Outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen are getting ready to go to their respective corners; the fishermen to one and the hunters to another. Each one will be glad to get away from the other for a few months.

There’s no hatred between the brothers and sisters of the outdoors, just a needed time to get away from each other and spread ourselves past the banks of the local lakes.

We’ve been together since the end of turkey season, so the fishermen will be glad for a quieter time on the lake as well as more room to move about.

The hunters will now focus their attention away from poundage and toward points.

This transition use to be fairly easy for me until someone put a bow in my hand and the seasons began to start earlier.

Before then, I would usually fish up to the early parts of November, take a short break to hunt deer, and then go back to fishing with an intermediate small game hunting trip or two.

Now, states are opening their deer hunting seasons earlier and earlier for those who bow hunt. And it seems that I just can’t say no to this new opportunity. But as a result, my fishing becomes dormant.

I’ve noticed there comes a time when you just have to choose. We just can’t say yes to everything that someone asked us to do, no matter how much we would like to. I’m going to guess and say that it took me about thirty-five years to learn this. My wife would say forty-five, but she’s not standing over my shoulder right now.

I really have discovered at least three things as I have grown older. One, even though my mind says I’m twenty-five, I’m not! Two, because I’m not twenty-five injuries are more likely to occur, so I must stay away from activities where there is no one there my age. And three, I’ll probably like any new thing that I do, so since I have no more time, don’t even start something new.

I must choose. And most of the choices that I make are not between something good and bad, but between something good and something else that’s almost as good. That’s why temptation is temptation. If the choices before me were always between something good and something vile or debase, then the choice would be easy. But temptation always challenges me with second best. And second best will always keep me from what God wants me to do and be.

Make sure that what you’re doing now is not keeping you from the place God wants you. It’s your choice and it can be a good one or it can be the best one!

Outdoor Truths is written by Gary Miller. He can be reached via e-mail at gary@outdoor truths.org.