The Competitive Edge

Here we are in Broken Bow, OK at Beaver’s Bend – some of this group are avid, die-hard fisher people. There really isn’t competition between those who are – but, deep inside, I know that each one wants to catch the “big one”! I, on the other hand, enjoy the action for a while, some fishing, some photos-taking, but then I'm off for a run to town for something we need or preparing the next meal. No competition for my job! LOL! Then there’s the family competition around the game table – we’re talking serious game play!

But, speaking of “competitive", I remember last week when I was driving down Dallas Tollway toward home, my wandering eyes took a western-gaze at the Dallas Cowboys Headquarters near my home in Frisco. There was a billboard advertising the Sleep Number mattress that included this catchy slogan. “This isn’t your bed – it’s your competitive edge.” The billboard did what it set out to do – it caught my eye and sent my mind racing. “What do they mean by ‘competitive edge’?”

At home, I googled the Sleep Number bed and found that catchy phrase was right by the Dallas Cowboys Headquarters ON PURPOSE. Apparently, the NFL and Sleep Number Corp. have a multi-year sponsorship deal which puts the Minnesota-based mattress maker on one of the highest marketing platforms in sports business. Through their partnership, every NFL player was offered a Sleep Number 360 smart bed, plus received insights for improving their sleeping habits that could impact their performance on the field. Whew! I sure hope it helps our Cowboys! By now, during this pandemic, they will have had plenty of sleep in their Sleep Number bed.

That slogan, “It’s your competitive edge” made perfect sense. In a world of competition in sports (including fishing), speech and debate events, beauty pageants, award and game shows, and simply family game fun nights, it seems our world is all about having a competitive edge. Well, it once was before COVID-19.
Really for those of us in the family of God, there should never be competition among us – at least in the way of sibling rivalry. Oh, yes, I know that many families, including mine, take competition seriously – especially in board or card games. Like in fishing, some of us are more laid-back with the que-se-ra, se-ra mindset while others are in-it to win-it every time.

But when I think about “competitive edge, I think of one thing and that is the competitive edge that we should always have toward the enemy of our souls -- especially if we will use our God-given skills, talents and abilities. John 10:10 says “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus came to give us life and more abundant life.” I’m thinking, of course our competitive edge is far superior to the enemy – we just need to always be ready with our game face on and our spirit muscled up with the truth of God’s Word that will defeat the enemy every time. It’s time to realize who our real competition is with – certainly not each other. When we show up as a united offensive front, then we’ll win every time. There’s really just no competition because if we’ve read the end of the book, we win!

Time to get the winning, competitive-edge mentality and realize “If God be for us, who in the world can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Older in Years and Wisdom Teaching the Younger

Fishing Diary – Day 2. Maybe I skipped over Day 1 – that’s because half the day was driving to our destination in the rain and when we made it to our Lower Fork fishing hole -- it was pouring down rain the rest of the day. Still about three fish were caught, but we threw in the towel – rather we used the towel to dry off to get on with the birthday man’s celebration. In honor of his 20th in 2020, we ate our traditional fried gator, fried pickles, and the big finale was pizza and Nana’s Chocolate Cake, opening presents and playing the fun game of Chameleon!

Fishing Diary Day 2 – I woke up the crew at 5:45 because it was a clear, beautiful morning. I knew they would want to spend the entire day doing what they do best! And, yes, the fishing did not disappoint. We clearly have plenty of rainbow trout for tonight’s annual beer-battered fish fry.

What impressed me the most about this day was the inspiring moments of watching the older in wisdom and years training the younger the best techniques for trout-fishing and trout fileting. We have a couple of rookies on board with us – and it's a joy to see them learning from the pros (my kiddos). Then, I watched a dad with his young daughter (about 6 years old), after having caught about six trout, fileting his catch with her watching. He was showing her what was in the fish's tummy. She showed no girlie-girl yuck, but leaned in to hear everything her daddy was showing her. “Let’s see what’s in the fish’s tummy! See, he eats food that goes in his tummy like our food does.” I commended him and his little girl. He went on to say that he’s teaching his daughter that when others say “Girls can’t do that!” – she’ll know – oh, yes she can! Way to go, Dad!

I’m thinking that this training others is right at the heart of Jesus. He kept showing the disciples how to live out everything He was doing, showing them the right techniques, the wisdom and all they needed to ensure they were able to be the BEST fishers of men and women!

We all learned our best fishing skills years ago from Papa and he learned them from old fishermen. They were happy to tell their favorite fishing tips--the best spots to fish, what to fish with, (the best bait), how to hold the rod and reel that causes the fish to chase after the lure, and how to fillet and cook the fish. The older taught the younger. Now I’m watching Larry, Staci, Payton, and this wonderful father with his little girl, pass on wisdom!

Thinking back on those disciples who weren’t fishing as a sport or a fish-for-a-day fishing excursion. Fishing was what they had been doing to make a living. So, when Jesus came walking by the seaside and said to them, "Follow Me and I will show you how to fish for people", they followed. What an attraction Jesus had to those who wanted what he had. When the disciples followed Jesus' instructions (John 20:6), they caught so many fish that the net could not be brought in. That great catch of fish gave the disciples a foretaste of what God was going to do through them as “fishers of men.”

So, today, I’m carrying “fishing” to another level of training for you and me. Any wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and abilities that we may possess – especially as a follower of Christ -- shouldn’t we be the ones who demonstrate in actions and words to the younger in years and the younger in wisdom – the beauty of being a Christ-follower? Just imagine the possibilities of what God could do for us if we will faithfully follow Him! Are you ready to do some fishing? Grab your pole. Get your tackle ready. Set some priority time aside. Follow Jesus to the river and expect a great catch! “Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

A Reel Expert Can Tackle Anything

This is grandson, Payton’s 19th birthday week and of course, as his usual request, we’re fishing! We’re here at Beaver’s Bend in Broken Bow, OK. We drove up here yesterday and we couldn’t get our poles in the water fast enough. Our cabin was set up quickly and before daybreak this morning, fishing had already begun. Fishing will be hearty all day with only breaks for meals.

I can’t help but recall how this all got started. At age 10, Payton told it best in the book he wrote and published, “That’s What Papa Said!” Here’s an excerpt about his love for his Papa and fishing:
Papa: The Fisherman -- I’m only ten years old, but I love to fish and play the piano more than anything in the world. These are only two of the many things that Papa taught me. My Papa could play the piano, go fishing, think up great ideas, a builder, could fix almost anything and he would always tell us the story of Jesus on Christmas Eve.

From the day I was born, my Papa would tell me exciting stories of the many fish he caught and even the ones that got away. I really enjoyed listening to them because they were always funny and interesting. When I would spend the night at Papa’s house, I would always look forward to bedtime because Papa would take time to tell me a cool story about fishing or some great outdoor adventure. Papa took me fishing and was the first to help me learn how to be a real fisherman. My favorite fishing adventure with Papa was the time he took me to Marvel Camp to teach me the “Six Steps of Becoming a Great Fisherman”.

Step 1) Keep your supplies in order. Papa said to keep my fishing supplies organized so they would last longer and be easier to find. He told me to always hang my fishing rod on the wall and put my rubber boots in the same place so I could find them easily. Papa said, “Great fishermen keep their supplies in order.” That’s what Papa said.

Step 2) Keep trying. This one took practice. It was learning to cast the line into the water. That was kind of hard the first couple of times because my line usually ended up in the trees. And sometimes the line would get tangled. Papa said to "just keep trying". The more I tried, the more I got better and better. Papa said, “Great fishermen never give up!” That’s what Papa said.

Step 3) Be patient. It took me time to learn this one because sometimes the fish got away. When that first happened, I was sad. Once I was standing on a rock and there was a giant bass right under my feet. I dropped the lure into the water and BAM! The fish bit the lure. I was so excited that I jerked the rod up and when I did, the hook came out of the fish's mouth. I was really upset because the fish got away. Papa told me not to jerk the rod because if I did, the hook won't set properly. Papa said, "Great fisherman are patient, take their time, and don't rush.” That’s what Papa said.

Step 4) Never be afraid. Step four was learning to take the fish off the hook. It was pretty tricky and slimy, too. The first time Papa told me that I had to hold the fish, I thought the fish would bite my finger off. He told me to put my thumb in the fish's mouth and pull back. The first time I tried I was freaked out because the fish had little teeth. Finally, I had the courage to hold the slimy fish with a glove and put my other finger in its mouth. As soon as I did though, the fish wiggled and it scared me so much that I dropped the fish and it got away. Papa just looked at me and said: "Great fishermen are not afraid." That’s what Papa said.

Step 5) Take time to do things right. Papa said I was becoming a real fisherman and was ready to tackle this. Step 5 required me to tie my own hook on the line and it took a lot of practice. I would get the line tangled up when I tried to tie the knot. First, he showed me how to hold the hook. Then he told me to put the fishing line through the eye of the hook. With my fingers holding the line tightly, I had to twist the hook and then thread it through the hole. Papa said, "Great fishermen take their time to do things right, even if it means doing it over and over again." That’s what Papa said.

Step 6) Never give up. Step six was the hardest of them all because I had to learn how to use a really sharp knife. Papa waited till I was 10 years old for this step because I had to use that sharp knife to filet my own fish. I still need a little practice on this, but I am getting better. Learning to filet the fish was very hard because if I cut the fish too close to the backbone it messed up the meat. I messed up a lot, but Papa was patient with me. I kept on going till I did it perfectly. I remember Papa said, "You're my champion. You did all six steps. You are now a GREAT fisherman." That's What Papa Said!”

I shared all of this with you because of these sweet memories that still drive us today. Payton is proficient at all those steps and he’s a great fisherman, too. Because Payton is carrying on the “teaching” that his Papa gave him to others -- he now has “fishing disciples” of his own!

Most importantly, those "fishing steps" are also "life steps" in reeling in success in every area of our lives. I know it has worked for us, and I pray, that put into practice, will work for you, too! Now go and catch THE BIG ONE in life, in business, in your family’s success, in your ministry and your love walk!! While you’re at it, be a fisher-of-men and women, too!

I'm a Fisher-Woman

When my Austin family asked what I wanted for my birthday, I didn’t hem-haw around like I usually do: “Your love is all the gift I want!” But this milestone year, I went in for the jugular: I asked for all 13 of us to be together!” And did they ever comply! Then they asked what the “grandchildren” could give me. Again, I didn’t hesitate. I asked for a “Fishers of Men” bracelet. My heart overflowed last year while at the Sea of Galilee. I was at the Sea of Galilee. I walked where Jesus walked and I was where Jesus called two brothers, Peter and Andrew, from their fishing business to follow Him and become "Fishers of Men".not just fishers of fish. (Matthew 4:18-20) “Fishers of Men” became a Christian term for those who desire to live their lives as devoted followers of Christ and who become "Fishers of Men", too.

I make many references to our family's love for fishing so I had several reasons for desiring that little bracelet: 1) It replicates the snap swivel used for tying the fishing line to the swivels; 2) It is commonly worn by those of us who have attended and served at an ACTS Retreat where “being fishers of men and women” is the underlying theme, and 3) It will continually remind me to strive to be a "fisher of men AND women".

A night of fishing and coming up with empty nets was a sad outcome for those fishermen, but that scene quickly changed when Jesus stepped up and saved the day for them. With His help they caught more fish than their nets could even hold. Peter and Andrew did as they were told; they cast their nets where Jesus directed them to and hauled in a boatload of fish. Their own natural ability wasn’t enough. They needed the Lord’s help to guide them, and with His help,.they caught a boatload!

That is the point for those of us who are passionate about being fishers of men, as well as being partners with God in our everyday walk of life. Sure God wants us to do our part and use the abilities He has given us to realize good outcomes for our efforts, but He also wants us to acknowledge our need for His help, even before we work really hard and come up empty. He wants us to call on him in whatever we are doing.

Maybe we’ve been striving for way too long to get the job done our way and on our own. What if we partnered up with God and took the time to consciously bring Him into our plans at our jobs, in our homes, and in our world? For example, if the children are acting up, ask Him for strength, grace, and patience. If facing a challenging issue at work, ask Him to inspire you and give you wisdom. We can trust that, indeed, “all things are possible” when we rely on Him. And, when we rely on Him, just imagine the boatload of wisdom, understanding, ideas, witty inventions, words to say to someone to encourage them, and everything else He gives us to have a boatload-of-blessing.

I plan on wearing my "Fishers of Men" bracelet every chance I get to remind me of His "call" to follow Him, and to purposely stretch out my faith "net" with this daily post to catch as many of those who are weary, hurting and longing for hope and rescue, and introduce them to the greatest Fisherman of them all. After all – He is right here on my fishing “boat” with me! What does YOUR "fishing" net look like?

GONE FISHING

We’re (my Wallace clan and me) heading out this morning for our annual fishing trip, but this year we’re diversifying from the trout camp we went to for years and heading for a fishing hole (or holes) at Beaver’s Bend in Broken Bow, OK. The list of "must take" items that were made by Papa and me years ago was updated, added to, and all items for the cabins, the food and, the most important, fishing gear, are all present and accounted for.

In addition to all that -- a dear friend's husband handmade some beautiful trout flies for Payton's fishing expedition! I loved listening to Bob explain the best techniques for catching trout!

Our little piece of heaven at the Marvel Trout Camp was reconsidered last year when the water-release gates at Tenkiller Lake's dam never closed because of the overabundance of rain. It raised havoc on our little hide-a-way fishing hole. Though we caught plenty of fish for a good fish fry, we didn’t haul in the mother-lode like we always did before. A sweet couple saw our family trying every tactic we could to entice those fish to jump on our lines, but those little swimmers had wised up and passed us by. The couple had been at this Beaver’s Bend location just before stopping over at Marvel and they had caught so many fish that they couldn’t catch anymore.

So, on our way home from Marvel, we drove to Beaver's Bend to check it out. We found far more places to fish, additional fun activities, and the cabin was larger and could accommodate all of us instead of having to rent two cabins. Payton brings a friend -- after all, this trip is HIS birthday choice because it was Papa and his "go-to" place for best fishing and camping. I’ll fill you in later about this new adventure and new location. The “unknowns” are sometimes exciting to think about while also a little nerve-racking. At Marvel, we knew what to expect. At Beaver’s Bend, it will be the “thrill of the hunt” – rather the “thrill of the cast”!

We're in good company with Jesus and His disciples. After all, it was Peter and Andrew, brothers who were fishermen, that Jesus called to be His disciples. It was fish that Jesus multiplied to feed the 5,000+. It was fish that Jesus cooked for His disciples. It was in a fish’s mouth that Jesus sent the disciples to retrieve the coin to pay their taxes. It was fish that Jesus likened to when He said to His disciples “Be fishers of men”! There’s something about being a fisherman. Jesus set the example, and we’re simply doing what He did. There’s competition, calm relaxation and a potential meal (or meals), as the fruits of the rewards of fishing are bountiful. We’ll be having a huge fish fry while we’re there. Great expectations! Aw! I can taste it now.

We’ll sit by the campfire and laugh and talk about our adventures in each day. We’ll talk about the “big one” that might have gotten away or the fishing techniques that an old fisherman might have shared with us. We’ll make lots more memories that we’ll continue to share for years to come. Fishing and rustic cabin adventures may not be your forte or fit into your idea of an oasis, but for us, it holds the promise of making lots of memories. No doubt, this family sport will continue for years to come. It all started with a “family-loving-man” who wanted to create memories for his family. And, those memories will continue to mount up – even to the point we know Payton and Alexia will want to create memories like these for their families one day. Are you taking time out to make memories with your little ones -- so much so that they want to carry on the tradition when they have little ones?

GONE FISHING

We’re heading out this morning for our annual fishing trip to Marval FamilyTrout Camp in Oklahoma. The list of "must take" items that was made by Papa and I years ago, was updated, added to, and all items for the cabins, the food and, the most important, fishing gear are present and accounted for.

I don’t endorse too many places just because my experience may not be your experience, but for years we’ve gone to Marval. And, sincerely, it is a little piece of heaven on earth, but that depends on what your “heaven” might look like. Our oldest grandsons dubbed it the “Red Neck Yacht Club” the first time we went there, many years ago, when they saw folks fishing from their lawn chairs right smack dab in the middle of the Illinois River. LOL! When my sweetheart and I were looking for a place to take our oldest grandsons for a fun summer outing, we ran across this place. Needless to say, it was our little “home away from home” that was filled with so much fun, laughter, and lots of memories made. Today, we'll start making more.

The first time Ron and I went there, it was by ourselves, just to check it out. We had a conversion van back then so we pulled into a space right on the Illinois River. We heard the water lapping against the rocks, saw all the potential of family fun (swimming pool, basketball, tether ball, outdoor theater, miniature golf, craft shop – but best of all FISH, fishing and fishing some more). That night, it became our little oasis, and it is still “the birthday gift of choice for Payton” to get to go there. It appears that we’re all along for the ride, but NOT – we all love the adventure. I remember last year, after fishing almost all day and it was starting to get darker, Larry asked Staci “Wanna’ go fishing?” Her reply was “Morning, noon and night!” LOL!

We're in good company with Jesus and His disciples. After all, it was Peter and Andrew, brothers who were fishermen, that Jesus called to be His disciples. It was fish that Jesus multiplied to feed the 5,000+. It was fish that Jesus cooked for His disciples. It was in a fish’s mouth that Jesus sent the disciples to obtain the coin to pay their taxes. It was fish that Jesus likened to, when He said to His disciples “Be fishers of men”! There’s something about being a fisherman. Jesus set the example, and we’re simply doing what He did. There’s competition, calm relaxation and a potential meal (or meals), as the fruits of the rewards of fishing are bountiful. We’ll be having a huge fish fry while we’re there. Great expectations! Aw! I can taste it now.

We’ll sit by the campfire and laugh and talk about our adventures in each day. We’ll talk about the “big one” that might have gotten away or the fishing techniques that an old fisherman might have shared with us. We’ll make lots more memories that we’ll continue to share for years to come. No, this place may not fit into your idea of an oasis, but for us, it holds memories that continue to mount up – even to the point we know Payton and Alexia will want to bring their kids back here some day! Are you taking time out to make memories with your little ones -- so much so that they want to carry on the tradition when they have little ones?

Gone Fishing - Day 2

For the guys in their cabin, it was up and at ‘em at 4:45 am. Then, off they went to stake claim on our patch of “holy” ground below the dam of Lake Tenkiller where we’d hang out with other ambitious and die-hard fishermen until the horn bellowed that the dam's water gates would open to release tons of water into the Illinois River. In the girls’ cabin, we got to sleep in until a robust 5:30 am. There wasn’t a second to lose. We didn’t want to miss those hungry fish that were waiting for us. Landing a 9+ pound stripper bass before we ended the day fishing on Friday at 9:45 pm, was Payton’s friend, Will, and if he didn’t land another 9+ pound stripper bass the first cast out yesterday morning. What a way to start the day! Payton landed one of the largest rainbow trout I’ve ever seen, followed by Larry, Staci and Lexi each pulled in bass and trout. Me, on the other hand, have enjoyed watching them, because those fish passed up MY delicious buffet’s entrees. How could they turn down those yummy power bait glaubs? What in the world? I can relate to the disciples who had fished all night and caught NOTHING! LOL!

Seriously, what enjoyment it is just to be a part of this joyful time with my family. We all shut down for a short while for a little afternoon rest. Then Larry said to Staci “Wanna’ go fishing?” Her reply was “Morning, noon and night!” LOL! There’s something about fishing that relates to Jesus and His disciples. After all, it was Peter and Andrew, brothers who were fishermen, that Jesus called to be His disciples. It was fish that Jesus multiplied to feed the 5,000+. It was fish that Jesus cooked for His disciples. It was in a fish’s mouth that Jesus sent the disciples to obtain the coin to pay their taxes. There’s something about being a fisherman. Jesus set the example, and we’re simply doing what He did. There’s competition, calm relaxation and a potential meal (or meals), as the fruits of the rewards of fishing are bountiful.

We topped tonight off with celebrating Larry's upcoming birthday (the 9th) -- with yummy burgers & hot dogs grilled on the fire pit, then chocolate cake (my finest) and then words from each of us telling him how special and how loved he is by each of us. Then it was finishing the night off with s'mores....and, oh, yes, more fishing.

We’ll be having a huge fish fry tonight – my beer-batter fried fish, as well as my baked trout in foil with lemon and onions. Aw! I can taste it now. Lexi, our animal activist and future veterinarian, on the other hand, wasn’t all that thrilled about the notion of harvesting them for food, but then, again, we reminded her of Jesus’ stamp of approval on fishing. She got over it.

So grateful for these sweet times of embracing God’s creation AND His creatures. And I think to myself, “What a Wonderful World!”