• Canada 2007, Day Three

    We made it into Grande Prairie, Alberta tonight. Or afternoon rather and dropped off our gift to Gordy. He has a pea field lined up for us, which will be nice. It gives us something to hunt come Monday.The trailer pulled nicely all the way up, though it does cut down our gas mileage. That’s alright though. we can carry more and not worry about it getting stolen.

    We left Airdrie this morning and there was a fair wind blowing. Southward I gather from the small plane nearly matching speed with us as it paralleled the freeway. the rain was scattered all day. Dry to drizzle to deluge all the way here. If the weather holds like this, it could be a decent hunt. The rain usually brings them lower and closer, and conceals the true nature of the decoys longer.

    We’re getting up early tomorrow to do some scounting and to square away the contents of the trailer considering we just hastily threw it all in there. We also need our licenses. With the Canadian dollar on par with the US dollar, it’s going to be pricy. At least it’s fun, not to mention rewarding. And, we found someone willing to pluck them for us.

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  • Canada 2007, Day Two

    We made it into Grande Prairie, Alberta tonight. Or afternoon rather and dropped off our gift to Gordy. He has a pea field lined up for us, which will be nice. It gives us something to hunt come Monday.The trailer pulled nicely all the way up, though it does cut down our gas mileage. That’s alright though. we can carry more and not worry about it getting stolen.

    We left Airdrie this morning and there was a fair wind blowing. Southward I gather from the small plane nearly matching speed with us as it paralleled the freeway. The rain was scattered all day. Dry to drizzle to deluge all the way here. If the weather holds like this, it could be a decent hunt. The rain usually brings them lower and closer, and conceals the true nature of the decoys longer.

    We’re getting up early tomorrow to do some scouting and to square away the contents of the trailer considering we just hastily threw it all in there. We also need our licenses. With the Canadian dollar on par with the US dollar, it’s going to be pricy. At least it’s fun, not to mention rewarding. And, we found someone willing to pluck them for us.

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  • A Few Well Spoken Arguements On Hunting

    Over the past day or two, I’ve been following a thread on IMDB under “Open Season’s” forum thread at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400717/board/thread/54564402 that has been rather stimulating debate between hunters and vegans. So far the vegans haven’t shown a compelling argument other than that they feel it’s wrong to take any life, neglecting all the while that plants are life as well. The majority of their arguments so far are either opinion and/or erroneous facts. Here’s one I thought was really well spoken on the hunter side:

    “The arguments of the anti-hunter are completely without merit. They are based strictly on an emotional, kneejerk reaction to something they do not understand. Something they would never take the time to research and actually make a decision based on logic and reasoning. They do not deal in facts. Their perspective is extremely narrow. Unfortunately, they also tend to have the loudest voice, even though they are in the tiny minority.

    The facts are:

    We are not aliens. We evolved on this planet and we are its top predator. Our eyes are in the front for a reason. We should act like it. We have domain over every other living creature on this planet. We have also evolved an intelligence and a sense of awareness not present in other animals. It is our responsibility to care for and protect them. To NOT hunt is to deny our place in the cycle of life on earth. To NOT preserve their habitat is to deny them a place to live. To NOT keep their numbers controlled, is to allow them to die off in large masses from disease and starvation. This is NOT in their best interests.

    Hunters spend more money and put more effort every year towards conservation and wildlife preservation than anybody else, by a HUGE margin. Hunting pays for your state parks, wildlife management areas, etc.

    In Africa, if there was not the big hunting industry, there would be no lions, elephants, rhinos, hippos, leopards, cheetahs, warthogs or the many species of antelope. The revenue from the hunting industry is what preserves these species and their habitat. It is what pays for their game managment departments, those responsible for controlling poaching. In many places, it is the only source of revenue. It is the only way the land can generate revenue AND the wild game be allowed to live there. A very nice coexistence. It is also a huge boon to the local villagers because they receive all the meat. And yes, make no mistake, NOTHING is wasted. No meat is allowed to be exported from Africa. You may judge it negatively as ‘trophy’ or ‘sport’ hunting. But to do so is to ignore the truth and the grand scope of it. Do your research.

    Those are facts, here’s some opinion:

    Hunting is a part of our American heritage and our history as an evolving race. Civizilations were built on the backs of animals. Man has been kept warm by their hides and their bellies full with their meat. Without hunting, WE would not be here. To deny that history and heritage because it is convenient for YOU and makes YOU feel better is about the most selfish thing a person can do. It is extremely narrow minded and if anti-hunters have their way, they will only be pleased with the result in the short term.

    The biggest threat wildlife faces is not the rifle, bow or pistol of the hunter, it is the bulldozer, the dump truck, the housing development and the shopping mall. The uncontrolled development that is so prevalent in many places is FAR more cruel than hunting could ever be. Yet people have no hesitation in moving to another brand new housing development or condominium. As they sit on freshly destroyed woodlands and preach about ‘saving animals’. Hypocracy!

    The sickest part is how they assess value to animal life based on ‘cuteness’. It’s OK to kill birds and pests but not those cute bunny-rabbits! Not Bambi! Hypocracy. I, for one, do not draw those lines. I have an immeasurable amount of respect for our wildlife. More, I dare say, than your average tree-hugger. A rabbit’s life is not more precious to me than a snake’s. Alligators are not detested while Bambi is to be adored. To make such judgements on the value of an animal’s life while standing under the flag of activism is just sickening. What is even more sickening is how they use the term ‘murder’. To somehow equate the life of a human to that of an animal, THAT is a mental disorder.”

    -newfrontier45

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  • What A Fine Mess You’ve Gotten Me Into This Time, Heart

    I don’t know what it is about me. Despite knowing better, I wear my heart out on my sleeve only time and time again to get it stamped out on the floor. I know there’s a better way, I know I should guard it, I know this is not how God wants me to spend my time. But Despite everything I know. I continue to leave it unguarded, to leave it vulnerable. I wish I knew why.

    For the third time in a row, I got captivated by a girl I really knew wasn’t a girl I should be captivated by. For the third time in a row, I fell for a girl who I really knew was too far away to fall for. For the third time in a row, I let my heart wander too far when I really knew I shouldn’t let it wander that far. Even though we weren’t dating, just flirting, I let my heart grow too fond, to the point I badly wanted to date and it felt almost like we were dating. The first time, I found out the girl did drugs and not only that, just took the pills that were handed to her without asking what they were. The second one got engaged to her best-friend out of the blue. This one decided to start dating a guy she told me she knew isn’t worth dating, but is willing (quote) “to give him a try” (end qoute).

    I bit my tongue, well tried to. I’m not good at holding it, even if bitten down on. I’m also not good at saying what I really want to say either. “Willing to give him a try” is right up there with “I want to find someone like you” on my list of infuriatingly stupid phrases. If he’s not worth giving a try and you know this because you hang out with him all the time, what is dating him going to change? When a person is around his friends, they show their true colors. The grand majority become fake when dating. They put on their nicest clothes, take on their finest manners, and even some go so far as to pull on their best vocabulary to impress someone.

    If the guy is a prick to you around his friends when you’re not dating, it’s a good sign he’ll be a prick to you when you are. Oh not at first, no, he’ll entice you by being nice at first, but once you’re snared, he’ll go back to his old tricks. I used to be this guy, sadly enough. I saw these kinds of guys were getting all the girls so I became one. Dumb reason, I know, but I was a dumb person. Not to say that I’m not dumb anymore; I’m just a different kind of dumb as mentioned in the previous paragraphs.

    I just wish her the best in this. As for me, I really need to just continually remind myself that this need to have someone in my life isn’t really a need, but a want. It’s a gift from God that He does not bestow upon everyone and I’m merely being selfish, focusing away from him and coveting. In the deepest sense, I’m coveting another man’s wife. I don’t want anyone’s wife specifically, I just want a wife, but why do I want a wife? Well, because I see the married couples around me and I say, “I want that! I want to be married, I want to have a family, I want to have a house, I want to have a dog, I want to have a white picket fence; I want the whole nine yards.” Isn’t that what coveting is? And it’s selfish; I want, I want, I want. See? I’m focusing on me and my wants, not I Am and His wants. What does I Am want?

    It’s moments like this that I find myself understanding God and his commandments better. Most of the world looks at them and says, “God’s a cosmic buzzkill.” I say His commands are showing you the very keys to happiness and not even I can seem to remember that. Why does He say not to covet? Because it makes you want what you don’t really need. The want turns to envy, the envy to frustration, the frustration to anger, and the anger to bitterness. I’m currently at the frustration stage, and unless I actually do something about it, I fear it will soon reach anger, and then bitterness. The problem is, the envy is towards other people; but the frustration, anger, and bitterness are toward God for what we perceive as Him not meeting us our “needs”.

    I just pray that you all pray for me. I know I’m reluctant to ask for prayer on myself, which may seem a selfless thing, but it’s really selfish pride and partly fear. For the Selfish part, Toast put it quite well today at 4th Memorial’s College Group when he talked about people trying to build themselves up to be better than what they are. For the fear part, Dave Thule put it quite will when he was talking about fear of rejection and ostracization. Pray for me none the less, I’m trying to be more transparent than I have been.

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  • When God Moves, It’s Amazing

    For those of you who don’t know, I evangelize every other Tuesday. We wander about the STA Bus Plaza downtown and share the gospel with all who are willing to hear. In warmer months, we sometimes head to River Front Park. And as our team grows, we may have groups at both places as well as branching out into other parts of Downtown.

    We also do prayer and healing for those who want prayer and or healing. I’ve seen some strange things down there that just make you say, “Yea God!”, from the drunk man who instantly sobered the moment we laid hands on him as we spoke the Gospel Message, to the man who broke down crying when we told him what Jesus had done for him.

    Yesterday was my first time I actually took to speaking more than a few sentences, which put me out of my comfort zone, but I soon got comfortable. We talked with a few people.
    One told us that he was dating a Christian girl and went to church with her, but he didn’t really believe in it. He has a few hang ups which I tried to answer, but I don’t know if he accepted the words I had to say. He eventually had to catch his bus, but I hope that my words will have some effect.

    We never know what part we may play in someone’s decision to come to Christ. I know there were several in my journey, each delivering a piece of the puzzle, until I finally came to see enough of it to want to seek the last piece, and that was Jesus. From Pastor Wymer, to a youth pastor named Nate, select friends, family, a mormon girl (strangely enough), and finally Pastor Joe Wittwer of Life Center. All have had a hand in my journey, and I have no doubt that God tossed them in my path to reach me. That’s a blessing in itself and a testament to God’s love. If it was me, I make maybe one or two tries to get someone’s attention then give up and move on. Aren’t you glad God’s not like me? That He’ll keep trying until it’s clear that there is absolutely nothing further He can do to persuade you?

    This is why I am driven to go evangelize, so that God can use me as His instrument and advance his Kingdom. I’d do it more often if I had the opportunity, but I’d need at least another person to go with me.

    Yesterday I also talked with a man by the name of Leshai (I’m guessing on the spelling, sounds like leh-SHY). He’s a man on fire for God and is a teacher at his church, though I can’t even remember the name of it. He has an interesting testimony, and had a near-death experience quite a few years ago. I might have to check out his church sometime just to see what it’s like. It sounds impressive, but I do know Life Center is where I need to be.

    If you guys ever want to come join us, feel free to contact me and ask. We’re always accepting more to our group. The more people we have down their, the more people God can touch through us.

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  • Perhaps Afghanistan Will, For Once, See a True Martyr

    I don’t know how many of you have been following it, but there is a man in Afghanistan who is on trial for his faith. He converted to Christ 16 years ago. Abdul Rahman is on trial in Afghanistan for rejecting Islam, a crime that carries a death sentence by their law. He was told that if he denounced Christ and returned to Islam, the charges would be dropped and he refused. Now they are seeking to show him as mentally ill so as not to be required to execute him. All the while, Muslim clerics demand his death for what they see as a grievous attack on Islam by Satan.

    I personally admire the man’s faith. I hope to be as courageous in the face of persecution as he. If executed, he will be a true martyr. Webster’s definition of a martyr is:
    a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion.

    In fact, it originates from the Greek word μάρτυς (martys) and means “witness, testimony”. It also came to refer to a man killed for his testimony. Now it seems to be used for anyone who dies for a cause. To me a true martyr is the former, person who is killed for what he believes. A man who straps bombs to himself to kill many innocents while taking himself with them is not a martyr.

    There are those that I’ve talked with who don’t understand why he doesn’t just deny Christ and go back to Islam to save his live. Some of these people profess to be Christians and this greatly disturbs me as it shows a lack of knowledge of what it is to be Christian.

    When we all became born-again, we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. To denounce Him is essentially to lose our salvation. For further evidence of this, refer to Matthew 10:32-33:

    “‘32 Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.’” – Matthew 10:32-33 NIV

    This same passage has been floating around various chain messages in MySpace and Yahoo — although not reposting it, and spamming your friends with it, is not to disown him in my understanding of scripture. But that is another discussion for another time. — This passage explains why the Christian cannot simply deny his faith to save his skin.

    Some may argue, “Well I’d commit this sin then ask forgiveness later.” Yet another attitude I’ve seen in more self-professing Christians around me these days. There is also a fallacy in this. While it is true that Jesus does forgive us, that is no excuse to intentionally sin. The Apostle Paul, in my opinion, put it the best in Romans chapter 6. In fact, this theme is all through Romans.

    “1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” – Romans 6:1-2 NIV

    We are also told that we are “not promised tomorrow” numerous times in the Bible. We are told to keep short accounts for this reason.

    This also leads to another problem; loving the world. The only reason to deny Christ to save your skin would be live another day in this world. Heaven awaits me, a place far more beautiful and better than this world if I should be killed anyway.

    It is also taking things in your own hands and especially telling God that you don’t trust him. If God wants him to live, I guarantee that Abdul Rahman will live. God will do something here if He wants to save him, rest assured. It may not be some obvious miracle such as breaking the cell open like He did for Paul and Silas; it may be as simple as touching a heart or two to sway them into releasing him.

    No matter what the outcome, live or die, this man will be able to stand before Jesus on Judgment Day and be able to say, “I stood up for you, Jesus!” All we can do for him at this point is pray for him. And remember in your lives what GK Chesterson once said, “Jesus promised his disciples three things. They would be absurdly happy, absolutely fearless, and in constant trouble.”

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