What Are You Hunting For

What are you hunting for in this last month of 2023? For the workload to slow down a little? A bonus? Maybe for our nonseasonal weather to continue?  Kurt, Karl, and friends went hunting for deer yesterday. And found some nice ones. Thanks for the picture Randy.

How about in life? Are we hunting for real and authentic in a deprived culture? Affirmation at work? Better relationships? Are we all growing in our faith walk? We've been blessed with a good number of family and friends visit for early coffee, and are often on our 4th or 5th pot by 7:30am.

You often find what your hunting for. When I drive I see the road, traffic, and maybe some weeds and trash trees growing along the right-of-way. My mind thinks how neat it would look if the road sides were mowed. Jan can pick out these Conifer trees a mile off. Or the little blue berries on the Cedar trees. Or red berries. Or hedge balls. Or switch grass tops.

Jan sees possibilities. Her mind has already cooked up the idea.Then on a Sunday Ranger ride we go get the ingredients.

I forget the proper name for these Christmas arrangements Jan makes with the stuff we find. However they are very decorative. We have them by our home, our cabin, and Jan brings all the ingredients to school so others can make them as well.

Our early morning temps are getting colder. We have an LP boiler with in-floor heat in our farm shop, however we also like to supplement that heat burning waste oil that we get from servicing all our vehicles. So Matt helped us get the Reznor going.

BJ, Alex, Ryan, and Kurt have been putting in long days tiling. Mike has built over 40 terraces this fall and has about that many more to go yet if the weather holds. Mark and Ethan have been working on reclaim and wetland projects. Thanks for the picture Kurt.

Last evening I went to check on BJ and Ryan. BJ was placing broken concrete on a river bank around a tile outlet.

I found a little time to mow yesterday. Below our last alfalfa cutting just did not get enough rain in August to harvest. So since it is now dormant, I mowed off the dead plants.

Our landlords Buddy and Eileen were fishing in Kentucky, and Eileen caught this 70 pound Blue Catfish. Their family manufactures catfish bait and sells it all over the world. Thanks for the picture Eileen.

We had The Family Leader staff and board Christmas this past week. Board member and Pastor Monty talked about what folks are looking for in Christmas. He talked about looking higher, thinking bigger, and expecting more.

Yesterday morning grandsons Elijah (9th grade), Ezra (10th grade), and John (12th grade) went to BJs rented South Skunk River bottom west of Lacey with 3 outfits to chisel. They had to quit early to get ready for PCHS Christmas banquet.

With Jan, Stacy, and Cassia helping with the banquet meal, I was able to ask for a picture of the kids and a couple of their dates. Thanks for the picture Jan and Stacy.

A couple of weeks back we visited about finding this aluminum Christmas tree in the junk and mess. I knew from childhood memories I needed to find a stand, a wood pole, and tinsel branches. I mentioned before we usually find what we're hunting for. If we hunt for and dwell on guilt, grief, and grudges we will find them. We need to reflect Christ's light and live the good news to folks we come in contact with.

 When our Savior was born things were not going as Joseph had planned. The government wanted a census and taxes. He had a weeks journey to his hometown. His girlfriend was pregnant and he wasn't the father. The motels and inns were full.

"And all returned to their home town to register for this census. Because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem. And he took Mary with him, to whom he was engaged, and was now expecting a child."

 

What are you hunting for this Christmas? Snow, time off, gifts, get-togethers, peace, goodwill? All legit things by the way. However over the next two weeks, don't miss the real reason for this season.