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Health & Fitness

A Fish Story to be Told

My window on the lake opens my eyes to the beauty of God's creation.

Oh, these past few days have really been something to write about.

The sun has come up big and bold and shone throughout the day. The night sky has been clear and dark with the exception of many twinkling stars and a beautiful crescent moon. The waters of the lake have warmed up a few degrees and life on the lake is wonderful.

Saturday was the state fishing opener, which brought many extra boats and fisherman out of hibernation and on the lake. My guys were among those fishing for the ever elusive Walleye.

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About mid-morning I was curious to how many boats were in eye sight of the house so I got out my spotting scope and started counting from left to right. One, two …seven , eight ...eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen! Wow, the guy in boat fourteen has a fish on his line! The way the pole was bending it was no Walleye. What ever it was on that line, it was putting up a great fight.  

After watching the fish fight for about 10 minutes, many other boats started to come around to get a view of the action. Come to find out the man with the fish on his line did not have a landing net and would not be able to get the fish out of the water and into the boat without one. Fisherman came to the rescue!

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A boat pulled up along side and one of the men with a net in hand stepped over into the other boat. A second boat came over to lend some moral support to the fisherman still battling the fish. About 15 minutes into the fight the conditions were just right to get the fish into the net. Fish in the net, there was more of the fish hanging out than in the net. The surrounding fishermen and I gasped then hooted, hollered, and clapped.

I had never quite seen anything like it. The fish was big, yes, but it was the cheering, the clapping, the moral support and the pats on the back that truly made this a fish story to be told. Strangers brought together by one common bond left the lake that day with a new friend and a wonderful fish story.

I really believe that without these men coming forward to help a fellow angler, this fish would have never made it in the boat. Everyone really wanted to see that fish out of the water and in the boat. The more the fish fought, the greater the bond the fisherman had for each other.

Has God ever brought help to you when you were in need? Maybe God sent a stranger with a smile or kind words when you were just about at your wits end with a crying child. Maybe God sent someone to help you change that flat tire when you, yourself became deflated by the task at hand. Sometimes God not only sends a stranger to help you, but sends you as the stranger to help someone else.

When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.   Matthew 6:3-4

If you look for him, God can be found in all the little and big things in life. Even in the life of a fisherman without a net trying to land a 50 1/2 inch Muskie.

Blessings to all of you on this beautiful spring day.

P.S. The fish was returned to the lake for the next fisherman to enjoy the thrill of God’s creation.

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