A couple of summers ago I was walking my usual four-mile route around my neighborhood.
Ground squirrels and chipmunks scampered across the gravel roads. Crows and ravens cawed and croaked from the tops of high trees. Mountain flowers and blooming shrubs decorated the natural landscape surrounding the lovely mountain homes.
I scarcely registered the beauty of the mountains, trees and flowers because my brain was working on a scene in one of my books.
Suddenly, a deer crashed onto the road, stopped and stared at me. It flicked its tail and twitched its nose. Then it bounded the rest of the way across the road, into a neighbor's yard, and easily vaulted a six-foot fence.
The deer wasn't a fawn, but it appeared to be very young. I snapped into alertness. Where was the deer's mother?
I looked from side to side and studied the buff-colored rocks.
No other deer. I started walking again.
But when I got to the spot where the deer first appeared, a blur of brown entered my left field of vision.
Mama deer.
She didn't looked scared of me, and something about her body language told me to be very careful.
I backed up a step.
She took a step forward.
I backed another step.
She took another step forward.
I've seen youtube videos of deer attacks on humans. Not pretty. They rear up and pound their victim with razor sharp cloven hooves.
So I backed about five or six more steps.
That must have satisfied Mama because she turned and sauntered off in the direction that her daughter had just gone. Only when she, too, vaulted the fence did I feel safe enough to continue on my walk.
You'd think a walk around one's neighborhood on a sunny morning would be a safe venture.
But I guess things can change fast.
I hadn't come prepared for the change in circumstances. Why hadn't I at least have brought along my hiking poles?
The Christian's life walk bears some similarities.
I should:
Prepare for the journey (Eph. 6:10-18)
Become knowledgeable of the route and its dangers (Isaiah 26:7)
Stay in touch with those who can help me (Col. 4:2)
Remain alert and focused (1 Pet. 5:8 "Be self-controlled and alert."
Train myself for emergencies (1 Pet. 1:13)
Epilogue:
Last fall, as I walked that same route, I saw a buck following a doe back and forth across the street as she grazed at various houses. (Courting bucks can become extremely annoyed at anyone or anything they perceive to be in competition for the doe's favor.)
I stopped, watched, then turned around and found another route.
What kinds of physical or spiritual dangers have you avoided by being knowledgeable and aware?
Ground squirrels and chipmunks scampered across the gravel roads. Crows and ravens cawed and croaked from the tops of high trees. Mountain flowers and blooming shrubs decorated the natural landscape surrounding the lovely mountain homes.
I scarcely registered the beauty of the mountains, trees and flowers because my brain was working on a scene in one of my books.
Suddenly, a deer crashed onto the road, stopped and stared at me. It flicked its tail and twitched its nose. Then it bounded the rest of the way across the road, into a neighbor's yard, and easily vaulted a six-foot fence.
The deer wasn't a fawn, but it appeared to be very young. I snapped into alertness. Where was the deer's mother?
I looked from side to side and studied the buff-colored rocks.
No other deer. I started walking again.
But when I got to the spot where the deer first appeared, a blur of brown entered my left field of vision.
Mama deer.
She didn't looked scared of me, and something about her body language told me to be very careful.
I backed up a step.
She took a step forward.
I backed another step.
She took another step forward.
I've seen youtube videos of deer attacks on humans. Not pretty. They rear up and pound their victim with razor sharp cloven hooves.
So I backed about five or six more steps.
That must have satisfied Mama because she turned and sauntered off in the direction that her daughter had just gone. Only when she, too, vaulted the fence did I feel safe enough to continue on my walk.
You'd think a walk around one's neighborhood on a sunny morning would be a safe venture.
But I guess things can change fast.
I hadn't come prepared for the change in circumstances. Why hadn't I at least have brought along my hiking poles?
The Christian's life walk bears some similarities.
I should:
Prepare for the journey (Eph. 6:10-18)
Become knowledgeable of the route and its dangers (Isaiah 26:7)
Stay in touch with those who can help me (Col. 4:2)
Remain alert and focused (1 Pet. 5:8 "Be self-controlled and alert."
Train myself for emergencies (1 Pet. 1:13)
Epilogue:
Last fall, as I walked that same route, I saw a buck following a doe back and forth across the street as she grazed at various houses. (Courting bucks can become extremely annoyed at anyone or anything they perceive to be in competition for the doe's favor.)
I stopped, watched, then turned around and found another route.
What kinds of physical or spiritual dangers have you avoided by being knowledgeable and aware?
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