Tag Archives: hearing from God

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Living instead of dying

My Indian Flute From a Storm Damaged Tree, to something "Alive"

My Indian Flute From a Storm Damaged Tree, to something “Alive”

For whatever reason, a powerful storm named Hurricane Katrina came through and heavily damaged my farm and timberland.  One particular tree was uprooted and destroyed.  This tree was such a big part of my life.  Now what?

This tree was once a growing beautiful cedar tree.  It could be seen by all.  Now it’s nothing but shattered pieces of wood.  Too damaged for anything but firewood.  But, but, there is a part of it that seems to be “calling out to me”.  I saw off a piece of the trunk that contains the heart wood.  Now a new journey begins.

This piece of wood is now shaped, and carved, and designed, and …….. created to be something even more special to me.  It’s not a piece of wood anymore.  It is my Native American flute.  I made it.  It now makes beautiful music with a most haunting sound.  From a dead and dying situation, now comes an instrument that brings a soothing sound when played.  This flute comes alive and causes those to hear it to “come alive” as well.

2 Corinthians 5:17  If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Think about it!  Even as a Christian, even as we follow our Lord and Saviour, for whatever reason, powerful storms come into our lives.  Something that is such a big part of our lives is suddenly uprooted and destroyed.  A marriage gets torn apart, your job is suddenly being laid off, the health you’ve enjoyed for years now uprooted and destroyed.  Now what?

When the going gets tough the ……….     I know you just finished the saying.  The tough get going.  Yep, but that’s how us humans think every situation should be handled.  Man up!  Take charge!  Take care of it and move on!   Easier said than done, right.

Could it be that even when the storms bring their damage that God still has a plan and design for you His child?  It is hard to see (and especially understand) that He will still be there.  Just like the flute, He continues to shape, carve, and create you to be His creation.  Why would God continue to do this?  Love.  My flute is special to me because I made it.  You are special to God because He made you.  He loves you plain and simple.

When the going gets tough…….. the tough “come alive” as God shapes, carves, designs, and continues to create you to be something even more special to Him.  He takes that part that contains your Heart!

Thank you God for being there with me and my friends.

(To hear the flute being played, click on the video below)

 

 

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You get out of it, what you put into it

You get out of it, what you put in to it

You get out of it, what you put in to it

A farmer and his three boys were working their garden.  A neighbor stopped and asked him one day why he was working his boys so hard to grow the garden.  The farmer replied, “I’m not just growing the garden, I’m growing 3 sons”.

Growing a garden to a lot of people is way too much work.  It involves too much time, too much sweat.  Why do I have a garden?  Well, I like to eat!  I realize that I could be spending my time (and sweat) fishing or doing something else that may be seem like more FUN than growing food.  But you reap what you sow.

2 Corinthians 9:6-9The Voice (VOICE)   6 But I will say this to encourage your generosity: the one who plants little harvests little, and the one who plants plenty harvests plenty. 7 Giving grows out of the heart—otherwise, you’ve reluctantly grumbled “yes” because you felt you had to or because you couldn’t say “no,” but this isn’t the way God wants it. For we know that “God loves a cheerful giver.”[a] 8 God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you’ll always be taken care of in every way and you’ll have more than enough to share.

Growing as a Christian to a lot of people is way too much work.  It involves too much time.  Why am I a Christian?  Well, I like to eat spiritually!   I say that little prayer, “Lord, help me”, and it grows into blessings beyond what I can imagine.  I know there are times that I am in my earthly garden of Christianity and it feels like a lot of work.  But I am beginning to realize that God is growing His garden, and “growing” me into one of his family, one of His sons.  Could you pass the corn and potatoes please?

See Ya  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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Growing your garden of Faith

Growing your garden of Faith

That’s a picture of the corn I’ve planted in my garden.  Every morning I check my garden and work it.  The grass and weeds need hoeing.  I check for damage from the crows, coons and deer.  Some potato beetles are showing up.  Some days it’s too wet.  Some days it’s too dry, too hot, or well, …… you get the picture.  It’s never a perfect day seems like in the garden.  Pests, weather, plain ole bad luck, why bother with a garden you say?  Well, it’s the hope of a crop of good home grown fruits and vegetables.  I’m an optimistic person.  There’s lots of potential.  Even with all the pests.  I’ll grow enough that they can have their share with plenty left over for me as well as others.

Speaking of sharing, that’s the main reason of growing this garden.  Sharing.  Two different ways of sharing.  There is a joy I get from sharing the food from my garden with neighbors.  I get a “kick” out of calling them up and saying “corns ready, or taters are ready, come get you a big ole mess”.  I’ll even carry some food to some folks unable to pick their own.  The idea of sharing good food seems a part of my being.  It’s in my blood.  It’s a reason to grow my garden.

My other reason for sharing is more on a personal level.  My earthly father gets a “kick” out of seeing how my garden is growing.  He’s 85 now.  It’s past his time for hoeing, plowing, pulling weeds, throwing out fertilize.  But it’s not past time for him to get out every day, drive his beat up white Chevrolet pickup to the garden, inspect and supervise how it’s growing.  Usually, we go together to see how things are going.  We both get a “kick” out of this.  He’s there every day.  If it’s raining, or too dry, too hot, or well you get the picture.  He’s always there.

1 Corinthians 13:12-13New International Version (NIV)12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So, let me encourage you to grow your spiritual garden.  Why bother you say?  With all the spiritual “pests”, worldly forces, evil in this world, plain ole bad luck, what’s the use.  There are two BIG reasons.  Two different ways of sharing.  There is a joy you get from sharing your spiritual food with friends and neighbors.  A harsh reality is this though.  In the spiritual world people sometimes won’t grow their own garden.  Share with them from yours.  Even then, some will use it. Some will abuse it.  Some will refuse it, some will choose it.  No matter their choice, you continue to grow.  Grow your spiritual garden.  Rows of “faith” and “hope” and have a half acre of “LOVE”.  and share…..

The 2nd reason?   Your Heavenly Father gets a “kick” out of watching you grow your garden.  I’m not sure if he drives up everyday in a beat up Chevrolet pickup, but He’s there every day.

My friend, if you don’t feel God’s presence around your everyday life, maybe you’re neglecting your “garden”.  I sense His presence everyday.  How?   By looking, listening, waiting expectantly to hear and see Him.  Shucks, you can even join me in my earthly garden so that we can grow our spiritual garden at the same time.  Bring a hoe.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher

Spiritual garden rows of Faith ,hope, and acres of Love

Spiritual garden – rows of Faith ,hope, and acres of Love