Gregory T. Jacobs
 
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When I was a boy I absolutely loved going fishing at Mr. McCurdy's farm pond.  This was my neighbors pond that was just over the hill from my house.  Somebody had informed me that I could catch some really nice catfish in that lake if I was to tie some twine to a stake, put a treble hook on the end, and then attach some chicken livers to that.  I don't know about you, but chicken livers are about my least favorite thing in the world.  It still grosses me out when I hear of people eating turkey gizzards and liver at Thanksgiving time.  Whatever...  Back to the point.   I put two of these such contraptions out on the pond, and went back the next day to check them.  WHOAAAAA...

I had no idea what I was getting myself  into.  I checked the first line, and it was as tight as can be.  I knew that I had something big on the other end.  I carefully pulled it in, and low and behold there was a nice 28" Channel Catfish.  I think that was the biggest fish I have ever "caught" up to that point in my life.  Then I meandored on over to the other line and sure enough it was tight as well.  I just figured that what was on the other end had to have been the same thing as what I had previously pulled in.   NOPE...  There was a 20+ pound snapping turtle hissing at me.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I was inches from putting my thumb in its mouth.  By the way, five minutes before that you would have thought I had learned my lesson.  I put my thumb in that catfish mouth just like I would have in a bass, big mistake.  I thought that I had learned that catfish had teeth, and now I was going straight for the mouth of this snapping turtle.  I quickly reeled away and fell on my backside.  In case you haven't figured it out, there is no easy way to take a treble hook out of a snapping turtles mouth.  I finally gave up and cut the line...

How many of you have experienced something like this in your own life.  One minute you are pulling up nice sized catfish and everything is rosy.  You just expect everything to be going along the same, when all of a sudden you find that you are about to put your hand in a whole bunch of trouble.   I have known many friendships that have been soiled by people that have not been sensitive to the other person, and all of a sudden they are cut and released.  We have all seen people on the job that were not willing to listen and be taught by their bosses or subordinates and all of a sudden they come out hissing like that turtle.  Still yet, we have seen marriages destroyed by members of the opposite sex who have whooed a spouse into a lurid affair.  When the snapping turtle gets ya, he is not easily shaken free!

What snapping turtles do you have in your life?  Are there vices that have gripped  you so tight that you are not able to shake free?  Are their relationships that have been gripped by negativity that need to be released?  Ask God today what He would have you do to break free from these vile grips.  If you are not in the mouth of the snapping turtle, be watchful and vigilant that you do not end up there...
 


Comments

Larry Gish

11/16/2009 9:30:59 am

You have a great ability to use life's experiences to demonstrate a point. Keep up the good work. On another note; I love to eat livers, gizzards and fried turtle.

 

Ray Henderson

11/16/2009 3:47:32 pm

Some good wisdom there !!

I remember the snapping turtles. My mother used to clean them and we would have some fried turtle. But as she was cleaning them, us kids would play with the turtle's head that she had cut off. For a certain amount of time, it would still bite. ( That's true ) We would get a stick and it would clamp down on it.

 

Joe O'Donnell

11/17/2009 10:05:35 am

We all have moments in our lives that we look back on with feelings of triumph or feeling of utter stupidity. You have the enviable ability to take these most human of events and relate them to the glorification of our Lord and Saviour. Keep up the good work....
" I too love to eat the gizzards!!!"
P.S. I enjoyed reading your book!!!!!

 



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