A Message From Father Ted

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Ted Nugent penned this story that appered in the New York Times:

"The icicles hanging from my mustache and beard were the real McCoy. No fake decorations allowed in my Christmas tree. And my Christmas tree just happened to be a towering white oak atop a majestic forested ridgeline bordering a stunning southern Michigan swamp.

Instead of a handmade angel on top, this frozen guitar player clung for dear life to the crow's nest branches way up high, bow and arrow in hand, waiting for an American whitetail deer to bring our Christmas dinner on by. On the hoof. For I was bow hunting this frigid evening, celebrating the birth of God's son, doing my own little personal shivering prayer for peace and joy across the land.

The wiser members of Tribe Nuge were snug around the home fireplace preparing a hot meal for the old hunter's return, blue spruce tree aglow in the corner of our home with celebratory decorations aglitter. With the wind chill of minus 30 numbing my bones, I could hardly wait for dark to take over the swamp so I could join them for a Nugent American tradition of grand Christmas spirit. Meanwhile, Old Man Winter was doing all he could to blow me clean out of my tree stand. Motor City Madman, indeed.

Suddenly, he arrived, and a powerful inner instinct overwhelmed the frozen wind and any thought of comfort. I could hardly believe my eyes that such a beast was approaching on this brutal night. He was a great stag, and he was coming my way. I pushed and pulled on my frozen muscles in preparation to draw my bow as does and young deer crunched the icy snow below me, luring the old monarch into range. The magnificent buck paused every few steps to test the wind and my patience, and on he came.

As he turned his head to follow an old doe, I initiated my hunter's prayer, my arrow coming back gracefully, like the Zen ballet of life and death that it is. And in an instant, the razor-sharp broadhead had sliced clean through the old boy's vitals, and it was all over except for the jubilation. He died in but seconds before me, tipping over in the pure white snow of the marsh, just 25 yards away. I looked to the heavens and said another prayer, then carefully descended my icy perch and proceeded with the stirring recovery rituals of such a precious gift.

Balance, biodiversity and perfect protein for the table were the win-win-win of the occasion. With the help of my family, we dragged the amazing animal back to the barn, and soon my frozen garments were replaced with a nice, warm cushy robe, slippers and a hot meal. The Santa Claus of fresh meat had landed.

The American dream is truly amazing any way you choose it, but this hands-on outdoor conservation lifestyle of hunting, fishing and trapping keeps one honest to the cause and effect with the good Mother Earth and all her creatures and resources.

The gorgeous spruce we so joyously decorated together was once again harvested from the thousands of various trees we plant each spring. The natural season of planting is as important to us as the natural season of harvest, and it means so much more to us knowing we personally plant thousands of trees for every one we use. Just as the thriving deer populations prove, reasoning predators will always put back more than we take. The Christmas season is surely a time of giving, but the Nugents don't limit such conscientiousness to a single time of year. We just go a little wilder at Christmas.

The mouth-watering, aromatically stimulating spread on our Christmas dinner table is not only scrumptious, but perhaps the healthiest food available to mankind. Given the tender loving care with which we handle this hard-earned sacred flesh - accompanied by ample amounts of garlic, butter, Michigan morel mushrooms and sweet onions, roasted over our own apple and hickory coals - this much-appreciated meal fortifies not only the belly but the spirit as well.

Our wild turkey is pure, organic food, the roasted venison haunch and mallards are a testament to the perfection of God's natural, renewable bounty. We do it every year, and will forever.

Watching my children grow up in such a spiritually connected lifestyle has served them well, and their integrity and quality of life are my proudest accomplishments. They are all giving, loving, caring, independent, resourceful, funny, clever, productive American citizens solidly in the asset column of life. Now with grandchildren at the party, the traditional Nugent family fun factor continues off the charts.

Though the gift wrapping and unwrapping can best be described as a consumer orgy, steps toward practicality are being upgraded every year. We try to provide as many gifts to the United States military families as we possibly can, for but by the blood of warriors can any celebration take place at all.

We celebrate the gift of life, we celebrate American freedom, and we celebrate the holiday."