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Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News

ARMADILLO ROUNDUP

(excerpted from my book Grandmother Hallie Bell’s Spiritual Elixir)

 by Ky M. Bishop

The book of Ecclesiastes uses several verses to talk about the futility of chasing or striving after the wind.  One example is found in Ecclesiastes 2:11.

 11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. NLT

 Do you realize how much time we spend chasing after things that we really don’t even need or want?  We spend energy, money and valuable time investing in things that tomorrow we simply set out for the garbage collector to take away.

 So much of our very short lives are spent in pursuit of things that have very little value, but for the moment they are things that we feel we can’t live without.  This futile concept reminds me of this little story.

 One excellent summer afternoon, my father and I went out to check on some cattle in a pasture not too far from Grandmother Hallie Bells ranch. As we drove along, I could see an armadillo rooting around in the tall brush.  I quickly asked my Dad if he would stop the pick-up and allow me to try and catch the armadillo and keep it for a pet.

 I am sure he never dreamed that I would catch the armadillo, and was probably up for the laugh that he would have at watching me chase down the critter, so he agreed to stop.  As quickly as he stopped the pick-up, I was out the door running through the tall brush in search of my prey.

 As I came closer the armadillo sensed me coming, and the chase was on.  Just about the time I came closer to where he was searching for food, he started running and bouncing through the tall brush.  Each time I thought that I had him; he would dart to the left or right leaving me to eat his dust. The chase continued for a good ten minutes while my Dad sat on the hood of the pick-up cheering me on.

 Just about the time that I felt like giving up, the armadillo made a stupid mistake; he charged head first into an old log lying in the field.  I assume he thought that he would be able to borough underneath the log and make his escape, but the log did not give way.

 I grabbed his tail, and lifted him high into the air for my dad to see.  All the while, the armadillo was clawing and struggling to free himself from my grasp.  

 Because my grasp was not equal to the armadillos struggle he was able to break free, and the chase was again in full swing.  This time however, we were both weary from the adventure and both were making stupid moves. After several stops, starts and dead end run a round’s, I was victorious in capturing my pet.

 I threw the armadillo into a tow sack (burlap feed sack) that was in the back of the pick up truck and down the road my father and I went.  The armadillo and I were both weary from the chase, but the armadillo was regaining its strength.

 As we were traveling down the road, I turned around to see how my new pet was handling the ride.  Just as I turned around I saw the tow sack covered armadillo spring about 5 feet into the air. It was the craziest sight to see a seemingly lifeless feed sack, jumping straight up into the air and landing back into the bed of the pick up truck.

 The armadillo continued to spring into the air for several miles until my father decided it might fly out of the truck and so he stopped. We made the decision to set my lively pet free along side of the road.  We decided that any animal with that much determination to be free, probably should be given parole. So I untied the tow sack, and let my energetic prisoner go free.

 I really thought I wanted that armadillo.  I thought about how impressed my friends would be with my unique pet.  I would be the only kid in the whole town with a pet armadillo.  I dreamed of the tricks I might teach my pet, and of the adventures we would have. How quickly though, the very thing I was willing to invest so much energy in seemed futile.

 The craziest thing about the whole adventure was that I was not the least bit upset at releasing my catch.  The real adventure was not the catch, but more importantly the pursuit. I had set out to run down an armadillo, and I had accomplished it. I could now mark that off of my life goals list.

 Today if you find yourself chasing after dreams, and things that don’t really have value, why not save your self the energy and let them go before you have to put them in a tow sack and do it later.

All Glory and Honor to God