As I have mentioned before I suffer a setback common to most outdoorsman. Too many wants, too little resources. I have a 2004 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4X4. In my younger years I was an avid 4wheeler, or maybe more like a wanna be. I broke enough stuff on my first few vehicles to make a believer out of my dad, thats for sure. Any way, I thought I might one day grow out of this phase, and no longer enjoy the humm of a mud tire screaming down the road. Turns out I was wrong. Although I must admit I am more attracted to the expedition style rigs these days, as opposed to the rock crawlers. Here lately I have had my Tacoma on the brain 24/7. I recently purchased a campershell from a friend who sold his Tacoma. I still need to paint it to match my truck, but I love it. I stay awake at night thinking of how cool it will be to store all of my hunting gear in my truck all season long next year, and how I need to put in a herculiner bed liner, and how I need to build a false bottom with all sorts of compartments for all my other stuff and so on.... And that is just the beginning, I need to buy a whole new leaf pack from Old Man Emu because I run a 2.5 inch Add a Leaf right now that makes the truck ride like a dump truck. Along with that I will need new shocks (Bilstein 5100's), and new coil overs (OME 881's) for the front to replace the spacer. Then the other thing that I cant stop thinking about is a rear selectable locker like the ones that are standard on the Tacoma TRD's. Ohh how nice it would be to have a TRD. But before all of this lets not forget I will need new tires soon, what tire should I get and in what size? Do my 265/75/16's look small ? I have not even mentioned the fact that ever since I got in a wreck (THAT WAS NOT MY FAULT) my front bumper has been a little dented and crooked, How great would an ARB bumper look on the front of my truck, and why not go ahead and throw in the winch too, the 2 go hand in hand.If only I could have all of this stuff..... Then I could start to seriously consider an ARB selectable air locker for the front diff. HAHA, its never ending. Luckily my truck came from the factory with 4.30 gears so I can run a larger tire without having to re-gear. I guess I will have to take it one step at a time. I got the campershell, that is a big step. This stuff has been driving me crazy, and it will just have to keep on doing that, because those wishes arent coming true anytime soon. I really need to replace some of my camo before next deer season rolls around, there goes a couple hundred. I need a dozen arrows and new broadheads, my rubber boots are beginning to dry rot and I dont even have a stand to hunt from. I used a friends climber all season this year, I am sure he will want it back. My binocs cost 17$ 4 years ago, they only work at high noon(just kidding, but not a big stretch), and if I had a scope on my 8mm Mauser I would have probably killed a nice buck this year, those iron sights just dont cut it in low light. Wouldnt it be great to have another gun, maybe a revolver, maybe a lever action 30-30(always wanted one of those)or maybe another 270 WSM(my favorite caliber, I sold my last 2 for different reasons). Not to mention, I always hunt on gamelands. How nice would it be to have access to private land away from the crowds and crazies.Maybe I should lease some land next year. I also need waterfowl decoys in the worst sort of way.
What is funny about all of this stuff I have mentioned is that is doesnt even make the list( the long long list) of things we really need according to my wife, rightfully, painfully so. I listed all of this stuff just to give you a bit of an insight into some of my mindset here lately. Recently Steffi had a real health scare and it has really reset both of our perspectives. Right now it looks as if everything will be just fine, but a few days ago our world nearly turned upside down. This has all played out in the best possible scenario up to this point and it has really brought us closer together and began to strengthen our marriage. I do not believe that God brings on sickness or hardship to anyone, but I think sometimes he allows it, giving us a chance to learn something we would not have otherwise learned and increase our faith in him. One of our prayers recently has been for God to reveal a part of himself to us that we never knew before, and he really has. We often hear of people talking about how God provided for them in some amazing way, or how God healed them, or how he taught them something, but when it comes to ourselves, we often believe we are the exception. The one person too far isolated from God by our actions and mistakes to know him as a healer, provider, or Savior etc... Instead of living out our lives apart from God, we should understand that God constantly pursues each of us and he wants us to trust in him completely. All things do work together for the GOOD of those who love him. (Romans 8:28) Consider this, in your next trial, hardship, or battle, perhaps God wants to reveal himself to you in a new way. The Bible says that his grace is sufficient for ALL of our needs, and that we are made righteous through faith in his son Jesus, not through our lack of mistakes, proper behavior, or knowledge of God, its a matter of the heart.
Through all of the stuff with Steffi I have learned a few things about my self, whats important, and what I really want. That list of things above is on my mind all the time, but I dont need any of it. The other day I chose to make a decision in Church when our Pastor read this verse Luke 12:34, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Of course I treasure my wife more then those things, but often I fail to show it. When I realized this it literally changed me. Being married is probably the hardest thing, and the most natural thing I have done. When Steffi and I got married I vowed to always put her first, to treasure her, to make her feel irreplaceable to me, because she is. Through her being sick I realize I have failed up to this point. I havent been unfaithful or anything along those lines. I just need to be my best for her and to her. A pastor once told me just in case he died before his time, he was gonna make darn sure that no other man could be a better husband to his wife then he was. I am thankful now for the opportunity to do that.
And to think all this stemmed from a simple verse I have heard 1000 times before. Funny how that works.
-Andrew
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I hear ya brother. I traded in my 95 Taco last fall for a 2010 Taco TRD. Sad to see the old girl go, but the new one is NO LIE. Even though the stock tires are cheesy, and given the payments $$$$, I can't afford to replace them until at least 30K miles.
ReplyDeleteWhen my wife got pregnant last year and we were sure it would "take", I joined a hunt club on the eastern shore of MD (about 90 minutes from home). I can't even begin to tell you how stress-free my hunting season was last year. Every day, I knew exactly who would be on the farm, and generally where they'd be, and I'd have info from the farmer on anything that the ducks/deer/geese were up to. Best money I've spent hunting in a LONG time. No worry about overcrowding, vehicle breakins, people setting up on your spot, etc.
With a baby in the house - that's what it's about - getting outdoors without having to kill yourself to prepare, and "be the first one at the public ramp" at 2:30am, even though shooting time is 6:50am. I am pretty much DONE with that, at age 36.
I found your blog last winter somehow...also a huge outdoorsman and an ASU alum - wife's family is from Boone; we live in Baltimore MD now.
If you're looking for basic duck decoys (blacks, mallards), my wife would be thrilled if we took some down to NC (her parents live near Hickory now) and did not bring them back. Free, if you think you'll actually use them.