My Dream Safari

This story is from my best African Safari. I invited my brother and his son as well as my two best friends from my high school days and their sons. Of course my own son came along too, and I was even able to get my three daughters to release their husbands for the most exciting 2 weeks of all our lives.

Our hunt took place at Chete, on the south shore of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Our guides were my mentor from South Africa, Neil plus my old friend Attorney Richard. Also joining us on this hunt were my very good friends Big Robert, Pastor John, Bruce Almighty, Seed-Bearing Bob, Car-Selling Jim and Senator Larry from my church. A lion was one of the animals we were after. This was not that big a deal to me in some ways because my home in the Northern California foothills is not unknown for our share of mountain lions. Every now and again these cats will visit a nearby ranch. These lions take out sheep or attack a horse. But, those are 200 pound cats. This hunt is about the 600 pound king of beasts.


There are two ways of hunting a lion here. One is to find a recent track and follow it. The other way is to put some baits up. When a lion comes and feeds, the bait is generally replenished, and a blind is built to sit in to get that lion.

I have shot three lions on previous hunts and actually had to deal with a mountain lion with just a butcher knife once, in my imagination, and all these giant cats were tracked. Here in Africa we've put up baits on previous hunts, but we never managed to get any to come and feed while we were there.

We follow a very simple procedure here in Africa. I do the hunting and my guests do the shooting. This plan has worked over the years. I just tag along a step behind my guests. On this occasion I decided that we should put up a bait in a dry river bed about 200-300 yards from the Lake. I had some lions feed there before, and thought others might do the same. We built two blinds, one on each hill overlooking the river. This should give us a better chance to approach the blind, depending on the wind direction.

We shot a zebra and put it up for the lions. Next morning we left the camp at about 3:30am to be able to get to the blind before daybreak. We stopped the truck about ½ a mile away and walked the rest of the way to the blind. No luck this time, as nothing has come to the bait.

Big Robert, a seasoned hunter, was a bit nervous but I managed to calm the big guy by explaining that the big cats are no different than the our cats in Northern California, just three times bigger and a lot hungrier. That didn’t help Big Robert much, but it made me feel like a hero just to tell the big guy and act like I was the bigger man. Of course everyone on the hunt, my son in laws included, knew I was just blowing smoke. After all I don’t shoot anything anymore on these hunts, that is nothing but a Nikon.

The next day we passed by our bait and found that the zebra had been eaten. It was late in the afternoon, and we needed to get a fresh bait up quickly. We could hear a hippo making some noise in the lake not very far from where we were. And my son-in-laws Anthony, Clinton and Shane suggested that we go and get that hippo. We tried, but the hippos did not co-operate. They stayed too far off shore.

As luck would have it, Senator Larry shot an elephant the next day, and Car-Selling Jim put one of his legs up in a tree for the lions to feast on (not Car-Selling Jim's leg - the elephant's leg). We decided to try to get into the blind in the afternoon, as the lions might decide to have an early dinner. Seed-Bearing Bob and Bruce Almighty heard some noise coming from behind us, and then all was quiet. The sun went down and we had to go back to camp. Big Robert thought a lion probably made the noise, as he might have smelled us on his way to the bait. So another early start in the morning was on the agenda.

Again, we left camp at 3:30am, and when we got close to the bait we could hear lions feeding. Our excitement mounted. We got to one of the blinds, and we could see a lioness walking away from the bait. We thought she must have been the last one to leave the bait. There was still quite a bit of meat left, although the aroma coming from it was not very pleasant.

A few yards from the blind we could hear some growling at the bait, which shot our pulse up. It was our lucky day! As we could see a very large lion standing on his hind legs feeding very noisily. We watched him for a few minutes. He got down and turned towards us at a slight angle. I am not so sure he suspected anything, but I did not wait any longer. I aimed my Nikon at the big cat as Big Robert and two of my son in laws and even Pastor John set their sights on his neck and left shoulder.

It was Big Robert that sent a 300-grain Barnes X bullet into his neck. Everyone else was so over excited they either hit the tree or just missed altogether. He flopped over, got up, and walked a couple of yards and started rolling on the ground and biting himself (not Big Robert but the cat).

Before Big Robert had a chance of giving him another bullet, he disappeared from our view into a gully. We could hear growling for a couple of minutes, and then all was quiet.

The lion could be lying there stone dead, or he could have just followed that gully into the hills, or he could be waiting there for one of us to appear to even the score with us. My son Andrew, to my surprise, jumped out into the open and darted towards the last place in the gully we saw the lion. The rest of us decided to go up the hill on the other side of the gully, and try to see if we could see him from there. We made a detour and went up the opposite hillside. We could not see the lion, but we could see an awful lot of his blood on the ground where he was flopping around.

Then Andrew disappeared into a thicket of tall grass. That gave us a bit more encouragement, because the likelihood of the cat being alive after loosing all that blood was very remote. I was a little concerned about my son, but then remembered he had spent more than 20 years living in lion country at our Northern California ranch-ette.

Yet with a lion you really do not want to take any chances, we got back to the side where we had originally shot from, and went into the gully looking for Andrew and the lion. Rifles loaded and ready. But now we had two problems. A wounded lion or Andrew could easily mistake our noise in the brush and charge or shoot.

By this time our trackers had arrived, as we had left them at the truck. They came over as soon as they heard the shot. Big Robert was about 5 yards from the lion, but he could not see it. Then Andrew popped up from seemingly nowhere, he saw it. We were all very relieved to see it was dead, and especially relieved to see Andrew was out of danger. We found that Big Robert’s bullet hit it exactly where he had aimed, going through his neck, and coming out from just behind the opposite shoulder. We loaded up our lion, and headed back to camp, to share our trophy with the rest of the gang there.

Just as Bruce Almighty and Seed-Bearing Bob were loading the lion into the truck and pulling out to head for camp, my alarm clock went off. Darn! It was just another dream! Now it's time to get up again and get ready for another dangerous day at my office talking to senior citizens about long term care planning.

Well my best African Safari Dream must have been triggered after exploring the Internets African Safari list last night before I went to sleep.

How dangerous were your dreams last night?

(My fabricated dream was inspired from a real hunter's story - Ganyana Safaris, Zimbabwe- Africa 1999)

THINK ABOUT IT!

Tis So Sweet...

The pain was panic. The thoughts were crowding. Suffocating. Sleep where are you? Then I heard it. Over and over they came. Stonger and stronger they rang. The words were coming from way back in my mind. Marching forward the words came stronger and stronger. “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”. Those words dispelled my anxiety. Their sweetness calmed my fears. He was coming to me in the night again. I was not alone.

Pain. Such a tool. Such wisdom. Oh, it’s only temporary. But it seems eternal when it roars. Physical, mental, emotional. Pain talks. Pain positions. Pain focuses. Where does it take me? What does it accomplish?

If I fear the pain it controls me. It tries to threaten me, especially when it comes in the night seasons. Sleep don’t run from me now I need you to take me away from here. But where can I go that He’s not there?

My days are full. Busy. Too busy, too distracted. Thank you pain for finding me in the night. “Tis so sweet to trust”. My hiding place is You, my God. My Savior. My Hope. I’m awake. I can not hid from You but I can hid in You.

Choices. I want to hid but You force me to choose. I search for my heart. Where is my heart? Who am I really? I can’t hid. You’ve discovered me. You’ve cornered me. You have captured me. But it’s not the me that I think I am that you want, it’s my heart. My secret heart. I struggle, "but it’s MY heart".

Why do I keep it back from You? What am I saving it for? I’ve been deceived too long. “Tis so sweet”. Trusting you is the sweetness I’ve been searching for all my life. All my quick, fleeting life.

It’s all speeding by so quickly now. I can see the blur of my childhood. Bits and pieces. Was it really me or just a movie I saw once long ago? Where are the days rushing me? Of course, it’s to You. Without Your interruption my days would swiftly take me the way of all flesh. But then I hear You singing to me again far off in the distance…“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to take Him at his word. Jesus. Jesus. How I love you. How I’ve learned to trust you more. Jesus. Jesus. Precious Jesus. Teach me Lord to trust you more”.

Peace settles into my spirit again as You sing over me from deep within. In all my confusions I almost forgot that You live inside me. I relax back into His arms, His everlasting arms. I don’t really know how long the journey will be or where it will take me next. Pain? Sorrow? Fears? They all try to bully me. Then way down deep I hear Him gently singing again. “Tis so sweet…” then I remember His promises. ‘He gives His beloved sleep…and when I awake I shall see His face.’

Fear where have you gone? Pain you can’t rule over me for ever!

I always have a choice in this life…and so do you.

THINK ABOUT IT!

The Burning Heart

Who lights your fire? Remember the song, "Come on Baby, light my fire". That fire will eventually go out ya know. How do we burn brighter and last longer? Who can and will stay fresh, radiant and fulfilling - more satisfying as the years roll by? Will that touch still electrify as time goes on or will the flame die down? What keeps a heart burning? Love and Romance? Yes! the burning heart does need love and romance. But not all romances are between a man and a woman.

The highest form of love is a burning heart set ablaze by God Himself. A heart overwhelmed with desire to know the King of Heaven and earth.

Religion? You've got to be kidding. Religion isn't romantic its rigid, demanding and harsh the whole world over. Anyone who says they enjoy religion is probably lying. Of course they feel like they are supposed to enjoy God, but religion has never found a way to enjoy the Creator, only hid from Him or try to perform for His approval.

No, the real joy, the real heart set on fire is the heart that has caught a glimpse of the One Who came to give us that ignition. Without Him revealing Himself to us we can only play religious games.

Today, while shopping with my wife, we ran into a gal at the store that we had not seen for some time. She shared about her little 4 year old...a singer! He sang a song to her the other day about Jesus dying on the cross and about bowing down to Him. As the little guy sang, our friend began to weep. She said she had always seen Jesus on a cross, but as the boy sang to her she said she saw all her sins hanging on the cross instead of Jesus.

She realized that her sins put Him on the cross. She was overwhelmed with the vileness of her daily sins. She began weeping right there in the store as she told us about her experience. My heart burned as I wished for the same intimacy she knew.

This was the heart of Mary, of John and of the two on the road to Emmaus that day as they talked with the risen Lord. Their hearts burned as they realized what He had done for each of them. I want this burning heart not some religious routine or experience. I want to know Him and appreciate what He paid for me every day until I see Him face to face. How about you? Does your heart burn for more reality of His love and beauty? He's waiting for us to seek Him in a new way...

THINK ABOUT IT!

The Great Pretender!

At the end of the service the visiting minister gave an invitation to come forward for prayer. The prayer was for those who felt distant, dry and out of touch with Jesus. As I stood there in my pew, I felt such a pressure. The pressure was from God. My need was to step out into the isle and go forward for prayer. But there’s a problem: I’m the pastor.

Let me phrase that a little clearer. I’m the Pharisee as I stand in the pew. You see a Pharisee is a religious fraud. He looks good on the outside but inside he’s dishonest. He’d rather look good than be honest with God and admit his failings. That was my problem that Sunday morning. Was I willing to humble myself and come clean with God?

To step out into that isle, I would have to admit that the pastor had the same problems everyone else in the room was struggling with that day. My peace and sanity were raging war in my mind. Would I be a humble worshipper of Jesus or would I stay a fraud, protecting my own self righteousness?

As I stepped into the isle, I felt a wonderful relief take over my whole being. I was trusting again instead of trying. Trusting or trying? Worshipper or Pharisee? We all choose daily – moment by moment.

I see Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. I see her pouring out her life savings, an alabaster box of precious ointment, – a years wages – on Jesus head and feet. I see a woman of infamous reputation coming into Simon the Pharisee’s home - uninvited.

She can’t stay away from Jesus. She drops to her knees and begins to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. I see her again weeping at the foot of the cross. All the big strong disciples have run for their lives, except for John, another worshipper. Now I see her at the tomb weeping. She just can’t stay away from Him.

Mary intimately knew him while Simon the Pharisee only wanted to know about him. She loved him because he’d forgiven her much, therefore she could love much. Simon invited Him to his home so he could feel important. After all Jesus had just raised dead Lazarus to life and now both Jesus and Lazarus would be in Simon’s home for all to see!

In loving Jesus, Mary chose to worship him in every way, every creative way, she could. Do you and I want to know Him so we can feel important and personally blessed or do we want to know Him because we have caught a glimpse of WHO He really is?

Mary was a Jesus worshipper. Simon was a Simon worshipper. What are you, what am I? The chief aim of a true believer is “that I may know Him !” Mary knew Him. Do you and I know Him where we are today? If not, then we are failing Him. We are not here for self-actualization, but to know Jesus Christ. To often our Christian efforts are motivated by the work to be done and we feel we must do it. But the upward call is to know Him in all we are and in all we do. Yes, we must do the work but let’s do it unto Him. Then it’s true worship! If He’s not in it – what’s the point?

Jesus is still looking for true worshippers. The cost? Just everything! What will you pay? What will I pay? He paid it all. Everything! Nothing held back. After Mary’s humility in washing his feet with her tears Jesus told her that her sins were forgiven. Did she earn it? NO! No one can earn what only Jesus blood can do. So why could Jesus tell her that her sins were forgiven?

It’s the mystery of faith. Faith is not really a mystery. It’s just amazing. Amazing that God, the Holy God of heaven and earth, would allow us to believe, trust and demonstrate that believing and trust in true worship.

True worship IS faith and true faith is the action we demonstrate TO HIM. Look at the original passage from the New Testament book of Luke. “Wherefore I say unto you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. And He said unto her, Your sins are forgiven. And they that sat at dinner with Him began to say within themselves, Who is this that also forgives sins? And He said to the woman, YOUR faith has saved you; go in peace. "

Do we love much? That much?

THINK ABOUT IT!