Tag Archives: God’s Love

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Dealing With Woodpeckers

When Your Heart's Being Torn Apart From the Inside

Woodpeckers!!!  A devil’s bird for sure right?  This destructive bird has not only come to my log home, but is actually INSIDE the house!!!  He is physically destroying a 2 by 6 piece of lumber.  Not a log, mind you.  Not a piece of wood on the outside of the house.  Nope, He flies into my house (windows are not installed yet).  C’mon bird.  You know there is nothing in a kiln dried factory machined piece of lumber.  No bugs to eat there.  No place to construct (or destruct) a hole to live in.  You are just using your talents and abilities to destroy.  I’m a big outdoorsman, a nature lover, and have a love for animals (and birds),  BUT,…… I have to stop you from destroying me and my log house from the inside out.

In today’s society, we hear a lot about how we must all get along,….. how we need to be tolerant.  I need to be tolerant of your beliefs, your way of life, your activities, your opinions, and your way of living your own life.  At the same time, you need to be tolerant of me.

Hey, just because I like Mississippi State football, or hunting, or eating cake mix raw, or that I refuse spicy foods,….. you have to be tolerant of me!  OK?

Or, because I am a believer in Christ, you can’t ask me to be tolerant of you and then you proceed to tear apart my Christian way of life.  If you want tolerance and acceptance and open-mindedness from me,…… well, shouldn’t this be a two way street from you too?

Back to ole woody woodpecker.  I’m tolerant of this creature.  I will actually put out a special bird feeder for him.  To make a bird feeder for woodpeckers (and lots of other birds as well), Take a log, drill lots of holes in it, and put peanut butter and suet in the holes.  They go crazy over this type of feeder.  I personally get a kick out of watching them.  Hard to understand that I love to bird watch (including woodpeckers)?  Well, you’ll just have to tolerate me tolerating the woodpeckers in my yard.

Here’s where I draw the line.  When the woodpecker that I tolerate at my bird feeder comes into my home and begins destroying me and my log house, it’s game on then.  Tolerance and acceptance does not mean that I allow you to destroy me (even if it’s just one peck at a time).

I’ll set up an owl decoy.  This usually works and scares them off.  A rubber snake set up in the window can deter them from staying.  A picture of a cat, wind chimes, blowing pieces of sparkly paper,……. and finally the BB gun.

How did I get rid of this particular woodpecker?  Well, remember I said that he was coming inside the house?  I installed the window through which he was flying in.  I also removed all labels from said window.  Shined it up until it was spotless and you could see through it like it wasn’t there at all.  I pictured this bird flying back to his area of destruction, except this time he’s got a big headache from flying into a pane of glass that wasn’t there before.

Can you picture that?  Bam!!  Woody woodpecker crashes into glass!  Dazed and confused, he flies off never to fly into that window again.  ‘, scuse me for a moment,………  bahahahahehehohohaha(snort) hhahahaaaa(snort)(cough)agghhhahah(gag)(choke)hohohehehhehahaha.  That’s funny I don’t care who you are!  I also laugh at videos of squirrels on bird feeder, or dogs and especially cats falling down!!!!  Got a problem with that?  Then you need to be more tolerant of us folks that enjoy a good laugh.

 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:7

This subject of being tolerant is a sticky subject I’ll agree.  This world needs more understanding (from all sides).  The world needs more love (God’s Love).  I have chosen to tolerate.  I will tolerate to the point of being uncomfortable (with myself).  But Christ living in me is (my window).  I will see the world through Him.  I will see the world as He sees, and He will also protect me.  This relationship with Jesus Christ that I have is very personal.  It’s not just looking at the window (Christ), but it’s allowing the “window” to let me see a view of the world as He sees it.  It’s also allowing “the window” to protect me from the world (cold, wind, storms,……… and woodpeckers!)

(Window where woodpecker formally came in)

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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You Get Hurt When Trying To Help

Silly Honeybee!   She caused nothing but hurt and I was only trying to help.

I was fixing her hive, making improvements, making things better for her.  Obviously, she didn’t see it that way.  Obviously, now I see things differently. (with only one eye!)

And now there you are……… not with a swollen, hurt eye, but with a big hurt of your own.  Hurt feelings, a hurting heart, and well, just a hurting all over.  Why?  because you are trying to help someone.  You are trying to help, but nothing but hurt is showing up.  Who is it you are offering help?  Maybe a friend, a family member, an ex?  Maybe a complete stranger………or maybe even yourself.  You honestly are offering true help, not a selfish “do what I say do”.  You are looking out for that someone, and whatever hurtful situation is there.  Now it is now being thrown back on you.

Hurt people hurt people.  Say it our loud.  Hurt people hurt people.

A difficult place for any of us to be.  You have nothing but good intentions, but the hurt person is hurting.  I’ve hurt before,……. so have you.  All the good advice, all the positive words, all the motivational speeches, ALL that can be said or done, will only meet a solid wall of hurt.  

Try hitting your thumb with a hammer, then adding 24+32+89.  Go………….

Years ago as a preacher, I would give scripture, advice, and counsel to a hurting world of church folks.  Now, on this journey with God as the wilderness preacher, I see things in a different view. (even on days with one good eye).

It’s all about the hurt.  Hurt people hurt people.  There it is again.  While I so wish that I could do or say something to make your hurt go away, it doesn’t.  While you so wish that you could do or say something to someone to get rid of their hurt, it doesn’t.  Bummer.  Matter of fact you and I get hurt in the process of trying to help.  Double bummers.  What cha going to do?

Jesus gives us a great example.  HIMSELF!!!  I don’t think anyone tried to help others as much as He did.  I don’t think anyone got hurt from trying to help like He did.  He died for our sins.  He was crucified for helping people full of hurt.

My different point of view is this.  Give that hurting person what it takes to get rid of the hurt.  Love.  God’s Love.  Help in word or deeds will actually become helpful when the hurt is relieved.

Just as it’s not pleasant to look at my hurting eye, it’s not pleasant to look on someone that’s hurting.  And now, now you got to love on them.  Can’t do it you say??  I know, cause it’s someone who just hurt you even as you are trying to help.  No love to share with them, right?  AHhhhhh, that’s why it needs to be God’s Love.  And you got to be the one that shares it.

These hurtful situations are just another opportunity for you to know God and His ways for you.  Ask God for guidance with what to do or say.  Keep asking.  Keep helping others.  Yep, you’ll also keep getting hurt at times as well.  But this journey will allow you to KNOW God better and better.  It’s in His word.

With my different view now, I feel like I no longer need to be an “answer man” trying to solve a hurting world’s problems.  Instead, I need to share God’s Love to others who are on this spiritual journey that you and I are on.

Maybe we all should share God’s Love as we “help” others with their hurt.  Love your neighbor, love the stranger, even love the “ex”.  You’ll need help from God for that.  I hope you yourself are not hurting so much that you refuse God’s help.  Are you hurting?  Remember, hurt people hurt people……and that hurt’s God himself.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17

Love Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher