Kristina and I celebrated Mother’s Day this year at Talon Lodge, Kristina’s favorite place on earth. Talon is an eight-acre island two miles off the shore of Sitka, Alaska. The lodge and guest houses overlook a rugged beach and nearby islands. They sit among tall spruce trees, where bald eagles perch as they watch for careless fish to rise in the surrounding waters.
Our friends Phil and Gwen Younger own Talon. Each May they bring a team of men and women to Sitka to prepare for their paying guests who will be arriving for the summer fishing season. We joined twenty people who landscaped, stained and cleaned for two days before we fished for two days.
We bonded with men from across the country as we worked to restore the grounds from the ravages of winter. We cleared trails, pulled weeds, pruned bushes, and planted strawberries, so the natural beauty of Talon sparkled.
As I was praying the morning of our first day of fishing, I had the distinct sense that it was going to be a special day. After breakfast, we got bundled up in rain gear and headed out to the fishing boats. There were six of us on each boat, along with a captain and deck hand.
We took a twenty minute ride in a boat powered by two huge outboard engines, passing humpback whales which were spouting and diving to feed on the abundant bait in the cool waters. When we reached the designated spot, our captain dropped anchor and told us to start fishing.
I cast my weighed anchovy bait, which dropped steadily to the gravel bed 120 feet below. When the bait touched the bottom, I began to reel it back up at a steady pace. Within seconds, I felt a tug on my line and the rod tip dipped towards the ocean. I pulled the rod up and it bent and shook as the strength of a big fish fought against my line.
My heart beat faster as I battled the fish. I didn’t want it to break off and escape. The fish came towards the surface for a while and then plunged deeper into the sea, taking out my line with its power. I reeled until my arm ached. Eventually, as it tired, the king salmon broke the surface of the sea.
As I pulled it towards the boat, the deck hand reached over the rail with a long handled net and scooped it into the nylon. He hoisted the flopping salmon up and onto the deck as my boatmates congratulated me.
I have caught a lot of king and coho salmon over the years, but it’s rare to catch one on the first cast of the day. I assumed the others would want to know my casting and reeling technique, but they showed no interest. I thought I would be catching many more that day, but I didn’t. I caught halibut and sea bass, but no more salmon.
As I thought about the sense God had given me of a special day, my perspective changed from the number of my fish to the experience itself. I was given a great fish, but it was a gift that had nothing to do with my skill or expertise. I had to put my line in the water, but the results after that were beyond my control. The same is true of ministry success. We have to speak the word and love people, but good results come by God’s grace.
On our second day of fishing, our captain took us beyond the shelter of the local islands into the open ocean. We were after the abundant halibut who thrive on the ocean floor. I was scared as we rode straight into giant waves that towered over our boat, spraying us with cold saltwater. I had been told there was nothing to fear, yet my heart was unsettled.
Once we dropped anchor and let down our lines, the fish started biting. I celebrated with my friend Brien as he shouted with joy after landing a 49-inch halibut.
After two hours, we had 12 halibut aboard and we headed back to calm waters.
I was mesmerized when a pod of orcas passed by our boat. These killer whales glided boldly through our fishing grounds, like bandits riding horses through the middle of town, daring the sheriff to stop them.
I thank God that Kristina had the strength to work and fish vigorously. As she approaches her 70th birthday, her new heart is going strong and her spirit is as healthy and feisty as ever.
“You are in the fourth quarter of life,” a friend said to me recently.
His statement did not make me happy, even though it’s true. Most of the time I don’t feel very old. Along with preaching, leading groups and mentoring leaders, I still hike, work out, and play golf, though I’m not as strong as I was years ago.
The meaning of life is not found in how much we own, the power we possess or the length of our lives. It is a gift from God when we are fruitful and can enjoy the simple pleasures of life. If we are thankful each day and connect with the Lord, then Psalm 16:11 can be fulfilled: “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Jesus did all his public ministry in three years. It’s amazing what he accomplished in such a short time. He was focused on revealing our Heavenly Father. He taught his disciples about God’s kingdom and became a sacrifice for our sins.
Tragically, two weeks after we returned to Phoenix, a similar boat from a different lodge in Sitka flipped in the waters where we had been fishing. Everyone on board drowned.
None of us knows how much time we have left to live. If we obey Jesus’ commands and love others deeply, we will have eternal life and be ready when our time on earth is up. We probably won’t attract big crowds or become famous; but we can lived fruitful lives, filled with grace and joy. This too is a gift from God.