Did I happen to mention that fishing from the dock is one thing but fishing for the big stuff means cutting loose from the wharf and heading out to open water? As obvious as it sounds, it takes a deliberate act to untie the ropes and face the waves.
Over the past few weeks I?ve been doing a lot of musing on the subject of dreams, values and goals and I realize the ocean has a lot of lessons to teach me. Like the capriciousness of the sea, dreams are fragile. Who of us hasn?t had them die or been battered until they became barely recognizable? On the other hand, goals embrace those values we cannot live without. While dreams may speak of what we want to do or have done, goals convey the vision of what we want to become. The terminology may differ but the truth of that difference remains.
This winter has been marked by strong winds and weather conditions that make me glad to be a ?land lubber.? In all honesty, the thought of being tossed around on some of those choppy seas makes me remember why I fell in love with the prairies. Setting sail with a specific purpose in mind isn?t much different because it?s inevitable - rough times will come, threatening to deter our progress.
Here?s another lesson from the sea: Know where you?re headed, use the eyes of an eagle to keep your focus on what?s important and deal with life?s difficulties head on. An experienced fisherman once gave me this great advice: If you run parallel to the waves, you?ll get swamped in the troughs!
?? one thing I do ? forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal ?? (Philippians 3:13, 14)
Cut those ropes! Get the big prize!
