Between Two Thieves
Between Two Thieves
Well, because of various reasons (weather, appointments, etc.) I did not get an opportunity to fish last week. I guess I could have moved some things around on my schedule, but I was a bit on the lazy side. I could have fished during weather that normally keeps folks off the water, but it's that lazy thing again. In hindsight, I regret not taking the opportunity to fish.
What I am left with is an irrational fear that the weather will not improve and I have missed my chance to fish until much later. Perhaps an Indian Summer or maybe not until Spring.
Too often we crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for the past and fear of the future.
Bad decisions, strained relationships, poor choices, dogged determination to manipulate things our way, or laziness leave us with a pile of regret. Like a drag anchor on a kayak, these regrets prevent us from sailing through life unimpeded.
Often, regret is followed by it's evil twin: fear of the future. We use the past to mistakenly judge the future. We look ahead to some task or event and regret tells us we will fail once again. We mourn lost opportunities and fail to grasp new ones.
Like two thieves, one robs us of the past; the other robs us of a future.
There is hope. When we realize that we are not in this world alone, we can recognize that God has promised to release us from our past and God has promised us a future.
Do I think God's promises extend to fishing? You bet I do! Only a loving God - with a grand sense of humor - would create finicky fish and laugh as I try to fool them. I think God enjoys watching me fish as much as I enjoy fishing.
One thing for sure, God is always with me . . . though sometimes God steps out of the kayak when I am about to dump myself in the river. Again.
Hang onto your hope. May God bless us all.
Doug
Well, because of various reasons (weather, appointments, etc.) I did not get an opportunity to fish last week. I guess I could have moved some things around on my schedule, but I was a bit on the lazy side. I could have fished during weather that normally keeps folks off the water, but it's that lazy thing again. In hindsight, I regret not taking the opportunity to fish.
What I am left with is an irrational fear that the weather will not improve and I have missed my chance to fish until much later. Perhaps an Indian Summer or maybe not until Spring.
Too often we crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for the past and fear of the future.
Bad decisions, strained relationships, poor choices, dogged determination to manipulate things our way, or laziness leave us with a pile of regret. Like a drag anchor on a kayak, these regrets prevent us from sailing through life unimpeded.
Often, regret is followed by it's evil twin: fear of the future. We use the past to mistakenly judge the future. We look ahead to some task or event and regret tells us we will fail once again. We mourn lost opportunities and fail to grasp new ones.
Like two thieves, one robs us of the past; the other robs us of a future.
There is hope. When we realize that we are not in this world alone, we can recognize that God has promised to release us from our past and God has promised us a future.
Do I think God's promises extend to fishing? You bet I do! Only a loving God - with a grand sense of humor - would create finicky fish and laugh as I try to fool them. I think God enjoys watching me fish as much as I enjoy fishing.
One thing for sure, God is always with me . . . though sometimes God steps out of the kayak when I am about to dump myself in the river. Again.
Hang onto your hope. May God bless us all.
Doug
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