More Precious than Gold
Spike Buck
Years ago, I took my stepson, Bobby, deer hunting. As a twelve year-old, Bobby had never actually shot at a deer before, so we sat together in a box stand overlooking a corn feeder that hung at the end of an oat patch about seventy yards away from us.
About 4:30 p.m., a spike buck stepped cautiously into the oat patch and made his way to the corn feeder where he began to graze on the corn that was on the ground. I whispered, "Get ready, Bob."
As Bob hoisted the .300 Savage up and pointed the muzzle out the window of the stand, he began to breath so fast and hard that I thought he was going to hyperventilate. "Calm down. Breathe slow and deep," I encouraged.
My encouragement went unheeded as he kept on breathing fast and hard. I could hear his heart pounding in his chest. He peered through the scope. I could see the end of the barrel whirling like a tilt-a-whirl. "Find him in the scope, take a deep breath, blow it out and gently squeeze the trigger," I directed.
It sounded as if he was trying to blow out the candles on his birthday cake. All of a sudden…BOOM!! The deer looked quickly around as if to say, "What in the world was that?!?" before he bounded from the food plot.
I sat back in the stand. "I'm not sure you got him," I said. Sure enough, about 10 minutes later, I saw the same buck stick his head through the yaupon thicket at the far end of the food plot, look from side to side, then ease back to the corn feeder.
Bob started hyperventilating again. The gun pointed out the window and the muzzle looked like he was stirring a pot of grits on the stove. "Make sure you're steady. Blow out your breath and squeeze."
BOOM!! The deer bolted again. "Did you get him that time?" I asked. "I think so!" Bob replied. "Let's wait awhile and we'll go check it out," I replied.
About fifteen minutes later, dusk was beginning to fall on us as the little spike buck stuck his head back out of the yaupon again. He looked to the left and to the right before sneaking right back to the corn feeder where he began to chow down.
Bob began to breathe hard and fast again. "Do I try again?" Bob asked. I shook my head, "No, Bob. I think that deer deserves to live to see another day. Let's give him a break!"
Bob and I unloaded the gun, crawled out the door of the stand and left for the truck as the little buck continued to eat his fill of corn in the near darkness.
That little story was one of the first times that Bobby and I had spent together as a new stepdad and stepson. It provided many laughs through the years and helped us to form a bond.
Now Bobby has his own children to bond with and to have those memories that he will never forget. Those times are precious and special, and help us to reach each other in the love with which God has blessed us all.
Matthew 6:19-21; "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Those treasures can include those special times where we share life, love and laughter with those whose lives we share. Be sure to reach out in love to those that God has brought into your life. You just might find a treasure more valuable than gold.
