Return of the Neuroticflyfisherman

Just enough trout for one day! It seems the quest is always, one more fish, one more cast, one more pool. One more. It’s what keeps us coming back again and again. It’s what propels us further into the forest and along the River’s path. The fly fisherman keeps on keeping on and it’s all fueled by passion.

Passion slowly feeds us as we taste of the scenery driving up into the Sierra and wind along roads that carry us to our favorite haunts. Passion is the scent of pine, the thunder of white water crashing against granite boulders, and the sunlight streaming though the forest floor lighting the way.

This same passion is what drives me closer to my Creator. His passion and His Creation reveal my heart and desire to know Him more. Passion becomes fruitful when realized. When noticed. When absorbed. Passion is revealed more than discovered. And it is revealed because we are trying to discover it. If you draw close to God, He will draw close to you. It’s as if God put this passion in me for fly fishing just as an avenue to know Him more!

Have you found your passion? Have you known it’s source? When you find your true passion, you find your passion has in fact found you! And the fountain of that passion is more fantastic than any one thing you can imagine! My passion is you….Jesus.

PM

My son Jason and I had an amazing weekend fly fishing(Me) and spin casting(Jason) up on the Tuolumne River just outside Yosemite National Park. We camped at Diamond O near camp Mather for a couple nights and fished several different places with pretty good results. The most excitement came last night when a mother bear and her cubs invaded some campers who left food out. People really need to listen the to camp host when they warn of bears! They wouldn’t have so many delinquent bears around! We brought Honey and she enjoyed just being with us by the river and watching us fish. We ate really hardy camping meals and splurged one night out at Evergreen Lodge with a burger. At night we had a fire and roasted marshmallow’s for s mores. Jesus has been so good to us! I’m  very stoked how Jason is becoming a strong man of God and living out his faith with perseverance and patience. Overall, a wonderful weekend campng and fishing  with Jason!

Taken on my way home today as I was coming into Bridgeport. Great Fly Fishing out here if you ever get a chance to get this far! Tight Lines!

PM

The family that fishes together stays together! I love fishing. One of the reasons I enjoy this sport is the great fellowship that occurs when participating with our families. It draws families together. When I learned to fish during our family camping trips, my brothers and sisters would gather around to watch and join me. Often I began early in the morning and my pop would come down the rock to drink coffee and watch me. There is a special atmosphere about fishing where people can relax and enjoy each other’s company. Dad’s can teach their children and the kids can get really excited to be with their dads. Catching fish is a bonus to the whole experience, but even if you don’t catch anything, there is still valuable shared time. I hope you get a chance to take your family out fishing before the summer is over! Tight lines & good times!

PM (I added some post editing to make this photo appear aged, to remind myself of the 70’s when I grew up fishing and camping)

My friend’s pop caught this nice bass at Collins Lake near Marysville, Ca. yesterday! It was great to camp with my friends and enjoy the fellowship and food outdoors. Man, I love summer!

PM

Who would have guessed? If all else fails I’m sure he’d unholster that sidearm and fire a bat bullet into the river! Ha!

PM

Inside every human being there is the need to be significant. We build monuments, and museums to remind us of our grand accomplishments. On more ordinary practices we blog and post on facebook to let ourselves be known. The bigger achievement the bigger the hope we have that we made an impact on this planet. Our view of success almost always revolves around the things we’ve done while living here on earth’s soil.

I’m finding that following Christ is quite opposite of that path. The way to recognize significance is both outside of me yet inside of me. What a strange complex paradox! Christ in me, the Apostle Paul said is the hope of glory! We share in God’s Glory! Wow! But the way to get there is to become the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus even said that He didn’t come to be served but to serve and give His life away.

Up here on the top of the mountain where I shot this photograph is where I become small sometimes. I get a feeling when I’m all alone in this wilderness that I am like this small pine tree in a host of enormous forest specimens trailing off into the long canyon below. It is here that God speaks to me and tells me yes Paul you are small. But I AM..Big! Beyond your imagination! And I love you Paul! That makes me feel both very small, yet incredibly loved! The Maker of all Creation loves me?  This is where I feel significant. So I keep trying to get small these days.

On a funny note Steve Martins was quoted in an SNL skit saying, “My goal: right now, I want to be the all-being master of time, space and dimension. Then, I want to go to Europe – I think.” Ha! Very funny, but really in a sense very true! We all want to become something larger than ourselves, to think there is more. Well, there is more to becoming great…and it comes through humility and worship of Our great Lord Almighty Jesus Christ!

Come let’s get small together!

PM

Here beside the cool refreshing River surveying it’s contents like a small sparrow pecking at crumbs between the surface reflection and moving shadows below my heart is yearning for more. More life pulling my floating line out of my reel and more life filling this need to be part of something much bigger than myself.

When Neil Armstrong walked upon the moon he put his thumb up in front of his face and was able to block out the earth from his sight. The people asked him if he felt big. His response was that he felt very small.

Clamoring over large granite boulders between deep canyon walls beside a powerful River I feel small. This space was created for me to recognize my inability to conquer and yet engage. The River is meant to make me bigger than myself as it fills that need within. And so I revisit him time and time again to be refreshed and allow the soothing power strip away the varnish of my little stained self perception.

Early this morning I have come to the River with two ideas I want to suggest to Him. I am here, willing and wanting. I am broken, needing and waiting.

The River has give me options today that will always remain constant for the River cannot deny itself. He has given me the choice between letting me be a leaf upon it’s surface  while guiding me into the secret places. In this area He navigates me into strong current at times, placing me stuck in foam along the banks at times, and rides with me into the white water and over mighty falls at other times.

The other option is a much safer trip, because it means I trust my own ability. My experience is an illusion of safety. I know rocks I have trusted to support under my weight failing me which caused deep abrasions along my knees when they crumbled as I once gingerly trusted them. I have had smooth moss covered banks make me lose balance and plunge over my head catching me by surprise. And I have had snakes rise from under hollow logs causing me to reel backwards in an instant.

I can trust the River, and He knows me by name. This is my experience. This is my goal again this morning. To trust Him more…take my life River and move me where you want…I’m yours!

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow Rivers of living water.”

Jesus Christ~ John 7:38

I’ll see you at the River perhaps?

PM

towards hope…