Happy Birthday Bryan...

Friday April 1^st is Bryan’s birthday and this year he turns 28.  Wow, times flies.  I can remember when he was born like it was yesterday.  Bryan was born just after midnight of the 1^st and we have always joked that Bryan played the ultimate April fool’s joke on us.

I remember that we called my mother right after he was born and she drove 4 hours the next morning to be with us.  However, my father, Grandpap, had to work, so he could not come right away.  But, he did get up early, went to a 24 hour grocery store, and found a fishing rod for his new grandson.

Jeremiah 16:16 (NIV) “But now I will send for many fishermen,” declares the LORD, “and they will catch them.  After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks.

So born is another fisherman.  I like to tell the story about the day after Jayne and Bryan came home from the hospital that we packed up the fishing equipment and took everyone out fishing to the Florida Keys.  He was 3 or 4 days old.  We did have to check out his new rod.  I’m not real sure but I do not think Jayne was very pleased. 

Our immediate family consisted of Jayne, myself, Heather (2 ½ years old), Bryan, and Papa.  Papa was Jayne’s father who also lived with us and he was 80.

So Bryan, Papa, and I became fishing buddies.  There were countless days when the 3 of us would pack up the pickup truck and head to the pier or to the beach for some fishing.  Bryan loved to play with the bait as Papa and I would wet the lines.  Whenever Grandpap could be us he would also fish with us.  Grandpap taught us how to surf fish.  What magical times those were!

Proverbs 17:6 [The Message] Old people are distinguished by grandchildren; children take pride in their parents.  

As Bryan grew older and went to school, our trips became less frequent, especially after he got involved with friends and other activities.  But we always tried to go fishing whenever we could, even if it was just for a few minutes in the canal close to the house.

John 5:19-20 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.  Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 

Until Bryan was about 9 years old we fished as much as we could.  Then life started getting in the way.  Mind you, we still fished, but now it was only maybe once a month.  This pattern continued until Bryan graduated high school and went off to college.

We have fished head waters in the mountains of Colorado, the streams of Pennsylvania, the rivers of Virginia, the Bayou’s of Louisiana, the Chesapeake Bay, the Florida Keys, the Gulf of Mexico, the Outer Banks, the Jetties, lakes in Texas, many offshore boat trips, just about any pond that we could get to, but our favorite has always been surf fishing. 

Ezekiel 47:10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.  The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.

Surf fishing is just relaxing and not very demanding, which allows us to just hang out together.  When we lived in Florida we lived for surf fishing.  Even today whenever we visit family and friends in Florida we always try to get in some sort of fishing.

I am sorry to say that with busy lives our fishing time as become but a few times a year now.  But, fishing has been the glue that has kept our relationship bonded together all these years. 

So it was decided that this year Bryan and I would head off the Outer Banks of North Carolina for his birthday.  We have 2 new 15 foot rods and a 12 footer to test out.  We have a house rented on the beach by Oregon Inlet and we are inviting 3 of his closest friends.  I think I’m cooking?

I know this time will go by too quickly, but I plan on savoring every moment.

Happy Birthday Bryan, I love you.