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Giving, Receiving and Gratitude By John Elliott Sometimes we are surprised by what influences us in our lives and what can really put us in awe.
neeling before the toilet in the motel's bathroom I prayed, "Father, please help me get a deer today." The early morning sun illuminated the snowcapped mountains' panorama above Squaw Valley in 1967 with an excitement that compelled me to run towards their base. Carrying my brother's new 30-30 lever action rifle, the climb up into the steep and wooded wilderness of unknown sights and sounds was exhilarating. Having nearly died three years earlier from a ruptured spleen, each new day was an appreciated gift from God that I thanked Him for with regularity. The difficulty in working my way up the steep terrain was continually rewarded with ever-expanding views, first of the valley below and eventually including other mountain ranges that stretched to the horizon. A last glance into Squaw Valley showed a curiously miniature complex of tiny buildings with moving vehicles that were oddly silent from up so high.
Diminishing seconds were all that separated me from rapidly approaching disaster as I released the rifle in a facedown, spread eagle position, utilizing every surface of my body to arrest the slide until finally stopping. Watching the dislodged rocks continue their downhill journey was something to really appreciate and give thanks for and I did. Then, carefully and cautiously, utilizing surface cracks and the more solid sections of granite, I was able to move across the crumbling face and work downwards to retrieve the carbine from a small ledge. The rifle's fresh "patina" would always be a reminder of that event. Later, the deepening woods swallowed this 15-year old, so anxious to get his first deer. The only sounds were an occasional squawk of a Steller's Jay, the hollow drumming of a woodpecker in a distant tree, and the ever-whispering Ponderosa pines swaying slowly overhead. Checking the crisp official California deer tag whose sole purpose was to be tied to an antler, I again asked God for help in getting a deer, while applying all the hunting principles, my father had taught me. Moving through the wilderness alone with a rifle never felt so exhilarating. But my cautious steps and endless scanning revealed only empty meadows, bare boulders, dense brush, and no deer.
Our Focus As humans, we often focus on the exciting things we get to have and do in our lives. We each tally our lot and compare it with that which others appear to have. Many times, we seemingly come up short. From childhood, we discounted what we were given while comparing it to what someone else had. Our parents didn't do enough for us, didn't spend enough time with us and didn't give us enough stuff. There wasn't enough excitement, a good enough room, nice enough clothes, the best education or enough money to live a good life. Youth, focused on its self, can never get enough and so derides those who it feels are responsible. Too often, that mindset continues on into adulthood with harbored resentments about what one did not receive. God warns us about having a "get/take" mentality. Solomon wrote,
Remember how excited you were to have new school supplies at the beginning of the year? Remember how your new clothes were just a bit stiff the first time you put them on? Or, how that new pair of sneakers made you feel like you could run a hundred-miles-an-hour? Remember when you finally got an outfit that was just for Church? Or, when Mom made you that dish that nobody has been able to copy since? Remember your favorite teachers in school, your favorite class and the sport you did well at? Remember that summer at Camp where your skills blossomed among new friends? Those fond memories weren't actually about you. They were the sums of sacrifices being made FOR you.
There are so many aspects of your life right now to be thankful for that you could spend the rest of your life showing gratitude for them. Every grain of sand is a miracle, every drop of water, every ray of sunshine, every living cell, the entirety of the universe and our ability to perceive it. Yet, do you pause to appreciate all you have been given or selfishly focus on what you don't yet have? God the Father and His Son have devoted their current existence to giving you everything They possibly can, including Their likeness, Spirit, and Son's life. What do They ask in return?
We call ourselves Christians and go through the motions of obedience. But when focused on self, we are in a state of always wanting more while grumbling about what we don't have. That mindset gives God more grief than He sometimes wants to bear.
Close Encounters
We both found ourselves curiously assessing our situation and each other. After the initial shock, the rifle lowered and we just stood observing each other for a considerable period of time. His innocent curiosity was engaging. The design and structure of his limbs, marbled torso, colorful hide and "mule" tail were inspiring. His large, alert ears, twitching nostrils and "buck eyes" were captivating. Finally, wearied from standing still for so long, I considered the options available. Scaring him off would have let me watch him run away, which could have been kind of fun. Instead, I chose to turn and let the deer watch me walk away. Why make him fear me should we meet again when we were both a little older? I thanked God for the wonderful experience and still relish that close encounter with my "first" buck.
What were those things we were complaining about which we haven't received?
Whoever changes their mindset to giving and serving like the God Family does, will receive great blessings, now and forever.
Through the years, there have been other deer, elk and a moose in our freezer. But the one I've been most thankful for was the one I walked away from. For more articles focused on youth, request a free subscription to the . Copyright 2011 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Keywords: gratitude selfishness appreciation story of youth hunting deer hunting thankfulness self sacrifice
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