Space: On the Water

I love the water.  In a boat, on a jet-ski (I realize this is a past time of the 90's), on the beach or by a pool.  One of my earliest memories with my family and friends is summer days spent at the Swim and Raquet Club, literally from open, through lunch, dinner, showers and until closing time we were like fish in that pool. 

Of all water, my favorite is on a boat.  And, fishing.  There's something about it.  I get lost in my thoughts in the vast expanse of water and the ocean.  The creation.  The number of fish in the seas.  The power of water. 

Last weekend I made a quick trip to see some friends in one of my favorite places and got on the water for a few hours Saturday morning.  We were casting, and casting, fishing off the boat and nothing was biting.  I wasn't really even paying attention to my line, just letting the croaker hang out and maybe eventually something would bite.  All the sudden my line started running...I said out loud "I got something!".  Hilarious looking back on it.  That fish put up a little fight, we thought maybe it was a redfish, (I still have yet to catch a redfish and really want to!!) but, finally we could see it.  Nope.  It was a Jack Crevalle.  It took a few minutes to get it reeled in. 

Since I was caught by surprise, I needed help.  The reel needed adjusting, the fish was pulling my pole and I wasn't in good position.  We were in a little bit of rough water and I had to circle around the boat a couple of times while reeling in which was a balancing act. When we netted that fish, it wasn't a keeper, it was just fun to catch, snap a pic and throw it back. 

 

There have been times I caught a keeper.  Out wade fishing ... a little trout ...



And, offshore fishing, reeling in red snapper...in amazing blue water...

 

Every one of these was different...the fish, the circumstance, the weather, the location, the fight...isn't that like life? 

 

Some days you feel like you just cast and cast with nothing in return.  Nothing even biting, or if it does bite, just steals your bait and takes off before you can reel it in. 

 

Some days you cast and can literally see right through the water as you're reeling up and know you have a keeper. 

 

Some days the seas are rough.  Some days they are calm.

 

Some days you're off by yourself wading in the water.  The line gets in a birds nest.  There is no hurry, you just work it out, try it again. 

 

Sometimes when you are on the boat and look in the water you see the jellyfish.  They are just waiting to sting you. 

 

Sometimes you look and see majesty of creation when a whale is so close you could almost reach out and touch it, but it is just out of reach. 

 

There are so many things in life we're fishing for...answers, people, places, jobs, relationships, money, travel, body, houses, cars, status, ___________...so many times when we finally feel like we caught it, it's hardly worth snapping a picture and really should be thrown back.

 

Maybe you're like Jonah and buy a seat on the boat to escape or get away.  Only to be swallowed by a giant fish and later spit out on the shore still fighting what you were called to. He choose to take the longer and harder way to Nineveh.  "Ninevah" is a real place for each of us, the place we are called to but don't quite want to surrender to.  We think we can do it on our own.  We (I) get tired of waiting.  We don't want to forgive what has wounded us.  We would rather take the long road, than surrender.  Sometimes the long road seems easier because it is less painful, but only temporarily. Eventually we all end up getting spit out to Nineveh and that landing is rough. 

(Click to iTunes for Podcast Jonah - "What do we do when we don't want what God wants"

from Bayou City Fellowship 06.15.14)

 

I get lost in my thoughts on the boat and life's lessons.  At the end of the day....I want to be on the right boat.  I want to make sure my bait is carefully selected, that it is cast with good intention. I want to be intentional where I am casting my line.  I want to be patient when waiting on the right "fish" to bite, whether it is big or small, I want a keeper, not a temporary solution.

 

 



Fortunately the Creator of the seas and all its creatures created me. He knows exactly the waters to put me in. It is just a daily challenge to get in the boat or sit on the shore plotting my own plan and trust that no matter how deep the waters get, how rough the seas or how often nothing returns on the line, He is in control. 

Blessings,