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I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

You Are Not To Be Alone In This Christian Journey

It’s My log house!  But I need help from my friends to complete it.  I’ve built it, but I needed help with the construction up high, (since I’m scared of heights).

I also needed help with the tedious, hard to fit, most precise pieces of this puzzle that I call a log home.  I’m not good with exact measurements.  “Eyeball” measurements are what I use.  Make it close enough and that’s good enough.  If I’m building this house and make a measurement and it’s within a half inch of what it’s supposed to be, then “nailer tailer”.  That means it’s close enough, so to me it’s good enough!!

But not my friends from the construction crew.  Nope,….. Stuart, Chris, Rip, and Scott want the best for my log house.  They want the best for me!!!

Being within a half inch may be “good enough” for me, but it’s totally unacceptable to these guys.  Get this.  They will saw, cut, measure, move, pry, measure, shimmy, adjust, measure, and then measure again until it’s within an eighth of an inch!  That’s the space between these to lines. (II) In a house measured in feet, they won’t stop until what they are constructing measures to within 1/8 of an inch of being exact, of being perfect.

They are my friends.  I’ll admit I couldn’t do this without them.  They can see things that I wasn’t looking for or even that I myself wasn’t even aware of in my own log house.

They are able to make My log home even better than what I myself could be doing.  Why are they doing this?  Like I’ve said, they are my friends.  They want what’s best for me.

Well, that’s great and all.  But it’s my house, and honestly I grow tired of waiting.  I grow impatient.  I grow “antsy” because it’s taking too much time.  I grow restless, I grow annoyed.  But I grow,…….hmmm I grow to be more exact and perfected.

Don’t get me wrong, this log house is full of crooked logs, bent, scarred, and full of (Character/flaws).  But with the help of my friends, it’s being “perfected”.  Kinda like how our lives as Christians are being perfected.  You and I are all full of scars,we are crooked,we have flaws (or character) and yet, God is “perfecting” us each day.  Lots of times, it’s with the help of our friends.

Hey, I know, you and I don’t enjoy having other people tell us what to do.  We certainly don’t like people telling us how to live our lives.  I’ll confess. I’m at the top of that list.  But I’m not talking about people in general.  Not the know- it-alls, the busybodies, the do-it-my-way people.  What I’m talking about are the true friends.  Friends who care about you, who want the best for you.  Friends whether they realize it or not,………..that are being used by God to “make you a little more exact and perfect”.

James 1:4 and let steadfastness have its full effect,that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Proverbs 19:20  Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.  Many are the plans in a persons heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Is my log house perfect?  N0 way!!  But with the help from my friends, it has become more exact and more close to perfect.

Is my life perfect?  No way!!  But with the help from my friends, It is growing to become more exact and more close to what God wants me to be.

This coming week, I’ll be at a men’s retreat with a bunch of guys who are my friends.  The Noble Heart is an online group of guys who help each other with their God given calling.  They help each other continue on this Christian journey, they offer support, they pray.  They are true friends.

Is your life perfect?  Aw c’mon no way right?  Do you allow your friends and family to offer help and advice on how to live your life?

Maybe, just maybe one of those “good for nothing” friends is actually being used by God to make an improvement in your life.  Maybe just maybe one of those family members may be God’s way of getting through your thick skull so that you can be made better, more exact, even more perfected.

Think about it.  You belong to God.  He wants the best for Himself.  He will perfect you and make you more exact to what He wants you to be.  In spite of ALL your flaws, He is in the being made perfect and whole business.  Don’t rob your friends and family of the opportunity of letting God use them to speak some words of advice to you.

It’s your house, I mean it’s your life.  You must decide who,what, when to listen to.  Your friends just may be how God chooses to GROW you.

“Lord, I thank you for my friends.  Help me to know and understand when You may be speaking thru them to get to me.  Help me become more exact and “perfect” to what you’ve created me to be.  Help me to truly care for others so that You may use me to speak to another.  Amen.”

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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Sharing Lives and Dreams Together

We Are a Team in This Dream

WARNING****  This blog is full of love, devotion, trust, and living an abundant Christian life.  If all you are use to is the hate, arguing, tensions, bitterness and divisions that you see in the news and in the world today, well friend, you may not can stomach what’s fixin’ to be said.

Staci is my team mate on this dream that we are living.  She is my soulmate on this Christian journey we are on.  She is my “bestest friend” and that makes things “gooder than good”.

This chapter in our lives of building a log home in Colorado has been a cherished time of excitement.  It’s also been a time of waiting,……. and waiting some more.  Like I’ve said, we are living the dream and that will include both good and bad, thick and thin, for better and worse.

Scratch that “for worse” part out.  I’m learning it’s all about your perspective.  It’s how you see things.  Times may not always be the “bestest”.  But being blessed with someone who is there no matter what, now that’s for better or “bestest”. ( I know you English teachers cringe when I write like this, but it’s how I talk, so buy a bridge and get over it 😉    )

Staci, the pioneer woman, has been the ultimate team player with me on this dream adventure.  She picks me up when I’m down, she provides valuable input and insight.  She will even wrestle with the chainsaw and other log tools.  She’s able to explain to other folks what we’ve got going on much better than I.  She does all the everday mundane chores and still finds time for me.  I love her more than I can say.  I know it looks like I’m obsessed with her, infatuated, devoted, caring, and just plain whooped because of her……… Well I am!

We make a good team.  I pick her up when she’s down.  I share with her my input and insight.  We LIVE together, not just exist.  We laugh, we cry, we pray, we love, we share, we ah,well, ya know, we do any and everything together.  We are a dream team.

Funny how with all the billions of people in this world, God chose two teenagers who only lived  4 miles from each other to become soulmates.  Now 7 dating years and 35 married years later,………well, they still act like two teenagers.

I wake up every morning and fix her a cup of coffee. (Dudley the dog, gets his coffee too).  It’s another small way of showing affection.  It’s my time to say thanks to God for this wonderful gift He gave me.  As I’m filling the coffeemaker with fresh grounds and water, I’m quietly giving thanks each time to God for her.  It’s one of the few religious rituals I do.

I will forever be devoted to her.  Whether it’s building a log home, or taking a  trip, or just everyday mundane activities my life would be void and empty without her.  She brings me out of my shell.  She inspires me.  She makes me laugh.  She brings more life to me.  She has been the answer to my prayer.

I guess I’m getting mushy and “lovey dovey” with my sharing of what Staci means to me. If this TRUE LOVE we are living is too much for you,…….buy a bridge and get over it……… cause we ain’t about to stop it!

Whatever we are doing, have got going, or are facing,….. both good and bad, knowing she is by my side is the greatest feeling in the world.  It’s the BESTEST feeling in the world.  Thank you Lord for giving her to me.

Proverbs 31: 10, 12  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need for regret.  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

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The Pain of Not Measuring Up

Why I hate Mapquest

I Hate Mapquest and all those driving destination apps.  First of all, do the math.  The only way to arrive at the destination in the time it’s estimating is for me to  drive faster than the speed limit!!  Also, it doesn’t take into account traffic stops, rest stops, heavy traffic, sight seeing, getting gas, lunch breaks etc.,etc.  The driving app is only telling me that I am already behind schedule and that there is no way I can keep up.

Try as I may, there is nothing but pain involved when I use Mapquest.  I sincerely want to know how far and how long it’s going to take me to travel to my location of choice.  But,……….. I never arrive in the scheduled time shown to me.  It’s as if my foot can’t stay on the gas pedal hard enough, or all the red lights are against me, or the construction crews picked today to jump on the one project that’s between me and my destination.

The use of this “driving with directions” app is supposed to help me be more efficient with my time.  Yet, all it does is bring me pain.  I will never measure up to my expectations.

 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ….   Luke 10: 40, 41

Martha was “hard at work”, “trying her best”, “doing all she could”.  Martha was so busy being busy that she was missing her time to be with Jesus.  Worse than that, Martha was so busy trying to “do good”, that it was causing her to be anxious and troubled.  Martha was distracted, so instead of coming to Jesus to BE with Him, she came to Jesus to ask if He would get her sister to be more like her.  

Did you get that?  What just happened?  Let’s back up, cause you may have missed what Martha did,……… and YOU may be missing what YOU yourself are doing.  God’s good, I’m not, and I need to do something to make myself better is not the intended journey of a Christian.

This Christian journey you and I are on, this journey is not a race.  It’s an adventure, it’s a time with God, it’s a daily experience to be with God in your life.  When we feel that we have to “Mapquest” our spiritual life, we suddenly turn doing good, being good, and trying to be better into a driving force that literally drives us away from the true relationship with Christ.  While trying too hard to be good may seem like a “good thing”, like Mary it distracts us.  And,…….. it leads to anxiety and troubles.

The focus on your spiritual journey should not be on how fast, ( or how good) you are.  If being good is all that you see in being a Christian, then you are also distracted.

Focus on living as a Christian each and everyday. Being God’s creation is just as important as “doing” things for God.  You can’t do enough for God, right?  He’s already the one who’s done enough.

But can you BE enough for God?  Sure can.  By calling Him your Father.  Having a relationship…… a true living relationship.  A talking to and listening to Him relationship.  Calling on Him as your Heavenly Father allows you to BE his child!

Doing good things, trying to be good for goodness sake only leads to anxiety and troubles.  I did something really good, but now I’ve got to do something more.  It never stops, never ceases.  It can become your idol.

Being a Christian in a relationship with Christ leads to joy and peace.  As a by-product of this joy and peace comes a desire to “do good to others”.  Big Difference!!  You actually may be doing the same good deeds as before, but it’s now done because of Christ in your heart.  You are “doing” good deeds because of who He is , not who or what you’re trying to be.

This Christian journey is one where Jesus is with you every step of the way.  No need for a Mapquest, no need for a “good deed”score sheet.  No need for the anxiety and troubles.

“Lord, be with each of us today.  Help us to see where we can BE with you.  Help us to see if there is something we should DO as we are being your children.  I’ll never measure up, but thank you Lord, you’ve taken care of that!!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth