Losing It

I was reading an article on Bassmaster.com about how Mike Iaconelli (IKE) has admitted he has an anger problem (read article here) and is seeking help with it from a sports psychologist.  It made me stop and think.  Last Saturday I was fishing the Fishing for Charities event on Smith Mountain Lake when I defiantly had an Ike moment.

I can say it was not my best moment…could almost be my worst moment.  The fishing was tuff, I mean really tuff.  My wife fished with me as it was a team tournament and by 11:30 we had no fish in the boat.  I was beginning to feel the pressure of the day.  We pulled into a small cove and after a half hour my wife landed are first and only bass of the day.  It began to renew the pain I was dealing with not having a bass.

But after another two hours and a bunch of miss haps like birds nest in two rods so bad I could not pick them out and seeing a bunch of bass that had no intrest in biting anything I was throwing I lost it.  I attempted to make a cast with a spinning reel and got another mess of line.  That’s when it happened.  I snapped, and snapped a rod over my knee (yup you read it right a rod over my knee).  Then a bunch of words fell from my mouth that I can’t repeat and the broken rod took a swim in the lake.

Not my finest moment, looking back I feel like a tool.  I was fishing near a dock and there was a little old lady working on her flowers 400 yards up near her house.  I wish I could take that moment back, I feel so bad about it.  I didn’t show that women I was a Christian.  She saw me for 20 minutes at most and I’m sure she thought stupid punk kid.

I surly lived up to what Proverbs 14:17 says: “A quick-tempered person does foolish things,
and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.”

I have worked hard not to be quick tempered because before becoming a Christian I was very quick tempered and I knew that it was something I needed to work on.  However here I was in a boat cussing at myself breaking a rod and tossing it in the lake (I did fish it out before I left…I didn’t want to liter). 

I know what I did was wrong and trust me I asked God for forgiveness, and if I could have figured out how to contact the little old lady and tell her I was sorry I would have done that too.  I hope you think about me and my stupid mistake the next time the temptation is there to fly off the handle and follow my lead instead be the bigger person I couldn’t be that day.  

  

Praying for Fishing for Charities

I once wrote about what it would be like if every bass fishing tournament started with prayer.  I had the distinct pleasure of starting the Fishing for Charities event on Smith Mountain Lake with prayer.  It was a great experience.  Not only was it Easter weekend but it was for a tournament trail I believe in.

I think Fishing for Charities is doing great things.  Here is a group that is trying to give back.  I was nervous standing on a dock praying into a mega phone in front of those I was going to fish against. 

I am so grateful that Dwayne from Fishing for Charities asked me to write a Faith based blog for the Fishing for Charities website and was honored when he asked me to pray before takeoff that morning.

Little things like that remind me just how much God has blessed me and allowed me to show him thru fishing and writing.  I hope that Dwayne will continue to start each event off with prayer in the future.

My Motor

Last winter, well I guess it was winter it was early December when I put my boat up for the winter.  It stayed warm long enough I kept the boat out longer and fished into December.  Anyway the last few times I was out the motor was acting funny.  So I talked to a few guys got some ideas and ended up having a plan to get it looked at and fixed.

It’s funny how you can have a plan and then it back fires on you.  My best friend Josh had hooked me up with his brother to fix my boat.  The plan was set, and then it changed a month ago.  To be honest I was not mad or even upset.  Josh’s brother Charlie had to go out of town for work and so things didn’t work out.

I was stressed needless to say because a week from tomorrow I am leaving for Smith Mountain Lake to fish in the Fishing for Charities tournament.  I have to say God is good.  I was stressed and God took care of me.  After doing some work on the motor myself (I should mention I was on a strict budget that did not allow me to take it to a shop and have it worked on) I put it on the water today. 

I had a hard time sleeping last night I was worried my motor wouldn’t start or it would run worse than it did last winter.  Josh was with me this morning and we were both shocked when the motor ran better than it has in a long time.

It’s funny when we spend time worrying we waste time.  That’s what I did about my motor I lost sleep because I was worried about my motor.  Matthew 6:31-34 says: “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient."

God knows what’s best for us, he wants what’s best for us.  I don’t know what Gods plan was for my motor working, but instead of spending time worrying last night I could have spent time in prayer or reading the Bible.  Don’t let worry take you over instead give it over to God. 

Long Winter

It’s been a long winter.  I am so ready to fish it’s not even funny.  I though with the fact that I had gotten to fish into December I would not get cabin fever as bad this year.  Man was I wrong; I think my cabin fever is worse this year.

In 27 days I am going to Smith Mountain Lake to fish the Fishing for Charities event.  My wife and I have been planning the trip for a few months now and are both looking forward to the vacation.  She is going to fish with me because it’s a team tournament.

I have never been so excited about a tournament.  I have always wanted to fish Smith Mountain Lake so the chance to fish it is awesome and exciting at the same time.  I felt the same way last year when I went to Toledo Bend to fish a Big Bass tournament.

God is good I was worried about having the money for April but he has provided.  My wife is meeting friends and we are sharing a cabin with them so cost to stay is going to be less.  Plus I get to fish the 3 days we are there well she hangs out with her friends.

I am glad that Dwayne Linkous contacted me about writing a God based blog for the Fishing For charities website.  I would never have heard of the Fishing for Charities tournaments if he hadn’t and would not be going down.

God works in ways I never will understand but I’m glad he does.  I am so glad that Dwayne Linkous contacted me and I am able to share my blog with those who go to the Fishing for Charities website.