March 20 – “Slimy, Icky-Wicky”

Great progress at the house today.  Our little team finished sheetrocking the family room and the garage.  They even got started a bit in the kitchen.  Chris and I were there long enough to get all but a wall and a half done of our walk-in closet.  We're slow, but then, we're novices.  The AC guys came today, too.  They installed some more of the AC part of the unit.  We also went to Home Depot to pick up the bathroom vanities we ordered.  The vanities were in, but they couldn't find the mirrors or the medicine cabinet.  They have to call the manufacturer.  We'll check back with them tomorrow.   The kids at Seaside did a lot of painting of the outside of the building.  I haven't seen it yet, but I can't wait.  They also got most of the new ceiling tiles up in the sanctuary to complement Mike and Cory's work putting up new lights.    I took my own advice this morning.  Since I usually wake up before everybody anyway, I went fishing.  I tossed out a couple of lines and hung out on the dock while I waited for Zak to wake up.  Didn't take him too long.  He ate the fastest breakfast on record.  Then he joined his Nani for a walk downstairs to go fishing.  And would you believe it?  As he walked up (or rather jumped up), one of the lines bent over with a strike.  I grabbed the pole and said, "Zak, come over here and help me for a minute."  I showed him how to reel in the line, and he started cranking.  After a few seconds he said, "DadDad, why am I helping you?"  I answered, "You'll see.  Just keep turning."  That's about when the fish made a run.  Zak's eyes lit up.  "What's that, DadDad?"  I don't think it ever entered his mind that it was a fish.  Sure enough, when he got it close to the top (It was a hardhead catfish, but a pretty big one), he squealed.  We pulled it on shore and he displayed it proudly for Nani's ever-present camera.  He did have one request, though.  He wanted to touch it.  Don't know if you've ever touched a hardhead catfish, but Zak's description tops every one I've ever heard.  "It's a slimy, icky-wicky fish, DadDad."  You got that right.   We shook the fish back into the water, and I turned to put some more bait on the hook.  The other pole was dipping madly.  Another strike.  "Zak, I need some more help."  This time he didn't hesitate.  He reeled and reeled until he landed his second big catfish of the day.  And that was enough.  He discovered right after that, that I didn't care if he pushed the bait bucket into the water.  It made a big splash, and that caused an even bigger squeal than the fish.  "Let's do it again, DadDad."  And again.  And again.  Needless to say, we had caught our last fish of the day.  But we sure ended our fishing trip on a joyful note.  Kids seem to have a way of knowing how to do that.  The joy is not in the product.  The joy is in the journey.   Psalm 45:7 says, "You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."   Father, thank you for letting me see your joy in Zakary today.  Anoint away.  Amen.