I never thought we’d have the heat turned off and the windows open on Christmas Day, but that’s how it was this year.
I remember going to Christmas dinner at my grandparents’ house in shorts and a t-shirt once, but that was over 30 years ago.
My family didn’t let the unusually warm weather get us down. We always try to make the most out of whatever blessings the Lord chooses to send our way.
One of the things my children inherited from me is that they can’t stand to just sit around and do nothing for long. Our definition of relaxing is doing something fun. It almost always involves getting out of the house.
After the presents had been unwrapped and the meal had been digested, we were itching to get out of the house.
Normally during this time of the year, I am obsessed with deer hunting. My oldest son James usually accompanies me on afternoon hunts (he’s not fond of the 5 a.m. wakeup calls yet), and my five-year-old daughter Elsie has started going with me sometimes as well.
It was too hot to go hunting on the afternoon of Christmas so we decided to go fishing. James and I went the afternoon before, and the bass were biting like crazy. We were a little late for Christmas dinner at my mother’s because we had to deal with a stringer full of fish.
Elsie got the pink rod and reel she wanted for Christmas from Santa so she was eager to go.
We had another successful day on the water, but I won’t bore you with all the details.
There is one thing that happened during our fishing trip that I think is worth sharing, however.
I feel sure that I’ll fish the rest of my life without it ever happening again.
When we first started fishing, I wanted to make sure Elsie understood how her new rig worked. I cast my lure right beside hers, and we started reeling.
All of a sudden a young bass hit both of our lures at the same time. We reeled it in together.
At first we thought we both had different fish. Then we thought our lines had gotten tangled.
As the fish got closer to the boat, we realized that something really unusual had happened. In the photo above you can see the two lures beside each other in the fish’s mouth.
I took the picture because otherwise few people would believe me.
Elsie has already told the story to anyone who will listen, but it’s even more interesting coming from the mouth of a five-year-old.
The most important part of the story for her is that she and Daddy did it together. There’s nothing Santa could have brought me that would make me any happier.
Enjoying life with my family was the best gift I got this Christmas, and I’ll ask for the same thing again as many Christmases as I’m blessed to see.
