Father Son retreat

a. Rod vs. Pole
During the weekend of father son retreat I had very little luck fishing with a pole and lure. I think I caught a totally of like six fish for the entire weekend. The truth is I really wasn’t having that much fun fishing. I had more fun watching the guys around me catch some of their first fish ever. The reason for this I have come to realize is I am truly a fly fishing snob. What does that mean exactly? Not sure yet, I really don’t know a whole lot about the sport; I do know that I have tried it and love it!
What it boils down to are a couple of things for me that make all the difference in the world when fishing. The first is the chase is completely different when fly fishing from simple lure fishing. You truly have to get into the scenery and know your opponent (the fish and his surroundings) in the fly game. Whereas in pole fishing you really just sit on the edge of the bank, let the lure sink a few meters and then at the pace you have deemed worthy to catch fish, reel in. Fly fishing is totally different. You are so much more involved in the tempting of the prey. You literally have to become the fish and think like the fish, your every movement has to be well thought out and precise. You camouflage yourself from the fish and deceive him with the fly. You have to be fully involved in fly fishing. I love the fact that you are always moving.
The best part about fly fishing is the most important part about it as well, it is the reason that I keep coming back to it. You have to become one with the body of water and land that you are fishing. In pole fishing this is not necessary at all. Becoming one with your surroundings is not some voodoo tree hugging mantra, it is however becoming one with the nature that God created for us to enjoy and possible experience Him in and begin to worship Him. Yes, that is right, fly fishing for me is a worship experience. The part where you have to get into the water, step off the shore, put a little bit more of yourself into it than pole fishing, that is the part about fly fishing that is most attractive and why I have become the fly fishing snob.
For me this actually looks a little bit like our faith sometimes. Yes, I am going here. You see for a lot of people in the Faith these days, they just sit on the shore casting there lures out into the deep expanse of the body of water and hope to snag themselves the big one. How often in our faith do we do this? Try and do as little as possible and let the world come to us? Instead shouldn’t it be more like fly fishing? Where you have to dive into the fishes world and think like a fish to actually catch one? Do not get me wrong here, I am not one to catch people or try to deceive them, on the contrary I actually try to get to know them in their element and then accept them and love on them. Maybe the analogy is a little weak, but for me it isn’t so weak at all, even in my own faith, I can’t be casting out nifty lures hoping to snag a little bit of God on the end of one of those hooks, I have to get me feet wet, get a little dirty get into the experience of it all and begin to know the God who created me to worship Him. Fly fishing is hard work, but the work is so much more gratifying in the end.

b. Frisbee golf
Also while at Tadmore I got to put in about 45 holes of Frisbee golf. Honestly I wish I had gotten to play more often than I did. I shot some of my best putts and drives this year. I missed some close putts and had some horrible drives as well. I was just happy to average in the under par category for most of the weekend. I really do love this sport, and the experience of it. If you are a nature dude, or walker, or jogger, or cheap golfer…this is a sport for you!

c. Missionally mathematical
During the weekend I got to catch up with a fairly new friend. I get to go to Tadmore about three to four times a year for retreats and what not, he works up at Tadmore. We usually hook up for a round or two of Frisbee golf. The goal is not usually a competitive round, but a conversation on life, God, and anything in between.

I really have come to look forward to these times. This guy has been an encourager and somewhat short term mentor in my life. This time he had just gotten back from a retreat/conference and he was sharing a few of the things that he learned from that conference. One of the things that came up was living missionally and what that truly looks like.

A few weeks before this conversation with my frolfing buddy, my wife and I joined a close group of friends who are trying to figure out just that. What it means to live missionally in our world today. The group I must say is something I truly look forward to on a weekly basis. The best part about it is that we have no true expectations right now; we are just figuring each other out and trying to possibly define the missional lifestyle. (I am sure there will be more posts on this group later on)
Back to the Tadmore conversation…

So my buddy and I continue our game and conversation. We share some of our concerns with the Church as it is today. One of the things that we bring up is the lack of mentoring and the lack of mathematical addition to the church. I have struggled with this for years. I have for almost nine years now mentored middle school students in small groups and one on one, also dabbled in some high school ministry as well. This is not my point though. My point is that it seems that We as the Church (all of them) are very concerned with numbers and quickly getting those numbers and right now decisions. The truth is I find myself more attracted to spending time with a handful of people, training them, discipling them, figuring out there gifts, etc. and then continuing to influence and be a part of their lives. But what happens because of this? Multiplication begins. Not a quick wave of shiny happy people, but the ones you mentored are beginning to mentor others on a deeper and more living the life of Christ level. Maybe the blog isn’t the best place for this. We can talk more in person if you want to really know about this. I will end with this: my heart is that people would not just come to church or a group or a club, my heart is that people would be loved on, influence, mentored, used, and then become a part of the wave of people chasing after Christ.