TO GET BETTER, LEARN FROM THOSE WHO ARE BETTER

If you want to get better at something, what’s the best way to make that happen?  First, you may start with some research, i.e., read books, or look it up on line. Then, you may talk to other people who are really good at it and finally, ask one of those people to mentor you. Ever since I saw the movie, A River Runs Through It, I was intrigued with fly fishing and wanted to learn how to do it.

A good friend of mine, Scott, is an expert fly fisherman. So, when I made the commitment to learn how to fly fish and get good at it, he was the obvious choice to teach me. The first step was to do some online research and to take one of his fly tying classes, next we talked a lot about fly fishing and finally, I took action. The taking action phase is where I learned the most. During this phase there was challenge and accountability. It can be relaxing to watch an expert fly fisherman because their motions are smooth and hypnotic…mine were not. The first time to the river was the most humbling for me. Like a good mentor, he gave me valuable advice, watched me make a few casts, gave more advice, and then sent me down stream on my own. Every so often he came to check on me and give more advice. Even though I tangled the fishing line countless times and snagged myself twice, a few fish graced me with their fight.  We’ve had several outings since and I continue to improve. Thanks to my mentor, I’ve recently ventured out on my own with success! I look forward to passing this skill on to others.

 



Scott working his magic under the canopy of timber of course.



 

 Becoming a better Christian can happen the same way.

·         Do your research: read the Bible;

·         Talk to those who know more: go to church and get involved;

·         Find a mentor: ask a spiritually mature person to teach you;

·         Finally, pass what you’ve learned on to someone else.

 

1 Peter 5:5-7 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

 

 

 

 



ARE OTHERS SEEING THE REAL YOU?

Visit any florist and you’ll notice all the different colors of flowers. There’s red, white, pink, orange, purple, blue; the options are unlimited. My wife is a fan of tulips and her favorite color is purple, so that makes it an easy decision for me. Have you ever wondered how they get all those different colors? Most of it is due to genetics and some is due to artificial coloring. My genetics are of Scandinavian decent, which gives me a fair skin color. I can go to a tanning booth and get artificial coloring, but it won’t change who I am on the inside.

How you nourish your roots will affect your outward appearance. By appearance, I mean how people see you the person; not just your looks. Your work environment and what you do in your free time affects your appearance.  Many people try to come across differently than what they really are.  Maybe they want to project a certain lifestyle by dressing a certain way, driving a fancy car, or living a lavish house. Striving to better one’s identity is always a good thing, but portraying an artificial image is not. How a person spends time on the internet can shine some light into who they really are. Are they constantly shopping for items they can’t afford?  Maybe they’re posting on social media trying to portray something they’re not.    

 

Photo credit: possumology.blogspot.com

In autumn, trees lose their leaves; then the flash and beauty are gone. That is when we can really see what the tree is made of.  What would others see if you lost your leaves?  Would your flash and beauty be gone or would people see beyond that and know what you’re really made of?

 

1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

 

 

 

 



THANK GOD FOR SECOND CHANCES

When was the last time you made a mistake? Did you have to think very long to come up with an answer? If you were to make a list of all the mistakes you’ve made in your life, how long would it be? Mine would probably span the world several times over. Sometimes, I haven’t even gotten over my last mistake and I’m already making another one. Most of them are small ones, like taking a wrong turn, calling one child by a different child’s name, or hitting that snooze button one too many times. A few have been really big ones, the kind that can change the way you go about life. I only make those really big mistakes once. I learn my lesson and do my best to move on. The point is that we all make mistakes; but what’s more important is that we learn from them. If your mistake involved another person, make it right with them before you move on. A valuable lesson I learned early on was to own up to my mistakes; don’t deny it and don’t lie about it. Admit the mistake, make amends, learn the lesson, and move on to new beginnings.

Spring is a season of new beginnings. There is new life all around in nature. Ducklings and goslings paddle around in the water, baby rabbits and whitetail fawns clumsily wander around the forest floor, and trees sprout new buds and flowers. It can be a breathtaking experience to witness nature’s new beginnings.

Photo credit: shakyphotograhy.com

Just like nature has new beginnings in spring, we can have new beginnings too. In nature, spring comes about the same time every year. Your spring time of new beginnings can happen whenever you want. After you’ve gone through the process of learning from a mistake, you’re ready to sprout new growth. That may be starting a new enriching hobby, rekindling a relationship, or strengthening your roots to prepare for what the future holds.  It’s never too late and you’re never too old to sprout a new beginning; even the oldest trees still sprout new growth from time to time. 

 
As a Christian, our sins/mistakes are forgiven thanks to Jesus. He paid the ultimate price to allow us new beginnings. John 3:16 states: “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 



WE ONLY GET OUT, WHAT WE PUT IN

Our church is currently going through a series titled, “It’s a hard knock life.” The focal point is that we all go through trials and tribulations. The Pastor is teaching how the bible can prepare and help us through these trials. A couple of weeks back, Pastor preached about how some of the choices we make can lead us down a path of trials and tribulation. As he preached, I thought about poor decisions I’ve made and the negative outcomes. I also thought about the hard decisions I’ve had to make and the positive results of them. It was a good sermon; little did I know this would play into my upcoming turkey hunt.

 

Turkey hunting is by far my favorite thing to do in the woods. Since the first time I heard the thundering gobble of a tom (the male turkey), I was hooked. Turkey hunting typically happens in the spring. In the upper Midwest, that means winter is in the past.  Since turkey hunting is my favorite thing to do, I spend a lot of time preparing for the season. Usually, two months before the season opens I’m in the woods scouting and plotting the hunt. This year was different; there were a lot of things that kept me from my routine. Some were things that God wanted me to take care of; others were just poor choices on my part. My brother and I have hunted these woods with our sons for many years and I knew where the turkeys would be…so I thought. There were things that needed to get done right up to the night before hunting. That meant I had to leave my house before 3:00am in order to get to the woods well before sunrise. Eventually I made it to the woods, setup the blind and put the decoys out. A little information about male turkeys - in the spring, they are always looking to mate, and gobbling is how they let the hens know where they are. Needless to say, they typically gobble a lot. Sunrise arrives and there was no gobbling. I sound a few of my calls and they go unanswered. Then, something across the field catches my attention. It’s another hunter. I’m a little concerned, but he’s 250 yards away. The time ticks away, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 and still no turkeys; now I’m starting to get worried. Finally, there’s movement to my right…it’s a turkey! However, it’s a hen, which you can’t shoot in the spring. No problem, where there’s a hen, there’s usually a tom. I anxiously wait and scan the area for the tom. No tom. The hen walks the entire field and eventually disappears into the woods. Still no toms. An hour later another hunter comes out of the woods. At this point there’s too much activity for any turkeys to come around. I get out of my blind and realize there’s another hunter on a different edge of the field. Four hunters on one field? In my opinion, that’s three too many. I packed up my gear and hiked back to the truck.

The lone hen had the attention of four hunters as she crossed the field.

During the hike out I concluded that I didn’t deserve to see a tom. I didn’t scout to prepare for the hunt and instead chose to spend the preseason doing other things. Pastor was right; my choices led me down this path.

Proverbs 28:19 Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chases fantasies will have their fill of poverty.



LET'S CELEBRATE

When you celebrate something do you do it by yourself, or with others? Now, there are moral victories that we may celebrate alone; like not eating that third piece of pie, maybe it’s shutting off the TV and going for a walk, or resisting whatever temptation you struggle with. Those moral victories are something we typically celebrate alone. What I’m referring to are those “high five” moments. Stuff like job promotions, retirement, scoring the winning point of a game, or harvesting whatever fish or game you’re after. Those are the times when you look for someone to give a high five to. Have you ever tried to give yourself a high five because no one else was around? Well, it’s pretty lame. It’s more like clapping and when you’re clapping by yourself it just seems silly. When it’s time to celebrate, having others around to share it with can make it more enjoyable. At this point you may be saying to yourself, “other people stress me out,” or “I like to do things on my own.” Believe me, I completely understand those statements. I grew up with three brothers, now married, have two sons, and deal with customers daily to solve their problems. So I understand how other people can add stress to your life and how it’s easier to just “do it myself,” or by yourself. However the amount of joy those same people can bring to one’s life far outweighs the stress. So, for now let’s focus on the celebration side of things. Since my childhood celebrations always had other people involved; from being able to start my first campfire, shooting my first deer, marrying my high school sweetheart, to graduating trade school. There was always someone to celebrate with.

 

There came a point in my young adult life that I wanted to boost my deer hunting experience by archery hunting in addition to using a firearm. My philosophy in the particular woods we hunted was that with a firearm “if you could see it, you can hit it.” Archery hunting would be more of a challenge. So, I purchased all the gear needed to archery hunt. I spent countless hours at the range improving my accuracy. Scouted the woods for deer sign and located the best hunting spot. I was going to do it alone. The morning of the first hunt arrived and off to woods I went…by myself. It was going to be a beautiful September morning. The air was cool and fresh. I was in the stand well before sunrise. The sun came up, and the woods came alive. Birds were chirping and squirrels were scampering around. Then it became very quiet. I heard a twig snap behind me, turned around, and there were two whitetail bucks 15 yards away. I drew the bow back, got the larger buck in my sight and let the arrow fly. The arrow found its mark and it was all over. I let out a YAHOO! As the adrenaline rushed through my veins I savored the moment. My first archery hunt was a success! The adrenaline was still flowing as I arrived back to my truck. I was pumped and there was no one to share it with. No one to high five. I tried calling my brother who I knew would love to hear the story but, there was no answer. The adrenaline rush was gone. I missed the camaraderie of celebrating with others. Eventually another hunter came driving down the road and pulled over to look at the deer. He got out of his truck, walked over to me, we high fived and exchanged stories of the morning hunt. That's just how a celebration should be…with someone else.

Gods want us to be happy.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always.”

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 “So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”



PRUNE YOUR BRANCHES

If you lead a busy life you know how important it is to get away for a weekend. That can be easier said than done. Usually, the week leading up to your getaway already has you busy with your job, along with getting everything prepped for the trip. Finally, it’s Friday and your work week is done. You start packing gear into your vehicle, pack the cooler and load it, maybe hook up a camper or boat, and then load any other people in the vehicle. Then, you get on the road and hope traffic isn’t bad. Finally, you arrive at your destination, unload all your things, plop yourself into a cozy chair and let out a big sigh, “AHHHH!” In a few days you will do it all over again to get home. Hopefully, between arrival and leaving there was time to relax and unwind. Isn’t that the point of a getaway? To unwind and relax, right? Some people who plan and take weekend getaways don’t really getaway, they stay busy the whole time. They’re making plans to see this, do that, organize some event, plan meals and so on. Busy like a bee, some may say. The difference is that the bee is very focused in the animal kingdom. Their focus is to fly from flower to flower gathering nectar and then buzz back to the hive, resting periodically and then buzzing back out to gather more nectar.  In the human world, we get up in the morning, make coffee, shower, eat, go to work, and maybe pick up groceries on the way home.  Then, we may go to a child’s sporting or music event, volunteer at a church or school function…maybe both, mow the grass, walk the dog, do the laundry, clean the house, check social media, watch a favorite TV show, go to bed, and then think of all the things that need to get done tomorrow. No wonder we humans get stressed out! I am one of those humans; I routinely take on a lot. My wife encourages me to stop volunteering for every opportunity that comes along…I don’t always listen. The life of a bee sounds pretty good.

All of the above said tasks are good things, but there is such a problem as too much of a good thing or more appropriately, good things. When we have all those tasks to complete it’s like a tree with too many branches, they start to choke each other out.

I know how this tree feels, time to prune.

 For a tree to be healthy its branches need to be pruned. There may be dead branches taking up space and energy, or there just may be too many branches to allow for more substantial growth. When excessive branches are pruned, more energy can be put into the remaining ones. The remaining branches grow stronger and over time, those strong branches start to sprout other branches. As seasons pass, more and more branches sprout until it’s time to prune again.   

How do you decide on what to prune and what to keep? This is a challenge for me, so I try to rely on my faith, family and good friends. Those three influences help me stay focused like the busy bee; not the busy-body human.

 

Matthew 11: 28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

 

THE WAVES

Every Saturday morning I devote time to pray and listen to God. There’s a park near my home with a bench in a perfect location to admire the trees and overlook the city. This past Saturday started like most. I was up at sunrise and getting ready for the day. Looking out the kitchen window I could see the pine trees being strained back and forth from the strong wind. It was 15 degrees Fahrenheit with a 25MPH wind; not the most favorable conditions to sit on a park bench. I decided to stay home. We have a sunroom with large windows that looks into our backyard and it’s a good substitute. The view faces east through the pine trees, a perfect view of the sunrise. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been in the woods under worse conditions and am not intimidated by it. My focus is to pray and listen to God. However, it’s hard to stay focused when your teeth are chattering. During this time of worship my attention kept getting drawn to the trees flexing from side to side and twisting in every direction. The branches whirled around with every gust of wind. The trunk flexed slightly, but held it composure being anchored by its healthy roots. The long needles of the white pine resembled waves in the water; rolling up and down, from small ripples to huge rollers. It reminded me of the first self-guided fishing trip to Lake Superior with a good friend.

My fishing boat is a 17.5 foot deep V with a 115 horsepower outboard motor. If the conditions were right there wouldn’t be any problems. The first morning on the lake seemed perfect. The lake was calm with heavy fog. As the morning went on and the fog cleared we got more confident on the big lake and headed further away from the marina. Being our first trip out we did a bunch of online research, but had no idea of what we were really in for. The fishing was terrible because a huge storm had blown through the night before. The further we got from the marina the windier it got and the bigger the waves got. At that time we didn’t know enough to check wind and waves reports. We later found out a small craft advisory had been issued for that area, which means if we ran into trouble we were on our own. There came a point that we realized we were out of our element and started to pull in the fishing gear. By the time the gear was all in we were even further away from the marina and the waves were still growing. There was a peninsula ahead that would be a perfect location to get behind, turn around, and head back to the marina.

We should've went surfing instead

Knowing the trip back was going to be rough; we secured everything and headed into the waves. The look on our faces was probably of astonishment as we came around the peninsula. The waves were four feet tall with swells up to five feet. We were indecisive on how to proceed. So, I started into the waves just a little faster than an idle speed. The wind was blowing us from side to side, while the waves were rolling us up and down. Our view was either into the water or up at the sky as we bobbed around. We weren’t getting ahead and remained at the mercy of our surroundings. Waves were starting to crash on the bow of the boat. Something had to change. I made the decision to increase our speed. By increasing the speed I was able control our direction better and focus on keeping the bow up. It was still a very rough ride, but we weren’t at the mercy of our surroundings anymore.

We finally made it back to the marina. Later that day we found an inland lake with puny one foot waves and caught a few nice walleyes. We have returned many times to Lake Superior with much better results.

James 1:6 "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."





My buddy's video of the trip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO2JxJ8rxW4