Snow and the light rail....

Snow and the light rail...

Last night I arrived at the airport to snow drifts, cancelled flights, and full motels .....and no sleep for 24 hours.  So off to new adventures....found a vacant room downtown, Near the light rail service...it was amazing that the light rail was full at 11:00pm.  Other travelers, toddlers, airport workers, mothers, fathers,  drunks..people from all walks of life, using the safest mode of travel at the time....most dressed in snow appropriate weather...others not so much...in the  freezing snow weather...

It was a reminder that Christ came to seek and save the lost...all walks of life...not just the well to do, the down and out, but everyone...we are all on the same planet, journey, have many of the Same choices...it snows or rains on the just and unjust alike, no partiality....

Thank. YOU , that you cared enough for each and every person through out the ages....to come, to seek, to save.....

Job 34:19
who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

Luke 20:21
So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

1 Timothy 5:21
I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

Romans 3:23
New International Version (NIV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 3:16
New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

10,000 eggs....

10,000 eggs....

For a floating city like a cruise ship, they use a lot of products each day....

10,000 eggs each day, 15,000 cloth napkins each day...Parmesan cheese by the gigantic wheel instead of the little shapers we purchase....515 cooks, the list goes on and on.   The accounting of it, the planning of it is huge...just for ten days of touring around some islands....and only 6,000 people....in luxury, with all the water we need, stewards making up our rooms everyday, fresh fruit, fish, any kind of prepared dish, lobster, shrimp, English style, American style , pizza, hot dogs, ice cream, desserts, you name it...

Doesn't this story sound like a familiar Bible journey, only longer in duration?

The 40 year trip in the desert of the Israelites after leaving Egypt ...traveling to the promised land.   They, too, had food and water provided, clothes and shoes that didn't wear out carried their treasures, ...not quite as luxurious , but provided for none the less...

The provision, the movement, the route all determined by the Captain...all people accounted for, named by tribe instead of sections in a boat....traveling together with all kinds of personalities, needs, young and old...going forward, for a determined amount of time...those with cheery dispositions, others not so cheery, demanding and thankful, smiles and grouches.....

I am thankful for this trip over the desert journey, the provisions, the sites, the people who care for me...a lot less arduous....but the journey of the Israelites was and is a testimony  to God's faithfulness, provision, discipline, lessons of life, safety, Love, vision...

Thank YOU, that no matter where we are, what we are doing, You can remind us of You, the Captain, the I AM, of life...

 The book of Exodus...journeys, lists, people...

Sunrise...sunset....

Sunrise, sunset.....

I like to take pictures of sunrises and sunsets while on trips...they are each unrepeatable....each with its own cloud formations, colors, rays, new day ahead or behind...all have memorable for one reason or another...the longest I have waited for one was the Falkland Islands.   We sailed away and about a half an hour later the sun set over the islands in our wake....looking at the photo now, no one would know except me that picture is what it was...my husband patiently waited with me to get those rays...unrepeatable....

There is an older song..."sunrise, sunset, quickly goes the years/days".....

When you are on a trip or vacation, that is definitely the way it feels...you anticipate for a long time, it slowly comes about, then quickly, so quickly passes...where did the time go?   What part was your favorite?  Which part would you repeat?

Then you think about life itself,  where did it go?
Which part was your favorite?
Which part would you repeat?
How did those children grow so fast and become teenagers, adults?
Where did those gray hairs, wrinkles come from? Or so quickly?
Which parts would you leave out?

Usually we can't repeat either a vacation or life....once it is done, it is done.....

So then we have to pick and choose the way we really want to live that vacation or life...especially life....where, how, especially how.  How do we want to look back, with honor, respect for ourselves, others,  God....or regrets ....there a few re-does....

Those sunrises and sunsets do quickly pass.....

Thank YOU for each sunrise and sunset....the days that each bring, the memories of those past....may I chose to live in honor of You....

Psalm 25:12
Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.

Psalm 65:4
Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.

Proverbs 8:10
Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,

Genesis 1:14
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,

2 Samuel 23:3-4
New International Version (NIV)
3 The God of Israel spoke,
    the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
    when he rules in the fear of God,
4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise
    on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
    that brings grass from the earth.’

Hairdoes...

Hairdos....

The hair designs on these eastern islands are amazing...they elaborately braid their hair in any direction, any length, leaving it in big or little bundles.....or braid it and then arrange the braids in a multitude of ways...

We ate lunch where a lot of school students and career people where eating and there were no two braiding directions the same. All were totally different and individualized...braided side to side, diagonal, up and down,, long, short, or intricately curled...no straight.....

And men's hair vary from short cropped to very long braids, either loose or held in turban like crocheted colorful hats...

And Across the street from the "eating establishment" was a Christian bookstore..about 12 x 12, packed top to bottom with Christian books exactly like we see in America...what a delight...cards, devotionals, Bibles, novels, children's books, lessons, ....amongst the dozens of made in China or local artist...tourist stores.....

It was just a picture to me,,,not matter the hairdo, the color of skin, native culture, place on the globe, Christ is there....His light does shine.... He shines in the faces of the school children, the eatery-whose wall held a Bible verse,  the local churches, to the jolly policeman who stood watching the crowds....the smiles....

There will come a time when we all will join together in the praises of our Lord....

Thank YOU for the reminders that no one culture is above another, we all serve one Lord, ......in worship and praise.....

Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

Romans 14:11
It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

Philippians 2:10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

People weaving...

People weaving......

On all the cruise boats I have ridden on, there is a promenade deck about In the middle of the ship...a deck for walking/promenading.....where you can circumvent the whole boat on one deck,walking.   This one has it also..this one has the narrowest one I have seen. On others they put out big lounge chairs out there as well, so you can sit and relax, watching the sea pass by ...this one has chairs, and a narrow deck for walking..

at any given time there are runners, fast walkers, leisurely walkers,.....it takes three complete  circuits for one mile as the ship is long...

On the  sea days, ones which we don't go ashore, people walk a lot. The  first sea day was pretty rough and as you observed the people walking, it had the appearance of people weaving back and forth, going from side to side weaving in and out ...like they were weaving strands for a maypole....if we would have each had a strand of crepe paper, we could have made a woven boat,...with all of the weaving back and forth, back and forth, side to side ......on less rough days the weaving isn't so pronounced .....
I thought of the weaving people, others called us drunken sailors.....then you have to establish whether you want British driving rules or American....on which side to pass....as well as clockwise or counter clockwise...it all works out in the end...

There are over 4,000 passengers and 1,300 crew members aboard this vessel, so a lot of walkers....a little city riding the waves together.....

Watching and being a part of the people weaving reminded me of the crowds that followed Jesus when he went about teaching, going from place to place, sitting on the hillside, going through towns...jockeying to get near him to touch his cloak, see him...hear him.....or when he younger , sitting at the temple, talking to the elders of his time while his parents were desperately looking for Him, having assumed he was with the crowds heading home...

Zacheus  , climbing a tree to get a better look at Jesus walking by, waiting for a chance to meet this Teacher, this Man .....so compelling...with the crowds surrounding Him, .....weaving in and out , changing places...pushing toward the Truth, the Light, the Word....

Would have I joined the walkers in that day as I do each day here?   Would I have felt  compelled the listen, to jostle my way to Him?   Would I have climbed a tree to see him better?   Would I have wanted healing so bad that I just wanted to touch his cloak, in faith, desiring healing for a long term problem??? Would I have walked that path???


But here we are centuries later, am I walking the path following Him....Desiring that touch in my soul, hearing His word through his written
Word, listening closely to his comforter, whom He left as a witness to those who follow....

Thank You for the Walk ....the promenade through time to walk with me, to weave Into my life Your love, care, eternity....

Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Luke 19
New International Version (NIV)
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

My "Twin"

My "twin"

Yesterday, while on an exclusion from ship in St. Lucia, I met my "twin".  She had lost her husband of 42 years to a lung disease, was traveling with longtime friends from the UK, seeing the same sights as I, doing the same activities as I, feeling the strangeness of singleness as I, she was even an only child as I.....she cried throughout our whole conversation as we compared life's widowhood journeys....

We had so many similarities of feelings, life experiences, around the world from one another...our husbands were from different backgrounds, hers served the Prince of Wales while mine looked for gold and served God....

She asked how I was getting through it....I said, " my family with children and grandchildren and God". That reference to God fell flat...she made no reference to having a Heavenly Father whatsoever throughout the whole conversation...and she has been dealing with depression for four years, undergoing counseling, and asking "what is the use" With suicidal thoughts...  

I wanted to give her a hug and share the love of God with her...but the time didn't come ....not that I am this big know it all, have done everything perfect, but that
God could surround her with His place...and only He is able to do it lovingly...

There are lot of my "twins" aboard this ship, from observation....many couples, but many singles as well.  We have all gone through similar journeys and have stories to tell of widowhood....How we are learning, coping, growing or not.  Looks like it would be a good place for a short course on widowhood...as we travel through life and time...but maybe that wouldn't be a "fun" topic...but oh, so needful for some...we could
 Help one another...

Thank YOU for divine appointments,  shared experiences ....show yourself mightily to those who seek answers...


Luke 12:35
[ Watchfulness ] “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,

Titus 3:1
[ Saved in Order to Do Good ] Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Pilot boats.....

Pilot boats..

Over the years as we have taken cruises, we have noticed that at each port , either a port pilot comes on board to bring the boat into port or rode alongside the cruise ship to bring the ship into port.  I am sure that the captain is more than capable of doing that  task, but there must be some regulations about it..

One memorable port, we had gunboats surrounding us , escorting us into port and then again out of the city....just like in the movies...another, the pilot boat came along side and we watched the pilot actually jump from  one boat to the other..while both boats were in motion...

The pilot boats vary in size, but in comparison to the large cruise ship, they are tiny....bobbing alongside the huge cruiser...reminding me of the rudder being small as well, but guides the big ship....

Just seeing the pilot boat agin, as we came into port at Antigua,  brought the thought to mind, of the Holy Spirit ....when we receive Christ as our our savior, we are sealed in Him by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit .  I don't know how that happens, but that is the  promise...He is part of our being guiding us along, teaching us of truth, convicting us of sin...there all the time....not just in the big sea of life but always, and promises that he never leaves us...we cannot lose Him along the way...although we can determine not to listen to the whisperings on His truth... He doesn't depart....sometimes he shouts to my soul, but most of the time he gently prods, whispers truth...guides through life...like the port pilot aboard the ship, guiding into the right spot, the right  way...even when I feel "fully " capable of guiding myself....

Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit , the comforter, the counselor as You do....help me to be guided by his knowing words.......in all the ports and voyages of life....


Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 15:26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.