A Pastoral Word. . .
Pastor Mark Adams
January 12, 2023
One hundred years ago (1922), a Minnesota man named Ralph Samuelson went to a local lumberyard. Most people would have said that Samuelson found two ordinary eight-foot-long pine boards. But Samuelson had a more creative idea. When he looked at those boards, he saw two water skis.
And that led to his invention of---waterskiing.
Samuelson lived in Minnesota and wondered if you could ski on water the way you could on snow. At 18, he made his own skis and had his brother pull him behind his boat. He unsuccessfully tried snow skis and barrel staves before realizing that he needed something that covered more surface area on the water.
That’s when Samuelson spotted two eight-foot-long, nine-inch-wide pine boards.
Using his mother’s wash boiler, he softened one end of each board, then clamped the tips with vises so they would curve upwards. He affixed leather straps to hold his feet in place and acquired 100 feet of window sash cord to use as a tow rope. Finally, he hired a blacksmith to make a small iron ring to serve as the rope’s handle.
Samuelson tried several different approaches.
In most of his attempts, he started with his skis level with or below the water line; but by the time his brother got the boat going, Samuelson was sinking. Finally, he tried raising the tips of the skis out of the water while he leaned back—and it worked.
As his brother steered the boat, Samuelson cruised along behind him. To this day, this is still the position that water skiers assume. Samuelson began performing tricks on his skis and crowds as large as 1,000 people came out to watch him.
As we learned last August, each and every Christian has at least ONE spiritual gift---a God-given insight or talent or ability that is meant to be used in a local church---like Redland. If each of us were using their spiritual gifts, the Nominating Committee would have no problem finding people to do all the things God calls us to do---including finding someone to chair this committee.
In this new year; let’s all imitate Samuelson, who had a unique idea and the giftedness to make it work. Help Redland’s committees and ministry programs to be fully staffed---so that all the things God calls and gifts us to do can and will happen.
As Paul puts it in 2 Timothy 1:6 – “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.”
Keep the SON in your eyes!
Mark
And that led to his invention of---waterskiing.
Samuelson lived in Minnesota and wondered if you could ski on water the way you could on snow. At 18, he made his own skis and had his brother pull him behind his boat. He unsuccessfully tried snow skis and barrel staves before realizing that he needed something that covered more surface area on the water.
That’s when Samuelson spotted two eight-foot-long, nine-inch-wide pine boards.
Using his mother’s wash boiler, he softened one end of each board, then clamped the tips with vises so they would curve upwards. He affixed leather straps to hold his feet in place and acquired 100 feet of window sash cord to use as a tow rope. Finally, he hired a blacksmith to make a small iron ring to serve as the rope’s handle.
Samuelson tried several different approaches.
In most of his attempts, he started with his skis level with or below the water line; but by the time his brother got the boat going, Samuelson was sinking. Finally, he tried raising the tips of the skis out of the water while he leaned back—and it worked.
As his brother steered the boat, Samuelson cruised along behind him. To this day, this is still the position that water skiers assume. Samuelson began performing tricks on his skis and crowds as large as 1,000 people came out to watch him.
As we learned last August, each and every Christian has at least ONE spiritual gift---a God-given insight or talent or ability that is meant to be used in a local church---like Redland. If each of us were using their spiritual gifts, the Nominating Committee would have no problem finding people to do all the things God calls us to do---including finding someone to chair this committee.
In this new year; let’s all imitate Samuelson, who had a unique idea and the giftedness to make it work. Help Redland’s committees and ministry programs to be fully staffed---so that all the things God calls and gifts us to do can and will happen.
As Paul puts it in 2 Timothy 1:6 – “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.”
Keep the SON in your eyes!
Mark
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