Tales From A Poopsmith

Saturday morning the time had finally come for the call of the wild to be answered.  I awoke Macuen (7 ½) for his first trip into the woods wearing hunter orange, deer season was open. Coffee and hot coco in hand we drove to the hill in search for the buck with my name attached to his antlers. 

The morning started out with a nice hike in the autumn mountains with buck signs scattered throughout the trail.  After about two hours into the hunt Macuen was getting a little cold dismayed his two pairs of socks were not holding in the heat.  Knowing this was not the time to teach the boy a lesson it was time to head back to the truck to reheat the toes.  Yet, Dad had to go just a little farther into the clearing to see what was around the corner.

I told Macuen to sit on this stump in the middle of the woods and I would be back in a minute.  As I came back here was my son, my first son sitting on a long with eyes desperate to return to the truck.  The relief I saw when I came around the corner was striking and it took me back to Genesis when Abraham was taking Isaac to the hill for the sacrifice.  I could imagine Isaac like Macuen – Dad when are we going to see the deer…maybe there is one over there…dad we have to find the deer…are we there yet… Then to put Isaac on an altar to be obedient…Abraham “was huge”, the faith to follow God with this reckless abandonment…I am not sure I will ever have that kind of faith.  As I took Macuen off the stump and headed for the truck rifle in one hand and his hand in the other…I will never forget that imagine of Macuen on the stump as a remind of God’s love and true faith. 

A side note:  As the day went on we team up with the old crew from Mt. View, Pastor Scott, Gary and Adam for the perfect afternoon hunt.  In a 15 minute window Macuen bird dogged a 4×3 which ran 30 feet in front of Gary.  Gary harvested deer number one.  20 minutes later it was being cleaned and hung at the cabin.  Macuen was thrilled to see the process from start to finish…it is good to be alive.