Landon Killed his first Deer November 14 during Mississippi's Youth Hunt.

Landon's Deer Hunting story was in the Beacon (A news letter for the Clarksdale Baptist Church)

If you are or ever were a football player you know the feeling. If you are a big
time business type person you know the feeling. If you have ever had a date
with that good looking, significant other then you most certainly know the
feeling. What in the wild, wild world of cat hairs am I talking about?! The
week before... The BIG game - The BIG deal - The BIG date. Yes, if you have
ever sat on a deer stand at ten tilt six in the morning and listened to God's
world wake up, then you know the feeling during the week leading up to the
opening weekend of deer season.
	Well, I probably just lost the vast majority of you. Right around
Thursday or Friday there will be a large, loud crumbling noise as some of you
crumble up the BEACON and say, ,Mark is talking about hunting again!" Yea,
I'm, guilty.., busted: But for those of you hanging on to see if maybe I will
make this into something you can file in your heart, let me continue and tell
you what's on my heart this morning.
	This weekend thousands of men, women, boys, and girls across this
state will venture out into the great outdoors and just be still. Depending on
how comfortable your stand is, some stay for a couple of hours up 'til all day,
just watching and listening. Sure, they are watching and listening for one
specific thing.., the illusive, majestic, great North American white tail deer.
My question is this, is that all they see? Is that all they hear? It is true that if,
while watching and listening, a deer happens by, the hunter will point a rifle
at the deer and pull the trigger. It goes "Boom" and.., well, you get the
picture. I mean, that is what happens, right? But is that all that happens? Is
that what it's all about?
	There was a message on my answering machine Saturday night when me and
my family returned from eating supper. It was from a buddy of mine and the
message simply said, "Call me. l’ve got to tell you my deer story." I called him
and he began to tell me his story. He had taken someone hunting that
Saturday morning that had never been deer hunting before. This past
Saturday was a "special" day that happens every year the weekend before
opening day. You have to meet certain criteria to be able to hunt on this
special day. I’ll explain that later.Anyway, the person he took was kind of nervous
and also a little confused about it all.  Because of this, my buddy sat in the
deer stand with him just in case he might need help when it came to crunch
time.They sat in the stand for only a little while when some doe walked up on
them.  This was exciting for my buddy’s first time hunter, but they all ran
off before a shot could be fired. A little while later they looked  way in the
distance and saw another deer. This time they saw something on his
head... Horns!! Yes, a little four point buck was feeding about 150 yards away.
My buddy helped his buck - fevered partner locate the deer and get the
gun into position. After a few minutes of trying to find the deer in his
scope, my buddy's first time hunter pulled the trigger!  The deer took off
running, but didn't get far. Why? Because the deer had been hit with a
perfectly placed shot behind the shoulder at 150-yards.
Now, whats the moral of this story? Is it that the guy killed a deer?
Is it that this guy killed a deer his first time out?  No and no.   Here’s the
deal. The guy, I’ve been referring to; my friend's first time hunting partner?
He just happens to be a cute, red headed five year old. My friend is his
daddy and they were participating in Mississippi’s youth hunt day.

My buddy got to Witness his son do his first
grown up thing. As my buddy related this story to me I could hear the joy
and satisfaction in his voice. A four point  to most hunters is not
considered a trophy buck, but I'll guarantee you that there has never been
a more beautiful, awesome deer than that four point in my buddy's eyes.
What's the deal with this article? The deal is you don't have to be a hunter
or be in the woods or even have an experience like that to find jog and
happiness. ,Joy and happiness is found in a person named Jesus Christ.
And when we seek him first we will be able to look around us and within
us during any situation or circumstance and find joy. You must be willing
to be still, to watch, to listen.
				

By yall!
Mark Kelly