Whatever Takes Us Away

Well, it's Friday, September 25th, but those who read this probably already know that.  This Friday is special for a couple of reasons, it isn't the date that's important, but what this day indicates is the focus here.  You see, tomorrow marks the opening of the deer bow season for 2009-2010 and today is a day off from work for me.  I don't mind waking up early to hit the woods, but it really sucks when you get off work at 11:00 pm and don't get to sleep until after midnight - that 5:45 am alarm doesn't sit well with me on those nights.  So, today is a day off and I hope (if all goes well) to be in bed well before midnight tonight (sometime between 10:00 and 10:30 seems best). 

Now, with that said there is another problem that has been posed over the past few days - the weather.  Looking ahead to tomorrow looks like I'll be wet while in the tree, but alas, I hope the tree umbrella will help me out there!  If all else fails I have the tent blind set up and ready for action too, another way to keep dry on opening morning.

Lastly, since it is the opening weekend of the bow season my chances of going to church Sunday is highly unlikely.  Don't get me wrong, I find it incredibly important to go each week, but this Sunday I make an exception (and have for the last two years).  Call it "Our Lady of the Tree Stand" or what have you, but that is indeed where I will be; amongst God's beautiful creation and being a mindful steward of the creatures He has given us for sources of food (yes, deer is allowable, even under the Old Testament laws given to Moses).  And, as that steward, I will do my best to not get greedy or overzealous when it comes to the animals I will be seeking this hunting season (though a mix of animals would be nice).  I pray now, as I will in my stand tomorrow morning, that God will be with me and that He will bless the time I spend with Him and His creation this season (and especially tomorrow morning)!

Now may you, my deer reader, keep me in mind as you go to church this Sunday morning, and know that all of God's creation is beautiful, even when it looks like a steak.

For those very few loyal readers I have, forgive me for my inconsistent writings of late.  Summer, what little of it is left, has once again blown by me and blown me over.  I have finished my Associates Degree in religion, the kids are growing and swimming (when the weather cooperates), and things around the Mundy house have been usual - busy, busy, busy.

I haven't been writing here, for no good reason, and while I have intended to write more often, it just hasn't happened.  I could say that will change, like I have in the past, but I now know that I will not respond (even to myself) in kind in that respect.  Get used to the fact that I won't be posting here as often as I once did, but this has become more of a last place for me to put my thoughts out. 

Summer has once again come and gone, and I have once again lived another year to tell the stories.  Oh well, at least I have this beautiful wife to help keep me on track with all aspects of my life.  See you around!

Just a quick note of thanks for my first receipt from my Amazon wish list.

Two books have been removed from my wish list this past week, and in the coming weeks I hope to at least begin reading these two. They both came from the same source and I am glad to have scratched them off the wish list. Thanks to my mom I got Ravi Zacharias' "The End of Reason" and St. Augustine's "Confessions" and look forward to getting into these two works.

Thanks Mom!

For those who keep asking on Facebook, here's my sermon from today - well, for the most part.

I’m sure many of you know who Penn & Teller are, so I’ll spare you the gory details of some of their comedic skits. At the end of my message today I want to share a short video that Penn Jillette put out not too long ago that I hope will put an emphasis to all I want to talk about this morning. What is that? Missions and evangelism.

At the beginning of the year Pastor Don spoke about traveling in New Testament times. Today, as we sit here in the very same space in which he spoke then, he is traveling in a far-off land. In Vietnam today, he will be attending a church service like none other he has ever experienced. On top of that he may have opportunities to share his faith journey and the gospel message of Jesus with people who may have never heard the name Jesus. Now, we are not all called in the same manner, to go abroad in missions to foreign countries, be we are all called to follow the Scriptures and the Great Commission. Jesus, just prior to His ascension told His disciples to go . . .

We can read this charge to “go” in four places in the New Testament: Matthew 28, Mark 26, Luke 24 and Acts 1. They do not all state the exact same thing in the exact same manner, but the message is the same. Let’s suppose you and I were to witness a car accident while standing near a busy street intersection, a few of you on one corner, some on another, and I on yet another corner. When the police show up to question us and retrieve our “eyewitness testimonies” some things throughout our stories will inevitably be somewhat different. I noticed that there was a large glare from a store window that caused one driver to swerve, you only saw a car out of control, yet we still saw the same accident. These different story lines do know mean we are all wrong, it doesn’t even mean that one of us was wrong. What it does indicate to us is that regardless of stories, there is a message that carries throughout – we all saw a car accident that was caused by a certain driver. The same can be said for the writers of the New Testament. Two of these four accounts, Luke and Acts, are presumably written by the same author, Luke. Now, we know some things about Luke from his own writings and from the writings of the Apostle Paul. Luke was a doctor of some sort. He liked to give good detailed accounts of the things he wrote about. He also gives us differences in his own writings, but his message does not vary in its meaning. There are no contradictions in his two accounts, yet they do differ in the manner of deliverance. The same message is found, however, in all four of the accounts of the Great Commission. All nations are to receive the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Looking back and doing a little study will do us all some good when we approach the Bible. Some background: Jesus had been with the disciples for just over three years. In that time it could be rightly assumed that they knew and understood what it was that Jesus was commissioning them to do. They had seen His miracles, witnessed the healings, heard him speak numerous times (and were even given deeper insight when he spoke in parables and they did not understand those parables), not to mention that he had lived with and among them all that time. If anyone understood what to do it would indeed be these remaining disciples; a motley bunch of Jewish men.

A couple of historical notes of importance.
#1. Jerusalem was part of the Roman Empire at this time, roughly A.D. 33 #2. The Romans did not like exclusivity in religious matters. It is well known and attested that when Romans conquered people, they usually adopted and added whatever gods there were into their own pantheon of gods. They would also adopt some of the religious practices like sacrifices to idols. One of the main religious movements in the empire however, was emperor worship. At the time of the death and resurrection of Jesus was Tiberius Caesar; following him were Caligula and Nero – two of Rome’s most brutal, notorious, and bloody emperors. This new sect of Judaism was different from most other religions. This new sect, by its very nature, had no intentions of sharing a throne with a myriad of other sub-deities. In John 14:6 we read, “Jesus told them, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” Statements like this the Romans did not like. In this system there was only one way. Jesus. Exclusivity at its pinnacle.

The message the disciples received in the Great Commission was a daunting task. Again, I think it can be rightly assumed that these men knew what challenges were ahead of them. Persecution, jail time, beatings and mass unbelief – yet they persisted. The message to the disciples was to carry the message of Jesus to an unbelieving world.

I wanted to know a little more about what was being asked of the disciples by Jesus, so I looked to see what the original language said. In particular I looked at the word used for witnesses in Acts 1:8. Martys is the Greek term used, which is where we get our English word for martyr. The meaning here in Acts 1:8 helps us understand further what the task of the disciples, and of us today, was and still is. Most of us know what a martyr is, right? Someone who is willing to do anything, even dying, for their cause. Jesus was asking these men to do just that; go out in my name, regardless of the consequences, and be my witnesses – even unto death. They were to testify, give testimony, witness, or perhaps, become martyrs for the sake of Christ. A most difficult and challenging task.

What else sticks out in this passage? Do you see any relevance to how they were sent? Look at Acts 1:8 again. Where were they to be Jesus’ witnesses? He moved them out in concentric circles, gradually moving them further away from the center of their known world. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.

Jerusalem. Here was the starting point. When I went to my Walk to Emmaus retreat several years ago a Jewish proverb was told. I’ll paraphrase: Noticing that things were bad around him, a young Rabbi decided to change the world. Realizing that the world was much too large he decided he would have to narrow his scope. I’ll change my country he thought, but soon realized, this too, was a large and daunting task. I’ll change my county, my region, but this too was too much. Maybe if I start with my city I can change things. Yet again, upon review, this was too much. Perhaps my street. No, maybe my house? Maybe, he thought, I should start with myself. The disciples had a starting point, which began with themselves, their households, and their city. From that point, the circle grew, eventually leading them and their followers, including Jesus’ disciples today, to expand throughout the world.

An important thing to note here is that in these passages of Scripture the same principle applies to our day and age as it did back then. Here we are nearly 2,000 years later and the same charge applies to us. All who are followers of Jesus are to do one thing. Does anyone know what one of the shortest proper sentences in the English language is? Go. Interesting isn’t it? That Jesus would give us a command so brief, so concise, yet so difficult. That’s you and that’s me – we are all to go. Pastor Don is doing above and beyond his duty right now by traveling overseas to go! Within that simple word are a host of things we can do. Our first priority though is to go and make disciples. After this we can break go into sub-categories. Go and share the gifts, talents and abilities God has given you. Go help the poor and needy, the widows and orphans. Go. Go. Go. Go! We aren’t all called to go in the same manner, direction or fashion, but we are all to go.

Most of you may know that I have a passion for music. I enjoy sharing my faith through that passion (though I still say I am not much of a singer). I also love to teach the things of the Bible, it’s history, relevance to today and how it can be applied to our lives. As a matter of fact I can spend hours talking about it at length . . . . . . did anyone order lunch in for us today? Just kidding. Some of you here do share your gifts, talents and abilities on a very regular basis. Some of you love to visit people who need a visitor or someone to talk to. Some of you may feel compelled to share your faith with a complete stranger. Others may love to cook things and give that to those in need. Maybe you have been financially blessed and can give from your pocketbook, great, keep doing it. Turn to Matthew 25:31-40, let’s read this (When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.) Each time you or I do any of these things, or others not explicitly mentioned here, we share our gifts and talents. And, when we do this in the name of Christ – for His sake – He recognizes those things and will remember them when at last we reach our final destination. My point here is this; each of us has been called personally by God. We who call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ have, as our first priority, to share Him and His message. Sure, you might have to befriend someone before you jump into the gospel message, but we are disciples of the Master and He will do all of the hard work.

There is something else too, you, I and everyone we come in contact have in common with another biblical person. In each of these four accounts of the Great Commission, one Apostle was not present – Paul. He had his own commissioning, and just like him we are to travel into a darkened world to share the message of Light. Paul was a Jew’s Jew, studying under the best of Jewish teachers, yet he ended up following Christ, he too was commissioned. How we share this message is as individualized as the gifts, talents and abilities we all have. Let’s look briefly at what Paul taught in I Corinthians 9:19-23. (Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.) The message is the same, only the delivery changes. We have Jesus as our prime example and Paul helps flush out how we might go about this. Jesus held the company of sinners and tax collectors – any sinners here today? Jesus would have hung out with me for sure!

Where does this lead us? Let’s take a quick look at Romans 10:8-15. (But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!) Here, the gospel message is laid out for us. If you don’t know how to say it or share it, here it is in print. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. We are all sinful creatures by nature, but we can have our sin cleansed if we believe in the only One who can save us. We are justified not by any actions or deeds, but by grace through faith, which comes from the Lord. Pastor Don has traveled several thousand miles to share this good news and we are still here. Within the context of the passage we just read, he has the beautiful feet which bring the good news. He has been sent to preach. Who sent him? God, of course! Moses was sent by God to lead Israel out of Egypt, Joshua was called to take Israel into the promised land, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Joel and the other prophets were all called by God to share His message. You and I have been called and sent forth. All of us have been sent by God.

What I am submitting to you today is that each of us has a calling. A call into ministry isn’t always a call into becoming a pastor or preacher. We all have a mission field. That mission field may be your own house, your extended family, your friends, or co-workers. It could be that your mission field is at a local food pantry helping to serve people in need of a meal, maybe it is building houses or it could be that you are called to serve like Pastor Don overseas. As I’ve said before, I could stand up here for hours and talk about this stuff, but at some point there is nothing more I can do for you. This is where you come in. Each of us has been gifted in a special way and called by God to use those gifts, talents and abilities He has endowed to each of us. You have to be discerning as to the Holy Spirit’s call on your life. Spend time with God in reading His Word to see how your life fits into His plans – but try not to put your plans into God’s purpose for you, going against Him seems daunting and, I am sure, a battle that cannot be won. We have been given something to help us with this task. In Luke 24:48 we read the words of Jesus, words first meant for His disciples, and now for us. “And look, I am sending you what my Father promised . . .” that promise is the Holy Spirit who guides us, and our missions.

As I draw this towards a conclusion I ask each of you to consider something while our Pastor is away, think and pray about how God wants you to go and make disciples. In Matthew 6:33 we read, “but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Seek the guidance of God and find out what your calling is. It may not come to you overnight, it may not happen over the course of a few weeks – it may, in fact, take several years before you really know where God wants you, but if you continually seek the counsel of God first, He will direct you and His will for your life will be known. Be drawn closer to God and he will draw you towards those He intends to save.
While I preparing for this week I came across something by chance . . . okay, God put this stuff in my hands purposefully, and I felt compelled to share it with you. In a study about building a deeper relationship with God I read a small portion about service. The main point was “we follow Jesus as we serve our world.” Fitting isn’t it? I’d like to read just a small portion of it and then we’ll close.

"Some people feel content to help people only when and if it’s convenient. Others fit service into time slots such as a spring break missions trip or a Saturday service project once in a while. But following Jesus means that we will allow service to spread into our whole lives. Jesus calls his followers to a deeper level of service that helps people anytime, anywhere, anyhow, no matter if it’s convenient or fun. This kind of service might be truly difficult stuff, but it also leads to a worthwhile and more fulfilling life.

Jesus served people wherever he went. He taught them God’s truth, he showed them the way to have a relationship with God, he healed their broken hearts and bodies, and he loved them. In fact, Jesus’ mission on earth was to serve humankind. We all have needs, and because we can recognize our own needs, it becomes easy for us to recognize that Jesus might want us to serve anyone – even the person on your left or right!
It may be harder to serve those right around you because their needs aren’t as visible as those living in foreign countries or on the streets without a home. But don’t let that stop you! Look a little deeper. What deep needs do people have that you might be able to do something about? Is someone lonely? Does someone need encouragement? Can you give someone your time?" (Follow Me, Group Publishing, 2004)

I end with those questions intentionally. We have looked at passages of the New Testament where Jesus sent his disciples, both then and now, to go and make disciples of all nations. We’ve looked at what that meant back then and what it means to us now. We read how we can respond to the gospel message, and briefly at how we can find God’s will for us in service by reading the Word, seeking first the kingdom of God not the kingdom of man. What’s left is for you and I to walk out from this place and begin our goings. We all have a purpose and a service. What will your service be and who will you reach for the kingdom?

As I mentioned in my opening many of you may know Penn Jillette, he’s Penn from Penn & Teller – the comedy duo that has given many crass skits for over two decades. It is a well-known fact that Penn is a fairly devout atheist, and he has stated it publicly many times. Our service in God’s kingdom can have an impact on the world, even among those who do not believe in an all powerful, all loving God. Sometimes it isn’t what you say, but how you say it.



How much do we have to hate someone to not share Christ with them?

Well, not knowing what I had started, or what I had gotten myself into at first, here I am three years past and I am still adding posts to this blog. For those few readers I have, I hope that I have at least provided some interesting reads during that time; and I hope to give you more as time progresses further.

A brief history lessen for those new to "Whatever":

Much has taken place over three years. I have taken up hunting for one thing, and quite enjoy the time I spend outdoors in the fall and winter time doing such. I have added school to my life once again, and am nearly done with degree #1 in religion (Christian religion to be more precise). Degree #2 will be in the works starting this summer and will further my pursuit of the same as the former. I get the question all the time, "Are you going to be a preacher or something?" To which I answer, "I don't know." But I will say, that through my studies my faith has been strengthened and my knowledge of things (all things) has been greatly expanded. I still have four kids of my own and have added our affectionately called Number 5, our pseudo-adopted fifth who will be graduating high school this spring (congrats #5). We are still in the same house, and have now been here for nearly five years, the same as the job I have.

For looking forward with this blog: if any of my few faithful readers have any ideas or thoughts of which you would like my input, post a comment on this post as to what you might like to have me wax on about, that is, what would you like me to write about in the future. While this blog is mainly about my thoughts, for my own sake of keeping tabs on my life, it is also about you who read - and I am grateful for those that do and want to care for your thoughts and ideas as well as my own.

For those who pray much and are looking for a good cause to pray: in only a few days my dad will be leaving for Vietnam for a two week mission trip, he and a small group from Ohio will be going to help establish places to call "home" churches and to help distinguish certain people that may come to the states for theological training in the future. As he is a pastor (mine to be more exact) he will be sharing his faith journey with those he comes in contact with. Keep him and his traveling companions in your thoughts and prayers.

For everyone: keep reading here and posting comments.

I look forward to the next three years and hope to read your comments during that time.

We are a nation, rather, a world in chaos. Things have seemed to have been ideal for most of us living in developed nations, but suddenly a change has swarmed like a plague over the entirety of the planet. Economies are not just faltering a bit, they are failing in many places. How did this happen? Many would say that here in the U.S., the fault belongs to the banking industry, Wall Street, or other industries with large financial interests, but is this really why we are so beleaguered? We love our things. We love ourselves. We detest anyone that tells us we cannot do what we want to do. We abhor what is truly right and honest, yet we wonder why we have gotten into the mess we now find ourselves in.

For nearly two millennia the Bible has seen and foretold what would happen when we look to ourselves for answers. A book that has been scrutinized for giving good, decent, life saving information has been thrown to the wayside – in order that we might live life in a way that it was not meant to be lived. We used dishonest means to gain a foothold over those less fortunate. The book of Proverbs is packed full of wisdom, wisdom that most neglect to read or take to heart. It tells of how children are to listen to and obey their parents (something that has gone by the wayside). It tells how laziness leads to nowhere (something that has become very common). Proverbs tells how wicked men bring disaster upon themselves (look at our own nation right now). This book is packed full of knowledge that gives insight to how and why we have gotten to the place we are currently.

Proverbs isn’t the only book in the Bible that talks in this manner. Much of the Bible explains human nature and its desire to be detestable in most respects. In the New Testament, Romans is a good example of this. Romans 1:18-32 is a prime example and tells us why we are the way we are today. We have been given over to a depraved mind (a statement that applies to the whole of mankind). “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom 1:21) We have exchanged the truth of God, His Word, and His commands for our own enjoyment – a fleeting span of lusts and desires that will perish with us. Fact: 1 out of every 1 person on the planet will die. 100% participation. What can we take with us? Not one thing.

Truth is, the problems we face are not caused by some financial problems, but it is our own desire to “advance” ourselves and our agendas that have led to the current crisis. We advance unnatural behaviors as if they will make things better. We advance the desire for more (more of everything) as if they will brings us more happiness. We feed our lusts and our perversions as if they will keep us around longer. This has proved to be a fatal blow to us all.

I’m not pointing the finger outward only. I myself have fallen in the trap, and been led astray by my own desires. Call this a confession if you want, but I too want things. I too desire more and better and faster. While many in our country don’t have a computer or have one that is nearly a decade old, I have three – the oldest of which I am using right now at three years of age; and yet, I wish I had a new one. I have a job right now, yet wish I could have a job that paid better. I have a house and am able to make the payments on that house, but I wish I had a bigger house with more land. I, my wife, and our pseudo-adopted daughter all have a vehicle that run quite well, but you bet I wish I had a newer car that got better gas mileage. I too, am to blame for our current situation. It has been this think that has led to our demise.

We don’t stop, at any point in our day, to thank God for allowing us to have what we now have. We don’t thank God for our lives. We don’t thank God for our families. We don’t thank God, frankly, for anything.

Stop. Listen. Be Thankful. Take that dusty Bible off the shelf and read what has been passed down to us. You might find some true insight, something that might just save your life - or someone else’s.

Another month has come and gone, and surprisingly, the first month of the New Year went pretty darn fast. I am glad however, that we near spring and warmer weather once again. Just the thought of more snow makes my head turn in a Poltergeist kind of way. Don't get me wrong, I like snow and have enjoyed playing in the snow with my kids, but I really do enjoy the warmer months of the year.

I think I used to get cabin fever, that unrelenting feeling that you'll never see the outside world again, sometime between late November on through about the beginning of March. However, the past couple of years have seen a decline in that feeling. I suppose my taking up hunting as a new hobby has helped in this department, getting me out of doors at least a few times a month from October through the end of January. This, possibly, will keep cabin fever at bay - at least until April when I will actually be able to get out, work in the yard and see my perinnial flowers in bloom once again.

I will be outside doing other things of course. I have been asked by two unnamed suspects to do the Flying Pig half marathon this spring. This means I will have to get my running shoes out and get back into training mode yet again.

So, for all of you couch potatoes that feel the dread of winter creeping up on you, get out and do something. What our country needs is not another wonder pill to keep us thin, but just a little bit of movement to get the blood pumping a couple times a week. I am not suggesting that everyone get out and do a half or full marathon, just get out and walk for Pete's sake! There are pills for just about everything these days and little is done for one's health by one's self (I am not saying that all pills are evil, but just watch TV for a while and see how many commercials are now for some drug that will "improve" some bodily function that could be helped with proper dieting and exercise). Winter is drawing towards its close here in southern Ohio, start making plans to do some exploration, walk the local park, or go for a short run, some of you may even have a dog that could use the exercise, take your dog for a walk each day - you both might find you feel better in a matter of weeks.

As I get back into a running routine I will try to keep a log here as to how things are progressing. Those that read this, let me know how you are doing in the same respect. I'll be glad to cheer you on.

For a biblical perspective, take some time to read what the Apostle Paul says about exercise. Yes, even the Bible tells us to keep our bodies in shape - and I don't mean round. I Corinthians 9:23-25 While this isn't specifically speaking towards our physical attributes, it is helpful to know there are references to our physical well-being. Likewise, Hebrews 12:1-3 helps illustrate this point. As Christians, when we take serious our spiritual well-being, our physical well-being is also kept in check. Strengthen your mind and fix it on the work done on the cross and through the resurrection, and strengthen your body as well. For, you cannot have one without the other, if the body dies, so dies the mind contained within.

It has been several weeks now, and nothing posted here . . . I lament if for no one but myself. This past semester has had me reading more books, writing more papers and getting much less sleep than a person should. However, the semester came to an end last night at 11:59 pm - I think I did pretty good even in spite of the mass amounts of work and reading. Only a few more classes to finish that first degree - and only 16 years after I graduated high school!

Since my last post . . .

Well, it is late and I have church to prepare for tomorrow. Hopefully, over the next few weeks I can get back to regular posts (at least once weekly if at nothing else). Until then . . .

The 2008-2009 deer hunting season has begun! Day one was rather uneventful, I saw nothing that resembled a Whitetail Deer in the six to seven hours I was in the woods. I did manage to scare something off while attempting to get to my tree stand at about 6:15 am on day one. Day two was a bit different and that is what this post will be about.

Things started a bit slow, I was up and settled into my tree stand by 6:35 am; I waited patiently for any movement. There is a small field next to my parents’ property and I was just inside the wood line on a well traveled deer path. The sun rose at 7:29 and at 7:30 I noticed something small with a longer tail and thought it must be a fox. However, I noticed just after that another tail and the body of a coyote. Two coyotes entered the woods at about 45 yards; one headed slightly away from me and the other slightly towards my position. I drew back, and tried to guess the yardage as I got the animal sighted in. Just as I was about to loose an arrow it noticed me and ran away. Having seen these coyotes I figured I would see no deer in this position, but the morning was still very young and there was still hope.

Many squirrels, various birds and a raccoon gave me something to look at to pass the time. An hour after I’d seen the coyotes I noticed on the far side of the field two deer, slowly grazing towards me! I was surprised to see them coming from the same area the coyotes had approached from, but happy to see deer. After a few minutes they wandered off to my right into the woods, and I had begun to lose hope once again. I started to think about changing locations, but decided to stay put and stick it out. To my glee they returned only minutes later and there were now three of them! A mother and two fawns.

They made their way towards me once again and they got right up next to the wood line. After a few minutes one of the fawns entered the woods, jumping over a low spot in the fence. I had placed a small corn feeder along the deer path and the fawn headed straight for it. The other fawn entered as well and went right to the feeder as well. The mother was a little hesitant about jumping the fence, but after a few minutes she too entered the woods. I was standing at this point and waited for the mother to give me a good broadside shot, but her leeriness lead her to exit the woods. The fawns did not follow her, but continued to feed on the corn. About five minutes later the mother entered back into the woods but was fixing her eyes in my direction. She turned her head and I quickly drew back, she spotted me and lept back over the fence out into the field where I could not shoot.

The mother walked away and headed to the north, which was fine because a friend was sitting in a different place about 500 yards from me. He had a chance. So, I sat back down and decided to just watch the two fawns, still chomping at the corn. The mother had left the area about 8:50 and I had been watching all of this for just over 20 minutes at this point.
The two fawns ate and ate and ate some more. They had each spent about 30 – 40 minutes eating the corn. One had more of a black tail, the other more brown. The one with the black tail walked away, but I lost sight of it and focused more on the lighter colored fawn which was still eating. After a few more minutes it too walked away, but laid down only a few yards away from the feeder. Once it had laid down I noticed the other fawn which had also been laying about 25 yards from me. It stood up, raised it’s tail and did something I thought I would never see, hear or experience. The fawn with the black tail raised it’s tail and blew one of the loudest flatulations I had ever heard. The deer had farted! It laid itself right back down where it was.

All told I watch these deer for just over two hours, watching them lick themselves, get up only to move a few feet or yards, come back to the feeder, but they never noticed me or got scared by my presence. It took me more than five minutes to get them to leave before I got out of the stand to return to the house. I talked to them, clapped my hands, and even got to finish most of my coffee with a smoke before finally chasing them off. I recounted the events with my friend and my family that was there. We chuckled a bit and I showed a picture I had taken with my phone, the kids enjoyed the picture and the story of the deer that farted in the woods.
No, I didn’t shoot anything opening weekend, but it was interesting nonetheless.

I haven't looked, but I know it has been quite some time since I last posted anything! Life has gotten a little out of control and I have been neglecting some parts, the less important parts, of said life. The blog has been one of the worst hit parts.

So, here's a quick update on all things me: 3.6 GPA through the first semester back in school, hoping to at least keep that if not better this semester. 6 courses taken, 6 courses passed. Currently in Systematic Theology, Western Civilization, and Speech. So far, all going okay, though the work load is far greater this semester than last. Lots of reading, lots of writing, lots of tests and quizzes and discussion board stuff, but I am learning! By the way, I am giving one of my speeches again this week after morning church service, so plan to stick around.

Madison finished spring soccer this past weekend!

Noah just turned 7! As a quick reminder for you, I HAVE FOUR KIDS!

I am working on getting the swimming pool ready for summer, need a little more sand to level off the pool area and then it'll go up nice and easy - we'll be swimming within two days!

My van is dying! I need prayer for that. I don't know yet what the problem is, but it has something to do with the coolant system, pray that it doesn't take our life savings to fix it. If that's the case I may go another route, junk the thing and get something smaller and more efficient! Anyone have a small, gas saving vehicle they'd like to give a poor, full-time college student/full-time job bearer/youth director/father of four? Again, prayer would be greatly appreciated.

Our manx cat will be having kittens any day now. She is miserable, cudly, and does nothing more than lay around. She's ready to burst! Anyone want a manx kitten? (they don't have tails or have incredibly short tails, for those that are unaware of what a manx is)

Youth group, next Saturday, June 14th we will be going to New Richmond to work on a Habitat for Humanity house. We should be doing insulation work so wear long pants and shirts! If you have any questions let me know this week!

Oh, and I am working on getting our church's summer VBS program up and running. I will be spending much time with that over then next few weeks.

It seems I don't have enough to do (as I have time to post here) - anyone need help with anything?