Just Call Me Grizzly Adams

I woke up early to another somewhat overcast sky that later gave way to some wonderful sunshine and comfortable temperature (70 degrees).

Psalm 119 challenged me this morning with whether I really long to hear God's Word, to spend time in it so that I will actually follow what He says. The Psalmist provides me with a great deal to pray about concerning the Word of God--to treasure it, to long for it, to desire to know it so that I can obey the Lord, keep my way pure,and know His goodness. I'm still chewing on Colossians 1 with Paul's eloquent declarations of the Supremacy of Christ. Among so many things I've been mulling over verses 16 and 18 where Paul declares that All things were created "by Him (Christ) and for Him" and "that in all things He might have the preeminence." We were created "for Him" for relationship with Him, for loving, knowing, and serving Him. That is a powerful thought--that Christ is absolutely preeminent and that we are created for Him. We are therefore out of sorts, off balance, out of sync unless we are in vital relationship with the one we were created for. If I was created for Him then my life should reflect dependence upon and growing intimacy with Him. The last phrase of verse 18 punctuates His preeminence--He is to have preeminence in all things. I think especially in the lives of those He has created for Himself. So I ask myself, "Where does Christ not have preeminence in my life?" "Is He preeminent in my relationships with my wife, my children, my co-workers, my friends, with others?" "Is Christ preeminent in my work, how I conduct myself, how I do my job?" "Is Christ preeminent in the use of my time, money, leisure pursuits, expenditures of energy, etc. As I think about my life it seems that Christ is less preeminent than He deserves to be.

I finished reading "Leading from the Sandbox" by Tim Addington. Lots to ponder there and I'm going to be working on application of the principles and truths when I return. Tonight I'm going to think, pray, and work on how to implement some of what I've read in this book.

I went out for another hike in the great Montana mountains. I decided on a trail that lead up to a waterfall. Getting to the trail head (where I actually started walking)was an experience in itself. I drove through Ted Turner's "Flying D Ranch". For 7.5 miles on either side of the road for just about as far as you could see was Ted Turner's ranch--unbelievable in it's scope. A major water source runs right through it and from the ranch the snow capped peaks of several mountains are in clear view. But that isn't all. I drove through the largest herd of Buffalo I have ever seen--I'm guessing 1500 animals. It was spectacular. On this same road I was able to see a Grizzly far in the distance. Two vehicles ahead of me had spotted him first and their looking caused me to look and I saw him there just out in the open near some pine trees. An answer to prayer as I've asked the Lord to grant me some wildlife sightings. He is good to give beyond what is needed. And speaking of His goodness, I had another gorgeous day for hiking.

I started on the trail and was soon greeted by two women, a young boy and two dogs. They said, "We just saw a bear on the trail ahead. It climbed a tree and then we started shouting and it ran away." As I proceeded down the trail I was rather calm, asking the Lord to protect me and also to give me a chance to see a real bear, close enough and yet far enough away to be safe. It wasn't 10 minutes until I noticed a bobbing head of a bear about 40 yards to my right. There he was--an actual Grizzly bear-- sitting behind a bush and eating something. I had my camera so I took a couple of side shots (they didn't save to my camera :(. But I didn't know that at the time. I took a couple of "head only" shots and those turned out, but he was far enough away that you can't make it out that clearly. Amazingly I felt pretty safe and I did have my can of bear pepper spray--potent enough to handle Grizzlies. I didn't linger, but kept moving up the trail to the wonderful waterfall and even for a while beyond it. I came back down the trail and only saw the evidence of bears--droppings--that were old. No sign of my Grizzly Guy or Gal. WOW, I can hardly believe it but God gave me the chance to see one of the premiere predators in these forests in the wild and I lived to tell about it--God is so good.