WELL, ITS FALL AGAIN AND WITH THIS SEASON OF THE YEAR, guys and gals will head out into the fields and woods to try their hand at hunting. Be on the lookout, turkeys, ducks, geese, pheasants, and deer. Your days are numbered if you don’t keep a sharp eye. There are folks out there who mean to have you for dinner!

It reminds me of an old hunter who took his new retriever out early one morning to test him out. He shot a bird and it fell into the lake. That dog darted after it, walked on top of the water, and fetched it back, on top of the water and dropped it at his master’s feet. The old hunter rubbed his eyes in disbelief, but decided it really didn’t happen. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him, so he shot a second bird and the same thing happened.

Amazed by his dog’s behavior, the old hunter decided to show off his dog to his best friend. So he invited him to go hunting early the next morning. His friend got the first shot off and hit a bird. Sure enough, the dog ran on top of the water, picked up the bird and returned the dead bird on top of the water. The old hunter said, “Do you notice anything different about my new dog?” His friend answered, “Not really, he looks just like another bird dog to me.”

Dumbfounded, the old hunter shot a second bird and again his dog walked on top of the water and retrieved the bird. The old hunter asked again, “Are you sure you don’t see anything different about my new dog?” His friend thought for a minute and said, “Why, yes, I do see it now that you mention it. That dog doesn’t know how to swim!”

Seems to me that what we’re dealing with here is perspective.
We see what we want to see. If we’re not careful we can be so focused on the mundane, that we can miss the miraculous. Check your powers of observation. Key on the important things. It just might change your life!

SO YOU THINK YOU’VE HAD A BAD DAY? Well what about the poor guy I read about who lived in a tiny country in Africa? He was an avid golfer and practiced every day. One day he was hitting some balls in a field next to the air base. He hit a shot off the tee and the ball struck a bird which happened to be flying over the air base. The bird fell into the open cockpit of a fighter jet that was headed down the runway for a take off. The bird so startled the pilot that he lost control of his jet and it slammed into four other jets that were parked nearby. All five planes, the entire air force, was destroyed---over 40 million dollar’s worth of aircraft.
Fortunately, the pilot escaped with his life. How do you suppose he explained it to the government? Do you think they bought his story?

To be sure, that’s an extreme example, but we all have days when things just don’t seem to go right. But the good news is--- tomorrow is coming! Every day offers new opportunities to start fresh—to say goodbye to yesterday and look forward to blessingsand achievements. I’ve never hit an errant shot like that golfer but I’ve had my share of unfortunate incidents that put quite a dent in my soul. We all fall at some point, but we do not have to stay down.

Remember, God is rooting for us and is ready and willing to help us. The apostle Paul declared with confidence, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). He wasn’t being egotistical or cocky. He knew his strength and ability came from the Lord and that God expected him to move on in faith. So, grab the club, take a full swing with confidence and watch how far the ball travels. Who knows, you may get a hole-in-one!