So far in 2009

The fishing this spring has been fantastic. The kids have done a great job. We have had big adventure and some quiet water moments. Enjoy the photos.

Wisdom, Lions and Prostitutes

OK the title got you to read on. This chapter is full of sayings for the wise. But they aren’t like the ones we hear everyday like; “Red sky in the morning sailor take warning”, “Madder than a stomped frog”, “Never eat spinach with a stranger”, or this gem “Duct tape is like "The Force." It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together’ (check out Charles Spurgeon’s John Plowman’s Talks for Godly plain wisdom). Wisdom isn’t a laughing matter although worldly wisdom is.
God made it clear in Proverbs 22 what was important. Here is a quick highlight: A good reputation or character is better than gold. Think about it, we all have known wealthy folks that are simply “not nice” people. If you are generous you will be blessed but if you work to increase you wealth by hurting those who have little will end up poor; I read this quote and thought it really spoke to this portion of scripture; -We’ve all been down. The strong among us have picked ourselves back up and tried again with a clenched smile and renewed determination. Sometimes though even the strong can’t pick themselves up and they need help. Help is a gift. In order for a gift to truly appreciated it needs to be given freely without expectation and accepted graciously for then it is a liberating and uplifting experience for both parties-Unknown- If you love with a pure heart you will have the King for a friend! The whore is a dangerous trap and if you ignore the Lord you will fall in. But I think my favorite is when the lazy man says, “If I go outside to work the lion will eat me.” Sounds like it might be the world’s worst excuse to avoid work.
As you continue to read through this chapter God continues to teach us and instructs us to keep this wisdom in our heart and it will be ready on our lips. What are some of these things you may ask (I know not all of you are reading this passage so I will “Clif note” it here but you better check and make sure I’m right)? This section of Proverbs 22 gets tough on us in Modern Day America. Here goes; don’t take advantage of the poor, don’t be friends with an angry guy, don’t go into debt, and finally watch out who you are generous to they may take advantage of you. Wait you better check that list one of those may not be in Proverbs 22.
The one that strikes home to me in today’s culture is “Do not move the boundary stones set in place by your forefathers”. Do we not constantly push the boundary stone out a little everyday? It wasn’t long ago that pornography; gambling and disrespect for authority were all considered taboo; now these things are looked at as mainstream and a part of life in America. What are you watching? Friends re-runs, Two and a Half Men, Desperate Housewives? Are you going to the movies and watching Hangover or Drag Me to Hell? What are you measuring your choices against? Do you think that since so and so went and saw this movie or I chatted with them about this show it’s OK? It matters not who they are even if they are someone you think is “spiritual”. What matters is who God has called you to be. Read these instructions in Proverbs 22! Think about what you are doing and who you are. There will come a day when all this will fade away and it will be just you and Christ standing face to face. What do you hope He’ll say to you?

Wisdom and an Open Mouth?

Hey shut up! Would you just mind your own business! Stop touching me! Parents have you heard these before. Sorry I know it is bring up bad memories of last Sunday morning, right?
Have you ever greeted the “grumpy Gus” of the family or neighborhood with “Hey great to see you? How are you doing? You look great!” It throws them off and they don’t know what to say. In a world of negative news and commentary, and the “woe is me” crowd if you come out of the house with a smile and dare I say it a “perky” attitude you are going to cause people to scratch their head and walk away wondering what happen to you. "If people don't occasionally walk away from you shaking their heads, you're doing something wrong."-John Gierach. Are you doing something wrong? Do you just join in on the gripe session? Proverbs 15 tells us that “a gentle word turns away not anger but wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
How’s your heart? God addresses what comes out of our mouth, but where does the motivation reside. Your heart is the root of your words and attitude.
I have grown all kinds of plants over the course of the last 25 years and if the fruit of the plant is bitter, sour or rotten, it is because the soil where the roots are just isn’t right. The soil may be deficient in nutrients (N-P-K nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) or it hasn’t had enough water, whatever the case it is the roots that directly affect the quality of the fruit.
Are the words (fruit) of your daily conversations bitter or sour? Where is your heart? Are you planted in the right place or do you need to add nutrient to the roots of your attitude and words? Maybe you just need to transplant your heart to that sunny spot down by the stream of life. How about it: Have you read the word today? Have you prayed? Proverbs 15 verse 13 says “A happy heart makes a face cheerful”. Look in the mirror. Now go and pray and read Proverbs 15. Look in the mirror again see the difference. The nutrients of God’s word and time with Him in conversation WOW! What a difference!

Wisdom is a Fruit?

Fishing might be good today we'll see. We are expecting to see big T-storms tonight.
I will make you a deal; I’ll give you some wisdom instead of gold because that is the better end of the bargain. What you don’t think so. Proverbs 8 tells us that wisdom is better than silver, gold and jewels; it is the choicest of fruit. Does that mean Yukon Cornelius should have been looking for wisdom and that wisdom is now a girl’s best friend? Wisdom dwells with prudence (defined as sound judgment) according to verse 12, I am pretty sure I have dwelt with her evil twin sisters indiscretion and rash behavior, at least when I was a younger man.
We should heed God’s words here in the eighth chapter of Proverbs, because if we do there are some great things attached to seeking wisdom. If we seek wisdom out riches, honor, righteousness, wealth and treasures not to mention being on the path of justice are sure to come. That sounds much better to me than debt, stress, ulcers, cheating and a rocky road. Have you been on the rocky road or the stress turnpike lately? We all have at some point. It seems when the road gets rough it tends to bump things into prospective and I head for the nearest exit on to the path of justice. The rocky road is a freeway, moving at 80 mph, but the path of justice is on a different speed. The Lord tells us we need to listen, watch, wait and heed instruction. The last time I checked our “world” doesn’t tend to value any of these attributes.
I remember as a boy I went with my Dad and Grandpa fishing in Wisconsin. We were out in a small boat enjoying the evening when the fish started to bite. As I watched my Dad he was focused on the big bass that was feeding on the edge of the lily-pads, Grandpa was just sitting there watching the bluegill suck the small bugs off the surface of the water, but I was going nuts constantly throwing my line out and then retrieving even before the bluegill had a chance to make that popping sound as they take the bait. I asked Grandpa, “Why are you just sitting there not trying to catch all these fish.” He replied “I have caught a lot of fish in my life and I am enjoying seeing you take your turn at catching a lot of fish.” I don’t remember how many fish I caught that night, but I do remember big beautiful green bass with the cavernous mouth and the smile on Grandpa’s face as Dad hooked that bass.
I don’t know if life is like fishing or not but now that I am pushing forty and have caught a lot of fish I understand my Grandpa’s wisdom in waiting and watching. He was blessed to see his son and grandson enjoy God’s Creation. Maybe this passage in Proverbs is not about fishing but about those attributes of listening, watching, waiting and heeding instruction. If I would not have done those things when my Dad taught me to fish and if he hadn’t done them when his Dad taught him to fish, then there would have been no fish, no blessing that night so many summers ago.
God promises us if we do these things we will be blessed. We will find favor with the Lord. The choice is yours; live life with your limited wisdom or watch, wait, listen and take heed to the Lord’s instruction and find favor with your heavenly Father.

Wisdom from??? Proverbs 1

Fishing has been a little slow. Nearly 9 inches of rain since June 1. WOW the streams all look like chocolate milk.
What is wisdom? Is wisdom the advice you received from an elderly woman in your church that said “Don’t have a cat in the house it will steal the baby’s breathe”? Or is it the old-timer that showed you how to use a hand scythe? Maybe it is when your dad let you try chewing tobacco the first time making sure that he knew you would never do it again; or was it your mom giving you a “Dapper Dan” so that you could tie your own shoes and button your shirt?
Proverbs tells us wisdom goes hand in hand with discipline. Both wisdom and discipline lead us to be prudent, right, just and fair. Those things all sound like what I would want to have in my life.
But wait a minute; do we seek these things out? I remember a story of a young boy that when his friends came around the place and said “Hey let’s go swim down in the river”. Now he knew his Daddy told him he couldn’t swim in the river. It was hot that day and he decided he would just go cool off, so he snuck away and “cooled off”. Arriving home there was no hiding the fact he had been to the swimming hole, Dad was not happy and expressed his disappointment on the boy’s backside! Well the summer continued and those same boys came back around bidding the boy to come the river, promising him that he would be dry before his Dad got home. This time the little guy thought better of his Dad’s instruction and stayed on the farm, those other boys left and never made it home, they drown.
Sin is sexy, tasty, enticing and ever tempting. How easy it is to slip away and eat that decadent dessert, watch that video on YouTube, everyone is talking about when no one is at home, or slip that high tech gadget into your pocket at the super-store? On the surface some of these things might not seem bad; sugary desserts aren’t bad unless you’re a diabetic, videos aren’t bad unless it is unwholesome. How do you decide? Proverbs tells us that if we stray into trouble, God will laugh at your disaster; God will mock you when you have a calamity. Strong words from the Almighty God. As I look at this passage I am amazed that I missed that, God will laugh at me if I made a poor choice, because I did not seek His wisdom. I surely don’t want to stand in His presence and hear Him mock me because I ignored His wisdom. Where is His wisdom? His Word is where His Wisdom is found. Are you looking to His Word to gain wisdom for daily living or are you looking to your pastor, your coworker in the next cube, maybe the bald guy on PBS? So as you seek wisdom in His Word instead of the “word” on Facebook notice the difference in your week. Be sure to share your experience with us.