January 5, 2024 On the way to Trinidad

At home no one’s voice comes on an intercom and announces when the sun will rise and set. Captain van der Hoeven does that each evening…to the minute. “Sunrise will be at 6:18…Sunset at 5:57. Have a nice day”.

I like that.

It makes my day feel measured.

Sea days are exactly that. The days that the ship is at sea between destinations. Many passengers clamor the arrival at the next port. Not me. It is rare that one has the opportunity to have a completely unobstructed view, yet with the exception of sighting flying fish and a school of dolphins only the grandeur of the endless horizon is your view on sea days. It makes me feel small and grand at the same time.

A good friend of mine, Dudley Hall, is the founder of Kerygma Ventures. He owns a 300-acre Texas ranch, Tesoro Escondido. He holds retreats and other events there. On the banks of the Brazos River, many participants will watch the sunrise from Inspiration Point with a cup of cowboy coffee. Many have described it as a holy place. Sea days is one of my holy places.

Have you ever been to a fancy restaurant where they serve you sherbet between courses to purify your pallet? Sea days are my mental sherbet. It our quick paced world, where 5 minutes is too long to wait for something to come out of the microwave, having uninterrupted time to rest, reflect, and take in God’s creation is a real joy! I like Sea days.

And since I know when the sun will rise and set, I pay attention. I am utterly in awe of the amazing entrances and departures He makes.

Thanks for traveling with us.