Hunting with Children

It's a little like cooking with children, things are a little more messy and it adds an interesting twist.

Let me back up a little. A few years ago I gave up hunting, it was...boring. You sat in the woods and watched for animals that didn't appear. It's times like that, that you begin to think about all the other things you could be doing. Things that don't include getting cold or wet.

Now fast forward a few years, a few of my friends introduced me to a different method of hunting called "driving". This included crazy things like stomping through briars and swamps while a few of your friends watched for deer. When you get to your "standers" (if you find them) you swap stories about near misses (or hits) and on the odd occasion you watch someone else gut a deer. There was camaraderie and action, it was not boring...hard work but not boring.

Then it happened 2 years ago, I got something, a buck, not big but it wasn't boring. Then last year I got something else, a bear, not big but it sure wasn't boring.

This year I was introduced to a new aspect of hunting, hunting with my children. Me and my group of friends was not nearly as successful as some years and so I attempted to remedy the situation on my own. I also purchased a mentor license for my son, only to discover that my oldest daughter also thought it would be fun to give it a try. Hmm.

It came down to the last week and I promised each child a turn, my gun was a bit big for an 8 year old so I was to do the shooting and he was to be quiet. You know how that worked out, right?

First we saw this guy...oops this wasn't while hunting.

Kicking snow in the stream

But alas we didn't see anything. That was Thursday.

Then it was Saturday and my daughter's turn. We got an early start of 9:30 AM and quietly crept into the woods, actually it was more of a crunch, crunch into the woods. We had a thin glaze of ice over the snow that loudly crunched when walking on it.

We found our first spot...but I wasn't satisfied, so we moved.

While Autumn watched through the branches...

I watched from beside the trail.

Later I discovered that I took this picture about 10 minutes before I shot the deer.

She saw the deer about the same time I did, she saw me get down and aim, but when I FIRED, she about jumped out of her skin!!!

No she didn't shoot it, but I believe she could have.

Yes it was a buck that had shed it's antlers.

And we were on our way home by 11:30 or 12:00. And I must admit that it helped to have some "drivers" nearby.

Hunting with children definitely adds another aspect to the sport (SHHHHHH!!! Be quiet!!). I suppose any activity that provides 1:1 time with your children builds character, sometimes more in the parent than in the children but nonetheless builds character.  That's good right?

I also informed my daughter that this could hardly be classified as "hunting". It was too easy. This was getting, not hunting.

Time goes so quickly.

Hold tight to the sound of the music of living,

Happy songs from the laughter of children at play;

Hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows,

Making mem'ries of what was today.

Chorus: We have this moment to hold in our hands

and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;

Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come,

But we have this moment today.

Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling,

For Daddy to hear just what she has to say;

And my little son running there by the hillside,

May never be quite like today.

Tender words, gentle touch and a good cup of coffee,

And someone who loves me and wants me to stay;

Hold them near while they're here and don't wait for tomorrow,

To look back and wish for today.

Take the blue of the sky and the green of the forest,

And the gold and the brown of the freshly mown hay;

Add the pale shades of spring and the circus of autumn,

And weave you a lovely today.

Gaither

Just some goofing around but they grow up so quickly.

Our Gift

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;

And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even

praise unto our God:

Many shall see it, and fear,

And shall trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust,

And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 Many, O LORD my God,

Are thy wonderful works which thou hast done,

And thy thoughts which are to us-ward:

They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee:

If I would declare and speak of them,

They are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;

Mine ears hast thou opened:

Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come:

In the volume of the book it is written of me, 

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God:

Yea, thy law is within my heart.

 (Psalms 40:1-8) KJV

We prayed and we prayed. What for? For a healthy baby, one with a palate! Twice we have had children who had a birth defect known as Pierre Robin Sequence. It falls in the category of Cleft Palates but is somewhat different because the airway is usually obstructed and causes breathing difficulties. So while expecting our 6th child this condition was on our minds. Will we have another one? 

Let me make one point here, I know there are many families out there who have experienced far worse issues in bringing children into the world, my heart goes out to you.

We had ultrasounds and the doctors felt confident...as confident as they could in their limited knowledge, that this baby was good to go.

On Friday at 7:31 AM a healthy baby girl was born to us! (I won't write the name here for privacy reasons.) She can breath, eat, and cry just like a "normal" baby should. HOW AMAZING!!!

God does answer prayers, and even if he hadn't answered this specific one the way we would have wanted, we would have praised Him anyway. But no, He gave us a wonderful, healthy child and we are rejoicing. 

So how do you praise God for something like this? Psalm 40:6-8 gives that answer: 

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

 (Psalm 40:6-8) 

Basically it is a gift...how do you repay a gift? You don't, that would be considered a purchase not a gift.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins:
Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee,
When I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;
And in thy book all my members were written,
Which in continuance were fashioned,
When as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
When I awake, I am still with thee.
 (Psalms 139:13-18)

Cardboard and Duct Tape

It Floats!

If you have several rolls of duct tape and some appliance boxes, what can you make? How about a boat? Why, of course! Everyone wants a cardboard boat.

This was our boat, dubbed "Speed Queen".

Once again it was time for our annual church retreat and our 2nd annual cardboard boat regatta (a sporting event consisting of a series of boat or yacht races). We had a lot of fun.

The first run on Speed Queen

In case you can't tell, it's a turtle. This was definitely the most creative.

The rules were actually quite simple cardboard, duct tape, and life jackets. The boat coarse was equally simplistic. Go about 50 yards, go around a buoy and row back.

Austin had the fastest boat, but the Speed Queen came in second.

Oh and it gets more interesting if not all boats fair well...

Some more pics from the retreat

It sure was enjoyable to spend the weekend with the church family and even some who called us their church family for a time. :)

The camp has a beautiful lake and a few fish.

Guess who won the archery shoot for the boys?

Bit sunny?

Waiting for the candy scramble? 

Yes this was *after* the archery shoot.

Back to school and other stuff...

A week at Grandma's house.

Fun with cousins

Whatcha' looking at?

The best part of Grandma's house.

Bunnies!

School...

Traditional first day of kindergarten picture.

First Day

Other Stuff...

Christ's Coming in Judgment

Today's Sunday School lesson is taken from 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Here are a few observations from the lesson. For some reason this lesson feels a little disjointed, however I was blessed in studying it.

Paul starts out with his traditional greeting verses 1 and 2. It would appear that only a short amount of time has passed since the last letter (First Thessalonians). The 3 men are still working together and are most likely in Corinth. Paul is giving additional teaching (almost like correction) to the believers on the subject of Christ’s return.

Paul continues to have fond memories of Thessalonica and the people he met there. He loves them and rejoices at their success.
Verses 3-10 is a complete thought that would qualify as too long of a sentence in modern English, however we need to look at it together to understand what Paul is trying to say.

• Paul is thankful for the Thessalonians because:
• Their faith is growing.
• Their love for each other is growing.
• Paul boasts of the patience and faith that they have in the midst of persecution.
• This (referring to their patience and faith in persecution as well as their growth in faith and love) is evidence of God’s righteous judgment.
• How is this evidence of God’s judgment? How can you have patience and faith in persecution? Currently we have a modern day example of this in Iraq. This patience and faith comes by the Holy Spirit.
• God will set everything right because He is just. v6 Also see Romans 12:19
• How will Jesus return?
• With mighty angels.
• In flaming fire, with vengeance on those who do not believe and do not obey.
• With glory and admiration of all who believe.

Counted Worthy of His Calling
Twice I find this phrase “count(ed) worthy”. The first is in verse 5 where we are to be “counted worthy of the kingdom of God”, “for which ye suffer”. Secondly I find this phrase in verse 11, where Paul says he prays that they [Thessalonians] would be counted worthy by God of this calling.

Application
In Mark 13:32-37 Jesus gives a very clear application to this lesson:
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:33-37)

Verses 11-12 also tell me that I need to be in prayer.

Often times when we hear of Christians being persecuted such as they are in Iraq, we ask what we can do. The first response from the persecuted people is rarely, if ever, send in your army! No, it is always, “PRAY FOR US!!” Am I praying? In this passage Paul was clearly a man of prayer and he specifically prayed for this church in Thessalonica as they faced the trials of persecution.

Watch and Pray my fellow Christian, Christ WILL come again! Be ready

Abandoned Post??!!

I saw a guy wearing this t-shirt:

I almost stopped and told him to get back ON-DUTY! But I didn't, but now I am going to do it. Brace yourself, here comes a rant! There are just too many dads who do exactly this, they are off-duty all or most of the time. What we need instead are more men with the kind of hands that are described in the song "Daddy's Hands".

I remember Daddy´s hands, folded silently in prayer.

And reaching out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.

You could read quite a story, in the callouses and lines.

Years of work and worry had left their mark behind. 

I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,

And patted my back, for something done right.

There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,

But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.

Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.

Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle 

But I´ve come to understand.

There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

I remember Daddy´s hands, working 'til they bled.

Sacrificed unselfishly, just to keep us all fed.

If I could do things over, I´d live my life again.

And never take for granted the love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.

Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.

Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle 

But I´ve come to understand.

There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.

Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.

Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle 

But I´ve come to understand.

There was always love .....

In Daddy´s hands.

~Holly Dunn

Dad, take a moment and look at your hands...is there love?

Bridge to Nowhere

Some pictures of the Kinzua Bridge

This past weekend my sister and her family paid us a visit. To entertain everyone we braved the rain and went to the Kinzua Bridge...well it's not exactly a bridge anymore. By the time we got there the rain stopped and we had a nice evening.

See. Bridge to nowhere.

In July of 2003 a tornado destroyed part of the bridge. A few years ago they built a lookout at the end of the remaining structure.

Very Scenic

Find any loose boards?

We discovered that the windows are slippery when wet. :)

Smile.

These 2 cousins don't get to spend a lot of time together.

At almost 300' you get quite a view especially when the leaves are nice.

Do you see what I see?

Kind of accidentally got a good shot.

We hiked down to the creek that flows through the valley and Oh what a tiring time we had hiking back up.

I think it's neat how the structure was preserved despite nature's destruction.