There are days, few and far between, when life just lets you be. When stress is a distant thought that doesn't intrude on the day, when activities flow and there are just too many good things to ever pinpoint why the day was as special as it was.
Today was that day. I set no alarm, woke when I was ready. (Okay, I MAY have hit my head on the sprinkler mear seconds after sitting up in bed, and had my roomie laugh at my "ow!" but at least it didn't actually injure me or set off the sprinkler. It was really the only dark spot of my day.) Still in my pajamas, I sat and read for a bit, then had my (2mins of water) shower. I then went up for... lunch (yup, slept in a bit, but at least I didn't miss lunch!). After lunch with friends, I spent hours on deck 7, had my quiet time with God, got hooked on a new song.
Side note: new song is Laura Story's "Faithful God". I must have played it and one other song for 2 hours straight and never tired of it:
May the grace that sought my heart on that first day
Be the grace that binds my heart to stay
May the truth that opened up my eyes on that first time
Be the thoughts on my mind that never go away
For You are a lamp to my feet
A light to my path
You're the hand that's holding me
Faithful God, every promise kept
Every need You've met, Faithful God
All I am and all I'll ever be
Is all because You love faithfully
Faithful God
May the love that caught my heart to set it free
Be the love that others see in me
And may this hope that's reaches to the depths of human need
Be the song that I sing in joy and suffering
For you are the love that never leaves
The friend that won't deceive
You're the one sure thing
Faithful God, every promise kept
Every need You've met, Faithful God
All I am and all I'll ever be
Is all because You love faithfully
Faithful God
How deep, how wide the love
That pierced His side, the love
Redemption's mine, O Love that will not let me go
How deep the love (How deep, how wide the love)
How deep the love (That pierced His side, the love)
Redemption's mine, O Love that will not let me go
I know a lot of those lines come from old, well-known hymns, or from bible verses. But there is just something about it that gets me. Now, today, it gets me. I love the bit about the love that will not let me go. That's one of the promises I like to cling to. His love doesn't let us go, doesn't let ME go. I'm the only one that lets go.
But I digress... After hours sitting outside, just being and listening and a little sudoku (oh, and having a crewmember come by and hand out free frappacinos to all of us sitting out there, YUM!), I went in for a bit, then back out onto the bow. I can't describe how peaceful this ocean is. It sets my heart at rest. And I was there with a couple of friends. We stood looking out at the ocean (wishing for dolphins...) then went inside for a special treat! The gurkahs cooked their specialty, nepalese food (like East Indian food) for us. Heaven! And, as I finished my meal, I noticed one of the newer crew on board standing with her baby who was being a bit fussy, while the rest of her family ate. So I plucked up my courage (I'm not always great about approaching people I don't know well), and went to ask if I could take the baby for a bit. She happily passed her over(even though she was done eating), and my friends and I got to coo over the baby at our table while we talked and some finished eating. We were soon inundated with 6-10 year old girls (surprise, surprise, they like babies... and my friend Laura seems to attract the kids too). After a while, baby was handed back and the young girls slowly drifted away, one staying to come back to the bow with Laura.
More time on the bow, followed by worship on the bow. Worship on the bow starts with almost every space filled with bodies. A couple guitars and djembes, and worship song books. People call out songs and we all join in. And it ends... oh how it ends... with African songs. The djembes pound harder and faster, the people get up to dance, and the conga line starts. Smiles and joy all around. The sunsets in the background and the sliver of a moon lights up. And all too soon we're being told the party needs to end because it's too dark.
So we all go in, and my friend and I go to spend some God time praying together, after which it is the perfect time to stare at the stars while lying flat on our backs, talking and giggling and enjoying the night. Four heads in a row staring at the sky as the clouds flow by and block chunks of stars. One bright shooting star that can be seen through the clouds makes us all shout and point. And the time slips away and soon, too soon, it's time to get up and think about going to bed.
It's been a good day!
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