SUNDAY SENTIMENTS

Put a Helmet On! - Ephesians 6:17a

The helmet that IS Salvation

The Helmet was to protect the Soldier from the Broad Sword

Satan's broad sword has two sides: Discouragement & Doubt

Understanding the 3 tenses of Salvation is the key to putting on the helmet of your Salvation

There was a great spirit among God's people today

The new song "Even So, Come" was well received & well sung

Past tense: Justification: I'm saved from the penalty of Sin

Present tense: Sanctification: I'm being saved from the power of Sin

Future tense: Glorification: I will be saved from the presence of Sin

The Hope of our Salvation points to our future final salvation

I am sealed by the Spirit, the Son has me in His hand & He is in the Father's hand...who is greater than all - John 10

God is good & his plans for me are to give me a hope & a future (that will bring Him ultimate glory)

Good visuals today - I always like a good object lesson

The food at the fellowship meal was sooooooo good. Loved Norma's black eye peas

Great meeting with the men after Q&A

Next Week: Worship in our new Digs!!!! See you there!

Deer Deer Everywhere

Well, I took Anna & Becky (my niece) hunting the other night. A young buck walked out but it wasn't big enough to shoot in our hunting club. It meandered into the pines & about 10 minutes later, it came out right under the box stand. What a joy to watch that deer feed literally right under us. Then just at the end of shooting light, a doe walked out. My scope had fogged up as I shot...and I clean missed it.
Then I took my nephew Garrett a few days later for a very early morning hunt. A nice shooter buck walked out & we both shot at the same time...& we both missed. I need to go sight my scope in as I believe it may be a little low. We looked for blood & hair - but there was nothing. We got back in the stand & about 45 minutes later, it was time to leave. I was listening to my voice mail when I looked up & in the fog I saw a deer walk out into the logging road. I literally dropped my phone. I told Garrett to shoot. His safety was on so the hammer dropped & stopped short. The deer heard the click & was ready to bolt. I squeezed the trigger & she dropped down and faltered in the front. I knew I hit her. Garrett was so excited. We got down & when we got to the spot...NO BLOOD! I couldn't believe it! I got on my hands & knees & found some white hairs. Then I found a little piece of meat about the size of a pencil eraser with one white hair in it. I told Garrett that I hit that deer low & way to the front. I couldn't figure out why there was no blood though. We went into the pines and I figured the deer would circle down & away from the stand toward the creek. We searched in concentric erratic circles for about 20 minutes to no avail.
When we got back to the logging road, my son Jr. was walking our way. He is an excellent woodsman. He disagreed with my 'logic' & said the deer was just as likely to circle back towards the stand. He also looked at the evidence on the logging road and said with confidence that the deer was down in these pines. This time I went to the far right. The game trails in there are really something. I was trying to make circles but ended up following a well worn trail. I took me about 80 yards back in the direction of the stand and then took a sharp left...towards the creek. That made sense to me. I walked just a few yards on the down slope of the trail & there lying in the brambles was a nice big healthy doe. I hit her in the brisket & she eventually folded up. I was so thankful that we found her.
What a great experience for Garrett. I've never seen him so excited or energized. The shot was such that we didn't ruin any of the meat. Amazing! God is so good.

Thanksgiving Surprise

The look on Mom's face is priceless

More Hunting News

I actually think I'm slowing down on the hunting front. Paul Jr. harvested a big doe on Friday morning. She was betweed 8 & 9 years old based on her teeth. I took a button buck on a quota hunt at Rum Creek WMA. I shot him at a dead run at 250 yards. I'm making corned roasts of of him.
The creath fellas gave me a couple of Virginia deer & my son Zack spent the better part of a day processing the meat. We'll process the two deer from last week on Monday. My niece Becky wants to go hunting so I may take her this week. With my luck we'll get another deer.
I was skinning & gutting my buck at the rum creek check station. Another hunter came up with his buck & we got to talking. Turns out he was a deer processor. Merry Christmas to me! He & his buddy schooled me in the fastest & neatest way to process a deer. What a God send. They were also Christ followers & we had some great fellowship talking about God's Word.
I got to hunt my good friend's land on Saturday morning. I must confess that I was dreaming more about the waffles his wife was making at the house than the deer around us. We had a great time of fellowship that morning. I'll be making my ever evolving venison pin wheels for Thanksgiving again this year. Hopefully I'll have this year's recipe & pics on thanksgiving night to post.
Thanks Chuck for reminding me how lax I've been in my postings.