How It All Began

The Birth Of A Hobby

Most every one of us have a place in our childhood that brings back the very best memories. For me it was our country home located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We lived twenty acres of land. My parents built our home with the help of several very kind neighbors and church members. There were four of us children, my two younger brothers and my youngest sister.

As young kids do, we spent hours upon hours having all sorts of adventures in the back ten acres of woods. Wild grasses and flowers filled the fields around our home that my parents built. We would run barefooted across the fields and it seemed the dirtier we were at the end of the day the happier we were.

On several occasions we would crawl under our neighbor's electric fence and go explore the farmer's fields and woods next door. Our closest neighbor lived a good mile away and there was no such thing as trespassing there. There was one particular patch of woods in the neighbors field that we especially enjoyed visiting. There were several very large wild apple trees, plum trees and excellent climbing trees to play around in. There was also an old foundation where a home had once stood. It was hidden by the overgrown trees and shrubs but could be accessed easily enough. The farmer's cows would keep the grass low enough that we could play around in the what was left of the crumbling walls.

One day one of my dad's members of his church came over to visit us. We all sat around a fire enjoying each others company and eating a wonderful pick nick meal. I can hardly remember what was for dinner but what I do remember is what came after our dinner. The visitor went to his car and pulled out a very interesting looking object that I had never seen before. My brother's and I sat on tree stumps and lawn chairs listening with wide eyes as he explained to us what he had in his hand. He told us that this little machine would be able to find metal in the ground and if he was very lucky even gold.

Well this got us very excited indeed. We had read stories of pirates and treasure and buried loot. We couldn't wait to watch the man turn it on. He said that the best place to look would be by the old home next to our house. We all followed with excitement as he led us to what remained of the old house. He began following a cow trail that was worn in the brush and immediately the detector started to beep. We all watched with great anticipation as he pulled up our very first treasure; a gnarled, mangly piece of twisted metal. We set it aside and continued down the path. More and more treasures came to light. First a nail, then a horseshoe. Pretty soon we had a whole lot of items to bring back to the group around the fire to share.

I don't think that anything of real value was found in the thirty minutes of searching but I do know it sure left an impression on me. We finished putting away the meal and my dad doused the fire and we headed back into the house. The man and his wife, who had come to visit, left in their old rusty vehicle down our long dirt driveway. I had had my very first taste of metal detecting and the experience had left with an interest that has grown and grown with each passing year.

Ten or twelve years later, I purchased my very first metal detector. This blog and my website, vermontgoldandtreasure.com are dedicated to this very exciting hobby. I will tell you this. I enjoy a lot of things in my life. I love the outdoors, hiking, fishing, camping, sports and have many hobbies. All of these things can't compare to the truest treasure that I have found in my life. I found life. I found joy. I grasped within me, the deepest part of me, that God, the creator of the life and the things I enjoy so thoroughly really loved me. He created me to love, to laugh, to sing, to run, to climb, to get passionate, to explore and He set me in a world that I would love to laugh in, to sing in, to run in, to climb in, to explore and to get passionate about. Then I came to understand that the God who created me to enjoy all these things also created all these things for me to enjoy but yet there was something that hid Him from me. Something that distracted me from Him, something that separated me from Him. Pain, guilt, shame, fear, evils, death, lies, confusion and all the other things that are in the world that hid Him from me. I came to understand that God created me out of the purest love and created me to love a beautiful creation and I could not have a perfect relationship with me because I was so unclean myself.

My past was marred, If I was like a cup of ice cold water and God were like a man, then he would have never have put me to His lips. Not me. And yet I looked at Him again. I longed to know this God, but even more He longed to put me to his lips and drink. But how could I ever satisfy my creator? For within my cup was all sorts of mud and filth. It was as if I could smell my own foul odor rising to my nostrils.


O God Please is there not a way, that I might be clean within?
My heart is heavy, arms are shaking from this load of sin.
I know that I should pay a price for all that I have done.
I've lusted, lied, was full of pride, muddied by things called fun.
Who is that there standing so pure he looks like me and you.
Yet though he's plain he stands so regal this man by birth a Jew.
From a clean body wounds appear and blood begins to flow.
What is the meaning of this God? Why to you strike him so?
For he's done nothing that is clear to deserve such heavy blows
I've never seen such pain and suffering, my worry for him grows
My God! Please Stop! You're killing him He's stumbled to his knee
My God My God upon a Hill? For everyone to see?
My God you've killed him now he's dead. Why do the things you do?"
With saddened eyes My God replies, "He took the place of You!"


If you are reading this today and you haven't yet felt the freedom that I have found. I would be happy to share some more. For Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, the truth and the life no man comes to the father except through me." You can always send me an email at vermontgoldandtreasure@gmail.com