I just came back from 2 days in the Michigan woods hunting for whitetail deer with my son. We invested a bunch of time, energy, effort, and expense . . . and came back empty handed. Skunked. Not only did we not bag a deer, we didn’t even see any. Now that’s really skunked! And a real rarity for me. While we don’t always come back with some venison for the freezer, we usually do end up seeing a lot of deer. Not so this year. And yet, as I reflected on the day in my mind’s eye, there was much to be grateful for.

Like what?

Well, like  hiking into a swamp at 5:00AM. Watching where you step in the dark is an adventure all it’s own. Not knowing if your next step will land on a hidden underwater obstruction that will send you sprawling into the frigid water. Now that’s an adventure!

Not convinced? Okay, so that’s an adventure that only a dyed-in-the-wool outdoorsman can understand.

But the night sky that morning was nothing short of stunning. I mean, it was so crisp, clear, and the stars were so brilliant that it almost felt like I could touch them. I sat in silence for an hour in the hushed veil of darkness, soaked in the spectacular star-show, punctuated by the occasional blazing flares of shooting stars provided by a November meteor shower (that we rarely see in Michigan because our Novembers are often cloudy), and serenaded by the hoots of a lonely owl.

I picked out all the stars in each of the constellations that I can’t see from my home because of the light pollution from the nearby shopping plaza. Orion, The Hunter, is one of my favorites. What a fantastic start to a day . . . and worth getting up for.

That celestial display took me back to earlier adventures with my son when we’d gone camping in the same national forest together. We viewed that same sky and slept under the same stars around the campfire, and I’d ask him, “Who made those stars?” His response was simple and confident: “God did.”

In the stillness of that morning and soaking in the splendor of the night, I was reminded of the words of David, the shepherd boy, whose shepherding duties gave him ample opportunity to gaze up at the stars of a Middle Eastern sky some 3,000 years ago and write:

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. (Psalm 19:1-2)

As the day wore on and there still were no deer to be seen, I found delight in watch a pair of river otters playfully swimming in the swamp. One, totally unaware of my presence, swam within 3 feet of me and my son. It’s one thing to see them in a zoo, but to observe them in the wild in their own habitat is quite special.

And then there were the birds. I’ve built and maintain a variety of feeders that are strategically placed around my home, all with the purpose of luring in these birds to entertain my family. I love watching the cardinals, gold and purple finches, nuthatches, and 5 different varieties of woodpeckers feeding around my yard.

But seeing them up close and personal in their backyard–like on the branch next to me–or trying to land on the barrel of my gun is amazing.

My favorite is the black-capped chickadee. They are absolutely adorable. I love their gregarious nature as they move through the woods in groups–never alone–and sporting their distinctive black-feathered cap and their signature call of chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Yea, you guessed it, that’s how they got their name. They are curious little creatures that add a joyful presence to the woods.

And again, as I witnessed the life in the woods that my Heavenly Father made, my mind is drawn back to Jesus words in Matthew 7:11,

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Looking back, opening day had it’s deer-less disappointments. But it also was a great day to soak in and learn to enjoy all the little “gifts” from my Heavenly Father who provides them for our delight and His. It really was a good day.

What about you? Are you sometimes so overwhelmed by the disappointment of not getting what you want that you miss out on the the little pleasures–the good gifts–God has given you? Please feel free to share how you’ve missed out and how God is reawakening your heart to gratefulness for the little things.

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3 Responses to “Grateful for little things”

1. Associate Programs says:

   December 18, 2009 at 2:31 am

   Such a awesome site. I am bookmarking this page.
2. Forex Rate says:

   December 18, 2009 at 4:35 pm

   I somehow dont agree with a few things, but its great anyways.
3. Joyce says:

   February 25, 2010 at 4:07 pm

   Hi,Beautiful Day. I have something to share. Please do not hunt for animals as it will be very painful for them. Imagine a needle piercing our skin, we feel the pain so do the animals. We should love and cultivate loving-kindness for all animals. We should not kill them. You will be doing yourself good merits/deeds by not harming them, not hunting them and not killing them. God love ALL.

   Wishing you happiness and prosperity.

   Thank you for your kindness.