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Saturday, November 19, 2016

Hunting Elk, Finding Grace, Giving Thanks

Hello All,
The past week and a half - two weeks(ish) have been elk season around here.
Many vertical miles have been covered.
It has been unseasonably warm so the elk haven't bee pushed down by the snow yet.
That translates into us having to go find them in Tim-buk-tu.
I had a spike tag since we are just after the meat.
We did see some but nothing where we could actually get to them.
So once again, we are elkless.
I do feel blessed in that I got a bear and a buck.
Elk are just a little more elusive.
One nice thing was that it was 'away'.
Not away as in far from home.
We just drive up the road a ways, get out, and start climbing.
But away from the 'outside' world, the anger, the bashing, and the filth.
One of the days, I hunted alone since Mr. LB had to work.
It was the best therapy.
As I was hiking along, the song "How Great Thou Art" found its way to my head.
Why is it that when a song gets in my head, I know only the chorus 
and a partial line here and there?  Poor little brain.
Regardless, for the past week or so I've spent a lot of time conversing with God,
and this (partial) song has continued to pop into my head.
I kept thinking of looking up the lyrics but haven't had much of a chance.
Finally, a couple nights ago after supper, Mr. LB and I sat in where it was a little softer and where the fire is.
I finally got to pick up my stitching, and he browsed facebook on his phone.
He was laughing at something a friend posted.
Then he brought up something another friend had posted.  
It was a song.
Can you guess which song?
Oh yes, "How Great Thou Art" by HomeFree.
It's an amazing rendition.
I had never heard of them.  They won a TV contest at one point so I might be the only one who hadn't heard of them.
Here is "Ring of Fire" also - just because, well, Wow!
Needless to say, I'm thinking God is working on me.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year.
I love that families get together and give thanks, no gifts or gimmicks, 
just thanks.
Honestly, I was struggling a little with the tension of society this year.
We will be traveling to see family we haven't seen in many years
including my 93 year old grandmother.
(My last surviving grand-parent.)
I am so anxious and excited to see them but had some sort of reserve or trepidation about traveling.
When that song played on Mr. LB's phone, it all began to dissipate.
I know we will be fine on our travels,
and it's okay to enjoy the season and appreciate all the gifts we're given
with each dawning light.
He does work in mysterious ways.

I'd like to wish each of you a very happy and safe Thanksgiving.

PS: The next day, I did something I haven't done in at least a year or two.
I went and splurged on the CD.
I have listened to that song numerous times in the last couple days.

                                                                     

8 comments:

  1. LOL - Maybe if you listen enough, your mind will fill in the blanks on your next hunt! (I don't know all the words, either.)

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  2. I'm afraid my bow season has been put on hold thanks to a very large mountain lion in the area. I am certain it was under my stand this week. It did give me time to butcher my prairie deer. I feel sorry for people who don't go into the woods where they can realize"how great tho art.". We live in an amazing world. Sorry about the elk.

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  3. Your Oregon Mountains are beautiful, they made me homesick for my Colorado Mountains. Stepping out getting in touch with nature has always been my go to remedy. A peaceful walk thru my Ozarks woods refreshes my soul and frees my spirit. I too am glad the election process is over, I think a lot of people need to take that walk with nature. I had not heard of the group Homefree until seeing a post on facebook as well. Thank you for the info on their CD, I will have to check them out. Peace and Joy to you and your family, may this Thanksgiving fill many hearts with the understanding there is something far better than hate and anger. Your post is awesome I so enjoyed you sharing it with us.

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  4. like yoiu love How great though art, saw a video on a blog the other day of a man in a talent contest singing with his mentor expect it was the same one, and yes it is a tune that pops into my heart a lot too, mind you a lot of hymns do that, listening to the radio at the moment an hour every sunday morningat 6am of praise and bible readings, maybe they will play how great thou art today.
    Hopefully you will find an elk soon for your freezer and keep you gong through the winter

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  5. Your words were just what I needed today. Decisions about traveling to New York next year for a concert our choir has been invited to sing in; fear of such a trip, no confidence I could be an asset to my choir and the other, and of course the Holidays and all the life-long tensions and anxieties that entails, pressures etc. You helped me put in all in prospective and I thank you. Many Blessings.

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  6. Oh, my! I love your beautiful blog! I just now got around to responding to a comment you left on mine back in October! So, I am just now getting to visit you here. Thank you so much for your encouragement and kind words. I can totally relate to feeling the urge to burst forth singing "How Great Thou Art" when you are out in the forest. I do the same, exact thing! He is a great and awesome God. I am going to check out the group you mentioned above...no, I have never heard of them either, so you are not the only one. LOL! God bless you!

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  7. Wow! You elk hunt? That's impressive! And bear? Is that black or grizzly? Do you eat bear? If so, how do you cook it?
    What beautiful country you live in! I can blame you for having that "How Great Thou Art" pop in your head. It amazing how the world tries to put pressure on us, even during the holidays. But God can remedy it all.
    Thanks for writing.
    God bless,
    -Christina

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  8. What a fun experience! You must make amazing elk sausage!

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