|
On A Personal Note:
"Fish or cut bait" - Ever heard that saying?
Well, I have had it running through this brain of mine for about three months. You see, I am our church's finance committee chair and am always looking for ways to help our church get enough green to carry out all our missions, education programs, the needed maintenance on the facilities, as well as improvements in all areas of staff, buildings, and such. This is a task that simply revolves around motivation...and that is where "Fish or Cut Bait" comes.
Before I go further, let me tell you a story that also revolves around or is close to a church theme...or at least that is what I am going to say, anyhow. Now, if I have already told this story earlier, please forgive me...here goes:
Rev. Zac likes to think of himself as quite a fisherman, but in the little town of Zebulon, GA there lived a fella that was idolized by all living, breathing folks that liked to wet a hook now and then. This ol' boy, by the name of Billy Bob Bohannon, would go out in the wee hours of the morning fishing in his flat bottom rig with a ten horse motor and return in the early afternoon with the boat's coolers nearly full of fish of all kinds.
Rev. Zac would visit with Billy Bob quite often trying to get him into church services on a regular basis, and each time he would hint around for an invite from Billy Bob to join him on one of his fishin' trips. You see, Billy Bob had a liking for the lake known as High Falls, cause he said there weren't as many folks there that bothered you as you relaxed and fished.
Now Rev. Zac knew if he could get an invite from Billy Bob, he would be able to find out all his fishin' holes and then HE would become known as a great fisherman beloved by all in Zebulon.
Finally, after many tries, Rev. Zac got that invite. Billy Bob told the Rev. which ramp he would be puttin' in his boat, and he also told Rev. Zac that if he was late...well, he would leave without him. Knowing this, Rev. Zac wrote down the time and the location and then to make sure, he even put it on his IPhone.
The Day came, and sure as shootin' Billy Bob was right where he said he would be, and sure as shootin' the Rev. was no where to be seen. Billy Bob decided to wait a wee bit longer and just when he was about to give up on the Rev, he sees him running from the parking lot. Rev. Zac was full of reasons why he was late, he was sweating up a storm, and talkin' a mile a minute. Billy Bob just watched him and then told the good Rev. to relax and find himself a comfortable place at the front of the boat. With that, he pushed off and cranked up his trusted ten horse, and off they went.
After a goodly time Billy Bob headed up into a quiet deserted cove and shut off the motor, threw out the concrete block to hold them in place and opened up one of the coolers. He took out a cold RC Cola and offered Rev. Zac one. Well, the Rev had not come out on this lake to drink RC's, he was there to fish.
Rev. Zac baited up his hook and cast out his line...nothin'. He continued casting here...and there...and here again...no luck. He looked at Zac and just then Zac reached under his seat and pulled out a stick of dynamite, lit the fuse and threw it out into the water. After a few seconds there was a muffled boom...and scores of stunned fish rose to the top. Billy Bob got a net and began to scoop the fish into the boat...all the while, Rev. Zac was screaming, "Billy Bob you cannot do this it is against the law!"
After a while, Billy Bob leaned back, pulled in the concrete block, and cranked up the good ol' ten horse.
Off they went on another quest for a second hidden, quiet cove. Once there, Billy Bob shut off the motor, grabbed the concrete block and tossed it into the water. The Rev. watched Zac for a while, refused his second invite for a RC Cola, and telling himself that Billy Bob would not do that again he cast his line out into the tranquil waters of High Falls Lake.
About the time that Rev. Zac had made three casts without success, Billy Bob finished his RC and leaned back to rest. Rev Zac was getting somewhat testy and more than a little put out by Billy Bob, when Billy Bob's hand reached under his seat again...and yep, he again was holding a stick of dynamite. He lit the fuse and chunked it into the lake...again a loud muffled boom, fish everywhere, Billy Bob with his net...and the good Rev yelling at the top of his lungs, "Billy Bob you cannot do this! IT IS WRONG!!!"
Well, this went on for quite a spell until Billy Bob was satisfied with his haul, he pulled in the concrete block and cranked the ten horse engine. Off they went! Rev. Zac was praying that they were returning to the boat ramp...but no, they were instead heading for a third cove, this one even further away!
When Rev Zac realized that Billy Bob intended to continue breaking the law, he could not control himself. He began ranting on the sins of man and how Billy Bob would not be welcomed in heaven if he continued doing this unlawful act. About that time, they reached the cove, Billy Bob shut off the motor, leaned down and grabbed another stick of dynamite. He lit the fuse and instead of tossing it into the lake he handed it to Rev. Zac and said,
"Reverend Zac, are you going to keep on yelling, and such...or are you going to fish?"
_________
Now, I would not say that this was the same as saying to someone to fish or cut bait, but I think you can see it was a way of getting a form of commitment...a decision at the moment...a definite turning point. That is where we stand at our church home, it also is where we often find ourselves in our personal lives, don't you think?
Well, Jude and I are at the fish or cut bait with the alpaca farm. We know that cutting bait is an honorable past time, one that allows someone else to have the opportunity to fish...or better said, to prosper. So in some ways we have been cuttin' bait for a while now, preparing the way for others to benefit. Fishin', on the other hand, is the exciting, action filled, outcome cuttin' bait allows. Jude and I have been fishin' and enjoying the thrill of it all for around twelve years now...and that has been, and still is, good!
With that said, we have a shorter time left in this wonderful industry to accomplish what we wish to accomplish. I have been hinting around like the good Rev. Zac, but no one has handed me the stick of dynamite as of yet...soooo, we have decided to play the role of Billy Bob Bohannon. While we do not wish to do anything illegal, like Billy Bob, we do want to surprise you with a few unbelievable opportunities revolving around alpacas...but you have to be willing to convince us that you want to be surprised.
Give us a call, come sit down with a good mug of The Alpaca Bean Coffee, and let's talk about all our futures with the most beautiful of creatures, the Alpaca. We need to have these conversations, and you do as well!
The Southern Alpaca Connection, LLC has been borne on our farm and it looks forward to cuttin' bait, and fishin' for the alpaca industry, AND The Alpaca Bean Coffee Company, LLC for a goodly while longer...and we want to do it with our friends!
Peace,
The Coffeeman
|
