January 10, 2012

Tuesday January 10, 2012

Today was a Patti day.  Fred and I went to the market because the produce mail boat came in and we picked up a few things, not much though.  Fred “made me” drive the dinghy, which is becoming easier and easier.  I did find a set of 2 bread pans in Top to Bottom today for $32.00.  I put that back.  I found a caulking gun hanging in the middle of something in an old plastic bag, handed it to Fred.  This is truly an experience looking for things in these stores.   I also found a set of 2 aluminum foil bread pans at the market for $1.89.  I bought those and plan to reuse them.   I always feel like we are going on a scavenger hunt when we go to town for something.  It is rather fun!  I tried to find a bible but no one sold them.  Roy and Mary were kind enough to give me a Gideon's New Testament.  They bring extras along to pass on.  Bible study today was really nice.  All ladies.  There were eleven of us.  The study is on encouraging one another A Women of Faith study guide series.  We talked about encouragement and where that comes from and when we need it most.  God is encouraging us all the time, sometimes we are just not listening.  This was a good day for me to hear that.  It is when I am alone with God that he speaks the loudest, it seems, but it is the cluttering of everything in my mind that mutes his voice and I sometimes find myself not being still enough to hear.  I radioed Dee to see if she still wanted to go to the beach and explore and Fred heard the call and listened in, joined the conversation and broke the news that the water pump broke.  No pump, no engine.  I knew that meant we weren’t going home anyway.  He is pretty handy so I didn’t worry about it.  That was immediately recognized in my subconscious because I am the worry wart , so I hear.  A new growth discovery.  He was going to stay behind and do some repairs and encouraged me to go ahead without him.  Dee and Pete swung by to pick me up and we went from the St Francis beach to ocean side.  Fred stayed behind to work on the broken water pump.  We hiked to the other side and ended up splitting up, each going our own way.  This was my peace and serenity time with God.  He led me to some small tidal pools in the limestone rock, filled with tiny sea creatures.  I came upon a deeper tidal pool with pure white coral growing in there.  This was a first for me.  I had never seen this particular coral actually in the growth stage, only washed up on the beach.  Along with it were black and red sea urchins, very poisonous.  I knew not to touch them but was amazed how something so opposite could live in such harmony.  Both were unapproachable.  The sea urchins because they were poisonous and the coral, delicate and hanging on for years and the least bit of disturbance would kill them, yet both were surviving in the same pool in the middle of very dangerous limestone that I learned it is an art in itself just to walk on it.  One doesn’t dare look up for fear of falling in a crevice so it is common to miss something just inches away, just to stay focused on a good footing.  This took trust that God would guide me in the right direction to place my feet.   It was just like the walk of life.  Trust and he will lead you to the waters of life.  I loved it.  I started looking at the small shells along the beach.  Ones that most don’t look for.  Many people feel small, especially boaters who place ourselves in the middle of that huge ocean.  A good way to learn the force of the seas and respect it.  Those shells meant encouragement to me.  Even the tiniest bit of encouragement goes a long way.  I know it does for me.  I trust it would for others also.  Today this was my beach, my sand to walk on with my God.  I picked up a small shell at my feet and thanked God for teaching me to embrace his gift of encouragement.