses.  I learned my father’s will and direction for my life by repeating stuff over and over.  It’s probably telling off on myself (and I bet you as well), but don’t we learn most things by doing them, repeat, doing them, repeat and doing them again?

How did this teach me to take the fork in the road?  Just like Yogi Berra was always known for saying,  “If you come to a fork in the road, take it”.  As I became older, my Father began to let me drive.  The cow dog still had to ride in the back.  Driving on farm land and fields is a great way to learn how to drive.  People think it’s safe.  But when you are the driver, you constantly have to drive defensively because at any minute, right in front of you, is a stump, or sink hole, or even a baby calf.  So there is the proverbial “fork” in the road.  You learn driving in the fields that a decision must be made and made quickly.  You instinctively learn to drive defensively.  This is valuable experience.  It will save my life many times in future driving.  Do I go right or left?  Most of the time it didn’t matter.  What mattered is that I avoid whatever the problem is right in front of me.  What also mattered is that my father was there in the truck teaching me.  I can proudly say I’ve learned to drive defensively.  How?  By repeat, doing it again, repeat, and doing it again.  Also a few run over stumps and sink holes along the way. 😉  Repeat, repeat, and repeat.  Thankfully no baby calves were harmed in the process.

So turn your attention and seek the Eternal One while it is still possible; call on Him while He is nearby. Isaiah 55:6 Voice

How do you make every day decisions?  How do you make life changing decisions?  My hope and prayer is that you make your choices by “riding in the truck”.  Ride each and every day spiritually with your Heavenly Father driving or either riding shotgun with you. Jesus gave us the key because He is the way, the Truth, and the Life.  No man can come to the Father but by Jesus.  Whether it’s God, or the Holy Spirit, or Jesus taking the wheel, you as a Christian  have them to lead and direct out lives…….. and the choices we have to make.  When you have a close relationship with God,  then you are “in the zone” to live this Christian way of life.  Be ready though.  It involves a lot of repeat, do it again, repeat, do it again. Not much of Thees and Thous goin’ on.  Just a lot of day to day growin’ in your spiritual life.

I’ll never forget the day as a young teenager.  I go to get in the truck to head out on the farm.  My Father is sitting in the passenger’s seat.  There wasn’t any wondering what “his will” for me was.  I jumped into the driver’s seat and I’M DRIVING !!  When my Dad get’s out to open the gate…. yep you guessed it.  I stuck my head out the window and hollered, “Hug it like it’s your girlfriend!”.  The cow dog and I both got a laugh about that.

See Ya!   Drive (and live) carefully!

Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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The Touch of the Master’s Hand

Jim Kilburn MasterFlyfisherman

Meet Jim,  a master at the art of fly fishing.  God put this man in my path, literally.  I was driving down a Colorado gravel road and Jim and his wife, June, were walking on the road.  I slowed down my truck, (probably was speeding), and when I recognized him my heart and soul wanted to meet this man.  I’ve known about him. Actually met him once before.  This guy knows how to fish.  I need help, I’ll confess to you.  I need help so bad, that I’m going to give Jim a call.  But I’m nervous.

See, Jim is a master at fly fishing.  He has fished with  guys that have written books about fly fishing .  Jim, himself, could probably write his own books, but honestly I think all his time has been spent fishing rather than writing about it.  Like I said, I’m nervous but I’m taking the plunge.  I ask him will he teach me how to fish.  I’m prepared to hear him say anything.  Anything like, “Well, someday”, or “you’ll have to get back with me”.  I’m even prepared to hear him say, “No, I don’t have time to teach someone like you.”  But he says, “Sure, be glad to.  I can go in the morning”.  Now I’m really nervous.  The Master is going to teach me how to fish.

jimtyingknot

Does he teach me how to fish?  Well………….first he taught me some knot tying.  I’ve tied knots all my life, but Jim had several knots that he says are the best….  and they were.  I’m all fumble fingers, but I could sense the patience from the Master as he showed me (over and over) how to tie the knots and the flies.  Does he show me how to fish?

jimbughuntin

Well,……. now we study the “bugs” that are in the creek and under the rocks in the water.  He shows me nymphs, and well, I don’t know the names of all the “bugs and worms and critters” that he is showing me.  I’m hoping that there is not going to be a test on what I’m being taught.  I don’t know the names, but I now know what they look like and I’ve got flies that match what is naturally in this river and lake and that’s what I’ll be using for bait.  I’m fixing to catch fish!!  Bam!!!

But first,…….

jimcasting

Jim shows me how to cast a fly rod.  I’m in heaven!!   Jim is in his Glory!  I’m witnessing a beautiful event.  The rhythm of his cast, the smile on his face, the splendor of the mountains and lake.  This is great……. until he says……… “Here use my rod, now you try it”.  Uh oh, uuhhhh, now it’s more like heck because I’m fixing to royally mess things up.

I’m whippin’ the rod, popping the line, but hey, I’m casting.  Jim has patience as I’ve said.  He also has understanding, a teaching heart, and even more patience with me.  It’s becoming obvious to me now, that Jim has a love for fly fishing.  So much love that he is willing to give of his time to be with me on this fishing adventure.

He has been standing far away, probably so that he won’t get hit by my hook while I’m casting,(or should I say whippin’, flappin’, jerking’,popping his fly rod).  He walks over and says the most unusual thing.  “Listen to the rod“.  Hear the whoosh the line makes as it’s being cast.  Well, knock me down with a feather, (or 8ft 6weight fly rod).  I hear it.  By hearing the “whoosh” sound I’m able to get the “rhythm” of the cast.  It’s almost magical the difference  this has made for me.  I’m “in the zone”, “in the groove”, “back in the saddle”.  I’m ready to catch fish.  Bring it on!!  But wait……..

Has Jim taught me how to fish like I asked of him?  He’s taught me how to tie knots, to see what insects are available, to cast, to read the water, how to move around and in the water to approach fish.  Now he’s teaching me how to fight!  This day had started with a terrible hard blowing wind.  I honestly expected the master to call off today’s fishing adventure because of the difficult wind.  Instead he shows me how to fight……. yes, to fight the wind.  Wind may ruin a lot of fishing days for some folks, but not Jim.  And now not me.  I’ve learned techniques to use to battle this foe.

But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33 NIV

On our spiritual journey just like this fishing adventure, we must come to the point where we ask the Master for help.  What we sometimes don’t realize is that our Master is helping us live this Christian walk.  But it’s the small things that make the journey.  God’s time with each of us is priceless.  He teaches, (with lots of patience and understanding).  He prepares us for the big adventure of living our lives by showing us day by day, event by event, good times and bad.  He also teaches us and prepares us for the fight.  The fight against evil forces, the fight against my own self lots of times.  Does God teach us how to live?  Did Jim teach me how to fish?  I really can’t pin down the moment I learned how to fish from Jim or for that matter when I learned to live a Christian way of life from my Heavenly Father.  I think in both instances the realization came to me that it wasn’t my learning that was important, but the spending of time with the Master……. Jim in my fishing adventure…….. My Lord and Saviour in my Christian journey.

I’m sure that I should write more concerning this subject.  But I’ve got fish to catch…… and a Christian journey waiting to be explored.  Good luck.  And fight that wind!!!!!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth apprentice fly fisherman, apprentice Christian, wilderness preacher

dantrout1

“Learning as I spend time with the Master”

 

 

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How you can harvest God’s fruits and blessings

Gathering for the winter

God has many blessings that He wants to give us, just like free candy right?  Nope, you have to be disciplined to get them.  What???  So, get off your horse, stop your car, shut down the office work, put all the emails and texts on hold…… we need to talk!

I was staying with a group of friends at The Inn at the Lake in Lake City Colorado, a wonderful mountain retreat with great views and a spirit filled couple who run the place. They were sharing a personal time of devotion with us.  While they were talking, it sounded as if someone was shooting a gun in the next room.  Pow!,  then a few seconds later Pow!  then again and again!  David and Rosie explained that it was the squirrel cutting pine cones from the tree above our lodge.  When he cuts them off the tree, he lets them fall, hitting the metal roof and POW! He then collects all his fruits and stores them for the cold winters. (and in Lake City, Colorado it gets CCCCCold.)

As soon as our devotion time was over, I had to go outside and see this furry fellow.  He was scurrying back and forth right in front of me no more than 3 feet at times.  He would gather a pine cone then run the gauntlet of chairs, fire pit, and people to where he was storing his food.  Back and forth he would go.  I watched him carry 8 different pine cones within a few minutes.  That’s 8 different trips he made.  He was working his tail off, well, actually he’s got a really fluffy tail.  You know what I’m trying to say.  He was “Gettin’ at it”.  This squirrel has got discipline I gotta tell you.

 

hay harvest in the Wet Mountain Valley

hay harvest in the Wet Mountain Valley

At the same time as the squirrel was getting his harvest done,  the ranchers in Wet Mountain Valley were in full swing of their harvest.  The farmers and ranchers were using their hay equipment to the fullest capacity available.  They were workin’ their tails off.  Well, you know what I mean.  They were “Gettin’ at it”.  Tractors of all kinds, John Deeres, Massey Fergusons, lots of tractors so rusty you couldn’t tell what brand were grinding away.  The Amish had their horses strapped up and working.  A beautiful site to behold.  People of all ages are hard at it, gathering hay while the sun shines.  They have got discipline I gotta tell you.

The squirrel, the rancher, you and me have got something in common.  An abundance of blessings and spiritual food from God.  He’s wanting us to have it.  It’s very true that God gives us blessings we don’t deserve.  But friend, there is an even more abundance of blessings waiting on those who are disciplined.

Disciplined.  That’s another word for punishment right?  Well, does a dancer with a disciplined body consider it punishment to achieve the ability to move gracefully.  Does a marathon runner punish his body in order to run long distances?  My son Jordan trains athletes using strength and conditioning exercises that produce speed and power from these human bodies.  Do his clients think he is punishing them?  Most will tell me that he is just working their tails off…….. you know what I’m saying.

Here’s the bottom line.  How can you harvest these blessings that God has for you?  By being disciplined by your Lord and Saviour.  How do you do that?  By giving Him your time.

To grow spiritually involves giving of your time, (something very personal to you).  Taking time out of your busy schedule, your appointments, your jobs, your time to do what you want to do, taking this time to use for your harvest with God seems like punishment to the world.  Giving God your time during a quiet time, to talk to Him in prayer, to help another person in need, to do and be what He wants you to be.  These are all examples of being disciplined by God.  Does it seem like a punishment to have to do this?

OK time out!  Look around and make sure nobody is looking at you right now.  Let me tell you something.  Just me and you.  We all get that feeling that it’s a punishment.  I mean, why do this?  Why work so hard?  Let’s just coast through life.  Let’s just take a nap instead of this discipline stuff. Why bother?

He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.  Proverbs 10:5

Those even more abundant life blessings are there.  That’s why we have “to bother”.  We have to be disciplined and stay disciplined.  You want those blessings from God.  Nothing selfish about that.  God wants to give you these and more blessings.

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Hebrews 12:11NIV

God is my strength and conditioning coach.  I submit to being disciplined by Him.  By that I mean that I give Him my time.  He gets my good times, my bad times, my quiet times, my joyful times.  He is also there with me in my troubled times, my sorrow filled times.  He and I are a team.  I give Him my time and He in turn gives me His time. (That’s a blessing in and of itself).  I will give Him my time here on Earth.  He will give me His time in Eternity.

To the world it may look like punishment to live this Christian way of life.  It involves discipline.  At times you may feel like you are workin’ your tail off.  You just keep on “Gettin’ at it”.  Keep gathering the “spiritual food” in the fields before you.  Discipline…. it may not seem pleasant at the time, but painful.  But in the long haul, later on, it produces a harvest of blessings.  I’m in it for the long haul….for later on ….. for eternity!!

See Ya!!!