Catch and Release

I am currently reading, "Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. I am hesitant to write about a book that I've not finished, but I feel compelled to comment on a couple of paragraphs that have made me ponder for the past couple of days.

I, by no means, want to give the story away. It is a wonderful, true story so please read it for yourself. However, in one part, Denver and Ron are talking about fishing. Denver, a black man, ask Ron, a white man, about the practice of "catch and release" fishing. Denver is confused by the practice. He can't comprehend that you might fish all day just to release the fish back into the water.

He says, "That really bothers me, I can't figure it out. Cause when colored folks go fishin, we really proud of what we catch, and we take it and show it off to everybody that'll look. Then we eat what we catch...in other words, we use it to sustain us. So it really bothers me that white folks would go to all that trouble to catch a fish, then when they done caught it, just throw it back in the water."

This paragraph comes during a conversation about friendship. Denver ask Ron what he wants from him. Ron replies, "a friend." Then Denver relays the above paragraph and then goes on to say, "So , Mr. Ron it occurred to me: If you is fishin for a friend you just gon' catch and release, then I ain't got no desire to be your friend. ... But if you is lookin for a real friend, then I'll be one Forever."

This exchange really struck me. Over the past couple of days, it has laid heavy upon my heart. I tend to be a forever kind of girl. I like things to be the way that they are. I'm not a big list maker, but when I do make a list I want to check things off and have them checked off.

1. Get married...done
2. Have children...done
3. Make friends...done
4. Have a career...done
5. Buy clothes...done
6. Decorate the house...done
7. Buy some nice jewelry...done

Now I know that somethings you have to continually do, but somethings should be permanently checked off of the list. I'm not a huge shopper. Staying up with the styles and constantly shopping, makes me tired. I have other things to do. I'm more of a relationship kind of person.

Todd, on the other hand, likes to talk about "seasons." Interesting? Seasons for different clothes, maybe seasons for different careers, hopefully not seasons for different spouses, certainly seasons with you children...but seasons for your friends?

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes about "seasons" or "times." For everything he mentions, there is a time for the opposite... a positive and a negative...I'm not terribly fond of that, but who is? No one wants to suffer or even be slightly uncomfortable. Yet, God tells us that it is going to happen.

To get back to the story, Denver talks about "fishin' for friends." Jesus talks about "fishin' for men" Denver and Jesus have something in common, both of them are "fishn'" for keeps.

There is one thing that can be counted upon in life and that is God. He is constant and true. The same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is "fishin'" for each of us and once He catches us, He is not going to let us go.

So we can weather all seasons, positive and negative, with God!