Weekly Devotions - Sowing Seeds of Faith

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“A Lesson on

Fishing and Life"

"Larry, we’re going shrimping and fishing early tomorrow morning,” said Blacky, my grandfather. As a twelve year old boy, those words were more precious to me than gold. Of all his grandchildren, tomorrow was going to be my morning with grandpa and mine alone. What a great day it would be.

My older cousin snickered when I told him the news. “So, you’re the new victim. You’ll be sorry!”

Every summer our family made the journey from Virginia to a small fishing town near Panama City, Florida to visit our grandparents. Blacky owned a fish house on the bay and every morning he would either escort fishermen or would go shrimping for bait sold in his store. Around noon he would always return with a happy, joyous group and a boat full of fish. The younger children, including me were usually stuck hanging around waiting for adults to come home: But not this time… not tomorrow!

But I couldn’t help but wonder why my cousin thought it was so entertaining that I would be chosen.

That night, I carefully prearranged my clothes to be ready quickly when Grandpa came. I could hardly sleep, imagining the excitement of being in the same boat with the greatest fisherman of all time. What life changing lessons would I learn? I passed the long night hours picturing the mountainous piles of shrimp and fish we would haul in as I would modestly smile while acknowledging the envious looks I was sure to receive from everyone on shore wishing they were on that boat instead of me.

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Just before dawn, Blacky shook me awake and gently asked: “Are you ready for an adventure?”

“You bet, Grandpa!” I replied, leaping out of bed and quickly putting on my clothes. All thoughts of my cousin’s snide remarks were quickly forgotten in the excitement of finally going fishing with Blacky.

Within a few minutes we were in the boat heading through the inlet guided by the slowly rising sun to what we called West Bay. Grandpa pointed out how the buoys floating in the water were really channel markers to guide boats and ships through the deepest and safest part of the bay. “Stay close to those buoys,” he shouted over the noise of the outboard motor, “and they will guide you home.”

After awhile, he maneuvered away from the buoys to a spot Blacky instinctively knew was the right place between deep water and shore. Quickly he gathered nets scattered throughout the boat and showed me how to throw them so attached weights would guide the nets to the bottom where shrimp were waiting. Then, I guided the boat as he showed how to slowly steer in an ever widening circle.

After the boat made three or four slow, lazy circles, Blacky motioned to stop. Watchfully, we began pulling in the now heavy net and neatly arranging it on the deck. At first we saw nothing but seaweed and an occasional crab but it wasn’t long before we began seeing shrimp… lots and lots of shrimp. The work was hard but seeing all those shrimp and working beside my grandpa made it all worthwhile.

We moved the boat to another spot, threw the nets out and once again I guided the boat in ever widening circles. “You’re doing great!” grandpa said, while taking a seat closer to the bow of the boat.

Then Blacky promptly fell asleep… not just a polite snooze mind you but a symphony filled with snores and wheezes that would wake the dead. Try as I might there was no waking my grandpa. Now what? I was in deep water as well as deep trouble and help seemed many miles away. Now, I was beginning to understand my cousin’s warning: “So, you’re the new victim” he said. “You’ll be sorry!”

A similar situation happened to the disciples as they traveled with Jesus: “One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and started out. On the way across, Jesus lay down for a nap, and while he was sleeping the wind began to rise. A fierce storm developed that threatened to swamp them, and they were in real danger.” (Luke 8:22-23)

Like the disciples, I was in danger, afraid and needed help. Next… “Lessons on Life and Faith.” Click Here!

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Last modified September 27, 2004.

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