As we prepare our hearts for Easter, I’d like to share this meditation written by a dear friend from my writers’ group who is a retired English teacher…wise, deep, and sweet!
It is the season of Lent, before Resurrection Sunday, and our church is encouraging us to be more contemplative in our personal worship, to be quiet, to listen to the voice of the Lord as we clear our minds and pray and wait. We have practiced being quiet in the worship service, in small meetings, in vesper services. It is a lovely and beautiful time. It is also totally awkward for someone determined to learn through study, to work out the faith in good deeds, to be busy just about all of the time.
In the middle of Lent we take a trip to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky with two of our grandsons. We have been there before and also to various caves around the country, so small wet stairs going down down down, slippery handrails, and the “Now I am going to turn off the lights” from the Ranger are not brand new events. However, they are the events I most dread even though I am thrilled to be there with our grandsons.
After a long hike down into a truly mammoth cave, “you can do it you can do it” keeping time with my footsteps, our group reaches a large inner space with high ceiling and park-supplied benches. The Ranger tells us all to “take a seat.”
He talks about where we are, how the large space has been formed, and answers several questions from the group. Then he says, “I am going to turn out the lights.” I schooch over closer to my husband. “But first, I want all of you to close your eyes. Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them.” Yikes, I find my husband’s hand, move even closer to him. And I also close my eyes. Best not to remember we are 250 feet underground in a damp cave, “Now I am going to turn out the lights. Keep your eyes closed.” Click, he turns them out. Best not remember we are 250 feet underground in a damp cave with our eyes closed and the lights turned off.
“When I tell you to, open your eyes.” Momentarily, he tells us to open our eyes. I do, and it doesn’t seem to make any difference, the darkness, the blackness, is all the same. I can’t see anything. Then the Ranger says, “I am going to turn on my light; it is the equivalent of one candle.” He clicks something and a light goes on. He is standing in the same place as before, he is holding a small light, and I can see the whole cave — ceiling, walls, jagged floors, bench seats, my husband, our grandsons, everyone else.
The Ranger makes some jokes about the overhead lights. Then he tells us that we can see well enough to get all the way out of the cave by this one small candle light if needed. However, he does turn on the regular lights and we breathe easier.
And deep in the cave I think, “Wow, this is just like the practices for Lent. ‘Close your eyes,’ the Ranger says. ‘Be still,’ the Lord says. The choice is mine.”
The Ranger says, “I am going to turn out the lights. Keep your eyes closed.” The lights go out which is not by my action, but I keep my eyes closed which is my choice. I choose to let my eyes adjust, I choose to clear other images out of my mind and heart. These are my choices.
The Ranger says, “Open your eyes.” I obey. It is deeply dark, fearsome. When I am quiet, focused, it can be deeply dark, fearsome. Light-action-busy is much more comfortable. “Now I will light one candlepower of light,” he says, his action not mine. The acuity of my vision astounds me. How can I possibly see this much? I see because I obeyed the Ranger and prepared my eyes.
So it is in the time of Lent. I can be still and quiet, close my eyes to the confusion of life. I can accept the darkness and allow the eyes of my heart to adjust. And now, with my eyes prepared, what more do I see?
“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” (Isaiah 50:10, ESV).
(Written by Helen Bell. Thank you so much, Helen!)
On every cruise, there are a number of sea days where you have time to kick back, relax, and soak up the sunshine and sea breezes. One such morning, after working out, we splashed in the pool and then decided to parboil in a jacuzzi before lunch. Almost everybody on a cruise is in vacation mode, cheerful, talkative, and inquisitive, so if you meet another couple, common courtesy includes a greeting and exchanging some light banter around, “Where are you from?” and “What’s your line of work?” This particular morning, a couple joined us in the hot tub, and the wife’s answer included, “We live about 50 miles south of Chicago,” and “I’m a retired nurse.”
Song of Solomon 8:7 God’s eternal love for us secures us forever. We do not have to secure ourselves by adding our own feeble attempts at “good works” to keep God’s love. We have been bought by the precious blood of Christ, and God has chosen to love us. Who would be so foolish as to think that this sacrifice and love was not sufficient to procure (and retain) our salvation? “O foolish Galatians!” Paul warned when the church at Galatia thought they had to keep their salvation through maintaining their good works. Could a lifetime of good works and righteous living add something to Christ’s already perfect sacrifice? No! A thousand times, “No!” A thousand lives lived well could not buy an ounce of God’s love; that would be an insult! his love is lavished on us as freely as the air we breathe and the sunshine that warms our lives. We are his and he is ours!
Ever since our honeymoon, where I had my first taste of prime rib,
Prime Rib one of those rare treats reserved for the very best of occasions
(How’s this for “fancy” prime rib…at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.) 
Every cruise we’ve ever been on serves prime rib at least once, and last week, 
while celebrating our 45th anniversary, we were back at our all-time favorite honeymoon spot…eating prime rib again!
It wasn’t until about a year ago it occurred to me that I might be able to afford serving it for something most unusual, like New Year’s Eve, but it turned out so yummy that I think I’ve inadvertently started a new tradition! Although many places advertise “slow roasted,” after experimenting, I think flash roasting first in a super hot oven, then letting it slow roast, and finishing it on the grill works the best!
This is rare, but for my taste, it’s too rare! 
This is our idea of “perfection,” although several of our in-law kids prefer it more done. To make it medium or well…just keep cooking it longer at 325°F. If you’re in a hurry to finish and need several levels of done-ness, you can also finish off a few slices in a frying pan. The more you cook it, however, the tougher it becomes. (Just sayin’) 🙂 
If the weather isn’t too miserable, you can also finish off the prime rib on the grill. Super heat it in the oven at 500.°F for 10 minutes. Let it rest in the oven for up to an hour with the heat entirely off. Fire up the grill and give it another 10-15 minutes (depending on how cold it is out; rotate it several times so it doesn’t burn) just before you’re ready to serve it. However, you still need to let it rest at least 5 minutes for juice retention. 
This has become our all-time favorite method. Hot. Juicy. Bursting with flavor!
If you’ve watched the popular series about Queen Elizabeth called The Crown, you may know that Billy Graham preached in her chapel, 
but did you know that over the course of his life, Billy Graham preached in 185 
different countries on all six inhabited continents to about 215 million people
(and approximately 2.2 billion across airways)? 
Did you know that he appeared on Gallup’s List of Most Admired Men and Women 55 times…more than any other person on earth?! 
Since Billy Graham’s passing from this life to the next a couple of days ago, I’ve noticed an unbelievable number of (ungrounded) negative comments mixed in with the positives, which stirs me to point out a few of the undisputed positive aspects of his career. 
He had a policy of never being alone in a room with any woman other than his wife, and even in his last years, he continued that policy. 
He was a faithful husband who did not abuse women! 
Despite his world fame and popularity, which could have made him fabulously wealthy, Billy Graham always drew a (relatively modest) salary and kept his financial records open to public. 
#3. He never wavered from teaching the clear, simple gospel message from the Bible, which even Pope Paul II endorsed: 
Billy Graham practiced what he preached. He lived a life of integrity and faith because he was truly transformed by the power of the gospel. 
Without a doubt, Billy Graham has been one of the most influential men in history, 
and he has introduced the Bible and the claims of Christ to more leaders 
than any other person in the world during the twentieth century. 
So, rather than writing him off as some disreputable religious fanatic, 
please consider how this man, by steadily living out the life of Christ within him, had the opportunity to implore an entire generation around the world to seek God, salvation, and good rather than lust and greed.
Monday, I wrote about canoeing where dangers lurked by air, land, and sea, 
(which hadn’t occurred to me beforehand but seemed to be the case 
(I will say that tourists can do much more dangerous things abroad than would ever be allowed in America, so never assume a tour is really safe just because you can choose to do it…such as hanging out at the edge of Victoria Falls in Africa.)
At any rate, it wasn’t until we finished our exploration through the mazes of mangrove tunnels and came out to Lake Cartagena that I began to relax, 
and when we were reunited with our English-speaking tour guide, he assured us that he’d not seen a single crocodile in the lake for forty years. Okay… 
However, there is good fishing in the lake (as attested to by this cormorant), 
so at least some birds and one man spend their days fishing on the lake. 
Our guide poled us over so we could watch the lone fisherman in action. 
Apparently he and the cormorant were willing to take the risks, although after hearing about alligators migrating north to Georgia in the U.S. and seeing crocodiles on the shoreline of the Panama Canal not far away, I wasn’t totally convinced it was completely safe. 
However, the fisherman was working hard, and he was catching fish and crabs!
I felt inspired by his hard work and courage! Jesus calls us to be brave and follow him, promising to make us fishers of men (and crabs?).
It’s pretty easy to say, “Ya, but it’s dangerous! I might get killed. (Many do in the 68 countries where Christians are persecuted.) So, should we leave our boats and give up? 
Or, shall we follow Christ and cast our nets?
“He [Jesus] saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)
In Cartagena, Columbia, we had a chance to go canoeing through a mangrove swamp, which I anticipated as being reminiscent of our canoe ride in Nepal last fall down the Narayani River. 
You, know—beautiful day, park-like setting, relatively safe. 
Only, this time I was hoping we could paddle our own canoes, because…well, just because it’s good exercise and lots of fun. 
I was disappointed to see men lined up to escort us, although I knew it might be a bit tricky trying to pole with a stick; I was used to sitting down with a paddle. 
Nevertheless, it looked like not all the canoes were attended, so I hopped in one 
that had no apparent captain, hoping they’d let me try my hand at the helm! 
Not so fast! There were strong, capable young men assigned to each craft, 
so I settled back to relax and enjoy the ride…sort of… 
Being a tropical country, and having seen some crocodiles lounging on the bank just the day before, I quickly realized that it was a great idea to let experts pole,
since if I were just trying to learn, I might land our whole canoe in the water!
I had visions of a crocodile or an alligator jumping out of the water 
to bite off somebody’s hand at any moment, and it gave me the creeps! 
I tried to ask the young man poling our canoe how dangerous it might be, but he just smiled and shook his head as if to say, “I don’t speak English,” so I kept my hands well inside the canoe, tried to hold very still, and hoped for no crocodiles!
What had we gotten ourselves into? I had failed to research this tour option! 😦 Have you ever been for a ride through a mangrove swamp? 
In a way, it’s awe-inspiring. Frogs and fish darted through the cloudy water. 
Iguanas hid among the branches overhanging the passageways, 
and termite nests, looking like discarded Darth Vader helmets, rested on trees.
The air was alive with bird songs, although the songsters were hidden behind tangles of branches and flew off skittishly before I could get any good photos. 
The only birds large enough to be unsettled by our canoe were great blue herons 
and the great white herons, who fished silently along the edges of the byways. 
Our canoe was almost as quiet as we glided through the maze of tunnels.
I suspect we were all being still to escape notice, but for whatever reason,
Considering the possibility of a poisonous snake dropping down on us from above, a deadly reptile attacking us from the muddy waters below, or catching malaria or other insect-borne disease from the mosquitoes in the air surrounding us made the whole experience seem a little surreal. 
I kept remembering terrifying stories like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and thought about the horrible fears and dangers that slaves endured while running away from their masters toward freedom, back in the dark, early days of America. 
Can you imagine how desperate people must have been to wander through the mangrove swamps in southern Florida in an effort to find freedom? 
We were at least dry, sitting in a somewhat protected environment, which I found out later was an old, original dugout canoe made from mahogany! 
Most importantly, we were being carried along by someone who knew the way through the tangle of tunnels 
and had the strength and experience to get us safely “home” after our wild ride. 
How about you? Have you—like me—wanted to paddle your own canoe? 
Have you been surprised by how much more complicated and potentially dangerous life is than you ever imagined? It’s definitely been much harder for me than I remembered from earlier experiences.
It’s all too easy to get into a situation where it’s not obvious 
which is the best way to actually get you where you feel like you need to go! 
Alan and I are reading a wonderful book by Joe Stowell called Following Christ. 
If you’re tired of paddling your own canoe, try following Christ. 
It’s simple, and following Christ takes the pain and frustration out of trying to find our own way to freedom and happiness. He loves us and will help. Besides, only Jesus has the wisdom and strength to get us safely home to heaven, which is where we’d all really like to end up…right?! Even if you’re not yet sure it exists?? I mean, if a heaven exists, wouldn’t you want to go there?!
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2).
Song of Solomon 8:7 “If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” Why? Because love is priceless! Love is worth more than any and every material treasure, and the lover will accept no substitute for the object of his love…not even money, although the love of money has probably confused and destroyed more people than any other idol (I Timothy 6:10). If a man would try to buy love with “all the substance of his house”—everything he possessed— He would be despised for reducing love and the person from which it comes to an object. If you set the price of love at a billion dollars, you would reduce it to nothing. By its very nature love must be given. Sex can be bought; love must be given.
Having a high tea to break up the winter blahs has been a long-standing tradition for our birthday club, so we’re always looking for new recipes to share.
On our last cruise, my favorite appetizer was their Salmon Tartare, but when I discovered that “tartare” refers to raw meat, I decided to use cooked crab meat instead and make up my own recipe, inspired by the ingredients from the menu. 
Some years we go in for lots of complicated dishes, but Cindi and Rex had just returned (at midnight) the night before from a mission trip, where Rex was doing anesthesiology at a hospital in Honduras and Cindi was helping at the school, so we tried to make things super simple this time.
The party still managed to be a great hit (as always), and my new crab creation turned out to have excellent flavor (even if the dull green color disappointed me). (…On the bright side, it might be fun for St. Patrick’s Day!) 🙂 Also, you could fry the cakes in butter for a more traditional crab-cake, golden-brown look, but if you’d like a chilled dish for a summery occasion, try this:
Mash one avocado in a bowl. 
Add:
1 pound crab meat
2 tablespoons pesto (could be replaced with sour cream, but I love pesto, and I was trying to make it dairy free)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
You could serve the salad on lettuce leaves (like the turkey wraps above), although this particular time I served them on little beds of shredded red cabbage. Scoop the crab mixture into balls with an ice cream scope, and top them with a tablespoon (each) of horseradish sauce made from equal parts of horse radish and mayonnaise. 
We had such a wonderful evening, but I think even if we’d just gotten together with bread and tea, it wouldn’t have made much difference! “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).
(Rex is sharing highlights of their trip with Alan and Steve. Working in a remote hospital overseas, as you can imagine, had a lot of frustrating challenges and tense moments, but they also saved some lives!)
This devotional was written by a longtime friend who’s also in my writers’ group. On Valentine’s Day (when our Blue Water Writers’ Group last met), some of us were also able to share lunch together! If you enjoy writing, I hope you get together with other writers for encouragement. I also hope you enjoy this little meditation as much as I did! Yes, it’s still below freezing here in Michigan!
The tricky part about waking early in the morning in the winter is that it’s so dark outside! 
I’m struck by how differently things look: the streetlights highlight the trees in unfamiliar ways, making lacy patterns against the inky darkness. 
There’s a mysterious beauty to only seeing what’s illuminated 
as I wait for light of dawn, when trees look dark against the light of the sky. 
The same is true where I work out; I start in the dark, even though I flip on a light switch. There is a sensor a few feet into the room that activates the lights, so after I flip the switch, I must walk forward in the dark trusting the lights will turn fully on. 
This simply act of walking forward in the dark and trusting there will be light reminds me of my faith in God, who illumines our darkness. 
Though I may feel I’m walking in darkness of circumstances, understanding or emotion, I pray to walk faithfully, trusting that He will give the light of His love and truth. His word says that darkness is not dark to Him; He makes darkness flee. I trust He will illumine each step of the way as I continue walking by faith. 
“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). 
“For You are my lamp, O LORD; And the LORD illumines my darkness” (2 Samuel 22:29, NASB). 
“Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You” (Psalm 139:12, NASB). 
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5, NIV). 
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you” (Isaiah 60:1-2, NIV). 
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). 
“Who among you fears the LORD, listening to the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Yahweh; let him lean on his God” (Isaiah 50:10).
Summer Setting 