Just Fishin'

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and my sweet little girl.  I am even more thankful that Ryan supports my constant picture taking.  I realized a long time ago that time flies by and things change and we are left with memories.  I still love looking at old pictures of Addison...it seems like just yesterday she was a tiny baby.  Today I was having a crappy day, the kind of day where you just feel so sorry for yourself that it's hard to pull yourself out of the dark hole you are in...a really crappy day.  And then I got on facebook and got a reality check from our friend Sam...who lost his whole family in a car crash a few months ago.  Anytime you think you are having a bad day I guarantee there is someone having a worse one.  His story is important to share and the way he has remained faithful is something to admire.  We all can learn from his post today...it is worth sharing (I hope he doesn't mind).  I don't think he will, it seems Sam has made it his life's mission to share his familiy's story and "seek and save the lost" just as God wants us to do.  We all need to make more time for the people we love. 

(Sam's fb post)

FISHING.....

Let me tell you something about fishing. I have fished my whole life. I remember going fishing with my Dad and Mr Cliff when I was little boy. As I got older I fished bass tournaments with my friend Blake and all my buddies from Bass Chumps Bass Club in Giddings, TX. We fished all over the state. It wasnt until I met Elizabeth Dowdy my beautiful wife that I realized the importance of fishing.

The first date Liz and I went on was a bass fishing trip on Lake Austin. I took her to the county line bbq joint on the lake and after we fished around the boat docks. That was when she caught her first largemouth bass. I will never forget that night. The smile her face when she caught that fish was peircing. I fell in love with that woman on our first date. There was something about the purity of that smile that I could never figure out why it was so memorable. She traveled with me all over and fished tournaments and fished just fun. We had the best of times doing this. I have pictures on my facebook page showing some of our trips. I would have to say these are some of the most important picture to me in my life with Liz. As Im telling you this I cant help but to cry. 

Now when we had Fischer back in 08' we gave up the boat to buy a house in Salado. But, we didnt give up fishing. I moved to a location that creek access with plenty of spots to go fishing. I can tell you that Fischer, Ben and I spent at least 1 day a week down at that creek fishing. The size fish were small but catching a fish is the exciting part for my boys. It didnt matter the size. They would get excited about a minnow. One of the last trips I took with my family was a fishing trip to the coast. We camp and fished. This is where Fischer caught is first fish on his own. He set the hook and reeled the fish in all by himself. I remember him saying, "Daddy I think I have one.." I said reel him in son. I will never forget the smile on that boys face. He was so pround to be able to do it all by himself. It was the only keeper of the morning. 18" speckled trout. The purity of the smile and excitement was something that I will never forget. 

Now to the meaning of telling you all this. The idea of fishing can be a lot work sometimes. We get so busy in our life that we think we dont have time for it. Let me tell you that this includes many other things in life. I now know why I always involved fishing in my life and its not because I just like fishing. I love the time you get to spend with one another when your not catching anything. Most people think that its boring when your not catching. I look at it as time you get to spend with the onesyou love. I have never had a bad day on the water. Then there the moment wwhen you catch your fish. It doesnt matter if its the first one ever caught the 1000 fish ever caught. The purity of the joy and the smile that comes from the person catching the fish is priceless. I wouldnt trade these times I had for nothing. 

Remember, and I have and will always live my life to these words. The most important things in life are the small things. Something as small as catching a fish! Or baiting the first hook! These are the small things that if you slow down just enough you will get the most joy out of. 

After my loss of my family, I havent enjoyed fishing as much as I used to. Its hard for me to get the joy out of it like I used to. But it doesnt mean I will never do it again. I still get to see other peoples joy when we get out on the water.  

REMEMBER, THE SMALL THINGS IN LIFE!