Sunday, August 26, 2001
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Sunday, August 26, 2001 |
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Alaska Here am I, Lord, send me! By DR. KNOX HERNDON
Anyone who knows me and has a conversation with me for more than a few minutes knows that eventually we will be talking about Alaska. It's not because I love Alaska and all its beauty, and it's not because every day is an adventure, and it's not because it fascinates me it's because it's in my soul! Isn't it interesting that what we love, we love to talk about? Yesterday my wife Dee and I drove to Tallapoosa, Georgia. Did you know we had a Tallapoosa, Georgia? I thought those towns were only in Alabama. It is about 60 miles west on I-20 toward Birmingham. Anyway, I had an appointment to see the owner of one of the largest taxidermy operations I've ever seen. His name is Bud Jones and his operation is really amazing. Inside his taxidermy business is the "Bud Jones Wildlife Museum." If you are running out of places to go and things to see, get in the car and drive the 60 miles to the museum. He has a Web site at www.budjonestaxidermy.com. There was something special about Bud Jones personally. He seemed to have his whole family in the business with him. There must have been seven or more employees that I saw while I was there. When Dee and I started to leave, one of the employees gave us two cassette tapes that Bud and his wife had recorded. One of the tapes was about his old dog Bleu and the other tape was about Jesus. Bud and his lovely wife had sat down and recorded old favorite hymns of the church. When I played them in my van, it brought back many memories of my earlier days in the ministry at our little country church in Alvaton, Georgia. It is interesting that what we love, we talk about. I have been standing in line at a 7-11 cash register and someone will say, "How bout them Dawgs!" I remember my mother often in Wal-Mart standing in one of the aisles near more merchandise than you could imagine, with her head bowed praying with some woman or man that she just bumped into and began a conversation. This woman was totally unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and would lovingly and boldly share with any and all who would listen. Now I will often hear my wife, Dee, on the phone praying with someone about the problems of life. Bud Jones and his wife no doubt work hard at their business in Tallapoosa working on a daily basis, but they took time to produce several tapes in song to their love of God and His son Jesus. By the time you read this, I will began packing and going over my list for spending my yearly pilgrimage 130 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska, to the town of Manly Hot Springs, to a black river slough called Baker Creek. This town of Manly has about 6-8 buildings and an airfield, and is on the beautiful churning Tanana River which connects with the mighty Yukon. Many legendary adventures have been hatched along these two rivers. I will marry up with Bill O'Halloran and our crew at North Country River Charters (NCRC) where we will drop off about 30 moose and bear hunting and fishing camps. I will be flying into Manly Hot Springs on the daily mail plane over the changing early fall trees. As the Chaplain for NCRC, I have sent Bill and Pat (Bill's wife Pat is the brains of the operation but please don't tell Bill) 30 copies of "Our Daily Bread" devotional books. These are neatly inserted into Ziplock bags along with a letter from me to all the camps. These men and women will have a lot of time on their hands to read while in camp. I solicit your prayers that they will find God through this "outback experience." Again, what we love, we talk about. In the letter I encourage all of the hunters to talk to God while they are out there and to listen to what He has to say back. What a novel idea! If you say, "Here am I, Lord, send me," then you need to get your priorities in line, pray, pack your bags, and be prepared to go wherever He leads, be it Tallapoosa, Manly Hot Springs, Fayetteville, or Senoia. To God be the glory great things He has done!
Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a former Army Chaplain. The church has moved to its new location south of Senoia on Ga. Highway 85, just below the fire station. Visitors are welcome. Church office and prayer line number is 770-719-2365. E-mail address is KHERN2365@aol.com.
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