(Click here for a video of John reading this Catch.)
I woke up to a myriad of birthday greetings and I appreciate every one. Marti wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday so I told her. I wanted to go to an Angels game but they are playing the Rangers in Texas. So I said I wanted to go to our son, Christopher’s house, sit in his recliner and enjoy three hours of guiltless television baseball on his large screen TV complete with hot dogs, beer and peanuts. Not sure about the peanuts but we’re going to do it. I also told him he had to guarantee a win for my birthday (apologies to all our Texas Catch citizens) and he said no problem.
I won’t tell you how old I am, but I will tell you that I am asking God for 10 more years so that I can say along with Caleb on his 85th birthday, “As my strength was then [40 years earlier] so it is today. Give me the giants!” No, not the San Francisco Giants, but the giants in the land of Canaan “in whose eyes the spies were as grasshoppers.” These were the people most feared by the children of Israel who had to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness because of their fear of the people in the land, even though the Lord said He had given them into their hand. That’s why Caleb wanted the giants. After all they had gone through in the wilderness — and he and Joshua were the only ones who lived through those 40 years because they never backed off from going into the land — he wanted to show off his faith. And he did just what he said he would do.
Caleb’s strength had nothing to do with his age, and everything to do with his Lord. That’s the faith you want to have at 75, 85, 95 and up (or 75 and down, too).
Thank you to all my well-wishers.
John Fischer The Catch 
Happy Happy Birthday!!!!!
Happy Birthday, John! 10 more years of you being the BLESSING you are would be a treasured gift for all of us. 🙂
Thanks for the reference to Caleb at age 85 (sorry about your Angels last night, BTW — hope the hot dogs were good!). Two weeks ago, I reached the age where I can tell people who ask how old I am, “think of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole and Depeche Mode. Now I’m off to get my kicks!”. Just before that, I started a new job which, one could argue, is the “lot from God” that I’d been waiting for. And there are “giants” here — as evidenced in a long talk I had with a brilliant young woman, whose arms were tattooed not with ink but with the scars of multiple self-harm attempts. Your piece today is a reminder that those giants can be fought and brought down, and not with my own physical strength, but so long as I come alongside the Lord and turn to Him. Keep writing, John … keep singing .. and keep blessing us all!
Happy Birthday to you and thanks for the great messages over the years from the Catch about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ only way to God and eternal life. I believe my faith is stronger now than it was when I was younger. I hope the faith grows even more over the years and I am always glad when you speak of strong faith no matter what. Take care, God Bless, and have a great Birthday.
Happy Birthday John!!
Happy Birthday John! Reading the Catch is one of the most enjoyable things that I do each time it is posted. So thank you for continuing to do that. Another ten years, of your thoughtful Godly meditations will be one of the highlights of my life.
i share your sentiments about Caleb and have prayed that God would use me as he used him. People give me strange looks when i say that Moses and Caleb started some of their best work when they exceeded 80 years of age. That is my prayer also. God’s preparation time is long and arduous.
Try polish sausage instead of the hot dog, an interesting change of flavor.
Could you tell us how old you are the math was to difficult for me.
God bless your cyberspace gospel work, I love it.
Thank you Peter. The hot dogs were incredible. Good thing because the game wasn’t at least for the Angels.