Fishing Report: River is blown out and it was 4 degrees F on Monday the 22^nd and 68 degrees F on the 27^th. No fishing but there will be soon, chrome (steelhead) start running in a few weeks and the Indiana Fly Fishing show is on the 10^th of January. In the mean time I will be sighting in a muzzleloader I am refurbishing.

It is finished. That is what Christ said on the cross many years ago. I think that is what a lot of us say after Christmas each year. That is a shame. My daughter came down Sunday morning and said “”Dad, I hate to see the tree empty with no gifts under it.” Her comment prompted me to think about how we work hard to prepare and it is over in a blink of an eye. The great thing about Christmas in my mind it is the beginning of eternal life for those of us who chose to open the “Christmas Gift”. My daughter was baptized, on Christmas Eve and so starts her journey in this Christian life. Christmas is a great time to reflect on where your walk with the Lord is and where it needs to go. As my family is reflecting this week on the 15 best things that happened this year (3 per person), we will begin to look to 2009 as to what we want to accomplish. Tops on my wife and I’s list is be more focused on others, mostly married couples that need encouragement but along with that we will be doing out reach in the city with our kids coming along so they can live out their faith. We would love to be more open and transparent with others but that takes some courage. Where are you being called? Could it be to give more or maybe just work on your own house? I don’t know what is in store for us this year but I am confident that the Lord has it planned out and as long as we are obedient in our walk the journey should be an adventure that we will talk about for years to come. Happy New Year and by the way I know that my grammar is poor my wife and N.S. have both pointed that out, therefore that is also on the list for 2009.

Christmas is Near and Anticipation is High

Fishing Report is hard water (ice for you non-fisherman) everywhere I look. Big Paul H killed a great buck 23.5 inch inside spread. Awesome deer.

Christmas is near and yet my mind is still chasing what needs to be done and did I forget anything. I have not look forward to Christmas in many years but this year my wife and i have started to enjoy the season again. In the past I have looked forward to the Birth of Christ but the rest of the things associated with the Holiday just brought me down. I had other things on my mind like, where is the next contract coming from and which client was going to hire me for next spring. Now that we have been blessed with a great job and stability like we have never known we are able to relax and share the wonder with the kids. This year we have tried to build the anticipation of the season by doing an Advent reading every night and also helping out in various ways in the community. We had a great opportunity to go and serve at an inner city church here in Indy. What a great experience, I found that people are no different they are just seeking to make it through just like the rest of us. The circumstances maybe different but yet they are still the same struggle to live the Christian life and make it through this life with out pushin'. Christ called us to love one another and to live it out. Have you lived it out this season? If you have great. It is easy to be in the giving spirit this time of the year but live it out in February and in August and every other time of the year when we are in the grind of like.

Barns and a Simplistic Christmas

Fishing Report: Are you kidding 7 degrees yesterday morning and then ice, sleet and snow.

Christmas is close so close I think my kids can taste it. I think it must taste like a fresh, warm, homemade sugar cookie with just a touch of lemon. But the reality is that the first Christmas must of tasted or better yet smelled like a dairy barn in the spring. Thick and musty with the smells of animals but with a touch of sweetness like that of alfalfa. I have always wondered why God chose the stable instead of the inn or better yet a home. I have been reading to my kids every night at dinner an advent devotion. What a good time to talk of God and His Gift as we sup together and share in the bounty that He has provided for us. Last night the focus was to limit distractions, I thought sure we already live pretty simply. The author went on to say that is we God chose the stable not because it was a humble beginning but because there were no distractions there. I thought about that for a good long time and have come to the conclusion that God could have led them to a meager home to give birth, that would have been humble but it could have still be distractful. But to have Christ born in a stable and laid in a manger was the best and here is why I think it is the best. Born in a stable Christ was born in a place where no one is born (he was like no one else), being born in a barn connected him to the least among us, the shepherds, they would not be comfortable in a home or an inn they were at home in a barn. Why were they comfortable in a barn, because that is where there work was, the sheep, that is where they live. The Great Shepherd came into this world in a barn where the sheep live. The shepherds are His sheep, we are His sheep, I think that is we all feel comfortable in a barn and love the sweet smell of hay in the sunshine in the summer. If you have ever been in a barn there are not a lot of distractions, they are a simple affair and they practical not a lot of distractions. That is why Christ was born in a barn it is a place of simplicity and the only focus when they came to see they Christ child was Christ not the surroundings not the beautiful place but the beautiful person of Christ. Not to mention where would a shepherd rather be but in the barn with familiar surroundings and smells and the things that are most dear to His heart. I think that sums it up a barn, the Shepherd and sheep really I guess that is all that was and is needed, just the Shepherd really is all that is needed by His sheep. Keep this in mind when you go and muck Christmas up with all kinds of distractions and busyness, remember a barn, sheep and the Shepherd.

Have Fun and be Satisfied

She is having Fun!

No Fishing or Hunting this week. Sad but true, although I got a new toy last week like I mentioned. What a great toy it is, it is a Gamo Varmint Hunter Air Rifle. Here are the specs, scope, laser sight, spot light and 1200 FPS. WOW what a lot of fun.

New Picture for the holidays it is a little more festive than the Pumpkin Seed picture. DEC 26 I will post a picture of warm weather and fishing as soon as I get up, because we all know after Christmas is over, spring is soon to come.

Well I have been talking about the hard stuff lately, so how about something a littler lighter. Christmas is near and it is time to take the DW out for a nice dinner without kids and maybe they won’t be back till morning. Re focus on her, learn about her, observe her. What does she like? Where would she like to go? Order for her, but first know what she would like, maybe go for a carriage ride if it is not to cold. In Proverbs it says “rejoice in the wife of your youth . . .Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; be exhilarated always with her love.” (Proverbs 5:18-19)

Here is the expansive explanation of this passage.

The original Hebrew is so strongly worded that in grasping for suitable words, a renowned Bible scholar decided that even the expression “love-ecstasy” was not intense enough. (1)
“Be exhilarated always with her love”
The word here rendered “exhilarated” usually means either to be intoxicated, or to go astray, to be deceived. The link between these diverse meanings is that normal, rational behavior has been over-ridden. Be it alcohol, passion, enticement, or foolishness, something has so overwhelmed a person that cautious, controlled thinking has gone out the window.
This passage is saying, within the sanctity of marriage deliberately intensify your passions until you can hardly think straight; regularly so inflame your feelings for your partner that you lose control. Husbands are instructed to bring themselves to the point where they are driven by desire for their wives; to so incite their passions that they are continually mesmerized by their wives’ sensual charms.
“Ever be captivated by her love,” says the NIV.
“Always be transported with delight . . .” is how the Amplified Bible puts it, and it renders the very same word in the next verse “be infatuated.”
“Let her breasts satisfy you at all times”
The word translated “satisfy” usually means to be saturated or to drink one’s fill; to have one’s desire fully satisfied. This line therefore seems to be saying Drink your fill of marital pleasure; continually find total satisfaction in your wife. According to a highly esteemed Hebrew dictionary, even this word can sometimes mean to be intoxicated. I haven’t found undeniable proof of that meaning in Scripture, but it would be ludicrous for me to imply I could match wits with Hebrew scholars. Moreover, since the word often means to drink to the full, it’s easy to imagine how it could sometimes be used to imply drunkenness. If so, for the original readers, the close proximity of this word to the one we examined above would presumably have intensified the thought of delirium. (2) The italic text was written by Grantley Morris, he put it so well that I thought you needed to read it.

So I guess all of that being said I think it means we are to go and have fun and drink deeply. It is easy this time of year to get caught up in the busyness off the season but please take the time to enjoy your wife not just in a physical sense, she is a gift from your Heavenly Father so treat her that way and “enjoy the wife of your youth and be satisfied.” There is no other for you, remember that she is yours and you are hers so respect that and look at her like you did during courtship. Have a great time and if you want to make it a double date for the dinner let me know.

References:
(1)Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes by C.F. Keil and F. DelitzschVolume VI: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon by F. Delitzsch, translated German by M. G. Easton Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, commentary on Proverbs 5:18-20
(2)Francis Brown, S. R. Driver and Charles A. Briggs A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament with an appendix containing the biblical Aramaic, based on the Lexicon of William Gesenius, as translated by Edward Robinson, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1951.

No Griping, Service Only

No Fishing Report this week it is cold and nasty but maybe if I get the courage up I will go if the weather breaks.

No Hunting Report from me although P & H have killed 4 or 5 deer this year.

OK time to quit griping about things. Have you ever come home after a long day, you know, you got up early and then worked all day, meetings and reports, then had an extra long commute because it snowed (white death aahhhh) and slicked everything up. You get home and you can tell your spouse has worked hard all day and dinner is almost done, but wait, the kids are playing yet they haven’t done their chores and they have left clothes, boots, mittens, hats and the like scattered throughout the house in various stages of drying, yet nothing is placed neatly by the wood burner where it would dry quickly. Oh yeah and there is no wood for the fire. I have never had an evening like this but if I did I think I might react with a grumpy spirit I may even bark orders at the kids and then go do all the chores myself with a “martyr-like” spirit. Well here it is Philippians 2:14 “Do everything without complaining or arguing”. That is a tough one. What are you as a Husband and Dad? Are you a Drill Sergeant? Captain of the Ship? Commander and Chief? Oh I know king of his castle? No not any of those you are a servant Ephesians 5:25 says “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”, and I might add for them (His Children). Do you give your self up when you get home or do you want to be treated like a king? Maybe we should treat them like the King would. I was the guy last night that came home and things were nutty and I got nuts instead of kicking back and taking a few minutes to connect I chose to get grumpy and continue on in my day of work, with the wrong attitude I might add. Here is the prayer for each day, “Lord please prepare my heart and mind for my return home today, allow me to meet them there, each of them, my wife, son (s) and my daughter(s). Let my have your heart and use your example to give myself up for them. Amen”. I know this helps me to focus on what is to be done but you and I must be humble when we walk through that door and be prepared to join in the day with your family.

On another note I picked up a new “toy” yesterday I will report on that later after I get to “play” with it.

Pride is a Cheeseburger

Fishing Report: Not this week.
Hunting Report: Deer smarter than me. I sat in the cloudy windy rainy woods and saw nothing. Deer evidently were cuddled up and warm somewhere deep in the woods.

Pride we all struggle with it and if you say you don’t well aren’t we proud of ourselves. My story is simple I had a lot of pride for many years. I ate what I wanted, I exercised or didn’t when I wanted, I did what I wanted when I wanted, I did dangerous work because I thought it was a way to gain respect from my peers. In reality all of those things were just one thing Pride. The cost was, is and will continue to be high. I now have a very limited diet with a lot of no’s; no pork (I love pork), no beef, no chocolate, no wheat, no corn, no high fat food, no caffeine, no sugary sweets. Now when I cheat it is a small bowl of oatmeal (I’m not to eat but 2 servings of carbs a day and one is even better). My gallbladder is gone, my colon is scarred and my liver doesn’t work right. I have an infection that comes and goes and kidneys that produce stones evidently for gravelling a driveway. All of this because of pride and doing what I thought was best because I could do what I want. I now have to exercise 2-3 times a week but not more because I don’t recover like my peers, I have to take amino acids so that I can exert myself at the gym or in the yard, without them I can only go for about 20 minutes. I worked long hours (70/week) and had way to much stress for nearly 20 years which led to some of my health issues and a lot of fat which I now have to lose I am down nearly 40 from my peak but have at least that much to go. I ignored my wife and kids much of the time because I was consumed with being a great worker, I loved work, and I had an affair with my job. What was I thinking I have a truly lovely wife and beautiful kids? What was I thinking you ask? I was thinking about ME no one else. Oh, occasionally I would take some time to be with them but more often than not, I was at work or so stressed and tired that I did not live life with my family. My peers thought my job sounded exciting but truth be told it was exciting to them because they didn’t get to do my job they had theirs. The bible says in Proverbs 16: 18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Haughty what a great word, here is the definition; disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant; supercilious. That was me just ask my wife and kids. Ask you wife and kids if that is you. Guys you can run from it for a while but God has a long Staff, you know He is a Sheppard; He will use it to reach out and hook your leg and get your attention. God reached down and grabbed me and said “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LOOK AT ME, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, LOOK AROUND CORY YOU ARE LOSING EVERYTHING AND YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!” He did get my attention. If you have read this and you know me you know that I will be paying for my pride the rest of my life. My diet may never change, my marriage thanks to God and my DW (devote wife) has been restored and is better than ever, the relationships with my kids is getting better but I missed 10 years because I thought work was more important. I am happy that this happened to me. God showed his love to me by chastening me. If He would not have gotten my attention I would have died a young man and missed my wife and I raising our kids, giving my daughter away in marriage and helping raise my grandkids, not to mention watching my kids catch big fish and just enjoying life. Take it from me pride is disdainful, eat right balance work and life, love your wife and spend time with just her no TV, no kids, no distractions and do the same with your kids together and separate. I am here to tell you PRIDE will KILL YOU fast or slow you are still alone and dead.

Fishing Report: #20 Parachute Ants Black in color seems to be the ticket last week but only with the little guys, no bruisers this week. Deer Season starts this week and I almost got one with the Prairie Schooner (my truck, it is really long and not very fast).

I have been putting together a study for couples to start in January and I am filtering through what it truly means to love your spouse. While watching a episode of Life last night the main character has a romantic meeting with his ex-wife (they divorced while he was in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, I know very weak plot but it is TV) and it prompted a conversation with my wife that I think is important to share and for you to discuss with your spouse. I believe as does my wife that once you have been married or better yet have engaged in the act of marriage you are linked to that person forever, good, bad but never indifferent. When you share the most intimate of acts with someone you are not only sharing yourself with them but you are making a permanent connection for the rest of your life. In chapter 3 verse 5 “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” so why do we bind ourselves to others and awaken love before it is time? I don’t know other than to say that our society has said it is “ok”. In the Song of Salomon in Chapter 2 verse 16 “My lover is mine and I am his”; that shows possession and it does not say “My lover is mine and I am his and another’s.” Do you have possession of your spouse’s heart and do they have possession of yours? .Have you left and forsaken all others, you know do you still “think” about old so and so, do you look longingly at a magazine cover or that person that sits down the hall at the office, or the person at church that treats you so sweetly? If you haven’t you forsaken all others and your spouse need to pray to break the connection completely and do it openly and honestly. Be honest with one another and love each other during this process. No resentment here, we don’t have time life is too short and we have been losing ground by not taking care of this earlier. Later in this book it states that they seek each other out. Have you done this lately, have you sought out your spouse. Have you brought home flowers or made a special meal, better yet men have you jumped in and cleaned the toilet or ladies have you surprised your man with a little “romance”? If you haven’t you ought too. Did you not promise to love this person? That doesn’t mean that you just do life together it means that you GET to do life together so “DO IT” enjoy your life together join each other in the chores and in the fun with the family and with each other. Once you start doing life together your “Love will be awakened” and that is the goal. All of this is a picture of what our walk with Christ is to be. It is to be that deep intimate relationship that you have with your spouse but more it is that feeling that you need (crave, desire) them, your heart aches to see and feel them, to smell and touch them. Have you ever been away from your spouse and smelled your wife’s perfume or your husband’s cologne, what a rush of emotion and longing. That is how it should be for our spouse but even more that is how it should be for Christ. So love your spouse as if they were Christ and love Christ because He is the Lover of your soul.

No Chrome, No Horns but a lot of blessings

This picture of a Stone Cross reminds me of Reformation Day. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Also, the theses were written in Latin, the language of the church, and not in the vernacular. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran tradition was born. This in turn would later ease the creation of the Reformed and Anabaptist traditions as well.

Wow no fishing and the season is ending very quickly. Steelhead aka “chrome” should start to run soon.

Deer Season is going on but I haven’t done that yet either.

The last ten days has been crazy. Finished a huge project. Got hired full time, truly a blessing from God. And I passed 2 kidney stones. God is at work here at the in our home and life. Blessings are a very interesting thing, for so long I have been at the fringe of my own growth relying on myself for my own survival but now I have let God take over and what a difference, great things have happened. God has truly seen fit to open up the doors and begin to bless my family. I do struggle with this, I come from a pay for performance mindset. I know who and what I am and have been told by several that I am correct in my thinking. This is a lie. 1 John assures me that I am loved by the Lord and that I am precious to Him and I am not what others say I am. He is not ashamed of me, He is not embarrassed by me. He loves me and He cares that I have good gifts (Matthew 7:11 if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?). How do you justify getting good gifts and rich blessing when you have done nothing to deserve them? I don’t have a good answer for you other than to tell you get your children great gifts and all they did was to be formed out of the love you have with your wife. That being said we get great gifts just because God created us when he laid the foundation of time. He knew what the plan was in the beginning we are like Jeremiah. Jeremiah 1:55"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." He has known us from the beginning and I am convinced that He sees us as we will be and not as we are. John Calvin said “God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation.” If we can remember this that we are here for His Glory and not for our own, we will be greatly blessed. Calvin also said this “However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.” Be comfortable with blessing and don’t try to justify it there is nothing on this earth that we deserve except Hell. Remember what is stated in Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. That sums it up, we deserve nothing and what we have is a gift born out of God’s love for us not us for Him. Take care until next time. Sorry for the delay it has been a long few weeks.

The last of the Cantaloupe and Pain and Suffering

No Fishing Report. Hunter’s Ed class was good and looked at some really nice English Setters but that is a discussion for another time.

We pick some cantaloupe today probably the last of the season and they were sweet.

Well time for a real tough conversation. Guys out there in cyberspace, love your wife like she needs to be loved. I made the mistake of trying to fix things and loving my wife the way I would want. Bad move. That just leads to unmet expectations and needs that are not met without being directed. We should know our wives intimately and not just in the “biblical” sense. We need to court them all over again how do they want to be cared for, when do they want us to listen and when do we take action. Song of Solomon 2:3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. 4 He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love. 5 Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love. 6 His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. 7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. 8 Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. 9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice. 10 My lover spoke and said to me,"Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. 11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. 12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me." Does your wife think of you like this, she should. Do you give her reason too? You should. Work at it, each marriage is different so work at the right ways to love her. Don’t let the days pass awaken the desire in you to love her and that will awaken her to love you. Whether you have been married a week, a year, or decades we all need encouragement to go the distance. Run the race and don’t grow faint. A in the name of the most Holy don’t go anywhere else to get your needs met. God’s plan is for the two of you to met each other’s needs. Paul admonished us in 1 Corinthians 7: 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. This means your whole body including eyes and ears. Take heed of this and keep yourselves pure. It is the best way to show your wife that you love her. She deserves to feel cherished. She is a gift to you and no one else, a gift from God.

I read this on my favorite forum (drakemag.com) This essay was written by Bob White (whitefishstudio.com) and is for all the wood cutters and burners out there.

Something new for you to read. I woke up at 2AM and couldn't go back to sleep, so I wandered up to the studio to try and dig my way out from under a pile of "to do's".

After getting cold, and lighting the first fire of the season, I figured I'd be happier at dawn if I did something fun.

Firewood

I knew I'd been living in Berkeley too long when I saw a sign that said “Free Firewood" and my first thought was, who was Firewood and what did he do?
~ John Berger


It was just the two of us, staring into the last fire of the season; another summer in Alaska had come and gone, the lodge had been boarded-up, and in the morning we’d leave to make our way through another winter until spring and the next fishing season.

“Fire’s an interesting thing.” Rusty, the old guide said for no particular reason.

I pushed a round of spruce back into the flames with the toe of my boot, and sparks climbed high into the dark autumn sky, dancing away on the biting wind.

“Have you ever thought about what you’re really watching when you look at a fire?” He asked without looking up for a reply. And then, as it was his habit to answer his own questions, he told me. “What you’re actually watching and feeling right now is sunlight that’s been accumulated and stored in the trees we’re burning. Years of concentrated sunshine are being released in this fire.” He said. “I figure that for as long as we’ve been doing this together, we’ve watched a couple of thousand summers go by.”

It was cold early this morning when I got up to the studio, and I felt compelled to start the first fire of the season. With the realization that autumn is upon us, I’ve begun to think about firewood and thus gauge the woodpile with a critical eye. Depending upon the winter we’ll burn three to four cords of hardwood to heat the studio until spring. Since there’s a variety of softer wood mixed into the pile it may even stretch to five, but as anyone who heats with wood will tell you; if you need five cords to make it through, you won’t rest easy until there’s at least eight or ten cords stacked and covered. Heating with wood teaches one about planning for the future, and I look upon the woodpile in much the same way as our retirement accounts; it’s better to end up with a little too much than not enough.

Ten cords of cut and stacked firewood represents a considerable investment of time and labor, but I don’t mind. I feel secure, even somehow wealthy, when the chore is finished. Not that the work ends with the falling of the first snowflakes. Winter is the best time to cut and split wood for the following year. It’s a joy to work in the woodlot without overheating, and even the toughest rounds seem to fairly explode beneath a splitting maul when the temperature falls below zero.

Watching my father split cordwood, “making wood” as he called it, is one of my fondest childhood memories, and I became enamored by the tools of a woodcutter. In college, when my friends were going to homecoming games, I could be found at farm auctions, looking for just the right crosscut, buck, and bow saws. My idea of retirement is having enough time on my hands to retire the chainsaw with its noisy tooth rattling vibration, and stifling exhaust. I’d like to watch my woodpile grow slowly and smell the sweetness of hand-cut wood in my old age. In my mind, the perfect Christmas gift is a finely balanced splitting maul and a good pair of work gloves.

Making wood is a great way to spend time with kids and teach them about life. It’s both fun and satisfying to work side-by-side with someone toward a common goal. The value of working hard, accomplishing a small task and repeating it until the job is finished was taught to me while watching a woodpile grow. I don’t know of any studies to support the notion, but I suspect that very few people who get into serious trouble have spent much time in a woodlot.

Some folks are particular about the wood they burn, preferring a homogenous woodpile. I like a mix of woods for the variety of scents they leave behind. Wood smoke is like a perfume to me and I appreciate a multiplicity of bouquets.

Red and white oak is a standard choice that produces an even foundation of aroma that I don’t easily tire of. Ash has a particularly rich tang that I enjoy in small doses. I love the pungent fragrance of birch burning on still, moonlit winter nights, and although I’ve never found any in Minnesota, the smoke from burning hickory has a way of taking me back to my youth and makes me nostalgic. Even softwoods that are often passed over by others will find a welcomed place in my woodpile. I treasure white cedar burnt on soft, gray autumn days, and save my meager supply of it for special occasions. Willow, while low in BTU’s, produces a fragrant, sweet aroma that reminds me of the warming fires we made while playing hockey as a kid. A whiff of spruce crackling away takes me back to the bonfires I’ve shared with friends, and all the shore lunches I’ve made.

Perhaps my fondness for wood smoke is why I prefer our ancient pot-bellied stove to the newer more efficient models on the market; it leaks a rich and complex aroma that permeates everything in our workspace. Nearly everyone that visits the studio comments about how pleasant it smells. Even our dog, which spends an inordinate amount of time lying on the floor there, smells good.

I believe that how a woodpile is constructed reveals a lot about a person’s character. While there are many ways to go about it, properly stacked piles of wood have several things in common; the wood is raised off of the ground, it’s put up in such a way as to make its deconstruction convenient and efficient, and it’s protected from the weather. There are any number of contrivances for holding up a wall of wood; wood wracks, steel fence posts, standing trees, expensive sheds, etc., but the experienced wood cutter has mastered the art of constructing the self standing wood pile. This is done with the skill of a master stonemason, by alternating the direction of the cordwood on the ends and leaning the pile back on itself ever so slightly.

Good kindling is a valued commodity in every wood-burner’s life, for even seasoned wood that’s been properly stored needs to be started somehow. Last summer I rebuilt the back porch on our old home, and in the process removed three layers of shingles. The original roof was made from first growth white cedar, so finely cut and seasoned that I can light a piece of it with just one match. Though I have no way to substantiate it, I’d like to believe that the trees came from the valley where we live, and were milled in our little village. What a find! There’s a peculiar essence to first growth white cedar, and I’ve decided that it smells of time.

Even something as simple as wooden matches takes on special meaning to someone who burns wood, and I have my preferences. Ohio Blue Tips are my favorite brand, and I’ll buy as many boxes of them as I can whenever I find them.

Not all the wood we make goes into the studio’s stove. Now that autumn has finally arrived and the nights are growing cooler it will be time to blend the rich scent of wood smoke with crackling cold nights, the sparkling of stars, and a haloed moon. Perhaps we’ll have a bon fire tonight.

As our five-year-old daughter, Tommy, stares into the flames tonight I’ll ask her, “Have you ever thought about what you’re watching when you look at a fire?” And then, as it’s become a habit to answer my own questions, I’ll begin to tell her.

Lone Oak and Be There

This picture is titled "Lone Oak" don't end up like this oak.

"What's A Boy To Do"

I'm sure that I'm moving to St Louis
Three long years wondering here in New York City
I guess I'm looking for the right way to do this
I guess I'm looking for the right things to call pretty
Young boys playing in the park turning their backs to take a shot
You know I'll stay sharp around here 'cause they're stoning and leaving type
It's the kind of love that comes and goes when there's company coming around

What's a boy to do who knows no man now?
What's a boy to do who knows no man now?

Daddy's been looking down his nose at all of them
And I've been looking round for someone to tell me who I am
He kept saying I was to young to finish a fight
I'd die each time they came I never got to draw my knife
Well it was just a pair of shoes in a middle school room with the world watching in
And angel is crying I'm dying just a little inside as they ran away
Funny which words stick around 20 years down when you're driving alone

What's a boy to do when there's no man at home?
What's a boy to do when there's no man at home?

The words of this song have haunted me for over a month now. I wish I understood what causes a man to wound his son. It has happened to so many men I know; whether it was being left at a dance, being hit in the face, yelled at in front of your friends or maybe dad wasn't there emotional when you need him. We need to take a stand and fight for our boy’s attention, beat out the all of the screens in their lives. Take them hunting or fishing, teach them how to cut wood or build a fence, or God forgive me for saying this "play golf" (hate golf always will but if I can connect with my boy there I will do it). I have a son who loves skateboarding so we went to skateboarding camp, great fun. We are not going to be perfect fathers but we need to be there for our boys and most importantly teach them they have a heavenly Father who loves them and will never forsake them. If we are successful at that one point, we will be a good dad. Our boys will never feel abandon even when we screw up and aren’t there for them. That is it I am off to get everyone in the rack.

Crazy World and Practical Knowledge

Picture of Peace: My son looking over the country side.

No fishing report: Bummer! But that will change hopefully this weekend. Weather is turned colder this week the bite should be on big time.

The world seems to be out of control! Bail Outs. Suicide. Cancer. Job Changes. Out of Control Kids and Adults. The world seems to be getting more like the ruler of this place and less like the Creator of this place. I won’t comment on any of the above but I will say that SIN is bad and it has long term affects. The Word says that Satan is the ruler of this fair place we call home and we need to remember that. The Creator God Himself is in control of this world but right now Satan has permission to run around and do what God allows. Be on guard and fight the good fight. A professor I had used to say “don’t be faintified” which is a southern Mississippi quote of Galatians 6:9-10 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Take that to heart and watch out and care for those that are your “family”, remember your “family” will be those that we are in Heaven with, that is not to say you should not love on your biological family but for eternity we will be with those around us on Sunday morning. The old saying of “Blood is thicker than Water” in my mind is as far from the truth as east is from the west. I believe that the “my blood” will fail me because they are human. But the “water”, the identity I have in Christ and share with others that have been baptized into Christ will last for eternity.


FireProof is a great movie. Go see it. There is nothing else to say but “Do the Love Dare”

Nathan this is for you. Everyone should go to this link and read.

http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/plowman.htm

Have a great day this weekend is Hunter’s Ed for me and the kids.

Birthday Movie

Hey There. My DW got me a great gift for my birthday. AEG’s movie “Fish BUM I: Mongolia. Wow what an adventure. It is a Documentary/Adventure film about a group of guys a Band of Brothers of sorts that go to Mongolia to catch Taimen (giant trout that live up to 50 years and can reach 50+ inches, they are called the “River Wolf” in Russia).
I thoroughly enjoyed this film the photography is wonderful and the story is compelling. Got to go I am leaving for Mongolia to catch the big one. Well maybe not but someday with my family what a great adventure.

Away for the Weekend or She is so Happy She is Dancing

Got away with the DW (devoted wife) just about 10 days ago. Wow that was great, great company, time to communicate and spend quiet time together. We rode our bikes around a small town. We shopped a little and even got a few Christmas gifts. The weather started out a bit wet but it was great 2 out of the 3 days. I would highly recommend all of you out there to do this, get away from the house and the kids. Talk, lay around in the morning till 11, eat dessert in bed, even get the Jacuzzi suite and soak for hours. That is what is called recharging, I understand that is a foreign concept but battle the busyness and get away and refresh and recharge the marriage. Guys this is a great time to investment not only in your wife but in your marriage.

No Fishing Report, however I did get a new set of tools for tying flies.

Have you ever wondered why things from your past come out of no where and smack you in the back of the head. The other day I had a moment like that, it was like a musky inhaling a Devil Horse only inches from the boat. It doesn’t matter what it was about but how I dealt with it. I did a poor job. I yelled. I cried. I apologized to my wife and kids. It is important to remember that the Lord got alone when he needed to sort things out. He went and prayed and talked to His Father. You have the same opportunity if you just slow down and cry out God, He will hear you. Take your past to Him and don’t take it out on your wife and kids. God already knows what happened and He is waiting for you to come to Him and say “Hey why did that happen” “Can you take it from me and let me be free of this” “Please cast it into the Sea of Forgetfullness”. You know that He will take it and it will be gone and you will be healed. By His wounds you are healed not just now but from the beginning of your life to the end it is all healed. Take heart and remember that your heavenly Father is there for you period; whenever you need, all you have to do is call out ABBA Father.

Fishing should pick up and be great for the next several weeks if the weather holds.

PS Sorry for the delay between post I have been fighting an infection.

Adventure and No Fish

NO Fishing I am sorry to say so the report is good for the fish and bad for me. However I am eyeing a small pond that has large bass, we will see about that.

The herd has grown 2 more rabbits living in the hutches now. They are Netherland Dwarfs.

The harvest of Tomatoes, Peppers Melons and Sweet potatoes is in full swing and did I mention eggplant WOW are they good.

Now to the subject for the day, Adventure. I just watched Fish Bum1: Mongolia wow what a great adventure. It is a story of 4 guys that traveled to Mongolia to catch the elusive taimen. Anyway it got me to thinking about what an adventure God calls us to join Him in. Paul went on several adventures, and what an adventure Abraham had. He basically went to the end of the drive and said which way Lord and so it began. Do we do that, do we ask God each day which way I go or what should I do today or better yet who do I reach out to today. I don’t know about you but I don’t ask those questions everyday, maybe I should start by asking God “how do I serve my wife and kids today”, “should I pray with so and so today about the problems they are facing” or “how can I help someone out today”. Are you ready for an adventure? It may not be like going to Mongolia to catch really big fish (although I think Peter and the rest of the disciples would go with us to do that, remember they were fishermen) but it may take you to the far side of the earth. I don’t know where God will lead me but I am sure it will be quite a ride. I know that I will always be safe the Bible tells me that once I am in his hand I cannot be removed. So sit down and strap in I think it will be in for a wild ride but one that will make an eternal difference.

Snake eats a Fish and Boys Circle the Wagons

Fishing Report: Awesome the Big Walnut yielded over 20 this week in about 4 hours. None of any great size but great beauty Pumpkinseed can’t be beat for vivid color.
A snake did well also eating a 8 incher on the bank.

Circle the Wagons Men. God did not call us to go alone. Jesus called two to follow Him and soon after called 10 more. Do you travel along the road by yourself saying “me and Jesus” well that won’t work and is not even scriptural. Matthew 20:20 says “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” So if you go it alone you are not following Christ edict. Call a friend; call your brother in Christ, your pastor or elder. Be honest and direct don’t beat around the bush if you are struggling with something and have been for some time you are in crisis my friend. Satan is waiting like a lion to devour you. Run and get help don’t wait for rescue. Only you can prevent “Forest Fires” don’t let your world, marriage, and family burn down. We have all been there and we all need help; only God can rescue us from our sin, but the Body of Christ is here to help with the battle. We have all had our own battles maybe not the same as yours but all have the same effects of broken promises and hearts. Swallow your pride and choose well and let go. Share your battle with someone who is along your trail to help. God has a plan and I being a Calvinist believe that God did not create the Persimmon Tree without knowing that the opossum would be created the next day. The Bible is clear that will never be put in a situation that we cannot handle but that being said I believe someone has been placed on our way to help, and yes I do mean in our way. There is a choice and we can either work around that help or reach out and accept the help and move forward. Solomon says a chord of three is not easily broken so find a battle veteran and go forth in prayer and wage war on your struggle, temptation or addiction.

Stand up and Ride Down the Other Side

Joshua 1:5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. What a promise! Can you take that to heart? No one will stand against us. I am a Calvinist and therefore I believe that everything that happens is part of the plan and this passage tells me that whatever happens nothing is going to stand against me. That is not to say it may not be hard or we may not get knocked down but no one will prevail against us, because the God of the Universe is for us. Keep that in mind when “life” gets you down. Have you ever been cycling and when you climb a hill your legs are burning and your panting like a dog lying on the back porch in August. But just as you think your aren’t going to make it you crest then you start down the other side. You don’t even have to peddle and your speeding down the hill wind in your face and you have forgotten about the burn from just a few minutes before. That is how life is with Lord just when you think you can’t make it any farther the Lord comes along and pushes you over the crest and you race through the rest of the week and on into the rest of your life forgetting quickly the battle the you waged just a few days ago.

Fishing Report: Fish 1 Kids 15. What a great afternoon of fishing. My daughter had never fished before and caught 12. Wow what fun!

Adventure Video

Watch the above videos #2 is Great and will inspire you to take an adventure. Mikey Weir does a great job.

Muskie and Darkness or Don't be an Idiot

Fishing Report: Heavy rain today, river is really up. Have a great trip planned North Central Wisconsin for Ruffed Grouse in the morning and Muskie from the Jump River in the afternoon. Going pure fly rods and big flies. I have never done this before but should be a great adventure especially the fact that the grouse populations is at a 25 year peak and the Jump River is rarely fished.

My thoughts for this week are as follows; Flee from evil, the devil is like a lion prowl and seeking to devour you. Nahum 1:7 comes to mind “The hold is a stronghold in the time of trouble and He knows those who love Him.” Not much else to say but to keep Crap (smut, filth, evil, appearance of evil and everything else bad or questionable) out of your house. If you bring it home your kids and wife are exposed to it. Would you bring home a prostitute to baby-sit your boys? Isn’t that what your doing when you bring home a racy movie or a magazine that has pictures that you don’t want your wife to see. What about if you bring home booze? Would you let your kids ride with an alcoholic or let them hang out in a bar unattended? Our society tells us it is OK for us but not for our kids. What message does that send to our kids, “don’t do this until your older or don’t let me catch you doing this”. If you hide your sin your kids hide theirs and then secrets become the norm and hurt and sadness are sure to follow.

The Challenge: Stop now! Give it up booze, porn, drugs, online affair, whatever. Don’t hide it bring it out in the open and let the light in and the darkness will flee.

Rest and the Promise of More

No fishing this week by me but the walleye bite has been on at Monroe. 22” is small or at least that is what they are saying and I have seen pictures.

1 Chronicles 23:25 says, "The LORD God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever.

We need to take hold of this now. We hurry in everything that we do. John Eldridge (from this point forward on this blog he will be referred to as JE) says in Waking the Dead “Why is it that nearly every good thing, from taking the annual family vacation to planning a wedding, to cultivating a relationship, takes so much work?”. It is because we are at war with Satan and his minion he will not quit until Christ returns. We as Christians need to rest in the Lord knowing that the war is won and live life abundant, just like Jesus said in John 10:10. TAKE HOLD OF THIS PROMISE! Do not let go, live life to the fullest and don’t faint, quit or turn away the end is near but eternal life started the moment you got saved. And that being the case we can live high above all of the dark clouds swirling about us.

Offering and Communion Thoughts or How not to communicate with your Wife

Fishing Report: The river is down and the hatch is on. I would think a gnat pattern is good for the pumpkin seed and Dave's Hoppers or a streamer for the Smallmouth Bass.

Communion

An interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication, the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation Do you remember when you first spent time with your spouse, you would talk and talk? Go to dinner and it wasn’t about the food or the location but about the conversation. You wanted to know them and to share your thoughts and feelings with them. Time passes and you get married and have kids, a career and a mortgage not to mention life just happens. We don’t have time to talk any more with our spouse or if we do it is hurried and about the kids or how to deal with a broken shower. Life interrupts our relationship with the one that is most important to us here on earth. It is like a guy I knew that had been away on business for several days and when he got home he took his wife to dinner. On the way into the restaurant he grabbed a paper and proceeded to read it while they waited on their dinner. He didn’t mean to ignore her but he had gotten into a rut on the road and the headlines distracted him from the true purpose of the dinner, to communicate with his wife. Our time with Christ is the same. When we are first saved we read the word, we pray and we really get to know and talk to God. But life happens and we become preoccupied by all that is around us. As we prepare for this time of communion take time to filter out the distractions, the news of the day, what you’re having for lunch, I hope I get a nap in this afternoon, you know all the thoughts we have throughout the day. Talk to God, open up and let Him speak to you in the next few moments. Just like we can recapture the spark with our spouse by getting away for time together. We can start to recapture our relationship with Christ by putting away the clutter in our minds and talk to Him; share your failures and your fears and your thankfulness for His love for us, by sending His only Son to ransom us for our bondage of sin. Remember the sacrifice and triumph of the resurrection Offering Something offered in worship or devotion Do you remember a time when you gave a gift to someone you loved. A gift you saved for and put a lot of thought into. You know the kind of gift where every week you put $10 or $20 dollars right off the top into a hiding place until you had enough to go purchase the item. Genesis 4 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. God is a patient God and he waited on Cain to bring his offering it says right here in Genesis “in the course of time” but Abel, he brought the firstborn. Here’s the point he didn’t wait to see which one would win the fair or sell at the auction for the highest price to help pay the bills he said that is the best it goes to God and with what I have left and with God’s help I will have enough to make it work. We either fall into the Cain group; give what we have left or what we think we can afford to give. Or we are in the Abel group that says God here is your offering right off the top and I trust you to help me make what is left meet my needs.

Funnelcakes and Fatherhood

Fair Report in lieu of a Fishing Report this week: Champion, Reserve Champion, Honor Group and a fourth place. What a great week at the fair. Oh I almost forgot 1 sweet tea, an ear of corn and a funnel cake.

There is a song I have been listening to lately “What’s a Boy to Do” by Mat Kearney, it has made me think long and hard. It is the story of a boy whose dad does not love him at least not in a way that is affirming of who he is and in the end “It's all quiet for the first time With no voices left to fall I saw a boy at the bottom of the bridge His car was left there on the top It's four o'clock in the morning Didn't need to be like this There's a white sheet left to cover up What should have been a holy kiss”. THIS IS A CALL TO ARMS FOR YOU DADS LOVE YOUR BOYS, hug them and love on them they will be gone soon. Give them what they need to know they are loved and that they are growing into the kind of men that we like to be around. Don’t let this time go by, build something with them, connect with them, go and play ball, see the movie they want, let them catch the big one, show them how to throw a curve ball or shoot, be their Hero, the right kind of hero the hero you always wanted. You can always watch your TV or fish with the guys but one day you’ll want to fish with your boy and he’ll busy chasing his dreams and won’t have time. Show him how to love his wife by loving yours. Don’t play favorites, like this account from Genesis 25:27-29 27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. We all know what happens in this story, betrayal and a broken relationship, our boys if given this environment will follow the path of Jacob and Esau, they will compete for love and favor. Love them in their own way. I have one son that loves skateboarding, not me I have trouble with skates and they are attached to my feet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t support his passion and guide him through his adventure. My other son thinks that Sci-Fi is the greatest thing in the world, sufficed to say, I watch a lot of fantasy movies about far away lands and galaxies. I love to fly fish so I encourage them to come with me but if they never learn to double haul cast that is ok, what my wife and I really want is our boys to grow into men that we can trust, respect and that will go through their lives walking with the Lord. Good luck being your son’s Hero.

Fair Time and being Fair

No Fishing Report this week. IT’S FAIR TIME

It is fair time here in our part of the country. We delivered the rabbits to the fair and got everything set up and ready to go for the show on Tuesday. Boy was it hot in the Barns today, 100 would be my guess, but I love the warmth. It is interesting to see all the kids interacting with the animals, seeing the parents just trying to control the chaos, but the most fun is seeing the kids experiencing some freedom wandering throughout the grounds. The smells are always great, there are of course some of the stinks that can only be found there and at the farm (a good farm kid can tell the difference between all of the stinks), then there are the sweet smells of elephant ears and sweet corn. My boys are learning some hard lessons this week; like taking their time and accepting help and not thinking “I can do it on my own”.

I think we as Christians are a lot like kids at Fair time. We think we are fine and can do it on our own but we get in a jam we turn to our Heavenly Father and ask for help. If we would have walked along side Him all along we would have been free of the problems of our own making. Jesus is clear that trouble will come John 16:33 says "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." But we need to take heart over and over again the promise that God is there for us is reiterated just like in Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,”. Just like we are there for our kids when they need us, God is there for us in the least of things to heartbreaking tragedies of life.

Check out some of my links there is some great stuff out there.

Marriage and Buying Redemption

There is a story in the Bible about a husband and wife. Hosea is where you can read about a husbands’ love for his wife chapter 3 does a beautiful job; Hosea's Reconciliation With His Wife

1 The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."

2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3 Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."

This is a great example of redemption in the midst of betrayal. Do you love your wife this much? Can you love her like Christ Loved us? Can you give up everything for Christ? I don’t know that I can, but I want to. I want to experience the freedom that comes from receiving and providing uncensored grace (I am stealing the phrase from a pastor in Las Vegas, Jud Wilhite). Definition of Uncensored Grace: We’ve all heard of grace, but uncensored grace is what you get from a loving God when all the religious types have gone home, and every last hope for your own effort has blown up in your face. Uncensored means that there is no formula or membership or performance that stands between you and God’s goodness. Uncensored means that as wide and deep and high as your mountain of personal ruin might get, God’s transforming grace through Jesus is always wider and deeper and higher.(also stolen) I hate the fact I grew up with the mentality that there are people you avoid or that even as a Christian that I need to be careful who I help, “It could be dangerous”, was a phrase I heard often.

My challenge to myself and you is to break free, run and follow the Holy Spirit, reach out and offer a hand, give it away, all of it, time, money, but most of all love and friendship. You don’t know who needs it and if we give it away the worse thing that can happen is that we will have nothing to show for the effort. But if, just if, that one person needs what we are giving away we could change a life for eternity.

Go and give it away!

Fishing Report: Try a Dave's Hopper up close to the bank about dark but a cricket pattern may work a bit better in the Midwest.

Oliver Twist and the Kingdom of God

Fishing Report: Good for the boys, bad for dad.

Man is it hot 93 and humidity that is like a thick wet towel. Man I love summer wouldn't have it any other way. I am so thankful for the air conditioning at night it really makes the heat that much more enjoyable because you know that you have a cool place to sleep.

I don't know where we are going this weekend it is supposed to be hot and humid and some storms. But I know where God is leading us. We are traveling down a road to a understanding of redemption of sorts. I am redeem but I am only beginning to learn what it truly means. The parables from Matthew 13 come to mind. It says the Kingdom of God is a great treasure and a man was willing to sell everything to gain this treasure. I realize that Jesus is making the point that the Kingdom is the greatest treasure you could receive and is worth everything. But, I wonder if we are willing to give everything up to experience the Kingdom in its fullness. When we take our kids somewhere and if we go the budget route the kids don’t get to see what all the bells and whistles are like, are we like that with our commitment to Christ and His Kingdom. Are we doing the budget plan with our Christian walk and only experiencing the base model of the Kingdom.

Then again, I think there is another way to look at this parable and I may be a bit off in my theology but it seems to me that God the Father was willing to give everything up to purchase us for the Kingdom. What a redemption, we were bought with a price so high and ransomed to experience the greatness of God. I often have wondered what it must be like to go from leading our life one day and wake up the next day to find we have been rescued from our humble existence and place into a world of wealth and privileged. I hope someday to know what that is like or maybe I can experience that through someone else.

We know someone that is adopting a little girl from the Horn of Africa. That little girl will go to bed one night alone in this world, alone in the worst part of this world and the next day will be whisked away, ransomed, bought with a price, a price that she may never understand the full gravity of, but then she will know a life that she could not even dreamed of, the very next day. The Bible is clear that we are joint heirs with Christ within the kingdom of God. Much like the little girl that is coming home to the states will be an heir to that family’s inheritance. Romans 8:17 says “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…” If we have that kind of identity than we should act like we belong to the family of God, the little girl coming to the States will make the transition to being part of a family and being an American, she will no longer be a citizen of her home country nor will she be an orphan any longer.

We need to get over the excuses of I act this way because my dad… or my family used to…. It is time that we made a change and acted like we belong to the King and that we have our identity at our heavenly home. Not some identification with a brand name or a sport’s franchise but with Christ our co-heir. Wow, what a difference that would make if we would be able to show grace to those around us, like has been shown by the Father. We are Oliver Twist in many ways and we need to stand up and act like who we are. Because one day it will be revealed who we are, just like Oliver Twist we are heirs to great riches but we live like poor thieves.

Saturday mornings are one of the best times of the weeks. This morning it rained 2.5 inches in about 90 minutes, so I guess that mowing and fishing are out. The kids are slowing arising from slumber, making their way into the living room sleepy-eyed and looking a little wiped out. We had a late night at a birthday party. They seemed to enjoy themselves no matter where we take them. I wish as an adult I had the same attitude and thought of everything as a new experience. I believe as we age we become more and more callused to the world and only want to do what we deem to be fun or profitable, never taking in to account that we may we enjoy something if we give it a chance. I think it is the same principle with people. There are people that we don’t want to spend time with maybe it is because we want to go do something else, maybe we don’t agree with their life style and the choices they have made, or maybe we just don’t want to take the time.

My wife has been reading a book about loving like Christ. Christ never didn’t make time for people, all people not just His friends and people He wanted to hang out but with the people we as modern-day Christian tend to shy away from. Matthew 5 says this: 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I don’t think of the enemies in this passage as people who hate me but as people I don’t care to be around because they irritate me or I know they believe differently than I. Maybe I am their enemy because I am not reaching out to them. It is quite clear that Christ is saying get up off your hind end and make an effort we don’t have to nor are we commanded to lead people to Christ but we are command to love people and show them Christ. It is up to them to choose to follow Christ. I am a Calvinist and believe that God has already chose who will come to Him, that being said we do not know and we need to give everyone the opportunity to hear “The Message”.

Now then to the fishing report: 2 rather large bluegill and had a large 4# + largemouth break off. Rough time with the bucket mouth but what fun with the 6 weight. I need to start tying my own flies, I now see the need to “match the hatch”, plus I need a lot more sizes.

Next post I am going to tackle the issue of “Communicating with your Spouse”. I should be able to address that topic in about 2-3 short sentences or maybe 2 or 3 volumes of encyclopedias. Have a great weekend.

Self Controll and a Good Walk

What a time my family and I had hiking in western Indiana. Pine Hill Nature Preserve does prove that Indiana has topography. It is a must see if you are passing through, it is not the Grand Canyon or the Grand Tetons, but it is quite beautiful for the Midwest. I was reminded of the glory and beauty God has created for us to enjoy. It brings to mind Psalms 96:6 "Splendor and Majesty are before Him, Strength and Beauty are in His sanctuary." God has granted us beauty and splendor in nature and it is a reflection of Him and the grace He has imparted to us. Many times as we wandered the backbone ridges and narrow canyons, I realized that God's greatness was far more vast than I could comprehend. Seeing my children excited about creation was great. They were inspired by the fossils they found laying along the streams and by the brilliant colors of the fungi that grew along the path.

Traveling with the crew can be a test of your self control as well. We have a smallish crossover and it is a bit cramped but with gas more than $4/gallon it make sense to be a good steward and be a little closer than the kids like. Self control is such a tenuous practice you have it one minute and the next it is out the window and you look like a crazed parent to passersby. I have been studying on the sin we pass down to our children and if we lack self-control guess what, they will be just like us. Luke 17 says this "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come." I hated to hear this the other day because I realized that it was me that was bringing the bad example of sin into there lives. Titus 2:11 & 12 teach us to say NO to ungodliness and live with self-control in this age. There you have it lack of self-control is ungodly and it is common in this age. So we are to practice self-control with our kids and spouse but how? We are good at keeping calm at work on a daily basis, but why not at home. I believe we want peace and calmness at home and when things go "wrong" we lash out at the ones we care for the most, not because we are blaming them but because we have not learned to release our frustration about our daily lives in a way that "Protects" our family.

That brings me to my final thought. Fly-fishing, time alone with your kids and quality alone time with your wife are the keys (at least for me). Make sure that your screen time is limited in the evening is what I have learned (that doesn't mean I always follow this rule), think of all of the unedifying things we read on the web and see on the news not to mention the so called entertainment on the television. I have read in the Word that all things are allowable (lawful) but not all things are profitable or edifying (build up, establish or strengthen a person). So have an edifying evening and if you have time spend the evening with out the box and with the family.