May 6, 2019 – Click here to listen
I’ve been fishing hard for three days in a dolphin tournament in the Florida Keys. Getting up at 5 a.m. every morning and racing across 3-5 foot seas in search of hungry Mahi all day can wear on you after a while. We caught some dolphin that were big enough to weigh in but did not win the tournament.
So today I’m trying to recover. I’m sore and tired, and ready for some rest.
I love the keys and I love fishing, but as the Bible says, everything in moderation. I don’t know why I enter tournaments. They put undue stress upon me because when I fish one, I fish as hard as any angler and earnestly try to win. Paul said to run the race as though to win and I have taken this as my mantra throughout all of life.
Perhaps we shouldn’t enter every race. Honestly, I don’t even know why I entered this one. I’ve won plenty in times past, in fact I’ve won nearly every tournament in Islamorada at one time or another and am not trying to impress anyone with another win. I’m not in it for the money; with the high cost of boats, fuel, mates, tackle, and lodging it would be easier to make money picking up aluminum cans found on the side of the road and selling them.
I only agreed to enter it when a friend of mine asked me to do so. Then he didn’t even show up for the tournament or bother to call and say he wasn’t going to fish. So today I’m busy getting back into the race of life and am turning my attention to spiritual matters. To be sure I will be fishing quite often, but for pleasure, (or until I yield to temptation and enter another one.) I’ve been telling people lately to take it easy and enjoy life and to be moderate. It is hard to do that when racing around like your hair is on fire screaming at mates and trying to catch a winning fish. At any rate, choose your best battle today and fight to win.
I haven’t been answering email and I have a ton of it, and texts, and calls to answer and if you are a sender just be patient and I hope to get to yours today.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.