Wonderful story and much to ponder!
Virgie and lady hoshi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 10:35 PM
Subject: FISHERMAN'S LESSON AT SAFEPLACEFELLOWSHIP.COM.htm
FISHERMAN'S LESSON AT SAFEPLACEFELLOWSHIP.COMI have placed, on my main page,
a master list of all online articles, true stories and testimonies. this is
one of my favorites. I read it every so often just to be reminded. anyhow,
there are over 100 links in this section so a person can just go and read
link after link. There is still the link referring to Many More Testimonies
which are sectioned off by author's name if readers prefer it that way.
Phil.
Fisherman's Lesson
By Brad Dunse
I heard this story of a man and his 17 year old son who took
to the water in search of some father-son bonding time, and fish
action on the lake which they could look back on having had a
good days fishing and such unbelievable stories as having caught
the big one and how it got off just as it was reeled up to the
boat. The last outing was a bit shamefully stressed due to dad's
impatience birthed out of a real desire for things to go perfect
for the son's father/son fishing experience, and dad was bound
and determined this time to not let anything which didn't go just
right bother him and spoil the day, so smiles and fun is the menu
for the day.
Prior to the day they had looked forward to all week, they
headed to the sporting goods store and checked out some new
baits, made some treasured purchases. Dad, enjoying guiding his
son into some artful purchases in the sport, and his son spending
some of his hard earned money outfitting himself with a new
tackle box, tackle, fish pliers, knife and all the necessities,
an outfitting he can call his own.
Then the big day came and fishing and bonding was all that
was on the agenda. These two took a leisure start of the day as
they planned on fishing until dusk, so once the gear was loaded,
the canoe atop the vehicle, electric trolling motor, battery,
fishing poles, tackle loaded and all the fixings for a whale of a
time were set and ready, they headed off to the lake about an
hour and a half away.
After arriving and getting things settled, the trolling
motor hooked up and raring to go, off they putted nice and quiet
in search for lily pads, fallen trees and boat docks which prize
bass love to hang out under. Time went on and fishing was not
the best but they caught a few, only one keeper at this point,
but the dad was just happy with his son having caught the first
keeper and spending time with his son, and the son, I'm sure,
with the father, but of course son wanted action. Soon however,
he found himself in more action than he had hoped for.
Dad, as he had all day, moved from sitting on the cooler to
the seat according to the direction of the cast and to give his
legs a bit of a break from the low canoe seats, this time had
found himself in mid stride when balance was off with a slight
rock and kaploosh. Before he knew it dad was swimming with first
thoughts of wondering how he would get himself back up in the
canoe, as canoes, as just exampled, sometimes are not easy to
stay in let alone climb back in, but in that split second which
he was having that thought, he noticed the canoe was not upright,
cooler, tackle boxes floating and the canoe sticking out of the
water like a freight liner going down head first. Dad
immediately started to call for the son to insure he was OK, and
the son doing same for the Dad.
After a moment or two of commotion and now insured both are
OK, they hang on a floating cooler, and the half sunk canoe which
would normally float but the marine battery and the trolling
motor lay at the bottom at the other end of the canoe. Luckily
the water was less than 16 feet as a quarter of the canoe stuck
out of the water to help them hang on. Trying to negotiate how
they would get everything back to the launch an eighth of a mile
away and through myriads of lily pads, they thought to try to
swim to shore 50 to 75 feet away to the nearest shore but
entering weeds with flailing legs is not good. Soon a man came
by with a little boat, what was left of the gear, life jackets
which were floating next to the cooler, and one tackle box was
tossed in the man's boat, and then the son, then the dad went
aboard. Pulling up the canoe enough to remove the 70 pound
marine battery, and hopefully a trolling motor still attached,
soon they were on their way to the dock area holding on to a half
filled canoe.
After they loaded all the stuff back in the vehicle and
started for home, dad began to think about the occurrence. After
having thought a good pity party to himself about how he blew it,
a perfectly good bonding time with his son, to show him a good
time fishing, and cause he was so stupid, such a loser to flip
over the canoe, "How would he get his son back on the water now?"
he thought. The hour and a half ride home was pleasant, slight
joking, and of course dad was thankful that his son was not hurt
or worse by getting caught by the trolling motor and plunged with
it to the bottom of the lake, or not being able to get the
fishing line off that had wrapped his son's feet together when
they waited for the boat to arrive. All sort of things began
running through his head.
Then he noticed something. He noticed something in his son
that he wondered if the tables were turned, if he, the dad, would
have reacted the same way. Dad noticed that although it was his
fault for the tipping, the son didn't flinch a bit at the loss of
most of his tackle he just bought or his pole or anything. The
son said virtually nothing. Sure there was a comment in the heat
of things after safety was assured and hanging on to the cooler
about the expense of the sport and no more, but no anger and dad
for having flipped the canoe. Dad began to see that had his son
flipped it over, and once safety had been insured, he had
difficulty seeing as much grace and disregard for lost property
and could see some rebuke afterwards in attempts to make himself
feel better after his losses, all at the sons' emotional expense.
This realization not only hurt intensely but it also gave a new
level of respect for his son, and for him, the dad, to look at
things much differently.
Compelled to show his son that lessons can be learned even
in such times as these, he touted to his son, "You know? I
learned something today." And before dad could tout his lesson
his son said, "Yeah I did too. I learned that I'm not selfish.
Some tell me I'm selfish but all I could think of was that you
were alright. Nothing else mattered." Dad was taken back by his
son's foresight in pondering more than his losses again but a
lesson to be learned of integrity and etc. Father and son stood
in agreement in regard of personal safety, but dad admitted to
his son that after the fact of all being OK, and safety is
secured and things are alright, the his son taught him a lesson
in grace and not blaming dad for losing his stuff. He held no
regard for the loss to spare the expense of dad's mistake, which
dad could honestly say he doubted that towards his son had it
been his son's mistake. A lesson which brought dad nearly to
tears in thinking of it, and if pondering on it much more no
doubt would do just that.
If you haven't guessed by now this story is one I heard
myself rambling through my head on the drive back today as I sat
in soaking wet clothes and a gracious son who I am very, very
proud. And hopefully after I replace all his equipment, he'll
help me pick out a small boat which is flat bottomed and meant to
fish out of and once again brave the water, and keep the canoeing
for paddling leisurely.
Brad Dunse.
Do not change your theology to accommodate a tragedy.
End Of Document
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