The Miracle in an Auto-Body Shop 

God’s work of art in the most unlikely of places 

There are many things that come to mind when one thinks of the word artist.

Images of thick-rimmed glasses, coffee and cigarettes, turtle necks, and France often appear. What probably doesn’t come to your mind is flannel, a southern accent, and car grease. And since God loves to confound the wise, He decided he’d take an incredible work of art and create it in a way Greenwich Village couldn’t.  That great miracle resides in Rettig’s Auto Body Shop in Mobile, Alabama. If you happen over to Rettig’s auto body shop, tell them you are "there to see the boat."  A nice lady will refer you to Fred Rettig. Fred will come out of his office in a tough shirt and working face, dark, genuine eyes straight out of a Steinbeck novel. He'll smile, shake your hand, and walk you through a door into the garage. You’ll be bombarded by open hoods, rubber, steel, work rags, wrenches, and everything else that is a garage. And it's all so distracting, that if Fred didn't show you, you'd miss the miracle. You'd miss what is there, right in front of you. You'd miss the little boat about 10 feet long or so, on a trailer. Even if you happened to look down, you still might miss it, because the boat is covered. But Fred will take his strong hands and pull back the covering, and if you've got a jaw, you'll be picking it up off the ground. For there, right in front of you, is a miracle in the unlikeliest of shapes, and in the unlikeliest of places. It is a boat. A little row boat. 

It’s a boat that happens to be crafted by hand and flawless. Sincerely gorgeous. You’ll sit there wondering how in the world such a boat could exist so beautifully. Surely a master craftsman made this boat. Surely it is the crescendo of a life spent making boats...actually no. Fred will tell you who made it. He’ll tell you: God built this boat. You’ll have to agree, because surely no man made it. And you’ll have to ask. “How in the world, Fred?” And Fred will take you through the details of the boat. He'll tell you its story. He will tell you the thousands of hours he spent trying to build this boat, and he'll tell you about the labor and the frustration. He'll say, 

I told God that I would let go and listen. I would let God build this boat.

And so Fred did. He let his hands be guided by God's, and Fred suddenly had patience. He had the patience to sand the boat perfectly, to even improve upon the original design. He will show you the brass pieces he made himself, the meticulous work that went into polishing, and all the exquisite details. Then he will tell you about how he started taking this boat to shows, just wondering what people would say. After all, custom crafts are usually commissioned by businessmen, millions invested for a mastercraft...but not Fred’s. Fred had just always wanted to build a boat...and so he did.  But here is the real kicker, something inexplicable: 

Fred has never built a boat before, nor since. 

Fred's boat is a literal miracle, a work of art from God, and he knows it. He is a man of deep, incredible faith. 

So how does Fred’s boat compete with those commissioned boats? It competes brilliantly. His boat has won many awards. And when people come to see this boat, and are so blown away by it, he will minister to them, and pray with them. And on January 26th, 2010, Fred Rettig's boat will be displayed in the open house at vivace. Make sure to go by and say hello...and give Fred a smile, for that is what Fred says he hopes the boat brings people.