Seasons End

HeartShots  “Outfitting the Heart of the Hunter”
Seasons End

As the sun set on the final day of the 2010/2011 deer hunting season, I couldn’t help but reflect on what has been yet another exciting season in pursuit of wild game.  After a lousy spring turkey and bear season, an action-packed deer season was much appreciated.  I had a number of awesome encounters with whitetail deer and experienced deer behavior rarely seen by the human eye.  But with the setting of the sun on the final day, I always seem to find myself with mixed emotions.  It’s sad to think that the months of bowhunting for deer have finally come to a close.  Yet, it’s exciting to think that the 4:30am alarm clocks will be over as well.  It is truly a bittersweet time as we close the chapter on another hunting season. 

Every year I go through the same ritual at the end of hunting season.  A debriefing process, if you will.  I evaluate what I did right, what I did wrong, as well as what could have been done better.  I review the mistakes that cost me greatly, and recount the shots…there’s always too many …that missed the mark.  I think about the encounters with deer that I’d like to be able to rewind and see them play out differently.  A do-over…a restart…anything…just let me try it one more time!  As blessed as we are to have such a long bowhunting season…it always seems to be gone before we know it. 

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And so it is with life.  It’s happening way too fast!  The different seasons of life come and go…leaving us looking back at what has been…and hopefully looking forward to what’s on the horizon.  For some time now, I’ve made a practice of looking back over the day as I crawl into bed each night.  I take a few moments to evaluate what I did today that will make a difference.  Did I do anything today that will have an impact on the life of my wife, my kids, or others?  What did I do today that brought glory to God?  Sadly, there are many times when I look back and realize that I failed to “sieze the day.”  There are far too many times when opportunities were before me to make an eternal difference in the lives of others…yet I blew it.  Let me just re-do the day…or relive the moment…I’ll do better!  But that chapter is closed…life is moving on.  And while it seems that we have all the time in the world to do and be something that will make a difference…the fact is, sooner than we think, the sun will set on our lives bringing our time on earth to a close.  

The verse, James 4:14, from the Bible is a reminder of how quick our season of life comes and goes.  It says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like a vapor…it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” 

So the next time you step outside on a chilly morning and see the breath rise from your lips…remember, that vapor is like your life.  It is here for a moment, and then it’s gone.  What will you do with it? 

 www.BroOutdoors.com 

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