Look at this face of a very happy man. If Steve can't be hugging on grand kids, then at least put him in a boat on a sunny summer day when the willow flies are out, and watch the contentment glow out of him. On this particular day, he was in the boat WITH 5 grand kids. Supreme happiness in his book. :)My husband has many amazing skills, some well-known, some not-so-well-known. Most people know that he's a good veterinarian. He has a great sense about what is wrong with an animal and knows how to use diagnostic tools to get answers. But, I think his clients appreciate him even more for his consistent integrity and honesty in dealing with them and their pets.
Some more personal skills are his thinking/reasoning/dispensing of wisdom to his children and to me. And, one of his talents that I get to enjoy most is his ability to cook a great breakfast.
Over this past weekend, though, I was able to observe (again) two of his great abilities that are like viewing great works of art when you see him in action. One was on Sunday morning when he was teaching a Bible lesson to our Sunday School class. It is awesome to watch and experience a person who is so obviously caught up in using their spiritual gift. His smooth delivery, his style, his knowledge (produced from study and insight), and his approachability are all apparent when he's in his element. I love seeing him AND hearing him teach.
The other great skill that I observed was on a recent late afternoon fishing trip when I decided to join him. Sadly, I don't do this often enough. I figure that's "his thing," and I'll just stay home and do "my thing." I'm so glad I went this time. Watching him cast his rod with uncanny accuracy is really a thing of beauty -- meant in the most masculine terms, of course. It shouldn't be a surprise. After all, he's been honing this skill for well over 50 years, but still I love to watch the expert at work. He knows how to place each lure in precisely the best spot for attracting that unsuspecting bass.
He handed me a rod and reel that he said was simple enough, "even the grandchildren used it during Cousins Camp," and gave me a few, hurried instructions. My casts were clumsy, jerky, short, inaccurate. But, hey, I got my bait in the water and felt several definite nibbles.
As you might expect, that led me to a spiritual correlation. So often, my witnessing attempts are like those casts. I don't always use the "right words." I seldom follow the methods or scripts that I've been taught. I just try to be faithful to "get my bait in the water" and trust the Holy Spirit to produce a great catch. I'm never going to catch a fish by staying home, now am I? I need to spend more time out where the fish are and continue to learn the best baits to use for certain fish and the right casting motions to use to get my bait in front of the hungry fish. My witnessing and my fishing can improve with practice. My husband will be pleased if I go fishing with him more often. My Savior will be pleased if I share more boldly and more often of His love and saving power.
John 21: 5-6, 11 "Jesus therefore said to them, 'Children, you do not have any fish, do you?' They answered Him, 'No." And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find a catch.' They cast therefore, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn."
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