For some time one of our farm buildings has been the home for a boat! It is not a large boat but it isn’t a tiny boat either. The boat is quite shallow so it would be hard to tip it over and give its passengers a wet surprise. It’s a fishing boat! The reason for owning the boat has not been fulfilled very many times. It has been a dream come true for my husband, and he has hoped it would help get him to the best places where fish might be plentiful. He had hoped to be able to use it often when he brought this little boat home one day. That hope has been pretty much left hopeless. I do not want him going alone in this boat with his physical handicaps. And I cannot be his back-up person for safety! That would make 2 handicapped people on a boat. And for sure not safe. His hope of finding a fishing boating partner has mostly not been possible. No one loves boating and fishing as much as he does and if they do, they are very busy and have more pressing important things to do. The little boat mostly sits alone by itself. Sometimes it gets used for holding things like ladders etc. The wild critters have used it for their playground and for a “resting” place. The wind has blown leaves and corn trash and lots of dirt into it. The poor little boat has a very lonely existence—except for the critters.
We are kind of like the boat. We have a mission to fulfill. But often as much as we plan and dream, we often do not follow through to making the mission dream come true. We might want to go and fish for people who need what we offer (our bait) but unless we actually cast out our bait and hook, there is no way those people will come and jump into the boat with us. Perhaps we handicap ourselves. We think we need someone to go out with us as fishing partners. But if no one is available, then we sit at home and do nothing. That will never get us out to be sharing the bait with its hook. And we will miss the chance to bring the fish harvest home to Jesus.
Recently, we were offered help to get the little boat prepared to put into the water and use it for a boat ride. And then to go boating and perhaps fishing. I thought the idea was for my husband to do some advance planning and getting ready, but apparently he did not think as I did. So, when the help came, they had to check the motor battery, get a boat license, figure out how to pull the boat and trailer, get it out of its storage area, clean it up which included all the blown in dirt and the animals “resting” place. It was not a fun job and was very time-consuming. I was glad that I had tomatoes to can! Finally, everything was ready—or almost ready! The almost last thing to do was check the battery! The motor is a very small motor but without a battery, the motor will not run. And the battery was not ready! That was a delay in our excursion. Then, finally all was ready, vehicle, life jackets, snacks and water, fishing poles and tackle, oars, hats, sunglasses, trailer with cleaned up, boat hitched to the car, and license/registration attached. Everything was ready! And then the electric turn signals were tried! Except that the electric hookup for the boat did not match with the hookup on the car!
How often we prepare for the trip we want to take with Jesus and the angels and travel to heaven and then we might discover we have left out one important thing in our preparations. We forget to connect our connection with God. It will be hard to go on this looked forward to trip if we haven’t made the proper connection with God.
After all the preparations, everything was ready! The trip planner and captain had planned well. The fisherman and navigator pilot was ready. A little helper first-mate boy was ready! The boat mascot dog was not going to be left behind. But the invited aboard passenger was not so ready! That was me! I could not envision being able to get into the boat. I was pretty sure that there would not be a life jacket that would fit! And even IF I could get into the boat, I pretty much knew that getting out of the boat would be impossible. I tried hard to say No! to being a passenger. I was good with watching from the land! The captain was not taking no for any reason. The getting in the boat process was complicated because I do not trust my knees to do what they need to do! And I do like to sit on chairs that are not low and that are stable (not in a rocking boat!) A small fishing boat has low seats and is rocking. But, I figured that I could “plop” to get into the boat. I could and did! Problem solved for getting in!
I want to remember that I need to make preparations for the journey ahead of me. I do not want to leave anything undone that will keep me from the journey. I will not be happy being left behind on this upcoming trip. I definitely want my “Life Jacket”! I will definitely not say NO to this Trip we are planning on taking with the Master Captain and Navigator. And He has invited all of us to be His Fishermen and to bring their catch along with them on this Journey!
The journey began. First duty was to launch! The boat entered the water and then came the leak! Would that end the excursion journey? God has given us very inventive minds to solve little problems that happen daily. When we are open and listen to God, he offers us solving problem help. This time a small twig wedged into the leak solved the problem! Three adults, a dog and a little boy made the little motor struggle! So, we had a very slow trip across the lake! The day was beautiful and other lake visitors thought so, too. I have not been on the lake for many many years, so this was a pleasant re-encounter with being on water. Fisherman Grandpa settled in to try fishing—sort of. Things did not go as planned for his songs and knots and loss of bait and wind all complicated the experience. Our little 3-year-old was a perfect little passenger, but it was a long, non-exciting ride for him. He could not resist putting his hand in the water as we slowly crossed the lake. So, Grandma attempted to help him out a little. A piece of twine twisted and tied around a bobber, and it was able to allow him to do what Grandpa was doing. “Fishing”! But what a sad imitation hook, line and bobber! Next time we will plan better. I also discovered I need to refresh my knot tying knowledge! This part of the trip made me think that God takes our small efforts and turns them into bigger things. We can contribute in a small way to the bigger harvest of souls for His Kingdom. God will not have imitation fishermen. He wants us to be fully His and fully be following Him—no imitation pretend following!
We saw other fishermen who also were not taking home a big bucket of fish! We saw eagles who did not catch even a single fish for their supper. We watched the vultures gather overhead and search for their supper with no results. We saw no signs of fish but instead heard bird calls that we couldn’t identify. We saw a bush with bright red berries on it, and we did not know what we were seeing! So many questions! I long for the day when I can go walking and talking and learning with the Master Teacher/Creator! There will be so much to learn.
Finally, we slowly started back to the boat dock. Now the wind was on our faces, and the slow boat motor was really SLOW! Finally, our Captain made the decision to help the motor by taking the oars in his hands and rowing the boat. The boat mascot dog decided that safety was being next to the Master Captain. We all had to do some shuffling to accommodate her needs. This very slow and long trip and the gentle rocking of the little boat on the water rocked the little boy into drowsiness and I was afraid he might fall over on his seat and maybe even into the water. We finally convinced him to sit on my life jacket on the bottom of the boat. We were glad he had on a great little life jacket—just in case.
I was reminded of the times the Bible speaks of boats. There are stories of peace on the water, Jesus sleeping on the boat, the need to be close to our Master, the rocking of the basket boat in the bulrushes keeping baby Moses quiet during the death decree, and the story of no fish after a night of fishing. Great stories to read and reread again for lessons to be learned.
After an enjoyable few hours, it was time to get out of the boat and take it home. Out of the boat! I had no idea how that was going to happen. I thought perhaps I might have to stay in the boat and go home that way and hope there would be a way to exit the boat at home—maybe with a ladder. My helpers assured me I was going to get out and back onto land! God assures us that all things are possible—with Him! It took me lots of effort, lots of courage, lots of planning, and lots of help! And several tries! Together we found the right combination of positions, but I made it!!! I was thankful and a little amazed and proud that I accomplished it—but only with the captain’s help! I will always need my Captain’s help!
God assures us that we can do it!!! If we are doing our best for Him, and we ask for His help, He will always be there for us—to help and guide us to His Land! Where we will be safe forever more! No more struggle with pain, no more preparation effort, no more experiences of wondering why we aren’t having a successful fishing day.
Safely to our Heavenly Shore!