Sailing For The Son

Gardens and Gardeners

As often seems to happen to me, the plans I make for the day don’t always go exactly as scheduled. This week, in Grand Bahama, Bill and I, together with our buddy boaters John and Michele and John’s brother Darrell, experienced a bit of authentic Bahamian hospitality that I don’t think any of us expected.

A popular tourist destination here is Garden of the Groves, a nature walk highlighting the beauty of the island. Planning to make a day of it, we headed out walking towards the bus stop. Half way to the stop the bus passed us, stopped, turned around, and came back to pick us up. That should have been the first clue that we weren’t going on a typical bus ride. At least not a typical American bus ride.

Chatty, as usual, Michele struck up a conversation with our bus driver, Lady J. Michele discovered that she and Lady J have a mutual appreciation for gardening. I’m not really sure how this happened, but the next thing I knew, we were pulling into Lady J’s driveway. The driveway at her house! Then Michele excitedly announced that Lady J is going to show us her backyard garden!

I just can’t see that this would ever happen in the States. However, in Grand Bahama, it somehow seemed to fit right in. And Michele was almost giddy! Lady J was very methodical and Michele was positively enthralled as they made their way around the garden. Some plants we recognized-banana trees, palm trees, herbs-but many were foreign to us.

One tree was full of a fruit none of us recognized. Lady J explained that this is a sapodilla tree and that the fruit is very good. Although it wasn’t yet ripe, Lady J picked us a few and explained that when they ripen we can eat them like an apple. I’m not a very adventurous eater, but I’ll give it a try!

Following the private tour, Lady J did drive us to the Garden of the Groves. The garden is beautiful-great trails, waterfalls, birds, turtles, butterflies and more.

Reflecting on the day, I believe it wasn’t either of the gardens that were the most memorable- it was the gardeners-Lady J and Michele forming an easy kinship over a shared loved of God’s creation.

I’m going to remember that.

Back to the Bahamas!

The 2022-2023 cruising season has begun. Bill and I are currently on S/V Liberty in Lake Worth (West Palm Beach, Florida) awaiting a good weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. We are buddy boating with our new friends John and Michelle Schultz on S/V Yes My Dear.

This summer was particularly eventful starting with the high school graduation of our first grandchild! We’re so proud of you, Ella!

My mom, Mary, turned 80 this year. She is so beautiful. The party we hosted included several of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, lots of nieces and nephews, and even 3 of her high school classmates! At her request, we held the party in my cousin’s barn. My mom is a farm girl at heart.

My mom, daughters, granddaughters and me

A surprise event this year was the engagement and covenant marriage of our daughter, Becky, to Wyatt Kipp! There is no doubt that God had a hand in bringing these two believers together, and we’re excited to see what He has planned for them.

Bill and I are proud of our son, Kristian, who is serving in the United States Army. He spent just over a year on an unaccompanied overseas tour, and has now returned safely (and joyously!) to his wife, Alejandra. They will be relocating to Texas this month for Kristian’s next assignment.

This cruising season we are returning to the Bahamas! We spent the last two seasons enjoying the Florida Keys, but with the Covid pandemic, together with it’s travel hassles and restrictions, waning we’re ready to head to the “Bahamian Blue” waters again. Bahamian Blue is the color my friend Kelly and I dubbed the unique beautiful blue found only in the waters of the Bahamas.

In the next few days we will cross the Gulf Stream (my first time!) and head toward West End, Grand Bahama. We will check in with Bahamian customs and immigration authorities to obtain our cruising permit, then head to Ocean Reef Resort and Marina oceanreefresortmarina.com . We heard great things about this marina from our friends Dave and Linda Olson on M/V Entrusted.

Our trusty travel buddies, Steve and Susan Holdaway, and Tim and Kelly Will, will be flying in to join us for some exciting adventures this season. New this year, Bill’s sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Gary Slifka, will be joining us for a bit. Be sure to check back for stories and pictures! I’m practically giddy just anticipating watching Susan pet the stingrays at Sandy Cay. According to her husband, Susan loves to be stretched out of her comfort zone, and I’m pretty sure this will be a bit outside her typical routine!

Relationship

1 Corinthians 10:13-14 says: No temptation has seized you except what is
common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

When Jesus said, “come to me”, He invited you into a relationship with Him. When you accepted what Christ did on the cross for you, you entered into a personal relationship with Him. He gave you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! He began a life-long process of molding and shaping you for His service.

Relationships are very important because the relationships you have had, and the ones you have now, have a significant impact upon the rest of your life. A relationship with God allows you to experience freedom and peace. With Him, you will discover the meaning and purpose for your life. Spending time with God every day strengthens your relationship with Him which changes you and the choices you make. These positive changes allow you to have stronger, more loving, and more meaningful relationships with others. Reflect on this: love is a choice followed by action; not a feeling that changes like the wind.

Spend time listening to God daily. He speaks to us through His creation, His word, His church, prayer and our life experiences. Spending time with God each day allows us to discovery joy; that confident unchanging inner peace that is not dependent upon our circumstances but entirely upon God’s presence in our life. Joy changes how we handle the storms of life.

John 8:31-32 says: If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. His word, the bible, reveals God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He teaches us how to live and how to love. Read your bible daily then spend time thinking about what He is saying to you. Pray throughout the day every day. When you pray, you speak to God. This works any time every day because He is always with you. Be faithful in prayer. Be sure to set aside a dedicated time and place to pray daily. Then, listen as God speaks to you through His creation, the bible, other believers and your life experiences. Spend time thinking about how God is always with you, that He knows your needs and has the power to mold and shape you. Thank Him for loving you. We are to worship God by living a life worthy of the calling we have received. Offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Make a choice and follow it up with action as you use your gifts and talents to love and serve others with kindness; not expecting anything in return.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.

Faith

Romans 1:20 says: For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

I have studied and worked with electricity most of my life. People like me who believe electricity is real understand the power it has because they see the work it can perform. I cannot see electricity flowing on a wire, but I remain very cautious around live wires.

The first part of Hebrews 11:1 says: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. I am sure and certain children should not play around or with electrical power outlets! Are you?

Faith can be described as putting your full trust and reliance in something or someone; even in what we do not see. People with faith are sure and certain. We know things break and people, even our friends, can let us down. I am sure and certain God is always with me. No matter when or where I am, He gives me strength according to His will. Philippians 4:13 says: I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

My hope is in the living God. I am confident He will fulfill His purpose for me. Please read 1 Peter 1:3-9 today.

It’s Not a Choice

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you”. Exodus 20:12

Hmmm…truly one of God’s Top Ten. Top five , even. I love lists-I’m convinced that I’d never get anything done if it wasn’t on a list.

What does it even mean to honor someone? Honoring someone means something like holding that person in high regard; to cherish. Sadly, ‘honor’, ‘high regard’, and ‘cherish’ aren’t words Americans tend to use in our everyday speech. I wonder why.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds me that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for training in righteousness. Ouch! ‘training in righteousness’-there’s a figure of speech I almost never think about! So, I guess Timothy is telling me that I can’t simply disregard Exodus because it seems physically or emotionally difficult.

It’s no wonder we find it so hard to honor our parents (and all people in positions of authority, by the way). But that’s the thing about Scripture, God doesn’t ask us to like it, or even to actually understand every word of it. However, as Christians, we are expected to submit to God’s authority in our lives, and to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to give us strength when we don’t have the will.

Busyness with my career, my family, my friends, my pets, my vacations, my tv shows, my volunteer activities, my need to rest and relax. These are all great reasons not to hold placing my mother’s needs into a place of high importance. Or at least they sound like it. To me. To my selfish, deaf, human ears. But when I hold them up against God’s Word, they all fade pretty quickly. And sink in the quicksand I so often find myself stuck in.

So today, I choose to cherish my mother. I’m going to brush her hair because I know she loves it. I’m going to paint her fingernails because she has beautiful hands. I’m going to place her in a wheelchair and take her outside to see the birds, and hopefully a bunny. I’m going to sing old hymns and patriotic songs out loud with her because she loves the old songs and she remembers the words. I’m going to ask her to tell me about her parents and what it was like growing up on a farm. And I’m going to bring her ice cream because we all need ice cream.

What am I going to chose tomorrow? Well, tomorrow is not here yet, and there is that whole thing about tomorrow having troubles of it’s own…so today I will follow Jesus with a grateful heart, and I’ll leave tomorrow to itself until then.

Who are you cherishing today?

Fun at Summer Sailing Camp 2022

Our oldest grandson, Harry, joined us in Jacksonville, Florida, for a week of Summer Sailing camp in June 2022. A full week jam packed full of fun!

My husband and I love each other much, and we have loads of fun-filled adventures together, but I’m telling you, our boat is filled to the top with laughter when Harry is here.

Harry often asks me about my volunteer activities, and because he needs to complete three significant service projects this summer for Cub Scouts, we started our week at The Nest, A Women’s Center. It happened to be National Donut Day, so Harry and I showed up with donuts. When seeing the donuts, Megan said that Harry is welcome at The Nest any day! Lisa and Megan answered Harry’s many questions about The Nest. Then Harry and I then spent two hours cleaning the sign by the road and sweeping, mopping and arranging the classroom. The Nest was very appreciative of Harry’s service and even featured him on their Facebook page.

We bought a dinghy and outboard a few months ago (which is no easy feat during Covid) and Harry was very much looking forward to learning how to drive it. Harry is tall for seven, even so, starting and steering the nine foot inflatable dinghy was a stretch for him, but he did it! And he loved it!

On the second day of dinghy lessons, Harry picked me up and drove us to the park! The combined look of seriousness, accomplishment, and fun really looks handsome on my grandson.

Harry has been studying sailing with Grandpa Bill for several years now, but this summer he chose to learn and practice how to use the radio (and call the bridge tender to open the bridge), anchoring, weighing anchor (after lunch onboard) and continuing to perfect his driving skills.

We all love the beach, so we spent one day at Huguenot Beach. Harry loves to use the stand up paddleboard to surf on the waves with grandpa, and I love to watch and listen to them laughing. Harry said this was the most fun activity of the week. Watching him concentrate on surfing, hearing him laugh whether he stands or falls, and then seeing him going back for more, was my most fun!

Harry also spent time playing chess, playing cards, learning to cook on the propane stove (“best rice ever”), practicing snorkeling in the pool (and learning to dive down with the snorkel), learning to raise a flag on the boat, and walking the docks every morning with grandpa greeting the neighbors and talking about boats.

To wrap up the week, we met up with the rest of the family at Great Wolf Lodge near Atlanta, Georgia. We all had a very wet, wild, and exhausting time!

Harry earned a Certificate of Completion with Exemplary Performance!

We are so looking forward to the next sailing camp, which will include sailing a Hobie Wave and more math problems (because Harry requested them both)!

Protected: Junior Captain Responsibilities

Protected: Summer Sailing Camp 2022

Joy Through the Storms of Life

People search for happiness in a variety of ways; buying things they want or doing certain activities are two common examples. All too often, the happiness people find is temporary and dependent upon their circumstances. Joy is different. The joy we have found in Christ fills us with a quiet confidence; a steady peace that is not dependent upon our circumstances. This joy changes how we handle the storms of life.

Angie and I sailed to and around the Key West area from January through March, 2022. While there, we experienced gale force winds several times during the day and at night. A gale is a wind storm of 34 knots and greater. These are just words until you experience a gale yourself. Violent forces are at work. Preparation is required and oddly, like love, it requires choices and actions. Knowledge is just the beginning.

How do you prepare for life? Who or what guides you each day?

Before our first gale of the season began, Angie and I found a temporary place to anchor based upon chart information. Selecting the right ground tackle and proper place to anchor is a significant factor in surviving a gale without loss. We set our anchor alarm and went to bed.

Our faith is in God who guides us through life. Christians experience joy because they put their faith in God. We are continually learning to live and love according to His will. We were at peace.

Just after midnight, Angie and I awoke to the awful sound of our anchor alarm. Our first anchorage here proved inadequate! Thankfully, our faith-our full trust and reliance in something or someone-is not found in a navigational chart! Thank God we set our anchor alarm, He knows our needs and is always with us.

We spung out of bed and began the process of moving to another location in the dark of night with no moon to help. With water spraying over the bow and the boat pitching and rapidly yawing from side to side, we raised the dragging anchor. I worked at the bow of our pitching vessel while Angie worked the helm following my instructions…so I thought. Since she could not see my hand signals or hear my verbal instructions, she began praying. Without incident, we got the anchor up, guided Liberty through the dark past other vessels and re-anchored in gale force winds. During the next 12 hours, our anchor held for two to three hours in violent winds before it was time to go through the process of re-anchoring again. On Saturday at 10:57 we finally found a firm foundation which allowed our anchor to hold within the gale.

He gives us strength and endurance in our times of need! Philippians 4:13 says I can do everything through him who gives me strength. We persevered without fear and acted as a team; Angie, myself and God as our guide. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. We were at peace and never worried despite hearing reports of distress that night and throughout the next day as we rode out the gale. The joy we have was on display for each other to witness.

Angie and I have joy in our lives because we can count on God to be with us every moment of every day. He gives us courage, strength and the ability to endure. Our joy increases as we grow closer to Christ. It grows with our assurance that we are in God’s hands.

Philippians 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The winds calmed to near 20 knots early Sunday morning; well before serving as the weekly on-line worship service host for LifeSpring Church of Bellevue, Nebraska.

Our hope is in the Living God. We have a confident expectation He will fulfill His promises. Psalm 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at you right hand.

Joy comes from God. It is based upon God’s presence in our lives.