The Winning Drive

Its that time of year again......and the Super Bowl is practically upon us. There are two teams that were #1 seeds that are going to play for professional football's most coveted prize....the Super Bowl Trophy. There are two teams that have sacrificed, worked hard, put in long hours, faithfully put in the time in the rain, snow, cold, heat, you name it. Simply put, a price was paid for admission to this game. And if its like this year's game, and like some of the the playoff games, the team that has the ball last ends up winning. And they have to figure out a way to do that. Great teams and players do just that.....figure out a way to turn something into a win.
Such was the case with a recent trip with regular customers and friends Larry Tomar and Dan Camia. We've spent many a day on the water doing trips together, and in all types of weather, and Larry and Dan are pretty good at this fly fishing game. Whether good conditions or poor, they usually do really well. Give them the right set up, direct them to the right spot, and its a done deal. They know the game, and they get the job done.
We were fishing one of my private waters in Virginia, a stream whose limestone pools are stacked with twenty inch trout. Some are true leviathans.....some are 10lbs or more. The water was up, had some color to it, and I knew we'd kill them. A rare gift....this day was going to be one to write home about.......like, "get ready guys........we are going to whack 'em good today and you guys are leaving with sore arms." Well, that was the way a typical day usually goes.
But not today. We fished rigs that work well on this river I know well, I mean, I know where the fish are under most any conditions and can pretty much guarantee that the guys are fishing where the fish are....and in this river....its not a question of whether fish are there or not....'cause they are.

Faithfulness

It was early November, and the weather was becoming cold. I had the opportunity for a mid-week hunt due to a recent job loss. The time to get outdoors could not have come at a better time. I made it to the woods about 45 minutes before daylight. I set up on the ground in some tall weeds in the corner of a soy bean field, to my right and a wood line to my back and left.

As I waited for sunrise, there were sounds of ducks and geese from the nearby lake and as sunrise approached the air began to cool and frost fell across the land. The feeling of God being near was so real. I took time to focus on Him and pray for the day and my family as they were preparing to leave for school. Not knowing what the morning would hold I asked God to make my arrow fly true if presented with a shot.

As day light began to appear I made out a form that seemed to appear from thin air. Caught off guard, I was unable to ready for a shot and come to full draw. The deer stopped and looked directly at me. As I studied the animal I was able to make out antlers. Unable to determine the total number of points, I was able to judge the antlers to be high and about two inches outside his ears. As I sat motionless the majestic beast began to walk down the tree line closing the distance. As the deer came closer he could tell something was not right with his territory. Oddly he did not stomp or blow trying to get me to reveal my position. After coming to about 15 yards the deer turned and stepped into the woods behind a large cedar. I started to breath again, remaining still and alert, I knew the deer was near. As I listened I could tell the deer was close and had continued to come down the wood line toward me. I slowly turned to look to my left into the woods. The alert deer was now about 5 yards from me and caught my movement. I heard the deer bolt thru the woods to safety. What an encounter! Now the deer was gone, I replayed the event as I enjoyed the peaceful sunrise and thanked God for allowing me to be part of His creation.

Out-takes: Psalm 8:3-9

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers—the moon and the stars You set in place—what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? Yet You made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.  You gave them charge of everything You made, putting all things under their authority—the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.  O Lord, our Lord, Your majestic name fills the earth."  Psalm 8:3-9 (NLT)

*Be sure to check out the surrounding verses for context.