Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

 For the past several months I've been watching In Touch ministries on TBN on Sunday mornings before church. Dr. Charles Stanley is the pastor who speaks,and what he says really hits home for me. When I decided to start supporting his ministry, he sent me a packet that included the above message, along with a book mark that had nine life principles to live by. One of the principles should have been, keep an orderly space so that you can find what you want when you want it, because I've misplaced the bookmark in all the rush of life and lack of discipline in my housekeeping chores.  I suppose I'll find it eventually, or I hope I do. Dr. Stanley speaks from years of experience walking with God, and I value his wisdom. Of course all the wisdom in the world doesn't do a person any good if he doesn't utilize it. King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live is a prime example of that. What the good king needed more than wisdom or riches, was a heart th...

Steve and Adam baiting squid on 16/0 circle hooks Adam unhooking a hook from the ground line. It's always fun to see what's coming up  Un-hooking a big skate  Measuring the fish. The tidebook gives estimated  weights according to length   Years ago I prayed for patience, and God in all His wisdom gave me what I wanted, or at least orchestrated the circumstances so that my prayer could be answered. I had seven children, I became a commercial fisherman, and I subscribe to Hughes Net. Waiting for the pictures to download is an exercise that could try even the patience of Job. I swear, if there were a contest between a sloth and Hughes Net, the sloth would win. Actually I'm surprised that I can even get on the internet. For the better part of a week I've been unable to. Oh well, patience my son, patience.  Last week I went out halibut fishing in an effort to catch my comme...

Over the last few months I've been experiencing chronic pain and a good deal of fatigue. I'm quite certain that it has primarily to do with the arthritis in my knees and back. I'm not sure what to make of the fatigue, except that I'm getting older and my body doesn't want to do what it used to. I do have hypothyroidism. For whatever reason my thyroid isn't producing enough juice or whatever it produces to keep things running in top shape. Frankly, I really hate the whole process of getting older. It just isn't fun. Whoever coined the term "golden years" probably wasn't there yet. In any event, I'm still alive and kicking, although the kicking is a little half- hearted anymore. Periodically I run across someone down at the dock or in the store who ask how I'm doing, and I usually reply something to the effect that I'm surviving another day. Not the most optimistic outlook, but I've never been an optimist in the best of times....