What Would We Do For Our Children?

I can't believe it has been a month since the last blog entry... ugh. Anyway, this entry relates back to about a week or 10 days ago when my eldest son (OK, he's eldest by 20 minutes) and I went and fished off the landing to a small lake (it's a secret). We were catching a ton of sunnies and several bass and then it happened... he laid in to something huge... we could see it swirling in the water. My son had never been trying to reel up something this big. I was coaching him, "Rod tip up, rod tip up, keep the line taut, etc" - he was yelling, "It hurts" as he tried to hang on to the rod while turning the reel. When the fish got to within 10 feet of us, I could see it... a large northern. Of course we didn't have a net with us so I was just trying to get him to back up and get it close enough so I could grab it and throw it on shore. Then, in a flash of light, I could see his body curl, straighten, and snap the line. Without thinking, I ran in after it in hopes I could grab the broken line and pull it in by hand... but it was gone leaving just a slip bobber in its wake. I was so disappointed for my son; he handled it well but we were both bummed. It would have been so awesome to have landed that beast.

Shortly after that, the mosquitos came out and we headed home. On the 10 minute drive home (clue to where the lake is), we were reflecting on what happened. My son had asked me what I would have done if I could have grabbed the fish... I said I would have grabbed whatever I could of and pulled it out of the water where we could handle it. He said, "but I thought northern have sharp teeth". I said, "They do... very sharp. But I would have put my hand in its mouth and let him clamp down on my arm if that's what it took to get you that fish!" He didn't believe me...but it was true. I may have sacrificed a finger to get him that fish and put it on his wall.

It sounds ludicrous now... sacrificing a finger or a deep cut to get a kid a fish? But I think there is truth that we are created in the image of God and, with that, we would do just about anything for our kids. The Bible says that the Father's love for His children (us) is so great and lavish that He sent Jesus to live as a mortal and die in our place as the sacrifice for all we have done wrong. God was willing to send His Son to die and His Son was willing to bear that burden. My willingness to sacrifice for my son does not seem all that amazing any more.