EVERYDAY ADVENTURES

Sasquatch Surprise

I have a running joke with a couple of friends about spotting a bigfoot someday. I don’t even remember how it started, but whenever I spot sasquatch merchandise, I usually snap a picture and text it to them. One step closer to tracking him down!

A few years ago, when I was checking into a campground in Tennessee with my family, I saw a sticker in the office depicting Bigfoot loping through the Smoky Mountains. I took a picture and sent it to friends with a text saying, “If I don’t see Bigfoot this week, I’m asking for my money back.”

A few years ago, when I was checking into a campground in Tennessee with my family, I saw a sticker in the office depicting Bigfoot loping through the Smoky Mountains. I took a picture and sent it to friends with a text saying, “If I don’t see Bigfoot this week, I’m asking for my money back.”

Little did I know that before I went to bed that night I would get my full money’s worth and then some!

Around 9:30 I had to run a bag of trash up to the dumpster near the campground entrance, and my family joined me for an evening walk. It was completely dark out and fun to see the campfires and colorful lights strung up around the tents and RVs.

When we got back to our cabin, I stopped at the edge of our campsite to take down my hammock before it rained. Meanwhile, my family continued onto the porch to unlock the cabin My daughters were in front with the keys, and my wife was right behind them.

As they were unlocking the door my wife heard me coming up on the porch behind her but couldn’t figure out how I’d gotten there so fast. Only it wasn’t me. I was still beside the cabin messing with my hammock.

As they were unlocking the door my wife heard me coming up on the porch behind her but couldn’t figure out how I’d gotten there so fast. Only it wasn’t me. I was still beside the cabin messing with my hammock.

When she turned around, she expected to see her clean-shaven husband, but instead found herself staring at a mass of fur and fangs. She and my daughters were face-to-face with a real live sasquatch! Or at least a guy in a scary bigfoot costume, which in some ways, is more disturbing.

My wife screamed. They all three leapt back in surprise.

I, however, had exactly the opposite reaction. Instead of running away from the frightening ape man, I ran straight toward him. It was like that scene in the movie Elf when Buddy finds out Santa is coming to Gimbels department store.

“Bigfoot!,” I yelled. “I’ve been looking for you for years!” He began to back away, probably more scared of me than most people were of him. I think he was afraid I was going to hug him.

“Bigfoot!,” I yelled. “I’ve been looking for you for years!” He began to back away, probably more scared of me than most people were of him. I think he was afraid I was going to hug him.

“Wait!” I said, “I need a picture.” I knew this was a classic Sasquatch hunting blunder. No matter how many people see this beast, they rarely think to take a photo. Not this guy! I grabbed a quick snapshot and promptly sent it to all my friends.

In retrospect, running towards a costumed stranger in the woods at night might not be the wisest strategy, but at least it got him away from my family.

I found out later that the next day just happened to be the annual Gatlinburg Bigfoot convention which made total sense. If you’re a sasquatch, that has to be the can’t-miss event of the year.

All your friends are going to be there, right?

My Bigfoot encounter was not how I typically react to scary things in life, though. Usually, like most people, I tend to run away from them and not towards them. That’s just human nature.

My Bigfoot encounter was not how I typically react to scary things in life, though. Usually, like most people, I tend to run away from them and not towards them. That’s just human nature.

Whether it’s bad news from the doctor, bad news about our jobs, bad news about a relationship or whatever other ugly things life throws at us, it’s totally normal to want to turn and run from the bad stuff.

But the Bible says there’s a God who loves us and who does exactly the opposite.

But the Bible says there’s a God who loves us and who does exactly the opposite. When trouble comes our way, He runs right into it to help His children. Psalm 46:1 says, “God our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Not a sometimes-present help or an every once in a blue moon-present help, but an ever-present help.

That’s not a promise for a trouble-free life, but the promise of a God who’s bigger than our trouble who will walk with us no matter what scary things we face. Throughout the Bible we see God running into fiery furnaces, lions’ dens, stormy seas and even graveyards to rescue His people, and He’s still in the rescue business today.

But in an even greater way, God promises the hope of rescue beyond the grave. “In this world you will have trouble,” Jesus said, “but take heart. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33.)

So while you may not encounter any legendary forest creatures this week, you can count on encountering trouble. And, more importantly, you can count on a very real God who has already overcome even our greatest fears.

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Photo credit:  JSim2018 / shutterstock.com