Full_Cry-Dec-2011-National_Treeing_Cur_Assoc-Amy_Kovac ...

Featured
Members of the
Month:
John Ashley and
Briar Wilson
Delilah, an Original Mountain Cur, owned by John Ashley and
family, from Allen Franklin’s stock
your family. In fact, that same weekend, we took Jason Fischer’s
OMCBA Mountain Cur Tyke and crossed him onto Kiss, the
Walker who is mother to Heaven, Red Bull, the late Hanna and
Jake. Tyke is up there in age and this way, Jason would have a
piece of his family dog and also an outcross for his breeding program
down the line. I don’t know if any of these took yet, but we
did our part to lay the future for our families just like our feature
John Wilson is doing for his.
Jason has come over not to just breed dogs, but also to work
them. He has brought his son Briar along too. When Briar came,
they brought Pickles. I really like her. Sadly, I wasn’t feeling the
greatest that night so Billy joined Clay in working dogs with
them. It really is nice having the Fischer family so close. Jason’s
nephew is the quarterback for the Desoto High School football
team. Clay is really considering moving to this local high school
next year. That is his choice and I won’t push him, but he seems
ready to move forward in this new life and leave bad memories
behind. As a whole, we are ready for a fresh start and this town
has been wonderful for that.
Speaking of Jason, it is that time when I share with you his
monthly column. I hope you enjoy it – especially since I was leaving
to get married and had to get it all in early. Jason also had to
work late at the last minute (sorry Jason!) because of my upcoming
trip to Vegas to get married.
Sacrificially, Not Selfishly
By Jason Fischer
As I sit down to work on another devotion for our Treeing Cur
column, I have just left our "old" church building. A few men and
myself have been working on some furnace and gas piping issues
that were so kindly brought to our attention by the local gas
company inspector. The five of us started a task that will probably
take us into next week as we work around family, life, and
work schedules.
As we were finishing up, I began to think about how this labor
could be perceived. Many would think that doing this work on
the church would be a great place to "earn" a little favor in the
eyes of God, the congregation, and the community. After all, we
were sacrificing of our own time with our families and other
responsibilities to do the "work" of the Lord. It would be an easy
place to set a foothold and gain a higher ground perspective on
all the lowly people that did nothing to help out in a time of need.
Our perch on top of the mountain of "goodness" would allow us
to be seen by all and receive our praise.
The real problem with this is there is only one person in all
of this that gains and that person is self. If we were to do all of
this work in hopes of recognition (I can guarantee it's not), then
it all points back to how great a person we are. It does not give
glory to God, but glorifies our own personal actions.
In James 3: 16 it states, "For where jealousy and selfish ambition
exist, there is disorder and every evil thing."
This verse does not carry qualifiers with it. It simply states
that if you work out of jealousy or selfishness - it is not going to
go well. Whether it is work at a church, with a great organization,
or in your backyard kennel God promises us that if we do it
while we pursue the wrong goals, then it will never work.
I know that I have spent much time on this subject, but it just
keeps coming up. Prove me wrong. Take a look back at your
own life and see the things that you have done with the wrong
motives and see how they end. Do you see friendships
destroyed? Relationships lost? Opportunities gone to the wayside?
I would venture to say that those questions will carry the
honest answer of "yes." Now look back at the decisions you
made that were "pure in heart." How do they end? I would gather
to say that it's the total opposite of the previous.
James 3:17-18 says,"But the wisdom from Above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits,
unwavering, without hypocrisy.
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by
those who make peace."
May we all venture out to do the things we ought to do with
our hearts in the right place making everyone and every situation
that we touch with our lives show the Love of Christ in all that we
do. Sacrificially, not selfishly.
Thank you, Jason, for taking the time to share these words of
wisdom with us. I always find it interesting to see if there is any
connection to what you write and what I write when I go to fit
them in together. I think your piece of the column goes beautifully
with the theme that our actions today will be the basis of our
memories tomorrow.
Even though this column is far from what I need to cover, I am
officially out of time! I am now set up with an office and pretty
well sorted so we will cover more official Treeing Cur news in the
next column after my wedding this weekend. By the time this
comes out, my favorite holiday will be here – Thanksgiving. I
hope you take the time to show gratitude for those who are there
for you in your life. Even though there are things in life I wish
were different, all of us can learn from bad behaviors and those
things we’d like to see changed. Sometimes the best learned lessons
come from the hardest moments and things in life. No matter
what though – if something causes us to be a better person –
then we should be grateful for the growth this gave to us. Have
a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving from everyone here in
Desoto and the NTCA!