Discipleship: My Father the Fisherman

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I have many wonderful memories of fishing trips with my dad. This past Saturday I was reminded of those trips as I watched a man on TV win $ 100,000 at a bass tournament. There the competitive fishermen were, standing on a stage displaying their catch! Highlights of their fishing adventures were captured by a camera crew and evaluated by judges that were in boats near by. It was amazing to witness this production.

When I would go fishing with my dad it was not so glamorous. I remember my dad waking me up before the sunrise! I would drag my body into the car with my pillow in hand and crash into the back set for a few more minutes of sleep. Fishing trips were a part of the Ellis families' traditions.

I remember when I was pretty young, my dad offering me a penny for every fish I would catch that day. I came home with a dollar. The Chattahoochee River was loaded with catfish. We always had a blast!

While dad was loading the boat up, I would play in an old pump that was near the river. A cup of water was at it's base that you could pour in to prime the pump. When it was primed the water would flow and you could get the fish 'gunk' off your hands! Mom seemed to like us better sitting at the supper table that night with the fish 'gunk' removed.

It's interesting that when my dad was a boy he was a proffesional paddler. Apparently word had gotten around Warsaw, Florida that David Ellis was a great 'sculler'. Sculling a boat is a lost skilled with the coming of electric motors. To scull a boat a paddle is placed out the back of the boat and moved back and forth in such a way as to propel the boat silently forward. Dad was really good at it and when we were coming in from fishing he could make the boat go pretty fast - his two hand technique.

Today, I know a lot about fishing, thanks to my dad! My two sons have experienced fishing with my dad. We have some wonderful outdoor adventure memories!

You see my dad was priming my pump. My heart beats with a love for my family and the great outdoors because a professional paddler and fisherman pulled me out of bed and took me with him. You see fishing is not really about winning tournaments or catching fish, it's about hanging out with the people you love and doing something with them that makes great memories.

Jesus hung out with professional paddlers and fishermen. It wasn't about the catch of fish was it? It was about weaving a story of His love into the lives of men with empty fishing nets. His hope was that they might discover that being dragged out of bed and hanging out with their Father was about the 'coolest' thing you could do in a day! Today you are making memories with the people that join you on your 'fishing trip adventure'. Remember, it's not about the fish! It's about BEING with those that God LOVES!