Gone Fishing

by Chuck Ness

It has been a very long and hectic year for me, and I find myself a bit burned out and and not very creative. Oh I realize it is only March 8th, but the past 12 months of my life have been very strenuous. I have tried time and time again to actually step back and slow down, just to find my self being pulled back to do even more then I was before. Well, I truly believe that now is the time for me to take a hiatus from my writing. I have been blessed in that the Lord has led some who have volunteered to write some articles and thus step up to assist me in keeping my blogs somewhat up to date. These guest writers will write articles and Sunday messages as the Lord moves them.

Last year at this time I was confronted by the director of the retirement center where I am a pastor. This is something I have not shared with anyone but my close friends and relatives. As I was giving the message on Good Friday I was told to tame down my description of the suffering Christ went through for our sins. Well, I refused and instead was asked to leave the premises by the director himself. At the time I guessed that I would no longer be the pastor because I refused to give in to the secular thought about one of Christianities most sacred days. Well, about a month later I was told that a mistake had been made and that they had fired the director of the retirement center. I was asked by the new director if I would consider returning as the pastor of the residents. I obviously accepted and have been going strong since. 

 

I share that with you all now, so that you know I am a man of my convictions, and as such my opinions are so rooted in my soul that it will take God and God alone to change the way think. However, I must admit that being a mere sinner like all humans, I too error in the way I go about things from time to time. The difference is I look to Christ to forgive me and I am guaranteed He does, each and every time I stumble. I guess I would like to say to anyone I may have offended in the past, that my intentions are well meaning even if the tone and words I use do not exactly reflect the person I try to be.

As you know I have been toying with the idea of stepping back from my busy schedule. I seemed to have loaded way too much on my plate and in the process my personal life has begun to be ignored because of it. Sometimes we need to step back and slow down and that time has come for me. I plan on taking this time to attend to my affairs and listen to what it is the good Lord wants me to hear. I truly do feel as though God is telling me that he wants me listen and not talk so much for awhile. Well at least not to write, because I will still be attending to my responsibilities of presenting sermons on Sunday afternoons, and leading the Monday night Bible studies at Windchime Retirement Center. As of now I don't have a replacement and with out my presence they will have no one to share the word with them on Sundays, so that aspect of my schedule will continue as usual.

I really will be doing some fishing as my title alludes to, something I was only able to do a few times last year. I truly missed trouncing up and down the rivers with a fly rod in my hand and the Lords great outdoors all around me. The times when I can get out and go fishing have been some of my best moments spent in solitude with our Lord. My wife is doing better now and she too enjoys fishing, and misses it like me. Usually I take our 4WD and find a nice secluded spot. I then dig the river bank out a bit for a ramp I made for her so she can fish from her wheelchair on the shoreline. This picture was taken two years ago on the Feather River. We arrived at 6:00 in the morning that day and by 8:30 or 9:00 I was finished with the ramp and platform and we were both fishing. The rivers in Northern California should be flowing with plenty of water this year, and that should make for some great fishing this year.

Along with my wife's healing process from the surgery last October, she is also dealing with some new complications that arose because of her medical troubles that led to the surgery. It's my prayers that as the weather gets warmer she will begin to feel better, but her current troubles is another reason that I am taking some time off. My bride needs me to help her get beyond this current phase of her life, and quite frankly with out her by my side nothing else seems right, nor worthwhile at times. The Lord always gives us the strength we need to deal with the problems we all face in life, but He also lets us know when it's time to step back, slow down and take care of our loved ones.

I wrote most of this message before I was informed by my local hometown newspaper the "Enterprise Record", that they want me to write a blog for them. Well, it is an opportunity I cannot pass up, and so I have agreed to take the opportunity to widen my reach for the Lord's word, and for my political opinions. I have written for the Post Script blog, but just as a guest writer, this will be something I have complete control over. Considering the troubles I have had with the editor at PS the last few months, this is a blessing from God, since I will now unencumbered to state my opinions from now on. I have yet to come up with a name for it and if anyone has an idea of a name I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. Being an official newspaper, I will automatically have the advantage of their reputation behind me, that is what reputation any paper has left in today's world. However it is still better then a normal blogspot that many are limited to, and it is the same newspaper that Anthony Watts writes his blog, "Watts Up With That" for.

Well I will not begin my blogging for the ER until May 1st, so until then I would like to say thanks and God bless to you all. This blog, "Gate of the City Ministry", my political blog, "The Way One Vike Sees It" and my video blog, "Interesting, Weird, & Educational Videos " will all cease to exist as of may 1st when I combine them all into the ER blog I am being given.

I guess it's time to pack up the cooler, the ramps and the fishing gear for a trip to the Feather river. Maybe I can finally catch that California brown trout that got away from me last spring. Please keep my wife and I both in your prayers, as we both pray for God's abundant grace for you all. As I fade away down the river, please enjoy this psalm I wrote a few years ago.

"A Desire for the Lords Guidance"

My Father my Lord, show me the way to Your paradise, guide my steps so that I may not fall into the quagmire of sin. Show me my faults Lord, so that I may correct them and be restored into Your imperial court. Instruct me in the ways of Your will O' Lord, so that I may not be defiled or corrupted by my own selfishness. When I walked in the dark I found myself lost in the alley of despair, not realizing that my way was one of ruin and constant failure.

I now follow You, my Creator, my Savior, the Infinite One who breathes the life I inhale, My soul craves for the manna from Your plantation of plenty and my heart thirsts for the pure water from Your Rock of Salvation. I shall sit back in Your chariot of fire and accept Your tutelage while You chauffeur me on my way to paradise. Your way is straight O' Lord, and the guidance You give me is exceedingly perfect. I shall praise Your name daily as I thank You for keeping me safe and washing away the filth that I allowed myself to be corrupted with along the way.

Amen and Amen

God Bless,
Your Brother in Christ,

Chuck Ness (OneVike)