Remember That Time When...

Since the beginning of time memories were not recorded as IPhone photos or videos, but rather shared through story. I’m not sure why I am writing this today, but it just might be our Father in heaven saying, “don’t always reach for your phone when I cross your path with awe, just watch and savor, and soak it in, then tell about it later.”

A story came to mind that happened to me 50 years ago. About this time of year, Me and a college teammate, Casy, went fishing during my freshman year at Louisiana Tech. We were at the mystical tree filled Lake D’Arbonne in the north part of the state. One of those lakes that looks and smells fishy. After not catching anything for a while we decided to have a casting contest to see who could throw their bass lure the furthest.

I tied on the largest top water lure I had in my tackle box. It was an old magnum “lucky 13” with three treble hooks that my dad had passed down. It was my prized and favorite lure.

I stood carefully in the small john boat and heaved it with everything I had. It rocketed through space like a missile. But on its way, about 30 yards out, it crossed over a tree limb that jutted out 15 feet above the surface of the lake. As the cast ran out of steam the “lucky 13”fell and became a pendulum swinging back and forth just above the surface of the water. Casey was belly laughing just as a monster bass explode from the water and grabbed onto that lure while it was swinging in mid air! With a ferocity of an angry large mouth bass he dove for the bottom of the lake and snapped the 10 lb. test line as if it were a piece of thread.

Casey and I looked at each other in stunned disbelief. Our hearts were racing as we had never seen nor caught a bass of that magnitude. I also knew that I had just lost my cherished lure and a “wall hanger.”

It seemed forever but about five seconds later that bass blasted from the water again, this time within a foot of our boat shaking its head wildly while looking directly at us. The lure slammed against our boat as he plunged to the depths of the murky green waters of D’Arbonne. The lure was left floating in the wake of the outburst. In the quiet, we looked at each other and said, “no one will ever believe us…”

Well, that’s the big fish in my life that got away. No photo, no video, only a memory and a story that no one will believe. But it is a priceless memory and awe experience that my Father gave to me as if He were winking from heaven at a critical time in my life.

Be ready for the next awe experience in your life and leave the phone in your pocket so the memory can burn deep. Write about it in your journal. Then tell us about it. I can’t wait and… I will believe you and my life will be enhanced by your awe story.

“…For we are to live our lives with pure hearts in the constant awe and wonder of our Lord God.” Col. 3:22b (TPT)