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Jana Lackey

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Jana Lackey

Tag Archives: peer pressure

Alligator Gars and Tiger Fishing

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Jana Lackey in Life in Africa

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alligator garfish, honeymoon, Kapinta Rig, my 500 words, peer pressure, Tiger fishing

I have always loved fishing. Growing up I often went fishing with my grandfather on “Chocolate Bayou” near Galveston, Texas.  Alligator Garfish was a great game fish. I can’t say that I ever caught one though. I was pretty young but it was fun to watch him and the other guys hook some!Image

When my husband, Jerry and I went on our first trip to Southern Africa we were able to go Tiger Fishing at Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. We had been married just over a year and had not really had a proper honeymoon and a Pastor from a church in Zim did a trade out for us. We got him some fishing gear in exchange for a weekend at a nice Hotel with mosquito netting over the bed and a great view of Lake Kariba. The Elephants would come and drink water from the swimming pool and the monkeys were making themselves at home around our room.Image

The cheapest way to Tiger fish there was to go out at night on a big Kapenta Rig, especially for us newlyweds on a shoestring budget. These rigs use mercury lights connected to portable generators to attract the fish to the rig. A dip net around 6 metres in diameter and around 8-10 metres in length is used to bring the fish up from as deep as 40 metres, (130 feet) Kapenta is similar to a sardine.  Local people dry them and eat them with their great taste and protein.

The predator Tiger Fish are clever. They know when and where to find a great meal. When the Kapenta rig shows up, they drop the net and the Kapenta’s race for the light. That’s where the lucky tag-along’s come in. This particular rig went out at night. When we got there, it was just before dark and getting colder as the sun went down. Yes, It really does get cold in Africa! It is an all night exercise.  We packed up with the bedrolls, food and got on the rig. The guys looked really surprised when I boarded. Shocked is a better word! She white lady going out on this rig for the whole night? It was a first for them.  We had to take turns sleeping and then it was a long wait to be able to fish around the guys working. I am happy to report that I got the first hit from the tiger! All hands on board that night jumped up from their dead sleep and work to watch this crazy lady from Texas try and bring one of the worlds best game fish in all by myself.

Image

(yes, that’s me in the photo, recently catching the first tiger between me and Jerry)

I actually have a lot of pity for the men, including my husband, that night. You see, I got the biggest one of the night! I really should try and be more humble about my fishing skills, but I just can’t help myself. We had a blast that night and the men probably never forgot the whole experience. I know I haven’t!

Let me give you just a small takeaway from this true story and address some peer pressure issues. The most obvious thing is not always the best thing. If you go along with what everyone else is doing, just because that is what everyone else is doing, you better watch out for some predators out there. I think about the nightlife scene in our village of Maun. People jam-pack the bars inside and out. Those Kapenta fish went for the light and got caught in the net. The ones who didn’t get caught in the net were vulnerable to the mighty Tiger Fish. Either way, those little fish likely had their last day!

Here is what the bible has to say:

1 Peter 5:8-11 (MSG)  “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”

 

My 500 words day 15

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The day my life changed, part 3

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Jana Lackey in Growing Pains, Inspirational Thoughts, My Journey

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Christian School, God's love letter, Grace, peer pressure, power of the word, second chances, Teen Punishment, Testimony, weed


photo copy 3
Week two of my “punishment”

Like I said in my last post, the Principal of my Christian school assigned a scripture a week as punishment for my crime of bringing weed to my Christian School. He would pray and seek God’s guidance on which verse to pick. Every one he chose for me had something to do with where I needed to change or grow. I had to study it, apply the truths to my life and share with my classmates that truth. It had to be 150 words minimum. In the beginning I counted every word, but after a while, the scriptures started to come alive on the inside of me! This so called punishment was changing my life, one day at a time.

The second week’s scripture was this one:

Ephesians 4:29 (NLV)  ”Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

I had a pretty foul mouth back then, at 14. My heart was changing but the outside was a process-and still is, because we never stop growing. I was brand new in my spirit, but the soul, which is my mind, emotions, and my will had some growing to do. Who would have ever thought that my punishment was going to be something that would shape my future and get me into the bible? It was starting to feel like God’s love letter to me! My classmates were a little confused about what this was all about. What was a punishment for me was actually changing me.

When I presented this to my class I had to start lining up with what I was saying. I started to choose my words more carefully. I became more conscious that my words could really help people. Imagine if we had a gong or a buzzer, like the game shows on TV that sounds when you give the wrong answer? The Holy Spirit, who comes when we accept Jesus lives inside of a believer, is there for just that! To direct us in all we do and say. Something wonderful began to happen. I started looking forward to the next scripture because the exercise of studying them was like being given a powerful flash light to help me get out of the dark place I had gotten myself into. One week at a time, one day at a time.

God doesn’t want us to be robots. He created us all different and unique. The more we walk with Him and talk with him, the more light we have to do this thing called life.

Thanks for reading along, and for going with me on this journey back in time. It only gets better from here. To think that I was so close to being sent off to reform school, which is basically school in jail for troubled kids. But someone had mercy on me and gave me another chance.

Let’s not be so quick to write people off. You never know what a little grace can do in someone’s life.

I’ll share one more “punishment” tomorrow and wrap up the story.  If you ever wanted to quit smoking, or know someone who does, this story will be for you!

http//janalackey.com/2014/01/08/the-day-my-life-changed-part-2/

Day 9-my500words http://goinswriter.com/my500words/

Photo by stockphotos

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