Torch, Spring 2003

12 TORCH / Spring 2003 the complicated by breaking down issues into manageable chunks. Then, by not allowing the trees to obfuscate the forest, he is able to prioritize the chunks and line them up into the necessary steps to accomplish the task. Sometimes, the choice not to act is the most important decision a leader can make. Persistence Throw it out; reel it in. Throw it out; reel it in. Throw it out; reel it in. You just can’t force the sport of fishing. No matter how much time, thought, or money is put into the approach, in the end the fisherman is utterly dependent on the mind and stomach of a creature far down the intellectual chain of God’s created order. Maybe the most important skill of the quality fisherman is the ability to wait persistently. No fisherman, not even those on Saturday morning TV, can make a fish bite the hook. But, the best fishermen believe that the “big one” is only a cast away. Ask any potential Cedarville donor. Dad has never learned to take “no” for an answer. Optimism You have to be optimistic to be a fisherman. How else could you believe that a three-inch red worm stuck on the end of a barely disguised hook could catch the eye of a fish who happens to be hungry enough to gulp down a half- drowned worm somehow defying the laws of gravity in the middle of the lake? My dad has never met a challenge where he couldn’t find something positive to latch onto. “Be yourself,” he used to tell me, “but, be your best self.” Dad always seems to find the best in every person and every situation. Where most would see a cornfield, he saw a student center, ministry center, and residence halls. When others sensed a heart cold and unresponsive to the gospel, he sensed an opportunity for the Spirit of God to work a miracle. Ultimately, his ability to be optimistic about every opportunity comes from the understanding that beyond all the strategic planning, the persistence, and the great vision was the need to be totally dependent upon a great God. My dad has Above: For Trustee Gil Brueckner and Dr. Dixon, the rewards of fishing are evident at the close of the day.