September 28, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Psalms 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

The multitude of my thoughts were increasing. I was alone and I was in trouble. It was not a life threatening type of trouble, although it could have escalated to that; it was one of those times of trouble that your mind seems to kick into overdrive and the thoughts multiply exponentially. There I was on Lake Texoma fishing. The top water action had ceased, to me there is no more wonderful sight than daybreak on the lake when those big bass break the surface chasing after those shad.

I decided to troll for a while as I straightened up my tackle, gear, etc. I was tying a slab (artificial lure) on my favorite casting rod that I thought would come into use a little later on in the day. I was facing the front of my boat, trolling with the wind, and just enjoying the moment. I sensed it before I heard it, a fish was on. I turned my head just in time to see that the fish was taking line out in record fashion. By the time I reached the rod and reel, all the line had been taken out, this was one heavy and strong fish.

Remember, I was alone. So, while holding the rod I reached for the throttle of the boat and put it in reverse so the line would not break. Contrary to the wind I was trying to back the boat up, this is difficult to do with two hands, much less one hand while holding a fishing rod with a monster fish with the other hand. This is when the rod I was holding became tangled in the other rods on my vertical rod holders, and the water began to come over the transom of the boat, so while fighting with the multitude of rods, I turned the bow of the boat into the wind and increased speed to catch up to the fish. There was slack in the line, which all fishermen know is a bad thing, the fish may get off. I took the slack out by cranking on that reel as fast as I could; fortunately the fish was still there. I worked the fish for about an hour, it seemed, probably just ten minutes or so, and reached for my net.

It was still attached with the bungee cord I use when transporting the boat, I had not used it yet that day. So, with one hand I undid the bungee while holding the rod with the fish on it and was faced with another problem. Remember that slab I was tying on to my favorite rod, the treble hook on that slab somehow became entangled with the webbing of the net. Again, with only one hand I had to undo that hook which took some doing. Once free from the tangle, the handle of the net needed to be extended which also took some doing with one hand. With net in hand I finally stood up on the rear casting deck and netted the fish. It was a beauty, a fat strong Texoma Striper that weighed in at 11.5 pounds and was 27 inches long. Not the biggest fish I’ve caught on Texoma but the most memorable. I released the fish, promising to catch it another day. No doubt that fish thought it had been caught by the most inept fisherman on the water on that or any other day.

Everything that I could do wrong I did wrong, but I caught the fish anyway. During the fight thoughts like, “The fish is going to get away,” “I am going to fall into the lake,” “My rod is going to break,” “I’m going to put a hook through my finger and have to go to the emergency room once again,” “The water is going to back up into my motor and cause damage,” and about a thousand other thoughts.

But in them all, it seemed that God gave me comfort. Because through it all I seemed to have an overriding sensation that this is what it’s all about. Life is worth the fight. We may seem to do everything wrong, but in the struggle we find comfort and God makes us the victors.

By the way, for those who think this is a fish story based upon fiction rather than fact, I have pictures. There is no doubt in my mind that if I could have recorded a video of the fish fight, it would win the big prize on the Funniest Home Video show.

May the Lord bless and be pleased with your thought life today

Dr. William Howe