Fishing With Oh Dad

Saw this picture on a social media platform and my first impression was “Oh how cute”. But, after reflecting on it a few moments, this verse came to mind “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). Us, as fathers, have an awesome responsibility to raise our children to grow up to be responsible adults. We are (must) to teach our children the ways of God (Deuteronomy 6:1-9), how to be saved (Romans 10:9), and how to live as a pilgrim in this world (Titus 2:12, 1 Thessalonians 5), and how to prepare ourselves for our future with Christ in heaven (1 Timothy 6:17–19, Revelation 22:7). One of the best ways of teaching our children these values is by spending LOTS of TIME with them. And one of the best ways to spend time with them is in the outdoors showing them how to fish. You can teach them to respect God’s creation (the body of water, the land, the fish and animals, etc.), others (brother, sister, mom, dad, other fishermen, etc.) and the laws and regulations of our land. Taking a boy or girl fishing may have an impact far beyond our wildest imaginations! Spend time with your child!!

As a boy I have many great memories of family vacation time in the 1960’s. One of the places that we went, I have very vivid recollection of and that is a place in New Hampshire called Mi-Te-Jo Campground. For years I could not remember where in New Hampshire it was, until the other night when I did a search on the internet and found it!! Even found an older webpage for it! Sadly, it is no longer going under that name. But the drone picture of the beach and the building sure brought back a lot of memories! And all of that is thanks to my parents for taking us kids there and spending time there with us. And of course, my Dad and I had many wonderful days fishing the lake (Northeast Lake, Milton, New Hampshire). My parents sacrificed things to GIVE us these great memories and times together. Seeing this picture (below) got me to thinking that at this time of the year (we really don’t know the precise time) when we celebrate the birth of our Savior! Have we really thought about what God GAVE us and what it COST him! Micah 5:2 tells us: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” We celebrate the not a baby (even though He was), but the Man He was to become! And what He did for us on the cross! He was born into this world to die! Christ Himself said regarding his death: “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” As we ponder the things that we have been given; don’t forget what God GAVE us: His Son to die a cruel death on the cross to GIVE us Salvation (full & free), to save us from our sins and GIVE us a home in heaven with Him!! (john 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

My oldest son and his wife recently paid us a visit all the way from Tennessee. My son wanted to show his wife Mt. Graham in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeast Arizona. My daughter and I tagged along and what a beautiful blessed day it was! The weather and the scenery were stunning!! We drove to Riggs Lake and stopped to stretch our legs and look at the lake and my son and I, being avid fishermen, stood for awhile together talking about the lake and the fish in it and dreamed of catching some nice trout. But alas, we didn’t bring our fishing rods! This picture got me to thinking about the relationship of our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. From the very beginning Jesus was very intimate with His Father for Genesis 1:26 (see also John 1:1-4) shows us this: “And God said, Let US make man in our image, after our likeness:…” Jesus was with his Father before and during creation sharing the responsibility of creating the universe. We see it again from the lips of Christ in John 17:5 when He says to his disciples: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” And what was Jesus to His Father? Matthew 17:5 says it all: “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Jesus’ Father called him my beloved Son! Jesus had all the glory and all the attributes of His Father! Jesus had everything in heaven! So why would Jesus want to give all that up and come to earth!? It is for one very important reason, which to every true believer is a mystery but is very real and true: God (and Jesus) loves us! John 3:16 tells us: “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.” God gave up His Son to death because God loves us without measure. Romans 8:31-38 sums it all up: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” With this kind of love for us how can we reject that love and live our lives without him? We too can have the kind of relationship that God had for his Son by accepting Jesus Christ today as our personal Saviour. In this world of such turmoil and heartache, why put off that decision any longer!

Sometimes when you are out fishing it can be really frustrating trying to locate and catch fish. It has been tough lately to get on fish and then I came across this cute cartoon the other day and it not only struck my funny bone (and summed up the way things sometimes go), but it also reminded me of a great spiritual truth. And that truth is that God loves us and knows all about us. We are not hard to find or lost to Him. Psalm 139 tells us how God intimately knows us: “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. ² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. ³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. ⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. ⁷ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? ⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. ⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; ¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. ¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. ¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. ¹³ For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. ¹⁷ How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! ¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. ¹⁹ Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. ²⁰ For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. ²¹ Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? ²² I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: ²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Romans 8:16-39 God tells us of his love for us: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ¹⁸ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ²¹ Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. ²³ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. ²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. ³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? ³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Well the mishaps continue! While working in my garage one day (Memorial Day actually), I reached behind my rod stand to get something I needed and ran my left arm down on to two of the hooks of a vintage fishing lure of my Dad’s. OUCH! The following video (it’s not for the squeamish or the fainthearted) show what ends up happening. By the way, the wonderful nurse who assisted the awesome ER doctor, was the same nurse I had when I first came into the local hospital ER the day I fell off the roof! Pretty cool lady! As Romans 8:28 says: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. This afforded me the privilege to share what God had done in my life through the accident and the on going recovery. All praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hope you enjoy the video in spite of the yuck. A side note: the old lure was not damaged in any way. Many thanks to my dear daughter for trying very hard to extract the hooks. Love her so!

The old saying that a picture can say a thousand words is surely true in the case of this picture! It’s a photo of my two sons fishing in a backyard pond at the oldest brother’s home. The photo was taken by his wife and it couldn’t have been taken any better. Looking at the photo almost makes you forget the ugliness in our world and harkens back to a simpler and less stressful time. It brings back so many memories of when they were younger. I am so glad they love each other (and the Lord Jesus) and that they are able to spend some quality time together. God has surely blessed their mother and I with three wonderful children (we also have a daughter). A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. Proverbs 15:20

Several weeks back I was fishing at a friends pond and noticed a van parked near the pond. Thought it was odd, but then decided everything was kosher. Then, the other day I was coming out of Wal-Mart and noticed a van parked near my truck with out of state plates. Seeing where he was from, I asked him if he was vacationing or moving. He said he was moving. After a few minutes conversation with him, he told me he was staying with some friends (turns out they were mutual friends), and realized it was the same van parked near the pond. We also shared a love of fishing! Small world!! Scripture tells us that “…all things work together for good..” (Romans 8:28) With that being said, I had the privilege of sharing a little of the good news of the gospel with him (and left him a tract). Jesus told us: Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35) It was nice to me him and I hope he finds Christ as his Savior for this troubled world.

Somewhere in this video I quote a line from a movie. Correctly identify the character who said it, the movie in which he was in, and the approximate time stamp in my video to be able to receive two packs of YUM Senco style plastic worms or creature baits. Follow these simple rules: 1. Watch & listen to the video to find the information. 2. Be the first to e-mail me with the correct information at fishingwithohdad@gmail.com. 3. Include your name and your address in your email. Thanks for watching and have fun with the GIVE-A-WAY and I will maybe see you on the water!

This picture is of a young subscriber to my YouTube Channel. He lives in Virginia and his name is Whitt. He is fishing in a great looking private pond. I am told that he is “obsessed with all things fishing.” Sure does remind me when I was his age. Couldn’t get enough of fishing! Fished almost every day during the summer with my good friend Mark.We just couldn’t get enough fishing in. When we weren’t fishing, we talked of fishing! I was told one time that a boy who learns and loves to fish will not get into trouble like a boy who doesn’t fish. There is a better way to keep a boy out of trouble and that is to teach him the ways of the Lord Jesus. Proverbs 1:7 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” Our job, fathers, is to teach him to love the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 tells us: “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thous shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” When this is done we can rest assured that we have done our job (really our calling) as fathers, for Proverbs 22:6 tells us: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” A great principle is found here in Deuteronomy 7:12-13: “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgements, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers. And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee:...” Jesus said: ” I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the father, but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus is the only way to live and the only way to die! So fathers: teach your children to love the Lord and children find Jesus as your Savior! Enjoy your fishing Whitt!

A good friend of mine sent me this picture of a young lady fishing in a wheelchair in the water. She is obviously enjoying herself and the life she has been dealt. He said this young lady was an inspiration to him because he really would like to get to the point where he can go fishing with me. He has been dealing with some serious health issues for a while. However, I don’t think that what he said is quite true; she could be an inspiration to all of us that have physical limitations!! Jesus said in John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Look to him for your strength and courage. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” (Psalm 121:1)