Shooting The Slingshot With Rachel

I was shooting Rachel’s slingshot at a barrel out in the woods by Dave and Roxanne’s house.  (Dave and Roxanne are our friends who live in northern Wisconsin.)  Out of about 30 shots, I hit the barrel 3 times.  I kept missing the barrel over and over again.

(I think their water may be spiked, but I’m not sure.  I kept seeing two barrels even though I know there was only one.  There may be “something” in the water.  I told Dave he should look in to it, but he said he liked the water just the way it was.  Then he laid down under a tree and took a nap.)

Rachel came outside and walked over to our slingshot shooting range and I gave her the slingshot to let her have a go at it.  She was having a little bit of trouble loading the marble into the pouch that holds the slingshot ammo, so I was thinking to myself, “Oh boy, I wonder if she’ll even be able to shoot this thing.  I hope she doesn’t get frustrated and just give up.”

On her second shot, she hit the barrel.  It took me about 10 shots to hit the barrel one time.

I said, “Wow, that was a good shot, Rachel!”

She said, “I know.”

Now look, I know God likes humility.  I know that it’s a characteristic that he wants to develop in each of us.  But, really.  Come on.  Am I such a slow learner that he even has to use a little target practice with a slingshot, out in the woods, to humble me?

(Apparently, the answer to that question is: “yes”.)

A few moments later, we heard some rustling over in the weeds and all of a sudden we saw a bear stand up on its hind legs.

Dave said, “Don’t move.  Remain motionless.”

Our hearts were gripped with fear as the bear was looking around.  He looked hungry.  (I could tell because it’s very rare that you see a bear wearing a bib.)

Very softly, Dave said, “Dan, slowly hand the slingshot to Rachel.  She’s our only hope.”

Now look, I know God likes humility.  I know that it’s a characteristic that he wants to develop in each of us.  But, really.  Come on.  Even in a life or death situation, I still have to be humbled?  Really?

So, the bear came walking over our way.  Pretty soon he was just a few feet away from us.  We were frozen in place.  Not moving a muscle.  Our breathing had practically stopped. The bear was sniffing my shoe.  And then he looked up at me and said, “Man, you are terrible with that slingshot.  Did you even hit the barrel one time?”  And he started rolling on the ground, laughing.

Now look, I know God likes humility.  I know that it’s a characteristic that he wants to develop in each of us.  But, really.  Come on.  Even a bear in the woods gets some zingers in on me?  Really?

So, I drank some more of that water and took a nap.