Goin' Fishin' Part 1

Just a small amount of self-sacrifice can lead to so much happiness in a home! If I would only be so smart to offer larger doses in my life.

This past winter, Uncle Don loaned the TN/AL Cato/Jones family his fishing boat as Bill's nephew Craig began to take a bigger interest in fishing. The boat arrived in need of some shelter and as the family with the new 2-car garage, we became the proud home of the boat!

Bill has been itching to get on the water since the day the boat arrived. Craig, Owen and Bill had been out a couple of times, but as the weather started getting warmer, Bill's conversations revolved more and more around fishing.

Like a child awaiting Christmas, he asked me earlier this week if I thought, just by chance, Claire and I would be interested in going fishing with him on Saturday. "Why sure!" was my response. I love the water and it was supposed to be a beautiful d.....wait, a beautiful day? A beautiful day for sowing grass in our new yard? A beautiful day for cleaning the house with windows open? "Bill, there are many days this summer to go fishing, but only a few optimal days to sow grass," I responded.

And, in his ever-so humble and sacrificing way, he responded, "Okay." "Okay" without a grimace, without a fight. An "okay" with a smile like only Bill Cato can give that said in his mind, "well, atleast I'll be on some type of equipment grading the yard."

And then the Lord began to speak to his wife. Throughout the day on Friday, I received, not 1, but 2 words from the Lord that I needed to go fishing with my husband. So I called Bill and said, "We're going fishing!" And, again, in a way only Bill Cato could make a 220 lb., construction worker, Carhart-wearing, equipment operating man do, he turned back into the child before Christmas and said, "oh, the Lord has been good to me!!!"

So, yesterday afternoon, after a few chores, we loaded up the truck with boat in tow and headed to the water!

As we pulled away from the house, he looked over to me and said, "This is one of my biggest dreams come true. I don't think anyone could upset me with anything right now. I got a wife, a baby girl and a fishing boat with me today!!!"

And the Lord returned the favor and was "good to me" yesterday by seeing a husband walking around on cloud nine! And today, guess where he is...he's out on his second favorite piece of equipment grading my yard!!!