I'd like to tell a story

[D Crockett]

Boaz this is the kind of stuff that great books are made of. you had me spell bound the whole time I was reading it thank you very much for sharing it D Crockett

[Boaz]

Thank you D Crockett .

At the time this happened I was being irresponsible , taking off to the west coast on a bike I knew wouldn't make it most likely . I set myself up to fail . In retrospect I know GOD protected me , I put myself in a bad situation by my own foolishness . GOD tried me in my weakness but provided for me at the same time .

If you old enough or you that understand history know those were trying times in many ways . There were many like Andrew and Micah , it was a changing time for our country . When I posted this thread when Manson had just died ..it made me think . I don't think about my time with Andrew and Micah much at all , it was just something that happened . I wanted to leave that camp the evening I got there and that feeling only grew . I was never for a second tempted to join with this group . False teaching by men possessed , men wanting assurance of their ideas by gathering those that were easily deceived into their madness to support them . Satan was in that camp , the filth , the using of GOD's word defiled with lies , the control of Andrew and Micah beating people down But they never really tried to 'convert' me like they did others . I was just an observer there , for some reason they didn't verbally beat me down like they did others they brought into camp .

[30calflash]

Thank you for sharing your story and testimony.

[Boaz]

To many it might seem I suffered but I didn't . The desert was hot but I grew up in Texas and had never known air conditioning . Talking about sleeping on a hollow core door and making a straw bed in a horse lot . But my dad was born in a dugout in Oklahoma , he took me 'camping' in the Red River valley with what we could carry . Drank out of seeps in the bluffs , he showed me how to find water , we went fishing and if we didn't catch anything he fried up the minnows we used for bait . Camping was fun with dad , he knew how to 'make'' it .

In his 60's we went to lake Edelman 60 miles south , camped out ..basics . He let me drive the 54 Chevy around on the dirt roads . I took my 22 and shot rabbits , when I brought a couple in he would praise me and just say ...Skin em out we'll have em for lunch . We ran trotlines . When we left town we took 4-5 chickens , ate the eggs as we camped and had fried chicken along . Lol, didn't come back with any chickens . He taught me to make do .

[LAH]

Nothing like fresh chicken but I'll pass on the fried minnows please.

[Boaz]

We had made a plywood flat bottom boat and I run the trotlines , to have fish for breakfast was imperative ! Didn't matter if catfish , drum or carp but had eggs with toast and mom's jelly and coffee ...lol .

[Boaz]

Nothing like fresh chicken but I'll pass on the fried minnows please.

I understand but better than going hungry ...lol mind over matter and accepting what is .

[Boaz]

Fry em crisp and eat bones and all . Ain't bad .

[Kawriverrat]

An entertaining read. Yes it was... Jeff

[Hickok]

Charlie, thanks for an interesting read, as I really enjoyed it.
I "came of age" in the same era. Also, have ridden the 250 Suzuki single cylinder, as well as the Suzuki 250 Hustler twin cylinder street bike, back in the day!

[Boaz]

Thank you Hickok . I preferred Suzuki's , bought a 1000 Suzuki in 79 ...last of the chain drive models . Wanted a good chain drive before they disappeared . Hard times in the 80's and sold it , last bike I owned . BUT ! I went yesterday and gave up my CDL (Commercial drivers license) . I didn't need it anymore and knew I couldn't pass a CDL physical , but I retained my motorcycle license....never know ..LOL .

[Boaz]

I put this story up to share an experience , there is no self glorification here . The whole story was one of failure from the get go . It could have ended much worse . GOD was with me , God has shaped us . If you think back through good times and bad it made you who you are . We don't really think about it a lot , to me this story is just something that ..'happened' . Though we fail our Lord forgives and guides , we will not understand the limit of his love and mercy in this life because we are incapable .

I knew GOD , I was raised in church , my parents taught me from the bible from my earliest recollection . I have never doubted the existence of GOD . But at that age I laid GOD down and did what I wanted to do . The world had great allure and I wanted to experience it .

[castalott]

Your story is exactly what I have always said... Our experiences ( and what we make of them) are what makes us.. We are the sum of them...

Thanks, Dale

[Thundarstick]

It's truly not what that happens to us that makes us, but what we do with what happens to us that form us!

[Boaz]

They say GOD works in mysterious ways . But not really , he works in his way , our father in heaven works in his way . If you can read this he has sustained you , he has loved you beyond our capacity to understand . His love farther than our reach , his mercy is beyond our grasp , his patience is without measure , his goal is to be with us for eternity .

We understand , faith and only faith . To listen to that small still voice and clear our mind . GOD is with us and all around us .

[square butte]

Amen to that!

[Boaz]

And the word was GOD .

Read ...read the word . Christ died to give it .

John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

[Boaz]

Ah , the word . Many hesitate , it seems hard but it is not . Seek help , council . It is interesting , it draws you in to understand . I am a fundamental Baptist . I am allowed to explore and find meaning of GOD's word. But I consider myself a fundamentalist with a broader view . We are all in this together , but reading GOD's word is necessary , understanding .Read your bible .

[Boaz]

It takes so little to read a book of GODS word . The word that guides , the word that saves .

[MT Gianni]

I also enjoyed reading this. I had a friend ride a Suzuki 175 from Montana to Pennsylvania, but that wasn't the lesson I learned here.