Of Fathers and Fish: Feeding 5 or 5,000

Isn't it amazing how some memories are so clear in your mind that it's almost like you're right there instead of looking back? I'm thinking about one in particular today, a story about my brother and I fishing with our dad and grandpa when we were quite young.

The day was picture perfect. It's a bright & sunny, nearly cloudless winter day, so the sky is a gorgeous shade of blue. The temperature that day was lovely, too, so even though we had access to an ice house, we didn't have to bundle up to check on the tip-ups. On nice days our usual set-up was a pole for each of us in the house for crappies, a possible rattle wheel in the house for northern, & 3-4 tip-ups outside for northerns, and this day was no exception.

Before I go on, I must say that ice fishing with Dad & Grandpa was always fun, even if we weren't catching much! (Actually, fishing was fun, regardless of the season.) Grandpa knew how to have fun, and he passed that down to Dad. There was always plenty to talk about, and always something to do, even if it was as simple as taking out a snack from our cooler. Sometimes, Dad would tell us to get in the sled and he would spin us around and around, kind of like a merry-go-round except better. Or sometimes, if fishing was really slow, Kev and I would romp around, always careful to stay in site of the ice house.

But we didn't need to find ways to stay occupied on this day! We were already having a rather successful day fishing, which means we were going to bring home enough for a meal or two by the time we pack up to leave, when suddenly, our bobbers were going down in tandem, and the tip-ups were sending up their flags, too! We're hurrying to set the hooks and pull up the lines (this was way before ice fishing poles had reels). Wow! That's enough to be a special memory all by itself. Even more so, perch had hit the tip-ups! That just doesn't happen. So we get the hooks set up with minnows again and put the lines back in. Next thing we know, the bobbers are going down again and the flags are going up!

Well, it must have been a huge school of fish! We soon realized that we would need to keep count because perch had a new limit of possessing 99 that year, and the fish kept biting without any sign of slowing down! For the next hour or two (you sort of lose track in the excitement), as soon as our lines went down, they were needing to be brought back up! By the time things seemed to be slowing down, we were nearing our limit, not including the small ones we tossed back (not that there were many to toss back - most of them were keepers). We caught number 99 when things had almost tapered out, and decided to try for the 100th keeper before we packed up. We did catch it a little while later, then tossed it back where it belonged.

Besides being a cherished memory, this story holds a two-fold meaning to me.

The Heavenly Father will always provide for His children, just as He tells us in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." We never have to fear a need not being met, and He is always right on time, too. The Lord certainly provided for us that day. You see, as much as we enjoy fishing, it also fills a need - our physical need for nourishment and sustenance. We went home with enough for quite a few delicious meals.

The Heavenly Father wants to pour out His love and care upon His children, as He tells us in James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." In that, He blessed us thrice: we experienced the thrill & enjoyment that day; with a memory to look back upon; and He blessed us with an abundance of food. The memory was sweet to recall when I was younger, but it has become even more precious since my grandfather left this world and entered life everlasting. The thrill of bringing that many fish in, and in such a short period of time, not to mention the excited busyness, is hard to describe. Even knowing how exciting that was, it's hard to imagine what it must have been like to be in the crowd when Jesus fed the 5,000 men with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread ... and had twelve baskets remaining!

This present day, I realize how blessed I am to have such a wonderful grandfather and father, too. I'm thankful for Grandpa's influence in my life, and so very thankful that I'll see him again someday because I know he put his trust in Christ alone, asking Jesus to save him. Grandpa raised a wonderful son - who is a great dad, and has taught me what it means to love the Lord.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Thank you for being the godly example you should be and for teaching me in the wisdom & knowledge and admonition of our Lord - not only in my growing up years, but even now. I love you!