Hooks & Light

I had the distinct pleasure of having Eagle Claw hooks call me and ask if I would product test the Trokar hooks, and write a review for them. How could I pass up the opportunity? I couldn’t it was a great opportunity to see these 10 dollar hooks in action.

When the hooks showed up I opened the package like a kid ripping open a package Christmas morning. The first thing I noticed was the point on the hook was so sharp, it looked different from other hooks. When I thru one in my hook box with all my other 5 aught hooks it stood out from the crowd of other hooks. You could tell which hook was the Trokar hook and which ones where not.

It made me think, we as Christians need to be like the Trokar hook in my hooks box. We need to stand out from the crowd around us. We as Christians are called to be a light in the darkness. In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus says:
“13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Jesus had just finished talking to the crowds and giving “Sermon on the Mount” where he goes over what have become known as the B Attitudes. Jesus called Christians to stand out to show what makes us different from the world. We as Christians need to live a life that is light for him. I think about fisherman and what this may look like. What if Christian bass fisherman came together and prayed for safety before every tournament where it be a big one or a local club tournament? What would that do? Would other fisherman ask what we are doing? Would we be showing Christ? Think about it. I would be interesting to hearing what you have to say so leave a comment and I will read it and reply.

Mutitasking

I have spent the day trying to work on a paper for my Christian Theology class. Every time I try and focus the phone goes off, I remember something else I needed to do. It’s funny when I sit down at the computer I cannot focus on this paper. I have been trying to do three things at once lately and none of them go well.

It seems funny to me that I can’t do more than one thing when I am sitting at the computer working on school work. However when I’m out on the water I can focus on three things at once. I can focus on the tick, tick, tick I felt on the end of my line, looking for the next spot to cast to and can spend time in prayer.

I don’t know what it is about being in nature that allows me to multitask when I can’t do it at home. Even when the phone goes off it doesn’t distract me like it does at the house. I wish I had that same multitasking ability all the time. I don’t understand why I can multitask when on the water. I was talking to one of my professors yesterday; he told me that he could see a passion in me about fishing when I talk about it. My wife can tell when I am distracted or even not into what it is I’m doing. I wonder does this in ability to multitask come from me not wanting to do something, like say write a 10 page paper. I don’t have a good answer I guess.

I was thinking about Jesus well writing this. Jesus must have been a great multitasker. Think about it, he had a group of 12 guys following him around always asking questions and not understanding what he was talking about. On top of the apostles he had a crowd of people following him as well. People always wanting a miracle, him teaching well all the time doing what God put him on earth to do. Of course he was God and God can do anything, so I bet multitasking was no problem. Just a thought I would share.

practice makes perfect

Remember that old adage practice makes perfect?  It really does, fishing is like any other sport.  You will never get any better unless you practice.  I am not the greatest at pitching and flipping, but with practice out on the water and flipping to a bucket in the front yard (I get a lot of funny looks from people driving by) I have become better at it.

The same is true for anything; the more we work at it the better we are.  My friend Mike is a life coach and owns Centermark Coaching, he has helped me in the last few weeks see another side of fishing.  He has taken me and helped me develop habits with my blog, and other areas that are hopefully going to show companies why they should sponsor me.  Without him and practicing these new habits I wouldn’t be growing like I am.

The same is true for our spiritual lives.  God doesn’t want stagnant Christians even though it is easy to do.  We need to be growing, we need to be digging into Gods word and growing closer to God so we can be more Christ like.  We cannot be content being like, the moss growing on the back of a stagnant pond where the water doesn’t move.  Yes the moss grows but it stinks and doesn’t hold much fish life.  We need to be like the grass that grows from the bottom of the lake.  We need to grow “up”, “up” in are maturity with Christ, “up” toward Christ.  We need to have a firm foundation so when the winds of like blow we are rooted in Christ, not like the moss on top of the water that is blown all around and moved from place to place with no firm foundation.

happily without regret

I found this quote thanks to Gofishn  "I have fished through fishless days that I remember happily without regret." -- Roderick Haig-Brown.  It made me stop and think.  I spent Saturday on the water fishing, the two weeks before I had been slaying the bass with a football head jig from Atomic Tackle Company, a Rage Tail craw from Strike King and dipped the whole thing in JJ’s magic sauce.

Saturday everything changed, the fish stopped biting.  The water temp had dropped to 49 to 50 degrees; the water was starting to go through turn over.  I played around and looked for fish in other places.  But without a fish and only one bite that came just as I was heading in it was still a great day on the water.

It was a good day because I was in the presence of God.  For me there is nothing like being on the boat spending time in God’s creation.  I feel the closest to God when I fish.  It seems like my prayer life is better.  For me a day without a fish can still be a good day.  

I think too often we get caught up in the idea that if we don’t catch fish we have wasted time on the water.  I have to admit I have had those same thoughts; mine usually come when fishing a tournament.  If I don’t catch a fish or a limit I think man I wasted money on an entrance fee.  Maybe I need to stop even in a tournament and realize that I am part of something bigger, I am in God’s wonderful creation.  Just a thought stop next time you’re on the water and look at Gods creation around you.  

What It would be like

I was thinking today about what life on the road as a pro fisherman would be like.  I wonder could I handle all that time away from my family?  Think about it, most pros fish BASS PAA and maybe even FLW events or FLW and some BASS events.  It has to be tough on the family. 

                My wife has been gone for a little over a week and will have been gone two total when she finally comes back.  In two weeks I have realized how much she does around the house and with the kids.  I’m not sure I could handle being gone weeks or months at a time.  Yes I love fishing, I love the thrill of being on the water and setting the hook not knowing what you have until it gets to the boat.  I also love being with my family.

                If God has something big for me in fishing like being a pro I know that I will be able to handle the time away.  I know that with God I can accomplish anything. 

The value of a coach

I met with my coach Mike Harrison from CenterMark Coaching today and he talked to me about the importance of clarifying your desire and creating the discipline to achieve your dreams.

It is so very important to clarify your desires (ie. what you want to have, what you want to do and what you want to become.)  I know that I want to be a connector for people who desire to discover the best about God's nature and have a great time while fishing.

Mike said it is important to write your desires down...so here it goes:
I desire God to be big in my life
I desire to be a great husband to my wife
I desire to be a great father to my kids

In my business, I desire to help people discover God's best
In my business, I desire to help people do more "catching" than "fishing"
In my business, I desire to make a big difference for others

Finally--creating the discipline.  Mike told me that discipline is always created through empowering relationships.  "Show me someone who says they don't have discipline, and I'll show you someone who is trying to accomplish something all by themselves," Mike said.

So, I want to continue to connect with those who empower me and I want to empower them.  If there is anything that I can do for you, please let me know.  I care.

The value of a coach brings clarity and creating.  You need to have one.

A fall day on the river

As I fished along the river today, I noticed the beauty of fall for the first time.  The leaves changing, the deer standing by the river and the squirrels moving about in the leaves.  I have never stopped and noticed the true beauty in fall.  I am usually to upset about the end of fishing for the year.

                Today I stopped and took a moment to really stop and think about it.  I often wonder how someone can think that this world was an accident.  Sitting on the water all I could think was there has to be something bigger, a God who made this world.  I had a friend once tell me “That no outdoors men can believe in evolution”.  I would have to agree. 

Staying healthy

Come fall any good fisherman knows that you want to look for the greenest healthiest grass you can.  This healthy grass will hold minnows and in turn hold the bass.  As I was fishing yesterday I found myself looking for the greenest grass I could find.  As I stood on the deck of my boat I had this thought, we just like the grass need to be healthy.

We need to stay in the word of God and grow.  We can only grow in the Lord by staying in his word and through prayer.  We need to be like the healthy grass that is still survieing in the cold fall water.  We need to be healthy and stand tall in the cold water of life.  We need to be able to stand against the world and we can only do this by knowing God and being healthy Christians.