Happy Wednesday to you all and it is so good to be home!

The trip was amazing. About halfway through the cruise Geni and Travis said in chorus, “We need to do this again next year!” Bruce and I are writing a journal of our adventures at sea. When we finish we will figure out a way to post our story.

Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they which love Thy law and nothing shall offend them.”

One of the things Bruce and I did each day on the cruise was get up before sunrise (and before the kids) and watch the sunrise on the ocean. We would receive a leaflet each morning that would tell when the sun was going to rise and set. On two of the mornings the sky was clear. When the sun met the horizon and began to appear over the water it was like looking at fire on the water. The reflection of the sun on the water cast its color all the way to the ship. It was completely breathtaking. As I would watch the sun rise on the horizon I thought of the song “God of Wonders.” On the other two days the sky was cloudy. As I sat on deck to awaiting the sunrise I was not sure I would see it on those mornings. I began to be disappointed, but then the sky behind the clouds turned a beautiful pink and that great ball of fire peaked through the clouds. It took a little longer to see the sunrise, but it still rose just as it has done for millions of years.

The lesson I learned from this experience of watching the sunrise was that even if I can’t see it, the sun always rises. I need to allow nothing to disturb the peace that comes in knowing that the sun will rise each day. The same is true with God. It is difficult at times to see God’s handiwork when the clouds are rolling in and the light is obscured. We can rest in the Peace of God because He is always there even on the cloudiest of days and the darkest of nights. There is nothing or no one that can take away the Peace that God offers. Each time we face a time of difficulty God is training us to remember and remain in His peace. When we pray for this peace, our situation may not change and we may have to see whatever the task is through until its completion. But if we work through the problem with the Peace of God then we change.

Remember that peace is not the absence of conflict or difficulty; Peace is living in the eye of the storm while the storm still rages. On our way home from Galveston we had trouble with two tires. Not a good situation at any time, but really not good when we were so far from home. These two problem tires were a definite interruption to our trip home not only in terms of time, but also of safety and finances.

Attributing the first situation to the loss of tread, Bruce and Travis replaced the left rear tire with the spare (a donut). When the right rear tire went flat about 20 minutes later, we had no choice but to put the tire we had just taken off back on to replace the flat. Of course, it was after all the tire stores were closed, so there was no way to purchase two other tires, even used ones. We drove a lot slower coming home, but we arrived home safely. God blessed us with His Peace as the second tire change allowed a smooth, safe ride home. God hid us in His place of Peace and we were never stranded out in the middle of nowhere in the dark. Even though we were going slowly in the dark, God’s peace surrounded us.

May the remaining journeys of your summer be free from flat tires, but if the interruptions come then place yourself in the place of Peace.

Take joy in the journey and stay in the shade. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.