February 5 – “Fishing with Scooter”

No plumbers today.    We took the Explorer in to have the oil changed and the blinker fixed.  That thing is still going strong – well, maybe not strong, but still going nonetheless.  It should get us to Mansfield next week for our Caleb fix.  That trip means I will probably teach at SCA on Tuesday instead of Thursday.  Today was a lot of fun.  Those kids are great.  Can't wait to get to know them better.   The highlight of my day by far was my fishing trip with my Boston Terrier granddog, Scooter.  I stopped on the way home and got some bait.  I honestly didn't think I'd catch anything, but it was such a pretty day I had to try.  After all, the Channel Eleven Norman number was a ten.  I didn't tell Scooter we were going fishing.  I didn't even tell Chris.  It's not like I had to drive somewhere.  Just walk out to the dock in the back yard.  I think Scooter just came down for a leisurely trip to his private outdoor bathroom and stumbled upon the old man with the fishing pole.  Once down there, though, he wasn't about to leave.  And he impressed me with his level of anticipation.   I've been impressed with his anticipation ever since I first met him.  He's the first dog I've know who almost never gets fooled by the old "I didn't really throw it" trick when playing fetch.  And he's pretty good at anticipating which way you're going to kick it, too.  Those anticipation skills really came out this evening.  First was when he ran to the water's edge and turned back to me as if to say, "You sure are slow, Old Dude, but I'll wait for you."  Then he kicked into  bouncing mode when I baited the hook and walked toward the canal to cast.  His eyes stayed firmly fixed on the bait.  In case, I suppose, one of the dangling shrimp should happen to escape.  Every now and then some ducks would swim by.  That was definitely an event.  As soon as he noticed them, Scooter was at the water's edge, shivering all over with anticipation – "Maybe one of them will get close enough for me to eat.  Or at least play with."  Did you ever notice that some ducks are really ugly?  One of these was.  And the other one looked like it posed for one of those duck paintings.  I guess one was male and one was female.  They stayed close together.  And there was a little guy nearby diving and swimming by himself.  One little happy family.  But, oh, if Scooter could only get a little closer.  He also spent a lot of time gazing at the water.  And at things floating by in the water.  I went and stood by him one time just to see what he was looking at.  All I saw was water.  But then, I'm not Scooter.  My favorite Scooterism of the day, though, came when I sat on the dock so I could rest my back.  I kept the line in the water.  And Scooter stood directly under the pole and watched it very carefully, waiting.  Nothing happened.  He looked in the water.  He looked at me.  He waited.  Nothing happened.  He looked in the water.  He looked at me.  He waited.  Then he had about all he could stand.  He looked at me, then at the pole, then at the water.  Suddenly, he jumped up and grabbed the pole!  If the fish won't make it move, Scooter will.   Revelation 22:20 sounds like somebody who was in the habit of anticipating.  "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.'  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."   Father, help me be a Scooter-quality anticipator when it comes to you working and coming.  Amen