Monday, April 21, 2014

Light from 'Our' Created Darkness

It seems that in our lives there are times that have a 'darkness' to them, this isn't a physical darkness but it is a darkness that can be felt in our heart and that can change the brightness that is to be seen in others and our evironment. During these times of darkness is it easy to let it fill you and draw the curtains tightly closed and let the darkness live for awhile; but it takes the strong will and faith of character to walk through the darkness and keep watch for that sparkle of THE light. 

A while back I walked this darkness, prayed for guidance when I couldn't see the way through and was provided with a beam. One year ago, I was asked to be the first female guide for the Matt Light Foundation's Youth Turkey hunt. This isn't a free handout weekend and not everyone is accepted nor do they get a participation medal. The kids that enter have to write an essay (topic is chosen by Matt Light and his staff every year) and then the essay's are graded. This is no last minute throw a paper together and get accepted kind of competition. Kids that have made the grade in the past have been turned away because the paper didn't hit the mark- no pun intended. 

So for me to be asked to be one of the guides for these kids isn't a task that I took or take lightly. This is an A gamer, me in the woods with girls relying on me to teach them everything from the joys of #hothands, setting decoys, when to call and which call to try, and just be a mentor for them. 

I humbly accepted the invitation and that piece of belief was the beginning of my new rock foundation to grow my own lighthouse. It was my wink from God saying, kid not all is lost when what you thought was your path crashed you into a ditch. Follow MY light, what I fill you with and your path will illuminate your true way home. 

You see the darkness we create through 'our' mind and what we think are 'our' lost opportunities, isn't God working at all, it is us trying to be the builder of our destiny when we have a master builder waiting to take charge. Let him. Let go, Let God lead. He will build you a foundation and provide you energy to create a beacon for the world to see and nothing can terminate.

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
(1 John 1:5 KJV)


Friday, April 18, 2014

A Light footed walk; No more, No less.

I have been blessed in many hidden ways that when they have occurred I now really take notice, absorb that moment and let it all in. 

Over the years I have shared the woods with some phenomenal hunters, some of the best in the business it is safe to say.  From years ago learning all the basics from Nick Mundt when I first started hunting the outdoors. He rebirthed in me my love for the outdoors that had been lost to corporate America. From him I learned and absorbed everything from using your quads to quiet your path though the brush, moving just your eyes to best scout for animals in the woods, watching for shadow movements to fore see an animal moving our way, not to mention learning to film from one of the best in the business at that time. Framing, following the animal and all the other little trade secrets.

When I hunted with Chris Brackett and Chipcity Spaulding I learned new techniques and even more about how, why and where you hang your stands to give yourself the best shot at success. Reading scrapes ad rubs to determine morning stand or afternoon, mature buck sign virses young, and some of the best bow shots to take on different animals. My favorite game of freeze frame; Brackett would freeze footage and have me quickly point to where I would shoot the animal in different scenarios. I highly suggest this to any novice or experienced hunter, helps a ton and keeps you sharp.

Those being just a couple examples, what I have noticed is every individual I have entered the woods with has his own technique. His hunt prep, the way they call or don't call, use of scent killer or lack of, preferences of calls, clothes, ammo and weapons it all veries with the individual. 

My blessing comes in that I have had the opportunity to share this time with them, learn from them and explore my own theories from there and then spread this on to today's youth or other new hunters. The thing to remember is that everyone is unique and every hunter comes into their own style and comfort zone. The success that comes in those moments are the one's to note down in a journal, see if it works the same in different locations, years or even weeks. 

In my opinion the key to hunting is to find what is comfortable to you so that when you are in the woods the mind is free of the outside world and you can take the moment in God's creation to absorb, study and learn. Simply take a light footed walk into the woods and see what presents itself. 

Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 
(John 4:35 KJV)