Fishing Update

Fishing Update

A couple weeks ago, I submitted a post about our family going fishing. I thought I would update you today.

Since that time, we have taken several opportunities to get in an hour or two of fishing some evenings after work.

Both Ab and AA have been broken in (each now catching a number of fish) and both are well capable (if not always willing) to bait their own hooks. We have learned that when you purchase "Night Crawlers" (extremely large worms) - you can fish more economically by dividing the worm (sometimes multiple times). This is also helpful when catching the size fish we have been catching since it is considered uncouth to catch a fish that is smaller than the bait.

We also learned that "Night Crawlers" will keep in your refrigerator for a week - that's better that chicken salad! However, it is a good idea to avoid additional comparisons between bait worms and chicken salad - or any other food for that matter! The practice also is very good for those who diet as it discourages sleepily foraging through the fridge for midnight snacks.

God answered at least one prayer there on the lakeside ... AA had had a win streak going, catching several fish over a couple days; Ab had not caught her first.

Despite our efforts not to pit them against one another, our kids are competitive and Ab rode home in tears that evening.

The next trip, things appeared to be going in the same direction - no fish for Ab. I prayed, asking God if it was okay to pray that way - I'd like for her to get to catch something.

In just a little while she drug in her first and then pulled in about five within just a few minutes.

I've noticed that AA and Ab are a little more careful lately not to rejoice overmuch when their catches exceed those of their sibling. That makes me proud of them.

Finally, lest you "True Sportsmen" (that's you CJW) find yourself smirking at the simplicity of our endeavours ... you should know that we also have fished for Bass and other "big-game-fish".

Unfortunately, the Bass and other "big-game-fish" were not aware that we were fishing for them or else they all had pressing previous engagements which kept them.

And another thing - just because the packet of life-like "oatmeal" fake lizards reads Bass Love Them!! - it 's not necessarily true.

I hope you enjoy the pics.

Great America Series: The Judeo-Christian Work Ethic

Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT

Then Came Bronson

When I was a kid, our family would sometimes watch a movie on television on Friday night and the theme of the movie would set the stage for my play on Saturday. Once we watched a movie that later became a series, called "Then Came Bronson" . "Bronson" in the movie was played by Michael Parks and he drove a Harley in the movie. My friend Steve and I converted our "Stingray" bicycles into Harley's and we each became "Bronson" on numerous occasions after that. There is a line in the movie that has stayed with me all these years (though I just watched the scene on You Tube and it was nothing like I remembered)... Bronson has found work for himself and the girl that has just imposed herself into his life. It's hard, manual labor in a brickyard - so the girl plops herself down next to a pile of bricks and sulks. Then Bronson delivers the line: "You don't work - you don't eat!"

I must have been eight years old but the line stayed with me.

I later learned that it originated with Paul in his letter to the Christians in a city called Thessaloniki.

Somehow early Americans got this concept. Oh there was a Gentry Class of "Gentlemen" who landed on our shores in the early days. Their very existence was based on the fact that they did no work... it wouldn't do for them to soil their hands with labor. But their ilk quickly faded under the harsh realities that this new world held. If they didn't work, they might not survive.

You Don't Work - You Don't Eat!

You may remember from an earlier post, how William Bradford, the Governor of Plymouth Colony, was inspired to put forth the practice of private property and families becoming self-sufficient. He found that people planted and tended their fields with much greater zeal when they owned the benefits their work produced. And the whole colony was improved.

There is a book that, though it is somewhat dated, addresses the modern work ethic in America, it's called "Why America Doesn't Work" by Charles Colson and Jack Eckerd. One discussion in the book touches on how America provided an opportunity for two "classes" of people to combine their efforts and achieve more... the "working class" and the "intellectual class". In other societies people were relegated to one class or the other. America's system allowed for people to do both. They could be very intellectual and very hard working at the same time. Thomas Edison, Henry Ford... they were among those men of great minds and strong backs.

I want to tell you a little bit of the story of another giant in the field of work and proper work ethics. His name was Booker T. Washington. I believe he was a picture of the "excellent spirit" that the Bible reports was present in the Prophet Daniel.

Booker T. Washington was born a slave and knew the sufferings caused by that wicked system. But so kind was he, that in his book,"Up From Slavery", he also pointed out how the system took it's toll on the slave owners as well. In some cases, slaves did as little work as possible and with just enough care to avoid punishment (understandably); slave owners, on the other hand, became very lazy and listless put all of the work off on the slaves. The end results was that houses and farms fell into disrepair, doors and gates lagged off their hinges, and things took on a dim appearance.

But I want to tell you about Booker T. Washington's college examination.

Booker T.'s College Entrance Exam

As a young man, Washington drank in any education he could find. Shortly after the slaves were freed, Sunday Schools were formed in order that former slaves might learn, and Washington says the principle book studied in Sunday School - was the Speller.

Washington sought out education but when a school opened nearby, his father did not allow him to go; sending him instead to work in the salt-mines. Washington hired tutors to teach him at night.

When he learned that a boarding school where African-Americans were allowed to attend, had opened in Hampton, Virginia, he set out to attend.

After many disappointments and hardships, he finally left his home, headed for Hampton. He eventually reached Richmond, where he found that he was out of money and 82 miles short of Hampton. So he lived under a boardwalk for a time and worked to earn enough money to set out again.

When he finally arrived at the school, he was not immediately accepted. In fact the "head-teacher" just wouldn't tell him whether he could stay or not- for several hours. Though his rearing hadn't educated him on how to present himself, he knew that his appearance was important; he also knew that head-teacher had doubts about his character based on his disheveled appearance.

Then opportunity knocked... the head-teacher came to him and told him that the recitation room needed sweeping.

That tired, ragged, road-weary young man, lunged at the opportunity to "show what was in him". He swept the room three times; then he grabbed a dusting cloth and dusted the room four times. He dusted the woodwork on the walls, the tables, the benches, and the desks four times. He moved every piece of furniture and dusted in every corner and every closet.

When the head-teacher returned, she thoroughly inspected every area of the entire room. She then pulled out a handkerchief and wiped down the walls to check for dust. She found no particle of dust.

The work paid off. She quietly remarked "I guess you will do to enter this institution" .

Booker T. Washington referred to that room cleaning as his "college entrance exam".

I had an opportunity to visit his Tuskegee Institute a few years ago, and I was so impressed with the high expectations the organization placed upon it's students in it's early days. Self-discipline was required at every juncture. There was also a great pressing toward self-sufficiency. This was manifested in the fact that the very bricks that made up the many buildings on campus were manufactured right there on campus.

Booker T. Washington - a man that would work so hard just to have the opportunity to learn - is an example of that merging of intellect and a strong back.

Intellect and a Strong Back

This emphasis on work as an integral part of man's existence yielded a "common sense".

Common sense refers to wisdom or intelligence that has been tempered by actual experience. I have been told by more than one veteran nurse, that when a new nurse graduates from college - it takes awhile (for some a year or so) to really become a nurse. There is no substitute for literal hands-on training.
Often individuals that have received high levels of training can be quite confident; however that confidence is quickly deflated when they try to put that training to actual use. Once they go through the trial of real life experience, those highly trained individuals will often emerge with a new - quieter confidence, a confidence that is real and solid.

This points up a problem that I see today in our society and in our system of education. There is a strong emphasis on self-esteem; sometimes at the expense of authentic education. Graduates come out with great self-esteem but it is not substantive . . . they may not understand that in the real world 2+2 always equals 4 ... no matter how you feel about it. They may not understand that creative spelling is not really considered a strong point when one is submitting a resume or job application.

Furthermore, some of those graduates have such self confidence that they would not dare stoop so low as to take a job "flipping burgers" or if they do, they don't understand why the manager can't see their great self-esteem and promote them quickly. Their expectations are unreasonable.

In the Human Resources field I have often seen applications with sporadic work history. Often an individual will work 3 months here, 6 months there. They will often list as their reason for leaving: "couldn't move up any higher in the organization".

What if Booker T. Washington had adopted that mind-set? What if he had traveled to Hampton, Virginia with that attitude? Well, I'm afraid he never would have even made it to Hampton. And I am pretty sure he would have tossed the broom back to that head-teacher and sulkily stalked out with his self-esteem intact.

Some time back I heard a sermon that pointed out a misconception I had previously held. Having what I hope is a Biblical worldview - I have always supposed that work was actually part of the curse that Adam brought on the world when he sinned. But a closer reading of the text in Genesis 3 reveals that it was the ground that was cursed... the ground would be hard and would produce thorns and thistles and things that make work difficult. So the fact that work is sometimes difficult is partly a result of Adam's sin.

However, work was going on well before Adam sinned. Adam was given charge and responsibility over the animals and he was instructed to tend or work the garden.

Work and responsibility are God's gift to us. And its yields are multitudinous: self-confidence, exercise, profit, health, enthusiasm, joy, prosperity ... these are just a few.

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice" Henry Ford

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

"Up From Slavery" Booker T. Washington, originally published : New York : Doubleday, Page, 1901.

"Why America Doesn't Work", Colson, Charles M.; Eckerd, Jack. Word Publishing. 1991.

The Big Rubber Band

Some friends of ours were over last night - our children are close... their girl is 2 months and 2 days older than Ab and AA is one month and one day older than their son.

Their little man brought over a wide rubber band to show AA ... and left it.

Thus begins the adventure....

Tonight, we attempted to re institute two things -rather clumsily- with the children. Mom and I, in undiscussed agreement decided that tonight we would reinstate "bed-time". Until this year, we have maintained some reasonable bed-time limits during the summer months but of late our kids have run amok (well - sort of).

We set the time for 9 PM. So at about 9:10 PM the teeth had been hurriedly brushed and that other "before bed-time duty" had been completed. That was when I - unilaterally - decided to also reinstate Family Devotion.

We pray over and with our children each night but a couple years ago we began Family Devotion once per week. In the disorder of summer, this practice has pretty much fallen by the wayside.

So I called it. That was when AA chimed in that he wanted to do the Devotion.

Now this ambition and zeal would probably light up the hearts of most parents, but I was cautious.

You see, AA's devotions are sometimes not very spiritual. . . sometimes they get out of hand... sometimes Dad ends up getting really irritated and in need of some serious prayer time. I have tried to convince him to plan ahead for these things, but to no avail. He tends to leap headlong without much attention to where he will crash or to any other details for that matter (I wonder where he gets that).

So I could see this thing quickly getting off-point. So I set the timer on the microwave (5 minutes).

He ran to his room to scarf up some visuals.

And returned with that wide rubber band and a few sheets of note paper.

His first point hit me.

And while the others missed the mark a little, there was something to his first point.

As he attempted -Charles Atlas-Style -to stretch the rubber band to it's limit, he explained.

"This is God's love , see - it's unbreakable!"

He went on to say, it demonstrated His Son's love, too: "Unbreakable!"

My mind ran with that thought... How God's love stretches so far as is necessary to reach us. And then with the elasticity of a huge rubber-band, His love draws us back to Him.

His heart may break at our rebellion, our foolish pride, our dogged determination to hang on to fears and other things that haunt us and take our eyes off Him.

His heart may break; but his love never does.

As we grow in Him ... and become more and more like Him... spending time with Him... our hearts become less brittle, more stretchy - like His.

Our hearts are able to reach out to others.

We become more willing for Him to stretch us and we grow.

AA's devotion had gone on to show how the Devil and his angels (and "his son - if he has one") was not like that. They were like the pieces of note paper which AA tore with ease.

We were well into our prayer before the timer went off.

On Discontentment

About a year ago I came across two influential instances in Scripture that have greatly impacted my thinking to this day and I believe they are important to my journey here. I want to tell you about one of them.

It has to do with five daughters of a fellow by the name of Zelophehad.

In the book of Numbers, the 27th chapter, God had just instructed Moses to take a census of the folks still surviving after wondering in the desert for nearly 4 decades. Then there was talk of dividing the "Promised Land" among the various families. The heads of various families would be awarded lots to divide among their sons and their son's sons.

This is where the problem developed. Zelophehad and his brothers were among the folks to whom land would be allotted to pass on to their sons; but there were two problems - one being that Zelophehad was dead, the other being that he had no sons.

Zelophehad had no sons, but he did have five daughters.

Now, I know this doesn't fit today's template but in that culture women were highly honored but their roles were vastly different from the roles of men. Women could not inherit land.

Five women, with no father, no husbands and less-than-glamorous names: Mahlah, Noah, Milcah, Hoglah, and Tirzah ...see what I mean ... They really didn't have much going for them. Nothing to instill confidence.

Now there is a passage of scripture that says that godliness with contentment is great gain. Maybe you, like me, have taken this to mean that God doesn't really like for us to whine or complain. He likes for us to adjust to our situations and when life gives us lemons, we should manufacture lemonade. Right?

Well this story tells me something very different from that. It seems to be saying to me that godliness with contentment is great gain; but God also values godly discontentment at times.

These five daughters of Zelophehad were discontent - listen to what they did:

These women stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle. “Our father died in the wilderness,” they said. . . . "he died because of his own sin. But he had no sons. Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.” Numbers 27:2-4 NLT

There was no one to take their part. It was a time in which women had no voice. Yet the desperation of their discontentment drove them to action. So they braved the scorning and risked their very lives to take their complaint to Moses, Eleazar and the other leaders.

I expect Moses swallowed his gum.

Perhaps it was their courage; maybe it was the gentleness in which those five women approached the council; who knows - it may have just been the glow of God's favor resting upon them... but for some reason Moses and the others listened.

What's more, they referred the case to a Higher Court:

So Moses brought their case before the Lord. Numbers 27:5 NLT

Now I'm proud of the old boy! He could have rejected them outright, yet he took their case to God. He was associating himself with their case; he was risking his own reputation for their sakes.

When desperation and discontentment drive us to action sometimes we pick up support from unlikely places.

But even more impressive was God's response:

And the Lord replied to Moses, “The claim of the daughters of Zelophehad is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father. Numbers 27:6 & 7 NLT

GET OUTTA' TOWN!! Isn't that the neatest thing you've ever seen?!

God said - "they've got a good point". . . .and I can imagine that everyone involved in this case let out a sigh of relief.

If you read on, you will see that not only did God take their case, but He also instructed Moses to codify the practice. So for generations to come, the influence of the daughters of Zelophehad would affect daughters in similar situations.

What a grand thing they did - yet their action was born in discontentment and desperation.

You've seen that desperation haven't you? Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on that Montgomery bus in 1955. . . . Justice Roy Moore refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom. . . . people taking taking action.

So I am looking at discontentment differently these days. Sometimes it prompts me to ask, "what action is God driving me to?" and I am taking my case to God and asking for things that might sound unlikely.

*There were 4 men who suffered from leprosy. In their culture, they were outcasts. Unable to go into the city, unable to live with their families. An enemy nation had risen up against their city and set about to starve its' inhabitants.

In desperation and discontentment one of them said, "why sit we here until we die?". The others agreed that the situation called for action. So they left to turn themselves over to the enemy. The worst they could do was kill them, so these four walked into the enemy's camp.

Their they discovered that God had miraculously driven away the enemy - and what's more - they left their groceries behind! They feasted awhile and then went back and told their fellow citizens.

These four men were the key to the saving of their city!

All because their godly discontentment drove them to action!

What are you feeling discontented about today?

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

*This story can be found in 2 Kings 6 & 7

Gone Fishin'

I am ashamed of this.


I have a daughter aged nine, and a son aged six, and until this weekend, I had not taken them fishing.

I know what you're thinking - "say it ain't so!"

And with a son especially - I mean a guy is just supposed to take his boy fishing, right?

And living in the South, yet! I mean we hold fishing in high regard around here.

I think I was inspired by a former Pastor, but I used to tell the kids stories about "Jesus and the Fishin' Buddies" and I pictured the disciples as being from somewhere SOUTH of Jerusalem. Ole Pete and his brother Andy, Zeb's boys - Jimmy and Johnny, and all the rest made up Jesus' band of happy fishermen. In the Bible account, Peter said: "I go a fishing." In my version he said, "Boys, I've had it! I'm going to wet a hook!"

Anyway, I enjoyed telling it.

But I never took them.

So now thanks, to my wife's persistence and willingness to make most of the preparations, we have gone fishing.

We went yesterday.

I made a big deal about the fact that we needed to get up reeeeaaal early.

So we ended up hitting the lake around 9:30 ...well that's early for a Saturday!

I was fairly insistent on the need to fish in a simple way. I preferred that we all have cane poles. When materials were being purchased - Dad got his very own cane pole... all the rest got Zebco's.
Family fishing is fun, but for Dad there is less emphasis on fishing and more on "Dad, bait my hook" or "Can you get my line untangled?". So I did the obligatory 'father-thing' and got everyone set with hooks, sinkers, bobs and bait (GRADE "A" - Large - "NightCrawlers"). But remarkably, Mom soon joined me in the baiting process! (guys, you have to go a long ways to find a woman that can bait her own hook!)

Finally, I got my cane pole readied.

Within moments I had pulled out a "lunker" (I think that's southern for - a somewhat large fish... only I am using the term very loosely here). Okay he was about the width of three fingers - but I caught him.

Soon I had caught another (if I hadn't injured the first removing the hook, I would have thought it was the same one).

And soon all those fancy fisherman wanted to use Dad's cane pole! Unfortunately, a short time later either a large fish or a snag resulted in a snapped cane pole when AA was using it.

We ended the day with the score: Dad 3, Mom 1, Kids 0. We were really hoping the kids would catch something -even if the bait was almost bigger than the fish we were landing.

But it was fun and relaxing. My children surprised me with their patience and they didn't really get into those "tangles" I expected. What's more, by the end of the morning, they were baiting their own hooks.

God and Flash Drives

I have been frustrated, saddened and then encouraged by some unrelated events this week that remind me of sovereign God's tender care for us and also make me thankful for my country.

Firstly, I have been AWOL from my postings for the better part of a week, but I was not away from the computer. I have embraced my technological ingorance, but up until recently I have never used one of those flash drives. My pictures are slowing down my computer and so this week I purchased my second flash drive (I "corrupted" the first within a few moments) in order to try and save some of them off the hard drive.

It was going swimmingly - I even commented so to R. - I was transferring files left and right and removed about a year and one-half of pictures. Then, after I filled up the flash drive, I checked to be sure I could view my pictures. (Lesson # 1- always check your progress early on in the process) the folders were saved but no pictures. I transferred the folders back to my computer which could no longer recognize the pictures. It seemed that all those pictures had just disappeared.

The next evening or so were spent trying to find a solution and finally by visiting some forums I learned that I could download a program to recover my pictures and I got most of them back.

It is really neat that information is exchanged so easily that you can find out about practically anything over the internet. It is an amazing phenomenon!
I learned some valuable lessons and hopefully will be able to preclude or quickly solve similar problems in the future.

By the way - I prayed about this. Prayed about it frantically, because it was important to me not to lose those memories. So the bottom line is - God came through.

Let me tell you about another unrelated situation which reminded me of God's willingness to get involved. I work in an office with about 12 other people and this week it seemed tragedy stalked our group. There were three incidents of serious medical problems related to families of our group. I won't go into details but three separate folks were hospitalized in very serious condition (my interpretation)- One brand new mom, another brand new baby and another mature man.

All three situations were troubling. We prayed - no we didn't all join hands and pray though that might have been appropriate. But you heard people encouraging each other to pray and you also heard folks commenting about truly praying. By Thursday, all three situations had turned around and the sun had broken through the clouds!

When calamity seems to strike, it is good when it drives us back to our knees for prayer.

Also, I am once again amazed at the health care system we have in these United States! Despite costs and what ever hyper-crises we hear about on the nightly news, it is an amazing system that - more often than not -works.