So the family took me (let me go) shark fishing for my birthday — and Father’s Day combined — present.  Not my birthday yet, but it was the only way we could fit shark fishing into our vacation budget.  And yes…I caught the first one…pictured here.  I was trying to figure out a way that we could make it look bigger — a little camera magic — but the hand holding it was a dead giveaway that it was indeed the world’s smallest shark.  Yes indeed I am the great light shark hunter.  Sucker was smaller than the bullheads that I caught in Sought Dakota when I was a kid.

But they got progressively bigger — two more sharks and a stingray… the whole family reeled on that one and Jake almost got it into the boat, but then the line broke.

It was a good night.  Beautiful sunset.   Lynn with a beautiful smile on her face.  A few dolphins.  A great guide and captain.  Nice boat, lots of water.  Sarah and Katy squealing about touching fish — but then catching and touching fish.  Jake reeling like a mad-man.  Josh making us laugh — laugh like crazy.  Like the moment a seagull swooped down to snatch a fish head off the top of the water.  The seagull missed and Josh said… “Well that’s embarrassing.”  His comment when the bigger shark started thrashing, “Oh it’s an angry elf.”  And the best exchange of the night happened when our captain and guide was bringing the largest shark into the boat.  Josh heard a noise and said, “Was that a fart?”  The captain said, “No it was the shark.”  Josh said, “Yeah I know I thought the shark farted.”  “Oh” the captain replied, “I thought you were asking if I farted.”

If you aren’t laughing now, I guess you had to be there.  But it will be one of those exchanges that get brought up around the Nold dinner table for years to come.  Not just because it was funny, but because it was family.  Those moments make my heart sing.  They are moments of play and laughter, moments of sibling rivalry and sibling friendship.  They are moments when I am very aware — not just of the presence of God, but — His smile.

You don’t have to go shark fishing on Hilton Head to have those moments.  But you do have to take the time.