85-year-old Woman Beats Back a Moose

Yesterday I read about an 85-year-old Alaska woman who beat back a moose that had been stomping on her 82-year-0ld husband.

George Murphy and his wife Dorothea Taylor were taking their dogs, Fellar and Tut, out for some exercise near the Willow Airport where George is a well-known bush pilot. Dorothea was waiting in the truck to escape the sub-zero temperatures while George walked the dogs.

As the three were headed back to the truck George spotted the moose who took off after him. Unable to make it back to the truck George dove into the deep snow but it did little to deter the moose or keep George from suffering seven broken ribs!

Taylor, 5 feet tall and 97 pounds, heard the dogs barking and jumped out to investigate. Not seeing George in the snow, she thought the moose was attacking the dogs. When she ran toward the animals, the moose turned and came at her.

Taylor hurried back to the truck, grabbed a grain shovel, and then made a bee line for the moose. Swinging mostly at the animal’s rump, she whacked it at least once on the head.

“When it turned and started to go off slowly, I hit it with everything I had,” she said.

The younger dog, Tut, then chased the moose away.

Chances are slim that you or I will have to fend off a moose any time soon, but we have plenty of opportunity every day to be courageous in living out our faith.

Whether it’s speaking up to share the gospel or forgiving someone who has done us wrong, God’s Spirit can empower us to live beyond our own abilities.

Whatever it is you face today, remember the words of Joshua:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

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© Richard Alvey and iLife Journey, 2012. All rights reserved.