EVERYONE IS INVITED

 

Amanda, Jes, Bobbi, Heather, and John in South Pacific photo by Chris

Flyaway in Mexico photo by fellow cruiser

Chris wearing safety harness in South Pacific photo by Rex

It was in 1974 that Chris decided we needed a boating safety class. We were in a small boat that he thought was about to sink.  It was overloaded and about to be swamped.  We immediately went back to shore.  We quickly joined the Spokane Power Squadron.  We had learned about the organization when we attended several boat shows. Chris took all of the classes and received his Senior Navigator certification.  I made it through Seamanship by the dangling knot!  Many years later, after owning several small boats, Chris bought our heavy weather sailing Hallberg Rassy.  He outfitted it for any contingency we could experience on the high seas. We sailed to Mexico and then he sailed to Tahiti.  The only mishap was a broken throttle cable.  Chris was able to gerry-rig it until we could replace it with a new cable.  For our protection as we sailed off shore I credit God, all the prayers that went up for us, and Chris's diligence. 

My inspiration for writing the above was the following true story of 6 teenage boys, who did not listen, and were returned safely to their families only by God's grace.  This is from Our Daily Bread, "In June 1965, six Tongan teenagers sailed from their island home in search of adventure. But when a storm broke their mast and rudder the first night, they drifted for days without food or water before reaching the uninhabited island of ‘Ata. It would be fifteen months before they were found.

The boys worked together on ‘Ata to survive, setting up a small food garden, hollowing out tree trunks to store rainwater, even building a makeshift gym. When one boy broke his leg from a cliff fall, the others set it using sticks and leaves. Arguments were managed with mandatory reconciliation, and each day began and ended with singing and prayer. When the boys emerged from their ordeal healthy, their families were amazed—their funerals had already been held."  They knew that life is better if we obey God's laws.

God's people may not have the approval or love by many in society today. There are some who are cruel, and judgmental, but there are many who do good while not being noticed.  Today I listened to this podcast from Upstream about 32 world changing Christians you have never heard of.  God invites each one of us to His wedding feast.  If we love Him we will obey His laws. I pray we are all there on That Day.

Matthew 22:9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.