Jesus Loves You – Fishing with Dad

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

John 21 4-6 NIV

I am, and always will be, a daddy’s girl. Even though my precious dad is in heaven now, I have so many fond memories of our time together. One of my favorites was our fishing trips together. He would get my uncle’s boat and truck and off to the lake we would go. Growing up in Louisiana you had some of the best fishing spots.

We would stop at the bait shop along the way - crickets for me and worms for dad. I never could put either on the hook, but I loved it when I caught a fish. Mom and Dad would remind me to be real quiet and still in the boat, so I would not scare the fish off.

I remember when I was about 5 years old, I caught this big catfish. Mom took a picture of me and my fish. I found that picture not too long ago and it brought back a flood of memories. As dad’s health started to fail; we would still go to the lake and sit on the pier - he in his lawn chair and me on a cushion. We would skip rocks across the water and fish from the pier for hours.

As I think back on those days, I see why the disciples were drawn to fishing. Not only was it their livelihood and food, but it was a place of peace and contentment. One day I asked dad why he loved to fish so much. He said “It isn’t catching the fish; it is being in God’s creation. A chance to sit, whether in a boat or lawn chair, and enjoy the beauty that our God has created.”

He once told me, “When life gets hard and challenging, go sit on the shore of a lake and meet with God – you will find peace there.” It reminded me of the disciples after Jesus’ death going fishing. Maybe it was their way of getting peace from their grief or sorting out their thoughts. They heard Jesus call them from the shoreline. Though, at first, they didn’t know whose voice it was calling to them, they soon learned it was Jesus.

To this day I cannot see a lake without thinking about the days my dad and I spent at the lakeside from childhood to adulthood. As I age, I know it was more about being still and listening for God’s voice in my life than fishing that my dad was teaching me.

Mitzie Avera