The Lord is the Ankor of my soul

Today in the Jesus Calling devotional I got a visual picture of my life viewed from a boater's perspective. The Lord wants me to come to Him continually because He wants to be in the center of my consciousness or the anchor of my soul. My mind wanders from Him but the question is just how far I will let my mind wander.
An anchor on a short rope lets a boat drift only slightly before the taunt line tugs the boat back towards the center. Similarly as I drift away from the loving awareness of the Lord's presence the Lord's Holy Spirit gives me a tug, prompting me to return to Him. As I desire to become more and more increasingly aware and attuned to His presence, the length of the rope on my soul's Anchor is shortened, and I will wander only a short distance before feeling His inner tug telling me to return to my true center in Him. Wow, I love the lessons the Holy Spirit is teaching me.

This blog is just a reflecting of what is going on in my heart and what I chose to share with others. Only the Lord knows what He has planned for me so I will enjoy each moment and share important lessons as I feel inspired.
Today Rich is working on the generator and I am going to the Ortega Landing Marina to go swimming in there beautiful pool and have lunch in the club house with my friend Debbie. It is a beautiful marina and even though I will only be a visitor I will be able to enjoy the pool and have a relaxing afternoon.
Rich needs me out of the boat so he can tear up the floor boards so I gladly offered to leave. Have a nice day everyone and Be Blessed!

 

A dinghy named Spirit

We have been back at the marina for two weeks and despite the hot humid weather we are delighted to be back on the water. There will always be  more projects for Rich to do but now that the Morningstar's bottom job is completed, we are looking forward  to  taking  short trips. So his weekend we are planning on getting Lucky use to traveling, We also need to teach Lucky how to get into the dinghy from the boat.  They say you can not teach an old dog new tricks but we plan to prove that wrong. Lucky will learn quickly. Because he will want to be with us. 

We bought a new dinghy from West Marine. This one is much lighter than the AB hard bottom one, so it will be easier for Rich and I to handle it. It is another rib dinghy but only weights 110 pounds  without the motor. Our old dinghy weighted 160 pounds. We are having our 15HP outboard repaired and are going to use that one. Rich has been building the dingy davids and making the lift system, and it  is just about completed. 

We decided to name our dinghy Spirit! 

To honor the Holy Spirit!

 

 Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

 
Here are some pictures of the lift system that Rich designed and built. 

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Be Blessed!

The Morningstar is going to be launched tomorrow morning

Rich has been working at Hutckins for the last four day.  He is repairing the blisters that were on the port and starboard sides of the boat. Many of the blisters were under the painted blue strip just above the bottom paint line. He took the swinplatform off to repair the fiberglass and Seth (0urgrandson) helped Rich repair the platform.

Right now Rich needs Rick’s help to put the swim platform back on, it is very heavy for Rich to try to move himself. So Rick, Vande, Seth, and Jeremy are on their way to help Rich now. This will also give them a chance to see the Morningstar with her new bottom job.  They haven’t seen the boat since it was out of the water.

 Once they leave Rich, they are headed for the beach to have some fun The boys are going fishing and Rick and Vande are going to be pattle boarding.  Pattle boarding is the new sport they are enjoying on their family outing. They seem to love it.

I am sitting at the dinette in the motor home writing on my new surface tablet.  I am still learning how to use it. But I love it! Rich bought it for me. I have been wanting a tablet that ran windows so I have been looking for a while. I found a used Surface Pro with the keyboard, case and screen protector on Craig’s List and it also came with a breakage warranty and 22 months of free individual lesson from the Microsoft store. I have been going to the Microsoft Store for my individual lessons. So far, I learned how to use Windows 8.1 and the One Note program.

To me this quiet moment is the calm before the storm. That place between a new adventures. This is my quiet alone time and I can spend time with the Holy Spirit.  I need to ask for His help in directing our lives and writing my blog. I have always felt closest to the Holy Spirit when I am writing and by asking Him for His help I will write a blog that will give readers a moment of enjoyment. And I know our adventure stories may touch a life.  I am going to share and hope my readers are enjoying my blog.

I have learned to live in the present moment and enjoy each day because no one is promised tomorrow. Everything can change in the twinkle of the eye

Rich and I have been married for 47 years and are determined to live out our senior years follow after our dream of traveling the waterways of the United States. I look at our lives as adventures and each new thing needs to be embraced not feared.

The Bible says, “God’s perfect love will cast out all fear”! He has given us a taste of His perfect love and is driving out our fears one by one, and little by little. He is replacing it with His love, Acceptance. Joy, Wisdom, Council, and Purposes.

We spent four months living in the motor home. The first week we were parked in the Ortega Yacht Club parking lot. Then we found out the boat would need to be out of the water for two months. Two months turned into four. Then we went to, Hanna Park for five weeks in between staying in Rick’s back yard.  It was a new adventure. Life is filled with adventures if you look at it correctly. We want to get back aboard the Morningstar.  Wake up and have a cup of coffee overlooking the water. Life is good!

 In faith we are believing we will be traveling the waterways spreading the Love of Jesus and sharing the Good News Message to anyone who wants to be listening. We want to be an encourager to a very sad lonely America.  Oh America what is happen to you?

We were invited to Rick’s neighbors (Rex and Lisa's) 4^th of July party, Rick and I sang the National Anthem while I waved a small American Flag.  When we were done singing, Sherri told me I had a nice voice.  It must have been Rick’s voice she heard.  However it was a treasured memory with my son Rick.

 

In Briceville Florida, homemade moonshine brighten up a 4^th of July party.  I always have to take at least a slip or two of homemade moonshine if it is offered to me at a 4^th of July celebration.

 So far I have tried two different kinds of moonshine, homemade watermelon, and homemade cinnamon candy.

 Last time at the 4^th of July Party, I only took a sip of the watermelon moonshine because it was offered to me as we were leaving the party. This time it was cinnamon candy and its taste was amazing. I had a really fun evening, Thank you Lisa and Rex.   

Well it is time to end this post and hopefully get some pictures of the Morningstar in dry-dock at Hutckins Yacht Yard. Can’t wait to see it and take pictures!

Be Blessed!

 

 

Happy 4th of July

 

Hooray and Praise the Lord! The bottom job on the Morningstar is completed and she will be launched on Monday! It has been four long months since she was taken out of the water. I have said many times that the Lord’s timing is not our timing and for some reason He has chosen for us to remain in Jacksonville instead of traveling north this summer.

Rich is at the marina today trying to finish up the work he needs to do on the Morningstar and hopefully he will be back in time to enjoying the holiday. The Lord protected the Florida coast and Tropical Storm Arthur, it just brushed our coast with strong riptides and we didn’t ever get any rain from it.  At least not at Rick’s house in Briceville.

We left Hanna Park Wednesday morning and brought our motor home back to Rick’s house. We are parked in the front yard because the pool company is busy working on their ingrown pool.

 On Monday after the Morningstar is launched and safely back in our slip we will come back and park the motorhome in the back yard. One of the main reason we bought the motorhome was so our kids could use it while we were living on the boat.  We had to replace the two air conditioners on the motor home but now they are working fantastic.  Now that July is here the temperatures are rising along with the humidity. Every day in July has been in the upper nineties. Ugh!

While we were in Hanna Park I was able to enjoy their shaded campsites for three beautiful weeks camped under nature’s canopy. The campground has acres of is untouched wilderness preserving the memories of Florida’s original beauty. Each day I was able to walk along the lake or go to the ocean and even got to ride my bike along the quiet roadways. Yes life is good in Jacksonville!

I will do a blog once we get back to the marina. Then I will go into more detail of the work done on the Morningstar and provide some pictures.  For now have a blessed 4^th of July and remember to be thankful for the many blessings in your life.

 

Be Blessed!