I don’t know about you but there are times that my attitude really sucks. Life happens and sometimes it just doesn’t go the way I want it go. I find myself sinking into a pit of self pity and before I know it I’m mad at the world and they aren’t even aware of it.
Our attitudes are key to success in life and they are totally in our control. Most of the time we let out attitudes take control of us which, at times, produces negative results…depression, anger, fear, anxiety, and even doubt. But in saying that we have the capability to flip that script if we consciously take notice of the negativity before it settles in. Attitude is a choice. It always will be and regardless of our circumstances it’s our decision to ultimately make. Will we let negativity reign over us or will we take a step of faith to the possibility that better things are waiting just ahead of us if we’ll just hold on a little bit longer?
The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians that we are to be content in all circumstances and not to be anxious or look back but to strain forward to better days.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:11-13
I read that and want it to be that easy but let’s face it, it’s just not. Sometimes there are situations that we go through that take us down to a place where it feels like rock bottom is actually a looking up from where we are in that moment. There are times when we feel so defeated by life and people that we just can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel and our hope fades to a color we’ve never even heard of. That’s the exact moment that we need to realize that what we are going through is really meant for us to “grow through.” When we flip our mindset from dread to thankfulness and look for meaning in our mess instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, the winds of change in our attitude shift over to the positive side. Over time of flipping the script we will release the death grip a negative attitude has over our thinking and we will slowly resonate the fact that everything really does happen for a reason and this was all part of the plan.
I know something that really helps to change my attitude into the positive is when I do something for someone else. When I take my attention off of myself and place it on showing compassion toward another person I instantly feel a little better. Sometimes a lot better. Another way I force myself to change my crappy attitude is to go for a walk in the woods and quiet myself long enough to listen to the birds chirp and all the little sounds of the critters around me. There is nothing that humbles me more that to be in the middle of God’s grandeur and remind myself that it’s not all about me and there’s greater work that’s being done and I’m not the one in control. He’s got a plan and it’s my job to sit tight and see how it unfolds.
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
How can I be anxious or have a bad attitude when I know God has something so much greater just waiting for me?
I don’t have the magic formula for inner peace or being content in any given circumstance, let alone all circumstances, but I do know what works for me and that is shifting my focus off of myself and my struggles and pointing them toward compassion and doing for others, even in the smallest of ways. I believe we are supposed to use our lives, the struggles and mistakes, to make someone else’s life better and to inspire them to do the same.
A Very Simple Venison Burger Recipe That Will Quickly Become One of Your Family’s Favorites Also
I get asked to make this all the time!!! One of our family’s most favorite venison recipes EVER!!! And believe it or not, it has quite a story attached to it.
How The Recipe Came To Be
Several years ago I had seen a competition online for a women’s hunting and outdoor website and thought it might be fun to enter it. Prizes were involved along with recognition as a female hunter on this particular website. And although I am only a slightly competitive person, I thought it might be fun to step out of my comfort zone and just do it.
There was a long list of “to do’s” and points were earned by checking off the completed tasks.
Contacting businesses in the hunting industry and asking if you could review their products was one of the tasks we were asked to complete. We had to contact the business, ask them to send you THREE products, and then review it and write up a review to leave on the website. We were to keep ONE of the products for ourselves but send the other two to the website putting on the competition. I was on fire as far as contacting companies went. In fact, I am still friends with those contacts today. It was a huge learning experience for me but one that helped me meet people in the hunting circuit.
Another task we were asked to complete was to submit a wildgame recipe of our choice and we were to take a picture of our finished work.
I will interject here and just say that I have a chicken pot pie recipe that was to die for and I made it all the time for my family. I mean I made it at least once a week. It was that good.
Our Kids Can Sometimes Be Our Best Recipe Inspirers
Months prior to the competition, our son, Tyler, had suggested that I take my chicken pot pie recipe and tweak it, subsituting the chicken for deer or venison burger. I had never tried this but it peaked my interest. I was curious how it would compare to my already tried and true recipe. As it turned out Tyler had a good idea and that recipe would end up being a family favorite in our household.
That would be the recipe I submitted.
First, I prepared the pot pie and baked it. Feeling proud, I took a few pictures and submitted them. It worked out well. Because I needed something for supper that night and voila! That part was covered.
The next day I received an email stating that it would be great if I would take step-by-step pictures as I was making my recipe. Okay! Yes, I can do that.
Yet, another pot pie? Sure, no big deal.
Twice As Nice
Although it wasn’t what I planned to do, I baked another one. Step-by-step, picture after picture. I got it done. And yes, my family had to eat pot pie for a second night. They devoured the previous one for dinner the night before followed up by lunch. These are growing boys. It was fine.
Again, I submitted the pictures.
And again, I received another email saying that I would get more points IF I could do a video to show HOW TO make the venison pot pie. Of course I was up for that! How could I not be? I was trying to win.
Third Time’s A Charm
So here I go a THIRD time. I got all the ingredients, set up the camera, and videoed myself preparing yet ANOTHER venison pot pie.
I won’t lie. As much as my family loves my pot pies, by this point they were SICK of it. Three pot pies in three days! That’s a lot of vegetables for boys that don’t like vegetables. However, they were troopers and kept eating everything I kept making.
Long Story Short
I ended up getting second place in the competition, although I held “first” for a very long time. Proudly I can say that although I wore the welcome out of this family favorite, whenever I make it for our grown children they still devour it just like that very first time.
It will be one of those recipes that get passed down long after I’m gone. It thrills me to know that they still get excited when they stop by and I pull one of those pot pies out of the oven. You can bet that they grab a plate and a fork and sit down for a slice. It’s easy to make and I believe your family will love it as well.
A Few Simple Ingredients
All it takes is a very few ingredients to make this tasty venison burger pot pie and I even made a step by step video for you to follow along with. Here is what you need:
1. Brown burger 2. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly together 3. Fill into bottom crust and then put on top crust 4. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until nicely browned 5. Let cool and then cut
Watch The Video
Below is the step-by-step video in case you get stuck on what to do. By the way…YOU’RE WELCOME :).
This is such an easy recipe to make your family and takes literally and hour and a half at the most, including baking time. Even though I have friends that don’t like the taste of deer meat (or so they think), I always get rave reviews from them on this venison recipe. If you’re a mom like me that has many irons in the fire, this dinner classic will become a family favorite in your house. I can almost promise that.
Ever since I was a little girl I have always been obsessed with nature and exploring the great outdoors. There was just always something inside me that was sparked by watching butterflies flit from flower to flower, or listening to the different songs birds sing, or even so simply as studying squirrels gather their food for the oncoming winter. I was always in awe of it. When I was a kid, if you wanted to find me all you had to do was walk down the road through the neighbor’s pasture, to the little patch of timber down by the creek. I’d be busy making maps of my little forest and would give different areas and trees their own individual “names.” I grew up eating fried mushrooms, deer steaks, squirrel, and fried rabbit as my dad was an avid hunter and my mom was an amazing cook. Nature has always been a passion for me and a place I feel most at home.
By the fall of 2009, I had lost both parents and was basically “orphaned” at the age of 45. The passing of my mother hit me terribly hard and it was in that life altering event that I began to question whether or not I would be able to provide for my family, if times got tough enough, to have to go out and kill something. Would I be able to shoot something? What would I do after I killed it? How would I gut it and skin it? Heck, I didn’t even really know how to load a gun, let alone shoot it. Although my children were grown and were living their own lives, these questions weighed heavy on my heart. It was then God sent me an angel, the love of my life, my very own hunting mentor…and he bought me a bow.
From the very first time I buckled my release, nocked my arrow and drew back, I was hooked. There is nothing, in my opinion, more rewarding than bow hunting. My hunting experiences began with a rifle in 2010, where I shot my first spike, but my passion is hands down bow hunting. There is just something more challenging and traditional about hunting with a bow and arrow. Over the last five years I have shot and killed several does, a spike, even this past fall a wild hog. However, the deer I am most proud of is my first “mature” buck that I harvested this year during fall bow season…my 8 pointer.
That morning is still very vivid in my mind. The rut had just started and that particular morning, here in southwestern Missouri, was colder than it had been in the weeks past. Although I’ve only been hunting for 5 years, I have already acquired quite a hunting wardrobe and I was struggling between Under Armour Early Season or Scent-Lok Late Season. This might not seem like a big decision for some but for me I have a hard time pulling my bow back when I’ve got bulky clothes on so I was not really wanting to wear the heavy fleece. However, with the cold temps…heavy fleece it was.
I always believe that early is better and waking up early to prepare for your hunt is key. I normally get up at five o’clock so I can have my coffee and relax a little and think about what I need to take with me out to the stand. That morning was no different. I had my fanny pack filled a grunt call, doe bleat, rangefinder, and release. I sprayed down my clothes with scent free spray and my drag rag was saturated with doe estrus. I was ready to head to the stand. At about 6:15 I was in the stand, sitting in the dark, just listening and waiting for all the little critters to wake up. I always find it very peaceful in the stand. There’s just something about watching the darkness disappear as the first light takes over because for me it’s a little unnerving to walk out to your stand in the pitch black. As I sat there for what seemed like a very long time listening to the quiet sounds as well as watching my breath in front of my face, all of a sudden out of nowhere I heard the loudest, noisiest CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH coming from down the draw behind me headed straight up to my stand with the sound of purpose and intent. My first thought was someone was trespassing on my property. What I found when the heavy footsteps stopped and I looked down was an 8 point beauty strutting right out in front of me about 20 yards. I quietly stood up and positioned myself to draw back. With a racing heart, I calmly pulled back and put my 20 yard pin right on his vitals and “meh’d” at him to stop and turn and THWACK…I shot. He ran off. Although I know you’re supposed to stay in your stand for at least an hour or two to give the deer time to lay down and die, I was anxious and impatient and got down early and ended up pushing the deer farther than I needed to. That one mistake was costly. I shot the deer at about 7:30 a.m. and by 2:30 p.m. we were still following blood without finding my buck. Long story short we didn’t end up finding him until the next morning a very long way from where he was shot, down by the lake’s edge and the coyotes had been feasting on him all night. We dragged the buck back to the house and I tagged him but that moment was bittersweet for me. We all worked hard tracking him but in the end all we had was a rack and no meat. I take pride in putting meat in the freezer for all of us and I fell short with my first “mature” harvest.
The advice I would like my fellow huntresses to take away from my story is to appreciate the journey of hunting first. It’s about gaining more knowledge each season over the prior season and constantly growing in your experience. I think it’s important to learn new things every year that you can apply in order to grow as a hunter. If I could give three tips that I feel are most important I would say safety has to be number one because you won’t be able to hunt if you get injured. Secondly, live by the philosophy to fill your freezer first. Big bucks aren’t the most important. Feeding your family is. And last but not least…when you hit your target…WAIT! Be patient and sit. Pushing your deer could cost you all the hard work you’ve put in.
It’s Good To Remember Why We Started What We Started
I was trying to remember this morning when and why I started The Running Doe blog website. I couldn’t recall when I posted that first page and as we all do, the trail through the rabbit holes began.
My first official post was in February of ’16 and although it was short and sweet it was a definite reminder of the “why.”
I think we, as humans, all want our lives to have mattered when we’re gone and I truly believe that for the most part people just want to live a good life and share what they’ve learned with others. It’s about that right of passage…passing on what we’ve learned in life to make life easier for others.
The older we get the hotter that fire burns.
I love nature. I always have. I love learning new things and exploring new places. As I scrolled through old FB albums the common denominator with everywhere Wes worked was that I had days of exploring by myself and was completely comfortable with that.
Life is not something we’re tortured to get through. It’s a journey, an adventure sorta, with bills, responsibilities, trials and tribulations but also maneuvering relationships, experiencing new places and learning new things.
The Running Doe is about those things I’m passionate about…being out in nature, hunting, hiking, learning to do new things…and at one time I was an avid runner (hence the running part). I’m even passionate about those things I suck at and haven’t mastered yet 🤣.
It’s about my love of writing. I am a lover of words. It’s about using my life to make someone else’s better and in some cases just doable. I am grateful knowing that my mistakes in life, and there have been some doozies, have actually pulled others up out of their pits believing that if I could so could they.
That’s what it all began as and it’s still that almost 4 years later. It continues to evolve. Am I a know-it-all? Absolutely not, just ask my husband 🤣🤣🤣. But have I made my fair share of bad decisions and mistakes?
Yes!
Resoundingly YES! I’m just choosing to take those negatives and hopefully turn them into something positive and let my life stand for something good when it’s all said and done.
And really that’s something we can all do. Just use our lives to have a positive impact on others.
Tips That Will Not Only Get You On Your Way To Learning How To Read The Bible But Will Also Make It Enjoyable
Learning how to read the Bible does not have to be a daunting task. It can and IS fun if you will quiet your mind and learn how to LISTEN to what God is trying to tell you through the words on the pages…HIS WORD.
With an ever-changing world that seems to be turning uglier by the day, it’s not surprising that so many people are doing an “about-face” and turning toward God. And turning away from the constant negativity that it seems we’re witnessing in our culture.
I don’t know if it’s just my imagination but I see a tide-turning. Several Hollywood elitists, rappers, and sports figures, are turning to Christ and professing their newfound faiths.
It makes my heart happy to see Kanye West.
Not only is he giving his life to Christ but also rolling up his sleeves and getting out there to bring others to God. Through his new music and testimony, Kanye is changing others’ lives with his life.
He is leading by example. And in doing so he is showing others the Truth of the Gospel and is bringing people to follow Jesus.
How awesome is that? And in doing so, don’t you know that all those new believers are heading to Lifeway and Mardel, purchasing new Bibles and trying to get it all figured out.
It wasn’t that long ago that I was one of those people. I was a foreigner to understanding the Bible, and didn’t know which one to purchase or where exactly to get started.
Although I had amazing support surrounding me, I still had to actually do the work of understanding it. I had to wrap my head around just exactly what it was that God was trying to say.
Everyone has their own way of learning and understanding, I would like to share with you what works for me.
Learning to read and understand the Bible is not hard at all. I’ve had so many people over the years say to me “it’s too hard to read” or “I just can’t understand it.”
However, my favorite is “the Bible is boring and it doesn’t pertain today.”
If there has ever been a time that the Bible truly pertains to…it’s NOW! And boring? The Bible is a far cry from boring. It’s full of as much drama and dysfunction than any mini-series.
If you think the Bible is old, frumpy, outdated, and boring then it’s high time you open it up. I’ll show you just how to get started.
Let’s Get Started: Picking Out a Bible
The first thing you need to do is to go online or into your favorite bookstore and purchase a Bible that is easy for you to understand. NIV is my favorite translation although I have purchased several different ones because I like to compare.
If you’ve ever been to a Christian book store or looked online at Mardel or Lifeway then you know that there are a plethora of Bibles and different translations to choose from. My personal preference, however, is the NIV, the New International Version.
I’m not knocking any other version or translation, I just prefer the NIV because it’s easier for me to understand. I own what is known as a “parallel Bible” which has two versions that are columned side-by-side for easy comparison.
I continue to purchase new Bibles “in the midst of a moment” but always return to this one. I’ve even bought the EXACT same Bible in a different color, thinking I would use it more. I always return to the one I originally bought.
Next Up: Cute Little Supplies
I am all about being set up with supplies before I begin anything. It helps even more if they’re cute. Highlighters are a must when it comes to learning and studying. If you haven’t been to the store lately, there are some super cool ones out there.
My favorites are the Bible Gel Highlighters. These highlighters are acid-free and do not bleed on your pages. There are 10 different colors so you can highlight different themes.
Do NOT be afraid to write or highlight in your Bible. It’s yours. I used to think it was going against God if I wrote in my Bible. Not at all. In fact, I think God jumps for joy when he sees us so involved in learning the Bible that we’re marking in it in order to remember His Word.
Another item I have a lot of are magnetic bookmarks. Amazon has a bunch to choose from. personally, I like the ones that have scriptures on them. It makes it easier to try and memorize my favorites.
Christian Art Gifts has a pack of 12 that are really cute and at an affordable price. The great thing about the magnetic bookmarks is that they never fall OUT or fall DOWN.
You can’t really lose them. They’re easily moved from one page to another without the fear of ripping or tearing. An absolute must!!!
Bible Study Guides Make It Fun and Easy
Personal Bible studies make it not only easy but FUN to learn the Bible!! I pick up a different one each time I go into the store. Although I’ve overloaded my donkey on Bible studies, I’ve given myself a HUGE selection to study from whenever I decide to change it up a bit. Bible study guides are easy to use and they take it slowly so you can take your time without feeling rushed or bog down with information.
Studying the Bible with someone is an excellent way to spend time. And also to learn something you didn’t know before.
When you’re sharing the learning process with another person it just seems a little bit more fun. You remember not only the content but the silly memories made along with it.
My daughter, Kirsten, and my daughter-in-law, Ali, and I have completed several Bible studies. We meet up weekly at coffee shops and talk about that week’s lesson.
It’s a great way to make time to be together plus fellowshipping in the presence of God.
My daughter, Kirsten, and my daughter-in-law, Ali, and I have completed several Bible studies just meeting up weekly at coffee shops and talking about that week’s lesson.
I’ve got certain authors that are my favorites. Kelly Minter, Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, Lysa TerKeurst, and Lisa Harper are a few of the women that I love to study from.
“The Armor of God” by Priscilla Shirer is the first study guide I ever did. It was based on Ephesians 6:10 and putting on the armor of God to ward off the enemy’s fiery darts. It’s one of my very favorites that I highly recommend.
My all-time favorite will probably always be “David – Seeking A Heart Like His.” This study was on King David from his beginning to his death.
I actually cried when we finished this one. It’s funny how you can spend 11 weeks on something and miss it terribly when it’s over. David felt like he was part of my family when we got to that last page.
Kelly Minter’s No Other Gods Bible Study Guide
Media and Apps Are Also An Option For Really Digging In And Learning to Understand the Bible
Although I don’t really use any Bible apps, I know that there are a few out there that are popular. I, personally, like having my big, old bulky cumbersome Bible with me. If you want to keep in simple use a smart device to do your learning. You’ve got some great options.
Tecarta and Daily Bible Verse are two that I’ve used. If you click here you can see a complete list of the most popular out there today.
Online is where I go to watch sermons and Youtube has it all. Elevation Church is a church out of Charlotte, North Carolina, and it’s Pastor is Steven Furtick.
I LOVE this pastor and the sermons that he preaches. I’ve never heard a pastor who brings the Bible to life as he does.
I’ve probably learned more about the Bible from him than anyplace else. I actually put visiting Elevation Church on my bucket list. Last summer, while in North Carolina, I was able to attend a service there. I was on cloud nine and the sermon was just what I needed to hear that day.
Elevation Church has an online store where you can purchase DVDs with sermons on them for ANY amount. If you don’t have access to the internet these are perfect to put in your DVD player to watch. That makes it easy and gives you no excuses.
If I had to do without any of my references, DVDS would NOT be on the list. If I can’t get to my YouTube or my DVD’s, I’m lost.
I’d like to add that while playing back this video after I had downloaded it, I noticed a HUGE mistake that I actually said THREE or MORE times. I said in the video that the story of David is in 1 Kings and 2 Kings. I must have had “the kings” on my mind because the information I said is incorrect. The story of King David actually begins in 1 Samuel and ends in 2 Samuel. My bad!!!! Forgive me lol!! I LOVE the story of David, and I can NOT believe I messed that up!!!! I was going to redo my video but it took WAAAAY too long to upload.
Last But Not Least And My Favorite: Prayer Journals
Prayer journals are important. Having a journal to write my prayers and sermon notes has had an impact on how I retain scriptures.
I have already completed several prayer journals, which is a feat in itself. I’m bad about starting a journal and then never finishing it. I’m proud to say that I’m on “Number Four.”
I like Tuscany leather journals. I love the smell and the feel. After watching “War Room” I decided that I wanted to start writing my prayers down. Prayers led to sermon notes which then led to writing down and highlighting my favorite scriptures.
It’s interesting to go back to your first journal. You’ll see just how much you’ve evolved in your walk with Christ. It’s also fun to see how God answered some of my prayers.
Coffee shops and scones make the best spot for holding a Bible study with family and friends.
Whatever avenue you choose to go down, I can guarantee that it won’t be boring. You might just have some fun.
Surround yourself with like-minded people. Make sure that you have a strong support system helping you find your way on your path.
Reading the Bible and actually understanding it takes patience with yourself. Set aside quiet time to be able to hear what it is God’s trying to impress upon your spirit.
Most of all enjoy the journey. It’s not meant to be rushed. Take bite-sized pieces and chew slowly. Savor the flavor of God’s Word and let each scripture resonate in a place in your heart.
You’ll find favorite scriptures and you’ll share and pass them on to people who need them. And best of all, before too long you’ll be like me, sharing what you’ve learned, with folks just like you…Baby Christians.
Inspire others and use your life to lift up another person. Light the way for someone living in a dark place 🙂
