Monthly Archives: July 2015

Stay In The Boat!

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I love the Tommy Lee Jones movie “US Marshalls”  where they are searching for the fugitive, Wesley Snipes.  They go out into boats in a swamp and his command is “stay in the boat; if you see the suspect, put up a flare, but stay in the boat!”

gizzyI just took a mini-vacation to Southern Virginia and took one day to go kayaking with my 26-lb terrier puppy, Gizzy. I used to kayak a lot when I lived in Texas, but haven’t in the last 9 years.  I was wearing a life jacket and Gizzy was wearing one too.  Being an experienced paddler, I had complete control over the boat the whole time.  She fell overboard a couple times in the beginning and I simply reached out and grabbed her life jacket and put her back in the boat.  The Shenandoah river was up, so the many ripples were really more like baby rapids.  Every time we hit some, Gizzy almost jumped out of the boat when she heard and felt the boat hit the rocks in the shallow rapids.  She could also hear my voice – soothing and assuring her that all was fine and it was okay.  I repeatedly told her to stay in the boat.  She heard both but responded to the sound of the rapids and the rocks hitting the boat rather than the sound of my voice.  Well the 8-mile trip took about 2.5 hours.  Most of this time Gizzy was trembling with fear in between my legs inside the kayak.  She got her head in the way a few times while I was paddling and got knocked a bit.  Another thing I noticed is that I had to paddle constantly to keep the boat straight and moving forward.

It all made me think about hostay in the boatw God is steering the kayak of my life.  The life jacket I am wearing is His salvation.  I can jump overboard but am never beyond His reach.  Though I can hear His voice, sometimes it is easier to hear the storms of life and tremble in fear.  And sometimes my head gets in the way as He is constantly steering my life and paying attention to every detail.  Even though I stay in the boat (His Presence), it is easy to respond to my fear and my feelings and tremble rather than listening to His voice calming and soothing me.  Staying in the boat keeps me in a place of safety, but choosing to respond only to His voice will keep me in a place of peace.  Just some thoughts to think about…..

Purple: A Royal Priesthood

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1 Peter 2:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

purpleIn September of 2014, I made a trip to Texas and visited many friends and family.  James Avery jewelry is something you find in Texas and surrounding states but not on the East Coast (i.e. Virginia).  While in Texas I wanted to get a James Avery ring with an amethyst to remind me that God is my ultimate Bridegroom and to remind me that He sees me as royalty and His treasured possession.  I found the most beautiful ring and it reminds me of these things every time I put it on.  Purple also happens to be my favorite color.

Fast forward to last week…I have played the hammered dulcimer on and off for 23 years.  The best dulcimers, in my opinion, are made by Russell Cook and Master Works out of Oklahoma.  I have a beautiful chromatic Russell Cook edition dulcimer made in 1998 and I love it.  But I have been wanting something more portable to transport and take on trips.  I called Master Works last week and learned they now have a soprano dulcimer, which is much smaller and very portable and found out they had 1 in stock and 4 about to be strung.  So I ordered it.  I called Master Works yesterday to see what kind of wood was on the one that was ready and Russell himself answered the phone!  He said the one that was ready to ship was made of mahogany, white maple, and purple heart end rails.  Purple heart is an exotic wood that is literally purple!  I said that would be wonderful and he shipped it out.  I haven’t received it yet but he sent me pictures.  So my day continued and I never made the connection until last night.  I was so overwhelmed that God would give me a dulcimer with purple wood on it to worship Him with – another reminder that I am chosen, a royal priesthood, His special possession, and that I belong to Him!  No one in the world has a dulcimer like this, with this combination of woods.  Another reminder that I am precious to Him and there is no one else like me in all the earth.

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