Heard any good fishin' stories

lately? I've run across two that sound fishy to me, but are supposedly

real life happenings in the "truth is stranger than fiction"

category.

A Brazilian fisherman choked

to death near the remote Amazon city of Belem after a fish unexpectedly

jumped into his mouth. Nathon do Nascimento was fishing by the Maguari

River, about 30 miles south of Belem, when the six-inch-long fish leapt

out of the river and became lodged in Nascimento's throat while he

was yawning. Two other fishermen tried to help him, but by the time

they arrived at a local hospital it was too late.

"The fish obstructed his

throat completely and he couldn't reach the tail," a doctor said.

Tragic. What can be learned?

Good manners are always appropriate, even while fishing. Cover your

mouth when you yawn.

What else? Go to bed earlier

and get more sleep, especially before you go fishing.

What's the real lesson here?

Life us full of difficult moments, and unfortunately, not every danger

can be anticipated or prevented. Life is uncertain, so make every moment

count.

Unfortunately, too many people

are like the couple living in the Kansas farmhouse that was hit by the

tornado. The tornado came through before dawn, tore off the roof, and

picked up the bed on which the farmer and wife were sleeping. By some

miracle, it set them down unharmed in the next county.

The wife was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Don't be scared, Mary. We're not hurt."

Mary continued to cry. "I'm

not scared," she said between sobs. "I'm happy. This is the

first time in 14 years we've been out together." Go out more often.

Just don't go fishing. Or maybe you should.

Another couple was fishing

in the Florida Keys and reeled in a big one ­ a leather bag with

about $80,000 inside. The couple, visiting from Vero Beach, found the

bag floating south of the Seven Mile Bridge in the Keys.

"They saw a baseball cap

floating out there, and they were going to retrieve the baseball cap,

and they found a little leather bag," authorities reported. The couple

called the FBI, who contacted U.S. Customs service.

"It's either drug money

or alien smuggling money," a U. S. Customs agent said. "It was

soaked and had been floating in the water for awhile."

The Monroe County Sheriff's

Office is holding the cash. State seizure rules allow people who find

unclaimed property to keep it if the legitimate owner doesn't come forward

in 90 days. A haul of $80,000 for fishing out a floating baseball cap.

That's a pretty successful fishing trip.

The lesson? Keep your eyes

open. Life is full of unexpected surprises, some of which are real blessings.

So keep your eyes open. You never know . . .

(Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor,

McDonough Road Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The church family meets

at 352 McDonough Road for Bible study each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. and worship

at 10:55 a.m. They invite you to join them this Sunday.)

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