OUTDOOR TRUTHS

 After a long spell of cold weather it looks like we are in store for some nice, sunny days. This will really get the rest of the fishermen off the couch and on the lake or river. Springtime is just around the corner and the time changes next week! That means less sleep but longer evenings with the sun. It won't surprise me to see some folks mowing grass for the first time this year as well.
 This will also mean more crappie, walleye, and smallmouth; and also all kinds of fishermen competing for lots of money in the local and regional fishing tournaments.
 It seems that every week someone is hosting a fishing tournament. I think the March Madness of basketball carries over into fishing. The competition gets just as fierce, especially after the testosterone laden man has been pent up in the house for several months. He is not only ready to catch a fish, but he is equally as eager to take someone down in the process.
Some people cringe when someone talks about competition and the sort, but we need to face the fact that God made men with this characteristic. And to be blunt and honest, we need less wimpyness in men today and more manliness. Now I'm not talking about throwing the gloves down and fighting, but I am talking about understanding that God made a man strong and with that He gave him an urge to protect and provide, sometimes at great cost and sacrifice to himself. There's nothing a man likes any better than crossing a finish line with blood and bruises. It lets him know, and everyone else that the battle was not for the weak and it was not easy, but he was able to overcome. That's why some of the most extreme hunts appeal to a man. These call us to a challenge, and challenge fills our soul.
In the same manner, we men must lead the way for the spiritual welfare of our family. One survey I read found that when a mother is the first to attend church the chances of the rest of the family attending are about 17%. When a father is the first to attend, the chances of the family following him rises to 93%. What a responsibility a man has. Is such a responsibility tough? It sure is. Are we made for the difficulty of the task? Absolutely. But what's the competition involved? The competition is every outside influence that is trying to turn our families against God.
 Men, since your family is committed to following you, make sure that you are leading them in the right paths. The battle may leave you bloodied and bruised, but God built you for that kind of battle.

Gary Miller
gary@outdoortruths.org