Little John and Mr. A. Go Rabbit Hunting

“Oh, boy! Oh, boy!! It’s a snowin’ Mom, Mom,” hollered Little John, “can me and Mr. A. go rabbit huntin’ today?”

“I guess so if Mr. A. can go and if you promise to be back in time to help your dad with the chores.”

So, Little John grabbed his coat and cap and off he ran, hollering at Mr. A, who lived across the road.

“Mr. A.! Mr. A.! Mom said I can go rabbit huntin’ if you can go?” Little John yelled as he ran up onto Mr. A’s porch.

“What’s all the hollerin’ about, Little John?” Mr. A. asked as he opened the door.

“It’s a snowin’ and we need to get ourselves down in the field there where them rabbits will be a scurrin’ around and get us some. Mom’ll fry up a bunch of ‘em for supper tonight if we get back in time. And, you can come and eat with us.” Said Little John.

So, off they went. Mr. A. with his shotgun and Little John, his trusty .22.

“Why you take that old shotgun, Mr. A., instead of a .22 like mine?” inquired Little John.

Mr. A. had a far off look in his eyes.

“Well, Son, let me tell you a story about my shotgun days when I was a little boy. When I was about your size, my dad and I went rabbit huntin’ just like me and you. I couldn’t wait ‘till I was old enough to shoot me a rabbit with dad’s old shotgun.”

“Why a shotgun ‘stead of a .22, Mr. A.”, little John interrupted.

“Well, rabbits run fast you know and you can’t get a good bead on ‘em with a single shot so you use a shot gun and you just hope that one of them pieces of lead hits ‘em. Well, one day dad finally said I was old enough to handle his old shotgun. So, as we walked along, kinda like you and me’s a doin’, we scared up a bunch of rabbits.

‘Here, Son, blast away and see how many of ‘em you can hit!’ Dad said to me as he shoved his old shotgun ‘tward me. So, I took aim and pulled the trigger. Dad hollered at me ‘ Shoot ‘em again, Son, their still a runnin’ and you can get ‘em with a second shot.’ When I didn’t answer, Dad looked around and I was a gettin’ up off the ground. I handed him back his old shot gun. ‘Here, Dad, you shoot ‘em. That gun done hit me ‘side ah the head and my eye and I can’t see to shoot’ “

Mr. A. laughed and I laughed, too. I could just see Mr. A. when he was lyin’ on the ground in that snow, holdin’ his head and wonderin’ what hit him. And, I was just mighty glad I was a huntin’ with my .22.

Have you ever been broadsided with something you didn’t expect? Had a relationship go sour? Have you had a best friend share a confidence between the two of you with someone else? Have you ever had something so shocking it just knocked you for a loop? Ever lost your job and wondered what on earth you would do? Life is full of uncertainties. We can’t put our trust in anything or anyone completely as long as we walk this earth. But, the promises that God has made to us, you can bank on because God does not lie.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NIV