Pheasant Hunting- a Team Sport!

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.”-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

This past weekend, as I’ve done the last several years, I went pheasant hunting in South Dakota with eight other men, who are also family. The weather was beautiful, which is kind of risky this time of year, and the birds were flying. We “harvested” a bounty of pheasants, and the fellowship and accommodations were tremendous. The Janke family made it all possible, especially Dave Janke, our host, guide and friend. We had a blast (no pun intended) and learned a lot about teamwork.

 

Most people have done some sort of hunting in their lifetime.  A lot of hunting is like deer hunting which doesn’t require a lot of work since you sit still in a deer blind up in a tree. It can be a long game of waiting until the deer walk near the blind. 

 

Pheasant hunting is truly a team sport. It’s about walking large half-miles through fields together, with part of the group walking towards the rest of the group waiting at the other end of the field. We are very mindful of where the others are as we walk and hunt

and enjoy the adventure ahead. Life is truly a pheasant hunt- like adventure. 

 

We’re all walking this field called life with brothers and sisters walking next to us. We’re careful to honor those walking to the left and the right of us. The truth is, when I take a shot and down a pheasant, it is a team effort. 

 

As we’re walking as a team through the field, usually, three or four people fire at every bird. We’re not usually exactly sure who hit the bird first, but it really doesn’t matter. We share the birds.  

 

Can you pheasant hunt alone? Well, sure. But the best kind of pheasant hunting is with a team. And the best kind of living is with a team. Sharing the ups and downs is how God designed us to exist. Pride wants to solely bear the success or failure, but we are wired to bear the burden and the victory together. 

 

In the end, it really doesn’t matter who hit the bird. It’s a beautiful release of pride to walk the field together. And every day we’re all walking the fields of life together. 

 

So, when you set out walking on the field of life, be sure and allow others to walk with you and next to you. In the wins and losses, bear the load with your friends and family. When you take the shot and down the bird, share the success with your friends and family around you. If you miss the bird, share that load with family and friends as well. 

 

Remember, in the end, it really doesn’t matter who downed the bird because we downed the bird. It is a team sport. We lose together and win together. In your family, friendships, workplace, or marriage, share your load with those around you. 

 

Most of all, allow our awesome God to walk with you as well. Yes, he delights in walking the fields with us. 

 

Walk safely and walk together and, if you down a pheasant, enjoy the meal!

 

We had an amazing time in South Dakota. Hunting the beautiful pheasants was so much fun. Thank you Taylor, Bill, Bo, Trent, Eric, Brian, Mark and Joel for a wonderful time. I look forward to our next hunt together.

 

By Eric Joseph Staples ©

www.lifeaid101.com

Note: I try to post to the blog every few weeks. If you would like to receive the blog posts by email, you can subscribe to "parenting 101 by email" on the blog. Please pass these on to friends that could use the encouragement. If you’re getting this email yet you already receive the posts from blogger, let me know and I’ll remove you from this mailing list. Thanks. Have a great day in the Lord -JS

Joey Staples

joeystaples66@gmail.com

Fall

“…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction” -2 Timothy 4:2

 

Well, here we are. It’s October and the season called Fall is upon us. We also call it Autumn, and it’s beautiful in the Ozarks and around the world. Winter, Spring and Summer are waiting in the wings. Just as nature’s seasons are awesome, life’s seasons are awesome and difficult as well.

The word autumn is derived from Latin autumnus,  possibly from the ancient Etruscan root autu- and has within it connotations of the passing of the year.  

After the Greek era, the word continued to be used as the Old French word autompne (automne in modern French) or autumpne in Middle English, and was later normalized to the original Latin. In the Medieval period, there are rare examples of its use as early as the 12th century, but by the 16th century, it was in common use.

Before the 16th century, harvest was the term usually used to refer to the season, as it is common in other West Germanic languages to this day (cf. Dutch herfst, German Herbst, and Scots hairst). However, as more people gradually moved from working the land to living in towns, the word harvest lost its reference to the time of year and came to refer only to the actual activity of reaping, and autumn, as well as fall, began to replace it as a reference to the season.

The alternative word Fall for the season traces its origins to old Germanic languages. The exact reason is unclear, with the Old English fiæll or feallan and the Old Norse fall all being possible candidates. However, these words all have the meaning "to fall from a height" and are clearly derived either from a common root or from each other. The term came to denote the season in 16th-century England, a contraction of Middle English expressions like "fall of the leaf" and "fall of the year." Compare the origin of spring from "spring of the leaf" and "spring of the year."

During the 17th century, Englishmen began emigrating to the new North American colonies, and the settlers took the English language with them. While the term Fall gradually became nearly obsolete in Britain, it became the more common term in North America. 

That is more history behind Fall than you might care about but Fall and Winter are important seasons for all of us. Seasons, in general, are important. Go ahead and throw Spring and Summer in there. As humans, we like and need verbiage to describe the seasons of life we’re living in and going through.

Unlike Earth, several planets don’t have seasons. Mercury, for instance, has little tilt so it just stays “warm”, to say the least. It averages 800 degrees F. daily. No change and very consistent weather, but not conducive for life and growth. Obviously, there is no life and growth on Mercury. 

When Paul wr0te his letter to Timothy, he was reminding him to be aware of the seasons. Of course, God has reasons for everything. Why did He create seasons? Perhaps it was to make us aware that He is in control. And when God is in control, things usually change quite often. Why? Because our God is a God of seasons and change and growth. Aristotle said, “Change in all things is sweet.”

Our wonderful God is a God of growth and without seasons, things, especially people, don’t grow. So, be “ready”, and let God have His way. Our wonderful God is a God of growth. He wants nothing but the best for us. Our life circumstances can be difficult at times. But God always has growth (the possibility of growth, if we’re obedient) as His motive for the difficulties and trials we’re going through.

Whatever season you’re in right now, be willing to lean on Him. Even when it makes no sense, God knows what He’s doing. Hot, cold, rainy, or stormy, He always has a plan, a very good plan, so may we all rest in His will. Enjoy the beauty of Fall and may His seasons spur us all to growth and contentment.

By Eric Joseph Staples ©

www.lifeaid101.com

Note: I try to post to the blog every few weeks. If you would like to receive the blog posts by email, you can subscribe to "parenting 101 by email" on the blog. Please pass these on to friends that could use the encouragement. If you’re getting this email yet you already receive the posts from blogger, let me know and I’ll remove you from this mailing list. Thanks. Have a great day in the Lord -JS