Whispers

[RangerClay]

Morning,

When in your stand, have you even had a chickadee (or any small bird) land on branch just inches from your head then turn and look at you straight in the eyes? I so often will say "Morning God", "Thanks for the awesome sunrise", or something like that. I received this e-mail from one of my students and it reminded of those special moments when God speaks to me. If you listen God does speak to us. Even if it's a doe looking up at me in my treestand saying, "Joe, I wouldn't put my treestand there if I was you."

Have A Happy Day!
Ranger



Whispers
The man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang. But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky. But, the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God let me see you." And a star shined brightly. But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And, a life was born. But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here." Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away ............and walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted ... even in our electronic age So I would like to add one more: The man cried,
"God, I need your help!" And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.
But, the man deleted it and continued crying ........

Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect. Expect the unexpected...

[billkay]

Nice thoughts to start the day. Thanks.

[Andrea]

So true...........

[outdoorgirl]

thanks Joe

[toddyboman]

I like it!!
Thanks for sharing that!!

[buckee]

[Dukey]

Thanks for sharing.

[Tominator]

Amen Brother.

I remember one day, in the morning, I went out to check my garden, and a barn swallow flitted down and landed right in front of me, I mean like 2 feet from me. I could see the morning sun reflecting in his wet eye. I knealt down saying in my mind "Thank you Lord for this moment of grace, and let this beautiful creature you have blessed me with know that I mean it no harm..."

And the swallow looked at me, arm's length away. We looked at each other, my smile was so wide, it hurt. It seemed the swallow smiled too. We sat and enjoyed the quiet morning for a few seconds, and then he flew away.

I'll always remember that.

I swear we get glimpses of paradise every now and then, and makes me think how close we are to being with Him. I've had numerous experiences like that.

[christsavedme]

Joe, thanks so much for sharing! I really enjoyed that!

[buckee]

This is so true

Besides having small Owls, Stellar Jays, and all kinds of other small birds land within arms reach of me while hunting, and recognizing how wonderfully made all of creation is, and enjoying those fine moments, there is one particular instance that really stands out in my mind as God speaking to me through nature.
I wasn't going to share it, because it's a bit long and because it's always been one of those special moments in my life, that I've only shared with my wife, and maybe my buddy Ken (not sure).

A few years back, I had an opportunity to go on a moose hunt, in Northern BC, To a place called Pink Mountain, with a fellow, I didn't really know that well, but had shared a hunting camp with him once. I was really looking forward to the trip and my hopes were high.
I had bought a cell-phone, just for the occasion so I could call home every day and let my wife know how things were going, only to find out when I got there, that there was no cell-phone service way up in this lonely area, of the BC wilderness. It was going to be a long week, without communication with my wife Diana, and I knew she would be worried.
To top it off, when we got there, I was asked by my new hunting companion, if I was into maybe shooting a moose at night, if we didn't see anything the first couple of days.
Well, I was kind of in shock at hearing this, from this fella, and this was the moment the hunting trip all went downhill for me personally. I told him exactly what I thought of the idea, and in no way wanted anything to do with it. Then I found out all he wanted to do was drive logging roads, That was his method of hunting moose.
Well it wasn't mine, so I told him to do what he wants, and I'd just go out and hunt from camp.
I found a really great spot about 1/2 mile down the road, where an old cut-line crossed the main road and went for miles, intersecting many other cut-lines in the process. It was perfect, for still hunting moose, and I saw plenty over the next few days, but no shooters.
Him and I were not getting along at all in camp. He was very insulting, now that he knew where I stood on hunting methods and poaching, and we were just not getting along at all. I wanted to just go home, but I was basically trapped, in a situation, I no longer wanted to be in, so I tried to make the best of it.
As the week wore on, we were barely speaking to each other in the evenings after me hunting, and him driving around all day, and I was getting very discouraged with the whole trip.
On the second to the last evening, is when my little encounter with God and his wonderful creation happened.
I was about 1-1/2 miles back on the cut line. I had seen a nice big cow moose, and was hoping something else would show up. I had been praying for strength, and protection, just to get back home safely and get this terrible trip over with. I had stayed back on the cut line, until just before the sun went down, before making my way slowly back to camp, which was 2 miles away.
The coyotes and wolves started to howl around me in the distance, and I was feeling a bit uneasy, knowing I would be walking in the darkness for the last mile.
I bowed my head and asked for God's protection on the way out and in the next few days to come.

I started walking down the cut, as the sun began to set, and this huge bird came swooping down from behind me, and right past my head. It landed just ahead of me, alongside the cut-line. I didn't know what the heck this thing was, because I had never seen one before.
I found out later, it was a Great Grey Owl.
I walked up to it, and it just sat there, looking at me, and looking both ways down the trail as it turned it's head, this way and that.
I said to it "Hey, how are you tonight?" and it answered me with a hoot, while tilting it's head from side to side inquisitively. I began talking to it, telling it, that it was a very pretty bird, and I'd never seen anything quite like it before. ..LOL. It really seemed to love the conversation, and wasn't afraid of me in the least.
Well, I told it I had to get going because it was getting dark, so I said "Goodbye, my friend" and starting walking again.
I got about 25 yrds down the trail when "swoosh" past my head, about a foot from me, he flies past on silent wings once again, and landed on a branch just ahead, as before. I thought this was pretty cool, and as I walked past him, I told it that, I just didn't have time to stop and chat, because it would be dark soon, and I still had a long way to go.
To my surprise, he swooped down past me again and kept repeating the performance all the way out to the main road. I couldn't believe it after a while. I mean, the first few times, was a real rush, and special, but this critter was actually keeping me company all the way out of the bush. 1-1/2 miles out of the bush to boot. This Great Grey Owl must have swooped down within inches of me at least 20 times, on the way out to the road. That is a long way to have any of God's wild creatures follow you in such a friendly, comical, and companion sort of way.
I was astounded and amazed as I walked by him every time, and he would hoot or bob his head up and down ..LOL...he was a riot.
When we got to the main road, he just sat there as I walked away toward camp. He didn't follow me. I turned to see what was up, it was really getting dark and I could just make out his shadow now, so I gave him a wave and said "thanks for the company fella"(chuckling to myself at what had been happening)
As I walked in the darkness toward camp, I heard that still, small, whisper of a voice ..."I will always be with you ", and it wasn't until then, that I realized what the Owl encounter was all about.
The rest of the trip, and the trip home(even though it got a bit worse) was made easier by that little encounter, and the whisper I heard.
We didn't get a moose, and it was the worst hunting trip I have ever been on, but I'll tell ya, I'd do it again, for that encounter, with the Owl, and hearing that still voice.

I've never seen a Great Grey Owl since then either

[MrWiggely]

Thanks for sharing Joe, very nice thoughts that I had to share with my boys.

Thanks a ton.

Todd