The 2014 turkey season ended on Sunday. Aside from some good freshwater bass fishing over the next couple of months we are entering a period of time when all hunting and freshwater fishing is essentially over until next year.
Gone! Kaput! Boring!
It began with opening day of quail season way back in October, and then whitetail deer season opened with a BANG! It was followed by dove and duck season, BANG – BANG! And finally it culminated with spring turkey season – BOOM SON!
When I lived in the Florida Keys the same thing occurred when the excellent fishing lineup came up to bat. First the sailfish began showing up in November, then the big schools of blackfin tuna could be found, next the wahoo began screaming out line, then the tarpon with their beautiful acrobatic jumps, followed by the big bull Mahi Mahi making dramatic runs, and finally the swordfish and marlin came around, and then it ended for the rest of the summer.
Gone! Kaput! Boring!
I was lamenting this and a buddy told me I should take up golf. I glumly looked at him and sourly told him I wouldn’t get out of the electric chair in order to play golf. My sons once inquired about putting a golf course in at Honey Lake and I told them that after I died they should consider burying me under the first tee box and that way they could tee off over my dead body, because that is the only way a golf course would ever mar the beauty of Honey Lake. I defiantly glared at them and solemnly declared that as long as I could take a breath and/or the Lord allowed me to continue living at Honey Lake, golf would not coexist with me.
I get bored really easy. I work exceedingly long hours on a variety of projects, but I need time to relax and enjoy life too. Hunting and deep sea fishing fit that bill for me. I look forward to the early morning hours and highly anticipate slipping on my boots and heading out for my secret spot(s). I keep guns, camo, fishing rods, and all my gear in my truck at all times for any occasion.
I already miss it! Yesterday was the first day and I dejectedly sat at my desk working away and watching the sun begin creeping up over the horizon spreading its golden hue through the pines to illuminate gorgeous Honey Lake and I wanted to be out there amongst them.
Sigh . . .
I’ve resumed my exercise program and I’ve picked up where I left off in writing my book and some other things, but it’s all boring. Soon my best friend will go to Montana for the summer and I won’t even have him with whom to pal around and trade insults. I lie to myself and say that it will not be a long hot summer and time will pass quickly, and before I even know it the 2015 hunting season will be upon us.
Poppycock! It will drag on forever and be boring!
Last night I attended a church meeting with the faithful at Honey Lake Church and we began formulating some plans for our little church to bring some underprivileged kids to Honey Lake that have never hunted or fished or experienced the great outdoors. We want to get them off the mean streets where they see the gang violence, drugs, prostitution, alcohol, and so forth and enable them to experience God’s creation and have some good clean, wholesome fun for a change, and of course most importantly, we also want to shore up their faith in God in the process.
It will be great fun to teach them how to rig up a fishing rod, bait a hook, cast without balling up their fishing line, set the hook, fight and land a big fish. It will be rewarding to patiently teach them to shoot a bow, learn how to kayak, ride a horse, hike, feed the donkeys, release the homing pigeons, cook hot dogs and roast marshmallows, or simply gather some eggs from our chicken coop.
Hmmm . . . Thank you Lord.
Thanks for giving me a project that will take my eyes off ME long enough to give a little kid an adventure of a lifetime, one that he or she will likely never forget. Thanks for teaching me that there is more to life than self-gratification. Thanks for giving me a way to impact a child for You!
Sometimes I’m such an idiot . . .
Selah!
Proverbs 21:26
Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!
April 23, 2014 – Click here to listen