More Fish and No Trash

I appreciate the positive response I had to my last post. I was a little worried about the subject as it can be a touchy one. But I've had so many positive comments both public and private. Most have agreed with me....actually all have. The encouragement I have received has meant a lot and I thank those of you who said something. It was a great Christmas and I pray you all had as wonderful of a holiday as I did. I'm now really enjoying this week and relaxing until school starts next week. Arrrrgggh. :)

Two more days! That's all that's left here in 2011. Hard to believe. It seems like yesterday we were celebrating the new year and now we're about to do it again. We've spent the week with my in-laws and we're having a great time. Today, my father-in-law took all of us fishing at a local pond. The boys had a great time despite the fact they didn't catch a thing. We may try again tomorrow. Susan struck out also. My father-in-law caught two....even though he was casting in exactly the same spot we all were. How does that work? I think he had some secret live bait or something. Myself......well I hadn't caught a thing either. I had felt a nibble and thought I had something but wasn't having much luck. I thought it was going to be zero for me too, but then I felt it. I cast out as far as I could and had this feeling that something was going to bite this time. I was going to pull in a huge bass or a catfish or a shark....I just knew it. I started slowly reeling in the line in great anticipation of what was about to happen. Then I gradually started reeling a little faster. That's when I felt it. I got something.....and it was heavy. It was pulling hard on my line. I could barely pull it in. 'Wow', I thought. 'I got the big one of the day. Everyone is going to be amazed at what I'm about to pull in. There going to take pictures and clap and send the pictures in to the newspaper. I'll be the town hero. ' At least that's what quickly went through my head. I'm not too old to dream, right? "I got something!", I said. My family paused to look. I finally got it right under my pole and used my strength to pull it up out of the water. It was huge. It was heavy. It was a bag. A dirty..... yucky..... dripping..... disgusting....stinkin'.......old plastic bag. It was trash. It wasn't a fish! It wasn't alive. It was dead....just like my dreams. There would be no pictures. No glory. No cheering. There would only be a quick laugh and everyone went back to fishing. So that's it. That's all I caught today. A bag. The only glory I got was from making the pond a little bit cleaner. I wanted a fish, but I got trash. Kindof like life. Huh? You knew a spiritual point was coming, right? So here it is.....

It's resolution time. New year. Resolutions. They go together. I usually make them. So why should this year be any different. But I just have one this year. I want to catch what I set out to catch...and I don't want to settle for trash. Jesus approached fishermen first. He told them to stop catching fish and to start catching men. What an honor! For the rest of their lives, they got to bring others to Christ. That was their job, their mission, their life's purpose. And I want it to be mine. I want to catch others too. In the past, I've said I would do it and I've wanted to do it, but I haven't really put my mind to it. I've done ok, but many times I've made excuses. I've said that praying was enough. (Don't get me wrong, prayer is great, but it often takes more than prayer. It takes words, actions, effort.) I've often given in to fear and discomfort. I've depended on others to spread God's Word and haven't put 100% effort in to it like I should. Like I'm expected to. Like I want to. I've set out to catch "fish", but all I've caught was "trash." From now on, I want to catch what I set out to catch. My resolution is to go out and catch others and I'm praying God will give me the strength, courage, and opportunities to do that. So no more being satisfied with dirty plastic bags. I want fish. I want a lot of fish. I'm planning on going to Heaven and I want to bring as many with me as I can. What about you? How many fish can you catch in this new year?

Let's cast our nets on the other side this time and get a full load. I pray God makes 2012 the best year ever....a year I can look back on and be proud of what I've caught.....a fish, several fish, many fish.....and no yucky bags.


I love God, Griffin, my Girl, and my Guys.

Keep runnin'. The PRIZE awaits. (Php. 3:14)

-Albert