Many of you don't know that for many many years, I trapped fur to make money. During grad school, and in my first several years in Alabama. I trapped fox and raccoon for the fur, and I trapped beaver for people who would pay me to get them off their property. It got me out of the house and into beautiful nature. I made a few dollars and had a lot of fun. I was never a big time trapper, but over the years I have caught quite a bit of fur, which brings me to my lates trapping adventure.
Last Saturday night, or maybe it was Sunday, Brenda saw a small dark animal scurry across the floor. I had heard a mouse gnawing, and so the next day I set a mousetrap. I baited it with crunchy peanut butter, and placed it along a wall. Setting mouse traps along a wall gives the mouse a better feeling of security. They prefer to travel along walls. Watch them a little while and you will see. It wasn't my optimal set, but should be good enough for a mere mouse.
The very first night Brenda heard the trap snap.
I hadn't lost my touch.
But next day, when I checked the trap it was sprung. I missed! Go figure. How could that happen?
Well, such is trapping. In trapping you are trying to get your trap positioned in just the right spot to catch it. Not foolproof.
I re-set the trap, figuring sooner or later, I'd get it.
On about the 3rd day an odor assaulted my nostrils. It sure smelled like a dead mouse, after 3 days of ripening.
We searched with no success. On Mother's Day Brenda had invited the kids and grands over for lunch. This meant that Sunday AM, she was desperate to rid our house of the now horrible smell. She looked again and this time, bingo! Finally we had found him.
Apparently, the striker had smacked the poor mouse hard enough to kill it, but not hard enough to hold it. Probably the mouse's front legs were also under the bar which allowed him to wiggle free. He was obviously mortally wounded, but he was able to travel about 5 feet.
I found the smell to be sickening, so perhaps I was the happiest one around when we disposed of the carcass.
That reminds me of the stench of sin in G^d's nostrils (see Prov 13:5; Eccl 10:1)
In contrast, consider Philippians 4:18
Last Saturday night, or maybe it was Sunday, Brenda saw a small dark animal scurry across the floor. I had heard a mouse gnawing, and so the next day I set a mousetrap. I baited it with crunchy peanut butter, and placed it along a wall. Setting mouse traps along a wall gives the mouse a better feeling of security. They prefer to travel along walls. Watch them a little while and you will see. It wasn't my optimal set, but should be good enough for a mere mouse.
The very first night Brenda heard the trap snap.
I hadn't lost my touch.
But next day, when I checked the trap it was sprung. I missed! Go figure. How could that happen?
Well, such is trapping. In trapping you are trying to get your trap positioned in just the right spot to catch it. Not foolproof.
I re-set the trap, figuring sooner or later, I'd get it.
On about the 3rd day an odor assaulted my nostrils. It sure smelled like a dead mouse, after 3 days of ripening.
We searched with no success. On Mother's Day Brenda had invited the kids and grands over for lunch. This meant that Sunday AM, she was desperate to rid our house of the now horrible smell. She looked again and this time, bingo! Finally we had found him.
Apparently, the striker had smacked the poor mouse hard enough to kill it, but not hard enough to hold it. Probably the mouse's front legs were also under the bar which allowed him to wiggle free. He was obviously mortally wounded, but he was able to travel about 5 feet.
I found the smell to be sickening, so perhaps I was the happiest one around when we disposed of the carcass.
That reminds me of the stench of sin in G^d's nostrils (see Prov 13:5; Eccl 10:1)
In contrast, consider Philippians 4:18
"But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God."
How do I smell today?
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