Just Do It!

“If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?” – Luke 9:24-25

​“Another said, ‘Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.’” – Luke 9:61-62

One thing I have observed in life is that people die, things run down, and opportunities are missed. Any one of us might die tomorrow and never again have the chance to do what we have put off doing out of fear. What have you always wanted to do? Would you do it if you knew you would die before you would be able to suffer the consequences of having done it? Why not go out with a bang?

I want to try a great many things and by so doing also be an example to others of how God protects and provides. God invented fun and he wants us to have fun, but many do not understand this and I want to show them by example how fun God can be.

Unfortunately, several of the activities I have in mind are illegal. They have no business being illegal, since they harm no one. It is only a matter of bullies with guns who call themselves the government attempting to control our lives. I am left with the question: Do I want to spend the rest of my life rotting away in boredom wondering whether I could have got away with it? Or do I want to go out with a bang? I am still undecided, but I am leaning towards the latter. The government can only imprison or harm the body, but I destroy my own soul when I choose to do other than what I want to do.

I know too that if everyone were to copy my example the government could not possibly stop all of us. Of course, if everyone were to copy my example, that would include the government. It’s time for a change.

One thing I have wanted to do and get off my bucket list is to watch a sunset on the beach while sipping hard cider and then tenting the night right there, waking up to the sight of the ocean with the dawn. Unfortunately, I have never been to a beach at which both alcohol and staying overnight were not illegal. I’m sure they exist somewhere, but I’d rather be spontaneous than plan such a thing. I’ve even been to a beach where they served alcohol in an open-air restaurant right on the beach, but put one foot on the sand inches away and you were a criminal. What silliness! I have put this idea off, but life is too short to put it off much longer.

When travelling, I want to stay somewhat spontaneous. Opportunities will catch me by surprise that are too good to let slip by. It will be impossible to be prepared for everything. Restaurants are expensive. It would be nice if I could catch some of my own food. Learning how to catch and prepare fish is hard enough without worrying about what I am allowed to catch in which season in which state and where and when to go to apply for a license and how much it will cost. It is so much easier to just do it and hope I don’t get caught.

Campgrounds cost money and have been known to fill up on me early leaving no open spots. I have no problem sleeping in my car in some parking lot; if I’m tired enough I can sleep anywhere. It doesn’t bother me much. Unfortunately, many parking lot owners frown on this and police have been known to patrol for loiterers they can wake up in the middle of the night and harass for no good reason. If I was made of money, I could always find a motel, but I’m not made of money and I shouldn’t have to anyway.

I assume I have a right to live, and this requires making a living. A great way to do this is to manufacture items for sale or trade, but selling them requires soliciting customers, and this is prohibited virtually anywhere I would care to do it. I stayed in a park once that did not even allow one to have a passive sign. Why prohibit something that harms no one? That is not only unfair to me, but to my potential customers as well. There is also the problem of income taxes and sales taxes, requiring that I keep detailed records of what state I’m in at the time and where the materials came from. I find such things so tedious that I tend to just estimate my numbers and make sure I always keep some reserve money. If the state really wants to know exact details, they need to do the work themselves. I’m not up to it. Do I not even have the right to live?

Since I am guaranteed to get into trouble, how will I defend myself? Every state has different gun laws and they do not accept carry licenses from other states the way they do driver’s licenses. Many museums, parks, and other places I want to visit do not allow firearms on the property. A few will even scan you before entering. The only way to stay out of trouble is to remain defenseless, which sounds like the very opposite of staying out of trouble if you ask me. If the government won’t even allow me to defend myself, what incentive is there to listen to them at all? I refuse to cower in fear from the government the rest of my life! Then again, the only reason I wanted to carry a gun in the first place was because I was afraid of criminals. I refuse to cower in fear of criminals either! Guns are heavy, bulky, and require constant vigilance to keep away from children. I don’t like them.

This life is temporary so I’m going to make the most out of it – and because it is temporary so are any punishments the state might try to place on me. I don’t care anymore. I will not worry about these things any longer. Chances are that if I’m just a little patient, I will be able to find legal outlets to meet my needs. Even when not, chances are I won’t get caught as often as I think anyways.

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up’” – Daniel 3:16-18

You can support my adventure by buying my books or by opening a Patreon account and tipping me for the great work I do on the blog.