I spent most weekends as a child at my grandparents place, out "in the country". I remember plenty of times when the guns were all brought out and the boys shot at various targets. I am sure I was given the opportunity to try. And I am sure I was not very good at it. Otherwise I would have pursued it, I imagine. But like all other things with an athletic/skill nature, I wasn't talented that way and amused myself in other ways.
I remember that we kept a BB-gun (this must be the first time I've written that down - I had no idea how to spell BB-gun!) next to our sliding glass door in our house, to shoot various wildlife that broke the rules, like squirrels trying to eat the birdseed. I hated that. Jim would take care of the issues after school before Dad got home. This was normal.
Guns weren't a dominant part of my childhood, but they weren't unfamiliar either. I am not a fan of having guns in my home now. I see absolutely no point in it, because the probability of you getting to the gun with all the safety precautions necessary and getting it to a point of being able to use it because of those safety precautions and then having the time to be able to use it for self defense... is just low. I only see the potential bad things that could come of it. I am not some anti-gun activist. I think guns are something that most men find compelling and I understand that. I don't want to take that away. I just don't see their purpose in the home as a self defense mechanism. Thud, thud. That was me stepping down off my soap box.
The point of all that to say is that I am familiar with guns. I'm not scared of them to the point of being unsure just being around them. I don't really desire to shoot them, but I'm okay to be around someone who chooses to do so responsibly.
We are heavily involved in our local Kingsport Young Life chapter. We are passionate about the mission of Young Life to reach those kids that the mainstream church can leave behind. The kids that "nice kids" may not want to befriend. The ones who didn't grow up in perfectly pretty families with perfectly pretty morals. But who still desperately need to hear how Jesus loves them and wants them.
But Young Life is a ministry that raises its own support, and our local chapter chronically struggles with having enough funds to do what God is calling them to do. Despite wonderful success with the students in the schools, financial issues plague our local area. So the Committee decided to add an additional fundraiser to the yearly schedule. Something that would attract a crowd that the annual Golf Tournament didn't appeal to... something that would appeal to those who wouldn't consider an evening at a fundraising banquet a rip roarin' good time. Enter the First Annual Sporting Clay Fundraiser. I think it was an excellent idea!
The inaugural event was this past Saturday morning at the local Cherokee Rod and Gun Club. Everyone seemed to have a fantastic time. The weather was perfect. And my wonderful friend D watched my kids so I could spend a little while there documenting it for Young Life! Without further ado, here is what you missed.
(Please consider a donation to Kingsport Young Life. All info can be found here: http://younglifekingsport.blogspot.com/)
And I couldn't help but take a shot of all the loyal support in the parking lot!
I remember that we kept a BB-gun (this must be the first time I've written that down - I had no idea how to spell BB-gun!) next to our sliding glass door in our house, to shoot various wildlife that broke the rules, like squirrels trying to eat the birdseed. I hated that. Jim would take care of the issues after school before Dad got home. This was normal.
Guns weren't a dominant part of my childhood, but they weren't unfamiliar either. I am not a fan of having guns in my home now. I see absolutely no point in it, because the probability of you getting to the gun with all the safety precautions necessary and getting it to a point of being able to use it because of those safety precautions and then having the time to be able to use it for self defense... is just low. I only see the potential bad things that could come of it. I am not some anti-gun activist. I think guns are something that most men find compelling and I understand that. I don't want to take that away. I just don't see their purpose in the home as a self defense mechanism. Thud, thud. That was me stepping down off my soap box.
The point of all that to say is that I am familiar with guns. I'm not scared of them to the point of being unsure just being around them. I don't really desire to shoot them, but I'm okay to be around someone who chooses to do so responsibly.
We are heavily involved in our local Kingsport Young Life chapter. We are passionate about the mission of Young Life to reach those kids that the mainstream church can leave behind. The kids that "nice kids" may not want to befriend. The ones who didn't grow up in perfectly pretty families with perfectly pretty morals. But who still desperately need to hear how Jesus loves them and wants them.
But Young Life is a ministry that raises its own support, and our local chapter chronically struggles with having enough funds to do what God is calling them to do. Despite wonderful success with the students in the schools, financial issues plague our local area. So the Committee decided to add an additional fundraiser to the yearly schedule. Something that would attract a crowd that the annual Golf Tournament didn't appeal to... something that would appeal to those who wouldn't consider an evening at a fundraising banquet a rip roarin' good time. Enter the First Annual Sporting Clay Fundraiser. I think it was an excellent idea!
The inaugural event was this past Saturday morning at the local Cherokee Rod and Gun Club. Everyone seemed to have a fantastic time. The weather was perfect. And my wonderful friend D watched my kids so I could spend a little while there documenting it for Young Life! Without further ado, here is what you missed.
(Please consider a donation to Kingsport Young Life. All info can be found here: http://younglifekingsport.blogspot.com/)
And I couldn't help but take a shot of all the loyal support in the parking lot!