Sorry this is long fellas, but something called me to share this with yall.
So Friday night at our pre-tournament meeting for the FoM Texas-East division, we were treated to an excellent sermon from a local youth minister of the church where it was held. The message was about passing down legacies so they may be used and improved on by our children and next generation and pointing our children, and families, in the right direction - towards Christ. I was moved and it reminded me much of the message of this movie.
Truth is, the past month has been extremely difficult for my family. With the possibility that we may become permanently split up in the future, it has been both mentally and physically exhausting on all of us. After hearing the sermon the other night, I began to reflect on the message of it and of the movie. It was later that night that I told my dad (who is fishing the circuit with me) that if at any point he was either tired of getting wet from the weather, if we weren't doing any good, or if he just was ready to go, to be sure to tell me - because my heart just wasn't there. My son had one of his last basketball games this year about mid-day Saturday and I didn't have a shadow of a doubt that's where I needed to be. It was then that he encouraged me to leave that night and we drove home, finally arriving there about 1:30AM. The look on my son's face the next morning when he woke up and found I came home just to make the game was more than worth the short hours of sleep I got that night.
I read all the time many of yall's posts on the trips yall take with your kids, grandchildren, Godchildren, etc. and it warms my heart each time to see the legacies each of you are leaving with them. I'm sure there's many other activities and life lessons yall pass on as well, both in and outside of fishing.
So back to the movie - the sermon made me think about the message of it. Who will show our children and families the way of the Lord and give them the strength to live it out each day? Who will nurture, love and support them - to pick them up when they are down, dust them off and encourage them not to give up? Who will stand up for them, fight for them, and protect them?
The messages of the sermon and Courageous made me realize that I haven't always been the man the Lord has called me to be. I don't believe I'm a bad person, but rather have made some bad decisions in life - some worse than others. It was on the drive home the other night that I decided it was time to live up to all the responsibilities I accepted when I entered into the convenant of my marriage before God and decided to bare children - not just most of the time, but all the time - and to be the man he has called me to be. Through the cloud of turmoil my family has had hovering over us as of late - many tears, heartaches and sleepless nights - I have vowed to see ALL of my family through this dark time in our lives. Through God's grace, I'm confident we'll make it through all of this.
If you haven't seen this movie, I'd say it's a must see. If you already have, I'd advise to watch it again. It's become one of my all-time favorites. Some parts you may laugh, others you may cry - but the overall message is moving and inspiring. It will really hit home to those of you with children, grandchildren and even those with neases and nephews.
Again, sorry this was so long. I felt moved to share how this movie has touched my life and thought maybe there might be others here in a situation similar to mine that could use the message as I have.
In closing, with a heavy heart and tear filled eyes I only have these two words to say:
I Will...
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That movie actually has some striking similarities to my situation - although it's a bit more grave of a situation than in the movie. My past mistakes led to bigger mistakes by others, but I'm still here and resilient to move past those issues.
