There once was a religious man who went walking in the woods to escape the feelings of inevitable doom – which one never escapes by running away; but he tried.

Along the trail the religious man felt “called by God” to carve a walking stick. Thinking he would be like Moses of old, or that he would be leading some vast multitudes shortly he began looking for a tree to cut down. Remembering the passage from his holy book where a man choose foolishly by gathering too few arrows, or not pulling the arrows in the bow back far enough – he chose a “tree” that was big and different and then began to carry it – He was to carry the staff at all times, everywhere he went.

So the religious man continued down the path into the “wilderness.” He then felt that “the Lord laid upon his heart” to grow out his beard until God had taken him through the time of inevitable doom – where he would then shave it. Content that he would not actually have to do anything until about 8-14 hours (the next morning). With this revelation he continued on his journey.

Also, as the religious man walked he felt called by God to fast until the moment of inevitable doom passed and he was told to eat once again by God.

Some time and miles past.

The next “calling” from God was that he was to remove his shoes (back to the whole Moses and burning bush thing) and leave them some where along the trail and then walk back and retrieve them at a later date – perhaps when the feelings of inevitable doom had passed. But he was also not to wear shoes any more until told to do so by God.

So at this point the religious man felt called by God to carry a staff, not shave his beard, go without food, and not to wear shoes until told to do so by God. It all seemed to be directly related to his feelings in inevitable doom (the escaping into the wilderness, and the tasks given to him from God).

At the end of his trail he took off his shoes and walked back to his point of beginning. There was much snow and ice on the ground. His feet became bruised and cut.

He decided to leave the staff in the back of his car because is wife would have become angry if he brought it in the house.

He shaved the next morning and ate breakfast and dinner the next day.

The only thing that the religious man followed by the impressions on his heart were the old shoes he left in the woods (that he had intended to replace any way.)

Did the religious man really hear the voice of God?