In response 2... the long one

okay airman... good question. am i a lion slayer? yes i am...

there have been a few different occasions when the men in my life sat me down and put me to the test, encouraged me, kicked my butt a little.

there have also been times when i have been alone in the wilderness (sometimes figurative, sometimes literal) and i have been put to the test, and i have sometimes come away lionless, and sometimes i came out bloody and torn carrying my lion.

specifics?

i have often thought of hiking, and climbing to the top of mountains as a test of my manhood. when i was 18 i got really into hiking to the top of mountains in our area. it has been brutally hard, i have been lost, cold, hurt, discouraged, hungry, underprepared, and i often prayed for God to give me strength. and when i got to the top, i revelled in my accomplisment... but more than that, i revelled in what God had done, and how i was a small part in a much larger picture... i got a real sense of just how much bigger than me God really is. to be honest the one mountain that has always stood undefeated has been Mt Baker. my dad climed to the top when he was younger and signed his name in a log book up there, and i have always thought that i would be a real man when i did as well... 25 years, no Baker.

another test of manhood came for me in Bible School... i view the Bible as a sword that can be wielded against our enemy. in Bible school i went to train with the weapon of my warfare. i spent 5 years of my life becoming a warrior for Christ... i became a man. sometimes God used the sword against me, but it was only to make me leaner and stronger.

another test of manhood came to me when i was in love. i wanted to propose to the girl of my dreams, and i almost did, but i didn't have a diamond ring to give her. i vowed that if i wanted to marry her i should spend a big chunk of money to buy something precious (a diamond) to give her to prove my love to her. i was working a job that i hated... long hours, brutal work, a very demanding boss (good guy, we didn't always get along though) and it was overall a very tough job. everyday i thought, "this is my last day here", then i would think, "no... i need to buy a diamond for Becky" i was willing to put myself through almost anything to earn that diamond. i worked like a dog saving every penny i could possibly save ( i gave the money to my dad to hold until i had enough so i wouldn't spend it)...eventually i bought a ring, and married Becky.

i could go on about other lions, and other tests, but i would rather tell you in person sometime... thanks for always asking those kind of questions though...