May 9 – “I’m just not doing both”

I received a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call yesterday.  What could possibly get me to wake up a full thirty minutes before my body’s regularly scheduled alarm call?  Pretty simple.  A grandson who has invited me to go fishing with him.  Fishing in Lake Waco.  Yep.  I was invited to join Josh and Zakary on a quick little morning excursion to the banks of the lake to try our hands at filling up Zak’s fish sticks fillet pile in the freezer.  And fisherman mode is always right up there at the top of the list of things to do that warrant a few lost minutes of sleep.

Zak made a catch early on, and I did my best to follow his tips.  How could I not?  The young man caught two bait shad with one of those tiny little home aquarium dip nets.  That was impressive.  Josh made a catch on his fly fishing rod and reel.  He couldn’t get it to reel back in, though, so he had to muscle it by hand.  He did an admirable job. 

As I enjoyed the scenery, I took a little walk along the banks.  I think I finally found my calling.  As I walked up and down the bank, I found three or four shad who had missed the memo that the tide was going out.  Live bait.  Closest thing to live shrimp on a fresh water lake, I guess.  I used one of them to load up my line and lo and behold, I actually got a strike.  That’s what they call it up here.  These little guys – Zak called them stripers - hit the line like a speckled trout and do their best to emulate their bigger, salt-water brethren while online, but they just wear out too soon.  And then when you reel them in, they are only about six inches long.  I trusted Zak to know the limits.  Josh tossed his back.  “I didn’t know we were keeping the fish.”  He’s been in Waco too long, right?  Zak, on the other hand, was excited to have some fish to clean and fillet.  Now if he can just talk his Mom into frying them.  “Or,” as he added with a patented Zak grin, “she can clean them and I’ll fry them.  I’m just not doing both.”

Psalms 60:4 says, “But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.”

Father, thank you for our early morning fishing excursion.  Great to hang out with Josh and Zak with fishing poles in hand.  Amen.