“There Is No Ketchup”

Can one be a fisherman, a hunter, or an avid hiker without ever having an outdoor spiritual encounter?

We have a saying in our house, “There is no ketchup” and it means, “I can’t find what I’m looking for” more than it means “It isn’t there.” The saying evolved from the many times someone stood in front of the refrigerator and proclaimed, “There is no ketchup.” Another would come over, grab the ketchup bottle, and hand it to them. The phrase in our house is now more of a plea. “Show me so I know.”

That has brought about another question. Can an honest outdoorsman proclaim, “There is no God?” Don’t we all get a glimpse of the one who so grandly fashioned all this when we are outdoors pursuing our passions? After all, I would go outdoors and show them.

See the orange and yellow hues of the sunrise, the golden shimmer of morning. Every day, from the first day of creation, this phenomenon has occurred. Nothing we can do will stop the light, slow it or repeat it. The light happens, always since the first day, in perfect time without anything that we do. See this powerful sunrise.

Look into the blue waves of the ocean and the expanse of the clouds in the bright cerulean sky. Every day, from the second day, it has been here. Cyclical, life-giving reclamation occurs with evaporation and weather patterns. We hear thunder in the sky and smell the fresh air after a rainstorm. See the beautiful water and sky.

Walk in the dark green woods, musky with vegetation. Breathe in the smell of composting earth, grass, and evergreen branches. Algae sits atop shallow ponds as we watch the movement of cattails in the breeze. Roots of trees and plants grow down in the earth as crystal-clear lakes sprout up. Mountains rise to wonderful heights providing glorious vistas. Hyacinth and lavender bring forth fragrant breezes. Ever since the third day, see the beautiful workplace and playground of the earth.

Enjoy the warmth of the setting sun as shadows grow long at the end of the day. Night falls and the moon and stars adorn the skies. The expanse is large, bigger than we can comprehend. From the fourth day on there have been shooting stars and green northern lights and galaxies far away. See the heavens in all their glory.

Feel the leap of the fish as you reel it in. Watch the tracking of the snow geese as they fly overhead. Adrenalin rushes through your veins. Excitement. Anticipation. Maybe even fear, for will I somehow lose this precious gift? The birds and fishes live and move. Some migrate across thousands of miles to accomplish the most basic of life: reproduction. They know exactly where to go. They know exactly what to do and when. Complexity. Simplicity. Every day from the fifth day onward, see the beautiful creatures of the water and sky.

The doe leads her twin fawns to water. White speckles mixed with dark markings adorn the little ones’ backs. They know to stay close to mother, her doe eyes so deep and brown, one could fall in and never climb out. She shows her keen gift of hearing and even more robust sense of smell in the care of her fawns. Instinct for survival is great. Nourishment. Protection. Predator and prey are all part of the animal kingdom. People, too. Food that we hunt and farm are provision. Every day from the sixth day on, animals and humankind have roamed the land. See these beautiful deer.

Here, rest in my hammock tied between two large trees. Listen to the water lapping along the shoreline from the lake nearby. Close your eyes, feel the light breeze and the warmth that the sun provides but the shade of the trees makes pleasant. Your hard work is done for now, my friend. From the seventh day on, when we rest, we see the Creator in all this.

There is no ketchup? Oh, yes, indeed there is. And I don’t mean the plastic squeeze bottle is the ketchup. It simply contains some, not all, of what you are looking for—if that is what you seek.

K.J. Houtman is the author of the award-winning Fish On Kids Books series, chapter books for eight- to 12-year-olds with adventures based around fishing, camping, and hunting. Her work is available at Amazon and local bookstores. Find out more at fishonkidsbooks.com.

K.J. Houtman

Houtman writes books embracing the great outdoors for children and adults. Available as paperbacks and e-books at Amazon, they are: A Whirlwind Opener (#1), Driving Me Crazy (#2), Spare the Rod (#3), Duck, Duck Deuce (#4), Born to be Wild (#5) and A Second Chance (#6) as well as K.J.'s Reflections Under the Big Pine with Bill Miller, a non-fiction devotional for adults.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Fish On Kids Books series – Houtman has a wonderful talent. I'm engaged in the life of Gus and when one book ends, I want to find out what he is up to in the next.” Sharon Rushton, Outdoor Writer and author of No Paved Road to Freedom

“From cover to cover the best series of chapter books I've seen in years. These books are wholesome with a focus on adventure. Wish I had them when I was a kid. I'm still a kid at heart and prolific reader. These are my kind of books.” Larry Rea, host, Outdoors with Larry Rea, Memphis, TN

“I’ve read them all and think these books are great.” Jim Zumbo, professional hunter and outdoor writer