Fresh Start Devotionals

Hobbies “The only difference between men and boys,” they say, “is the price of their toys.” I don’t know about you, but I resemble that remark! My first “adult” hobby was photography. I learned how to take pictures and develop them during a college course. I took the course with a borrowed camera and the school’s darkroom equipment, but later, I decided I needed my own stuff. Now I have several cameras, all kinds of lenses, and two tripods. Until our last garage sale, I also had a full darkroom set-up. I can’t remember the last time I took a picture. When we lived in Southern California, I took up golfing. Some men in the Church wanted me to play with them so they bought me some lessons at a local Country Club so I’d be good enough. I started with a cheap set of clubs, but graduated to a full set of Link’s Irons, woods, and a nice leather bag. I even owned an electric cart for a while. I don’t want to remember the last time I played golf. I don’t have the space to mention the “woodworking” phase or “Baseball Card collecting” period, but I will confess that today my burning passion is fishing. I loved Ocean fishing when I lived near the Pacific, so I bought several deep sea rigs. I also liked to troll for trout at a local lake, so I bought a boat and some lead core line rigging. Of course, I had to have bass reels (at least two different sizes), spinning reels, (at least three different sizes), and now that I live in New Mexico—fly rods and all the accompanying gear. I guess my real hobby is collecting stuff for hobbies. It is easy for “stuff” to take over our lives and deplete our bank account. I think Paul had it right when he said: “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Philippians 4:11 Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).