Grizzly!
Journal 2005 05 26
Grizzly!
It is early spring on the plains and the young soldiers of the Corps of Discovery have seen temperatures reach the high seventies then fall to the high forties overnight! Today is the second of three straight days in the eighties.
When you have sudden temperature changes high winds result because of the massive amounts of air that must trade places. On the plains, this massive air exchange is unimpeded by mountains or trees. Several times during this expedition the Corps is forced to hunker down and wait for the high winds to pass before they “proceed on”.
Lewis has plans to build a lightweight, steel-framed boat intended for navigating the waters that the large keelboats cannot. The hunting parties begin to take elk for their hides in addition to meat because elk hides will be used cover the boat. Elk hides are desired in the wilderness because of their strength and suppleness. Elk hides are also thicker than most other hides. We’ll touch on the “portable” boat concept later. Invention and experimentation will always be in the heart of man. Meriwether Lewis was no different and would pursue his version of the “folding two pound Kevlar kayak guaranteed never to leak or break”.
The Expedition was rich in biology because of the many new animal species that were discovered. Between zoos and National Geographic we are familiar with unusual species of animals from around the world. This knowledge was not available to the world of the early 1800’s. In the past few weeks Lewis and the hunters have been able to kill their first example of a bighorn sheep.
This first encounter with the prized bighorn sheep was noticeably less dangerous than the first encounter with the large bear of Indian lore they would meet upriver. The first grizzly bear that Lewis shot was around three hundred pounds. Lewis immediately assumed that the Indians told stories and feared the bears because they lacked the power of the .54 caliber musket ball in their modern rifles. One shot, one kill. The goal of riflemen throughout history.
The next encounters changed Lewis’ assumption and gave credibility to the respect the Indians had for the grizzly. Although no one was killed, the men found their curiosity satisfied after several encounters with much larger bears. Many times the tough, old grizzlies took musket ball after musket ball before falling near the feet of the last man firing. The men quickly discovered that when agitated to the point of charging the grizzlies would run in a straight line toward its intended target. A strategy was devised where the men would form a line, fire and then step aside as the wounded bear charged on by to the next rifleman in the chain.
Lewis recorded in his journal that the men had satisfied any curiosity they held for the big bears and would no longer pursue them.
Pastor Norm spoke Sunday of the reality of the battle and our enemy. We have an enemy who desires to steal, kill and destroy. Whether we “believe” it or not.
Psalm 140 speaks of those who scheme against us. David also outlines some of their scheming.
We live in relative peace and make assumptions about our threats, our enemies, much like Lewis did about the mighty bear of Indian legend. Lewis dismissed the threat to ignorance and lack of modern technology. A little arrogant. A little prideful maybe? A little too much like us when we hear a message like the one we heard on Sunday? “Not me, I don’t have any enemies. I’m peaceful therefore no one would attack me,” we say. “Even if they did attack me I have unmatched tools to deal with them. I have doctors, lawyers, courts, and ultimately, medicines to fend off any attempts to throw my life off my intended track. And if that all fails, I can try my pastor and prayer.”
Will we listen to the one charged with our care? He is charged as a shepherd is charged with the care of the sheep under his care. His first responsibility is our safety. His second is safe pasture and good water. Psalm 23 must be a foundation stone for every pastor and leader in our churches throughout history. It is the simplest of examples of pastoral care. It is also the simplest of examples of the response of the church.
“GOD, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.” (Psalms 23:1-6) The Message Bible
Is your mission compromised by an arrogant assumption that even the largest and toughest of our enemies is no match for our modern weapons and peaceful intentions? Just as the men of the Corps of Discovery found that the only way they could safely overcome the large predator was to form a “picket line” of men with muskets so that “modern” weapons could be marshaled against a foe that would overrun a single man with a single musket.
If our threat is large enough, we will seek the company of many. Wisdom comes in seeking that company before any threat appears. We speak of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as though just the two of them made it. Without the company of twenty-nine other brave souls the journey would have been an exercise in foolishness.
Let us take this daily musing as a call to community and the care of those charged with our welfare. From our Father in Heaven, to His Son sitting at His right hand through the Holy Spirit resident in our hearts and the shepherds called to find green pastures and still waters.
Grizzly!
It is early spring on the plains and the young soldiers of the Corps of Discovery have seen temperatures reach the high seventies then fall to the high forties overnight! Today is the second of three straight days in the eighties.
When you have sudden temperature changes high winds result because of the massive amounts of air that must trade places. On the plains, this massive air exchange is unimpeded by mountains or trees. Several times during this expedition the Corps is forced to hunker down and wait for the high winds to pass before they “proceed on”.
Lewis has plans to build a lightweight, steel-framed boat intended for navigating the waters that the large keelboats cannot. The hunting parties begin to take elk for their hides in addition to meat because elk hides will be used cover the boat. Elk hides are desired in the wilderness because of their strength and suppleness. Elk hides are also thicker than most other hides. We’ll touch on the “portable” boat concept later. Invention and experimentation will always be in the heart of man. Meriwether Lewis was no different and would pursue his version of the “folding two pound Kevlar kayak guaranteed never to leak or break”.
The Expedition was rich in biology because of the many new animal species that were discovered. Between zoos and National Geographic we are familiar with unusual species of animals from around the world. This knowledge was not available to the world of the early 1800’s. In the past few weeks Lewis and the hunters have been able to kill their first example of a bighorn sheep.
This first encounter with the prized bighorn sheep was noticeably less dangerous than the first encounter with the large bear of Indian lore they would meet upriver. The first grizzly bear that Lewis shot was around three hundred pounds. Lewis immediately assumed that the Indians told stories and feared the bears because they lacked the power of the .54 caliber musket ball in their modern rifles. One shot, one kill. The goal of riflemen throughout history.
The next encounters changed Lewis’ assumption and gave credibility to the respect the Indians had for the grizzly. Although no one was killed, the men found their curiosity satisfied after several encounters with much larger bears. Many times the tough, old grizzlies took musket ball after musket ball before falling near the feet of the last man firing. The men quickly discovered that when agitated to the point of charging the grizzlies would run in a straight line toward its intended target. A strategy was devised where the men would form a line, fire and then step aside as the wounded bear charged on by to the next rifleman in the chain.
Lewis recorded in his journal that the men had satisfied any curiosity they held for the big bears and would no longer pursue them.
Pastor Norm spoke Sunday of the reality of the battle and our enemy. We have an enemy who desires to steal, kill and destroy. Whether we “believe” it or not.
Psalm 140 speaks of those who scheme against us. David also outlines some of their scheming.
We live in relative peace and make assumptions about our threats, our enemies, much like Lewis did about the mighty bear of Indian legend. Lewis dismissed the threat to ignorance and lack of modern technology. A little arrogant. A little prideful maybe? A little too much like us when we hear a message like the one we heard on Sunday? “Not me, I don’t have any enemies. I’m peaceful therefore no one would attack me,” we say. “Even if they did attack me I have unmatched tools to deal with them. I have doctors, lawyers, courts, and ultimately, medicines to fend off any attempts to throw my life off my intended track. And if that all fails, I can try my pastor and prayer.”
Will we listen to the one charged with our care? He is charged as a shepherd is charged with the care of the sheep under his care. His first responsibility is our safety. His second is safe pasture and good water. Psalm 23 must be a foundation stone for every pastor and leader in our churches throughout history. It is the simplest of examples of pastoral care. It is also the simplest of examples of the response of the church.
“GOD, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.” (Psalms 23:1-6) The Message Bible
Is your mission compromised by an arrogant assumption that even the largest and toughest of our enemies is no match for our modern weapons and peaceful intentions? Just as the men of the Corps of Discovery found that the only way they could safely overcome the large predator was to form a “picket line” of men with muskets so that “modern” weapons could be marshaled against a foe that would overrun a single man with a single musket.
If our threat is large enough, we will seek the company of many. Wisdom comes in seeking that company before any threat appears. We speak of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as though just the two of them made it. Without the company of twenty-nine other brave souls the journey would have been an exercise in foolishness.
Let us take this daily musing as a call to community and the care of those charged with our welfare. From our Father in Heaven, to His Son sitting at His right hand through the Holy Spirit resident in our hearts and the shepherds called to find green pastures and still waters.
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 9:35 PM
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