Predictable Like Fish

Have you ever read a ‘how to’ article or book about fishing? I subscribe to Field and Stream magazine, so I have plenty of fishing articles to read. During the spring and summer, the articles inform me of different species of fish and what their behaviors are during that particular season. The theory being, if I can predict their behavior I’ll know where to find them, which in turn allows me to catch them (hopefully the big ones.) The latest article about catching big Bass in the summertime grabbed my attention. When I finished the how to’s and micro fishing lessons on paper, I thought to myself, “WOW fish are so predictable.” It’s true, fish are very predictable.

When it comes to predictable creatures, fish are among the top in nature; among the top ten in my very unscientific observations. This got me thinking about dads and where they fall into the predictability measurement? In general, I would rank dads around seven or eight out of ten when it comes to predicability. If you are a dad, think about it, do you have the same routine when you get home from work? Do you participate in the same weekend activities every weekend? If you are honest, I’m sure there is at least one area in your life that is predictable to those around you. Having routine is not necessarily bad, however, most of the time we engage in routines for selfish reasons. We have routines because they are comfortable for us!

In my opinion and experience with my own kids, our lives should be anything but predictable. I have found that when I slip into routines and patterns, my kids begin to predict my behaviors in a negative way. It usually sounds something like this, “No, Dad won’t want to do that because he’s too busy doing...” We tend to have our own interests that occupy our minds so much that we can’t (or won’t) take a spontaneous moment with our kids. In the daily process of becoming a better father, I have had to force myself out of routines and predictable patterns in my life. When I do, I see the joy and surprise on my kids faces. I know kids love to be surprised by a dad who is willing to break routine just for them.

Predictability in fish can help you catch the big one; predictability in relationship with your kids can kill the relationship. Don’t be a predictable, dumb fish. Break out of your routines. Stop being predictable to your kids. Surprise them! Have fun with them today for no reason other than to show them you love them.

Saviors Ball

Do you remember the movie “Monster’s Ball”? This movie was about a father and son who worked on death row. If you have seen this movie, you may be wondering where I am going with this. Most of the plot doesn’t apply to what hit me the other day, but the one thing about it that flashed into my head was how reverent the guards were to the inmates on their final day. The last meal they ate was comprised of anything the inmates wanted. The inmate was allowed to eat his meal in any fashion he wanted, even inside with his favorite music playing or outside with the sun shining on his face for the last time. The inmates requests for their last meal was treated as sacred. The inmates walk to the execution chamber, known in the movie as “the monster’s ball,” was held in high regard, as well. Each guard on duty was respectful and reverent.

For some reason this movie popped into my head one Sunday while we were preparing for communion.  At first, I was wondering how this movie related to communion, but after a little more thought I realized the connection. Christ knew His death was coming, so He prepared to spend His last meal with friends that He had come to know and love. His last meal was just the way He wished. This was the meal that He must have looked forward to. He had planned what room in the city He would need, and He sent two of his disciples to secure it. He knew He wanted to rock their paradigm one last time, so He prepared to wash their feet and told them to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood. During that last meal, Christ left His disciples with specific instructions on remembering their last meal together. He instructed them to remember all that He did for them by symbolically eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood on a regular basis. His last meal was, in fact, His perfect last meal. However, shortly after His last meal “the monster’s ball” began. Christ was taken to the authorities where they treated Him, not with respect and reverence, but with contempt and mockery. The last hours of Christ’s life was filled with torment and hate from outsiders. He spent the last hours of His life with zero dignity.
 
As I sat in my chair pondering these thoughts, I had to ask myself this question: Do I prepare myself physically, mentally and spiritually for honoring and remembering the last meal that my savior ate with His disciples? You’ll probably agree that most of the time we simply walk through the motions ignoring the impact of what Christ did for us when His body was broken and His blood was shed. We don’t treat communion with the reverence that death row inmates receive during their last meal. This idea has hung around in my head since that morning. I continue to ponder whether I can live my life every day with a full consciousness of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. If I take this seriously, I am certain it will have an impact on my spiritual perspective and my relationship with Christ. This is why we practice communion and what we should be practicing daily as we prepare ourselves for life in this world. I pray that remembering Christ’s last meal and “the monster’s ball” will impact your actions and thoughts daily.