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!

Bubbling in My Soul

Do you ever stop to ponder some of the things you think about when you're in the midst of some of the tiniest daily tasks, and why? I do! Sometimes, it's simply amazing. Other times, interesting... Or laughable.

This time, I was bringing a pan of water to a boil, and it triggered a memory I hadn't thought about in a long while. It was of me in my younger days when my mom would ask me to boil water for her. I would stand by and watch it until it did, and when the water was finally at a rapid, hard boil, I would sing a favorite childhood song:

It's bubbling! It's bubbling!

It's bubbling in my soul!

There's singing and laughing, (ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!)

Since Jesus made me whole.

Folks don't understand it,

Nor can I keep it quiet.

It's bubbling, bubbling, bubbling, bubbling -

Bubbling day and night!

Even now, I can't help but smile when I hear the song. It's such a fun little song, and so very true!

It's bubbling day and night! The Christian life really is like that: a picture of true joy. When we trust Jesus to be our Saviour, He gives us a deep inner joy, an abiding joy. No matter what the circumstances may be, true joy still floods our soul day and night because it is not dependent upon the world around us. It is dependent upon one thing: our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And there's no better place to be than when we are allowing the Lord to guide us, following His leading, walking in His will.

Folks don't understand it. This, too, is true. Those who don't know Jesus as their personal Saviour, don't know what "all the fuss is about". The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (I John 3:1b) Because the world knows Him not, our joy is an anomaly. So are we... and that's okay. Why? Because we have Jesus as our Saviour and no one can take that joy away.

Nor can I keep it quiet! When we are excited about something, it's so easy to tell people about it. In fact, we can't wait to share it with someone else. Salvation and the joy thereof is something to be excited about, something that ought to thrill our souls so that we can't keep quiet! Even if those around us don't understand it, we can still share with others. Our testimony and our personal joy can be what the Lord uses to draw others to Himself because they see a difference in us.

Do we manage to keep quiet, or is our joy in the Lord so precious to us that we can't wait to share it with others? Do we love the Christian life so much that we want the world to know the saving grace of Jesus, too? Do we love Jesus that much? He loved us so much that He willingly endured the cross, and I hope that we, as Christians, can't keep quiet. That we feel the need to share with others. That we will boldly proclaim the love of Jesus.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
~ Galatians 5:22-23 ~

What God Hath Promised

Throughout our lives there are points in time that will mark the end of something special. With my grandmother's promotion to Glory in the month of June, these past few months hold the last of some precious memories for me. She was so dear to me, one of my most favorite people in the world, and when I recall our special moments from years past, I also see just how blessed I am to have her for a grandmother.

There is much I could tell you about her, about all the times we shared together, and the close relationship we shared. I could tell you about how sweet and caring she was, the hand she had in training up this child in the way I should go, and all she meant to me. Or I could tell you what made her to be everything she was, which is the greatest impact she had on my life. I could list the many titles that describe the special bond we had, just a few of which are my confidante, prayer warrior, encourager, & beloved grandmother whom I called "Grandy". Then I could work my way down the list one by one, recalling memory after memory, and ending with the most important. Or I could offer a glimpse solely at what defined her most, and this is what I shall do.

The thread that binds the tapestry of memories of my Grandy together, whether picking berries from her berry patches, shopping in the grocery store, or going to monthly checkups at the clinic, is the love for her Lord and mine, Jesus Christ our Saviour. No matter where she was, who she was with, or what she was doing... Oh, how much she loved Jesus! She placed her trust exclusively in Him when she was a teen, and it was her deepest desire to live her life fully dedicated to Him. Even to a child, her devotion to Him was evident, for her life was indeed a living testimony of His love. She truly wanted everyone she met to come to know Jesus as their Saviour, too, and indeed a shining light for Him she has been.

As for me, she helped nurture my love for Him, first by telling me of His love and His sacrifice on my behalf, then after I came to know His saving grace by placing my own trust in Him, she encouraged my walk with Him. There was always a verse or passage in the Bible that we could share in as we enjoyed the moments we had together. She was always directing me to the promises and truths He gave to us through His Word, and I often looked to her as an example of a lady striving to be a Proverbs 31 woman because her life was a wonderful example.

In light of her love for Him, I should like to take a look at a poem that was special to her, a copy of which she gave to my mom some 30 years ago.

What God Hath Promised
Annie Johnson Flint

God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptations, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

I love how the poem ends with the things that God has promised! The promises we have in God's Word are so special. Sometimes it takes the hard times to realize just how special. Let's look at the poem again. However, this time let's not focus on just what He has not promised for the first three stanzas, but rather on the promises He has given for all the stanzas with some of the corresponding Scripture verses it brings to my mind. There are some, such as II Corinthians 12:9, that I have looked to time and again over the years, and have shown themselves true once again. Then there are some, such as Philippians 4:7, I am coming to see that their depths are incomprehensible, that I have just scratched their surfaces even now as I am experiencing the promise and feel it in the very depths of my soul.

God Hath Not Promised & What He Hath Said:

Skies always blue: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through: Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Luke 12:27-31

Sun without rain: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

Joy without sorrow: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. II Corinthians 1:3-4

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

Peace without pain: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3

Toil and temptations: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. I Corinthians 10:13

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

Trouble and woe: Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34:19

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Psalm 91:15

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Many a burden: Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

Many a care: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I Peter 5:7

Smooth roads and wide: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13-14

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide: Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Psalm 73:24

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. Psalms 37:23-24

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Never a mountain, rocky and steep: He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. Psalm 18:33

Never a river turbid and deep: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2

Strength for the day: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. II Corinthians 12:9

Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: Isaiah 26:4

Rest for the labour: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Light for the way: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

Grace for the trials: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Help from above: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:5-6

Unfailing sympathy: Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful [extremely compassionate, sympathetic], and of tender mercy. James 5:11

Undying love: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

Speaking of promises, this wouldn't be complete without a closer look at greatest promise of all, the one that all the others hinge upon: the promise of salvation. God, in His great love for us, gave us the greatest gift ever when His Son Jesus came to earth to pay the price for our sins. This gift is ours for the asking, and all we have to do is ask. He knows our hearts, so He knows if we truly trust Him. And when we come to Him with a repentant heart, He saves us for all eternity, once for all - past, present, and future - never to be lost.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; Titus 3:5-6

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:9-10, 13

We love him, because he first loved us. I John 4:19

More than a Life Jacket

Some of my fondest memories are of times when I was out fishing with my father and grandfather. With today being Father's Day, I thought I'd share one of those fishing memories, a rather recent one of last summer with my dad.

It was the first time we were taking my littlest siblings out in the boat. When Kevin and I were young, Dad and Grandpa instilled in us safety precautions that all fishermen need to know, and the laws too in just the right way so little minds can grasp them. Now, it was time we do the same with 6-year-old Chelsea and 3-year-old Garrett. So as we were getting them settled in, we went over the dos and don'ts, the how to and not to behave. One of the things on the list was "don't jump in the lake." We already had made sure they had their life jackets on, all strapped and secured - not only as a safety measure, but because it's the law. It kind of has a double importance you could say. So Garrett says in his matter of fact way, "But if we fall in, our life jackets will save us." I had the privilege of explaining to him that, yes, it will save you, but you still don't want to fall in. Or at least we didn't want him to fall in; he probably would have liked it, after he got over the initial shock and surprise, that is.

We had a wonderful time on the lake. We quickly arrived at our little fishing spot, with Garrett persistently cajoling us to "go faster", and Chelsea enjoying our cruising along, too. My siblings were catching fish with almost every cast, so much so that I set my own pole aside to devote my time to taking the fishes off their hooks! As we Minnesotans are prone to do, not only did we take note of who caught the largest fish, but also the smallest. Kev was awarded with the largest as he pulled in both a northern pike and a bass just as we were packing up to go. Chelsea and Garrett both managed to "beat" my tiny little sunny that I had brought in early on, so I didn't get to claim that "accomplishment." Many were kept and others released (including our three record-breakingly small sunnies), and "the keepers" made a nice dinner the next day. We made our way inland under a beautiful sunset, with Garrett now trying to persuade us to go slower and slower, and Chelsea also not seeming all that eager to get off the water, either. It indeed was a lovely time, and thankfully no one took an unexpected dive.

Kids really do have a way of saying things, don't they? "If we fall in, our life jackets will save us." As I was explaining the life jackets to Garrett, it didn't escape my mind how valid his point was, the simple trust he had, and the lesson that can be learned.

A life jacket can indeed save you from drowning. However, just having one won't save you, of course; you have to be wearing it. You can't just throw it aside when you don't need it; you have to store it right when it is not in use. Not to mention, you have to have the right size, too. And if you follow these specifications, it will save you. You know it will be there for you when you need it, not needing to worry about the "what ifs", just having the trust that it won't fail.

I went on to think of how Jesus Christ is like our spiritual life jacket. You see, we all sin. "As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:10-12, 23) Our sin deserves to be punished, and that punishment is death. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Yet God loves us, anyway, in spite of our sin. And He loved us so much that He did something about it. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (Romans 5:8, I Corinthians 15:4) All who place their trust in Him have passed from death unto life. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9-10, 13)

Because we sin, it's as if we're already in the lake, and we're drowning, fast. Compared to eternity our life is just a small vapor, not even a drop in the bucket. We need something - Someone - to rescue us, and that Someone is Jesus Christ. Like the flotation device we had on while fishing, we have to do things the right way for Christ to save us. I don't mean "good works"; I mean doing things God's way: You have to admit that you sin and you need a Saviour because you can't do anything to save yourself. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Believe that Christ's work on the cross is sufficient and He alone can save you. It takes the simple trust likened unto that of a child, and when you go to Him with a humble, contrite heart and ask Him to save you, He will. The forgiveness and grace He offers will always be "the proper fit." It's as big as you need it, and it is renewed every day. He will be there for you through life's calm and through life's tempests, and He will be there for you when you leave this world behind and pass into eternity.

But a "life jacket" isn't quite the all-encompassing analogy, there's so much more to it. A life jacket is something you fall back on, something you hope you won't really need, and something that can still leave you stranded - floating, but not necessarily able to reach dry land. Jesus Christ is even more than that, He's our Saviour. He's not Someone we only need at certain times or troubling moments; we need Him always, even after our initial saving from an eternal demise. Nor does He only provide us with just the ability to stay afloat, He plucks us out of the water and gives us a safety we've never had before. That doesn't mean we'll never pass through a storm, but that we will never have to go through it alone or without any hope of escape because He'll be there with us and we'll be in the boat which cannot sink. And someday we will reach the final Shore, our beautiful eternal home, with Him, the One who loves us so much, there face-to-face and by our side.

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!