Thoughts of a Mrs. Modern-Day Mountain Woman Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Put your powder into lead barrels.

One year for Christmas, my kids were given a replica vintage Oregon trail game. It has been such a fun game for them. It reminds my husband and me of the Oregon Trail game from our childhood with the floppy disks and big screens. Our youngest child will go to the trading post of the game and buy very little food and supplies, but as many bullets as is allowed. His ultimate goal is to see how far he can get his wagon load of people just with his hunting prowess. He doesn’t usually make it too far into the game before the necessities of the travel are needed (wagon tongue and wheels, clothing, steady food source). In real life, he likes to see what he can create from just the things around him. Many days he will spend the day outside with his pocket knife and a rope and is able to spend the whole day playing and creating adventures for himself. Many a day has been spent trying to create a trap for a bunny or squirrel. Never once have we caught one in the yard, but that hasn’t diminished his efforts to try, experimenting with new and different methods that just may allow him to reach his goal.

Mr. Modern-Day Mountain Man started his chapter with a quote from his favorite show, MacGyver. This is from the MacGyver of the 1980s, not the present-day show. Sad to say, before meeting him, I had never seen this show. Now I’ve seen every episode, as have our kids. Our youngest even has the (unattainable) goal of growing a mullet to look just like his T.V. hero. “MacGyver” has become a verb to describe adapting to the situation and making the best out of what you have to fix the problem at hand. Using creativity and ingenuity to solve a problem instead of quitting and accepting defeat is what makes life successful. Isn’t it a great feeling to be presented with a problem, only to come up with a creative and workable way to solve the problem?

God created us to be wise and thoughtful people. He may have asked Noah to build a boat, but He didn’t leave him alone throughout the process and He definitely provided the ability and knowledge to make the ark a success. God provided the wisdom to create a life-saving device that would save the next generations of humanity, all Noah had to offer was a physical, mental, and spiritual willingness to obey his Creator. What a challenge it was though, to build such a massive structure, all without the use of a power crane or power tools.

Shadow in the Sun.

Put your powder into lead barrels. What an ingenious thought! To make a waterproof carrier for this necessary supply that then could be used in conjunction with the very supply it was carrying was incredibly intelligent. Many backpackers try to use such devices that are two-fold. The hiking stick that is also a tripod for your camera or a spork that’s both your spoon and fork, both of these have multiple purposes in one device. Lewis and Clark’s lead powder keg definitely wasn’t lightweight, but as they would have had to take along lead for their bullet making, it was wise to use the bullet making lead as the powder carrier.

Throughout life, we may have many chances to use a tool wisely and to its full potential. I challenge you to be a useful tool, allowing yourself to be used by God for His purposes. Be like Noah, willing to do what God asked and able to use the skills God provided to reach the end goal. “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.” Hebrews 11:7. Step out in faith, allow yourself to be used by God in more ways than you ever thought possible, be the barrel and the gunpowder at the same time.