<TITLE>23. Par 92-95</TITLE>L-92 Directly, I heard an old gray wolf holler up here. Down in the valley the mate answered it. My mother's a half-breed, an Indian. There's just enough about me to make me love deep calling to the deep and to that wild. And I heard the elk herd down here, and the mate answering over here. Oh, I got to screaming and crying. "O God, let me live here forever. Let me stay here. Here's what I was born for. Let me live here." Look at that old wolf howling yonder. Something in me stirring. I thought, "Oh, how glorious, how wonderful. O God, You live up here on top of these mountains."
About that time I heard a little old pine squirrel. Don't know what you know what they are, a little old fellow like that, the noisiest thing in the woods. He was setting on an old stump going, "Chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter. Chatter, chatter, chatter," like going to tear me to pieces. I thought, "What you so excited about, little fellow?"

L-93 And about that time out from under the blow, that old blow-down come a great big eagle. Oh, what a master looking big bird he was. And he was setting there, and them big velvet eyes looking around. I thought, "Well, that's what he was scared about." I thought, "Now, Lord, me standing here worshipping You, listening to the wild calls and worshipping You, well, how could You ever be..."
I believe God's everywhere. You can see Him anywhere you want to look. He's just all around. He's just as tangible as the light is on my hand right here now. And I thought, "Well, what You put that eagle before me? He's a scavenger, and why--why would that eagle come up here to break this?" I thought, "Well, God, I'm going to look to You. Is anything good about that eagle?"

L-94 I seen that eagle standing there, you know. And he was watching me. I thought, "Oh, he's scared of me." I said, "Hey, you know I could shoot you?" Flashed them big eyes, and looked at me. He wasn't scared of me, and I knowed he was scared of that little squirrel. So he just kept standing there, looking like that. I thought, "Well, what makes you so brave?" I can't understand it."
I said, "God, I know You love bravery. You like men who will stand by their convictions. Stand there; when you know you're right, stay." And I said, "I know You love bravery. What makes that eagle so brave? I know he's brave. And why..."

L-95 I said, "You know I could shoot you?" Why, he knowed I didn't have a chance. My rifle was setting against a tree. I put my hand on my rifle like that. I seen him look over at me, set them big eyes. I thought, "Well, what's he so brave about him?"
Then I happened to notice, he was moving his wings all the time. I see. God gave him two wings, and he knowed them wings about one big jump and a couple of flops he'd be out of my reach. He trusted them wings. He knowed them wings would carry him away from there. And as long as he could feel them wings there, he didn't care how much if I put my hand on my rifle, or how much that wood little old squirrel chattered at him there. He didn't care because God give him two wings and he trusted it.


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