For ninety days my place of repose has been a recliner with a rustic view—a bricked fireplace reaching from floor to ceiling. Total knee replacement is settling in as a good investment. Waiting has helped me listen to the quiet call of God to more deeply align my life with Him, a story for another day perhaps. But for today, in the video below, I’d like to share a memory that came as I waited by the fireplace.
The Treasure:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
If you’d rather read than watch the video, here’s the full video transcript:
For as long as I can remember, my father had a wooden rowboat that took us to primitive sandbars changing every day by channels and tides. That’s where he taught me to swim. My father fittingly named the boat The Four Seas (S.E.A.S) since there were four of us and our last name began with “C.” Even as an adult, when I travelled back to New England we would pile in to the boat for a day at an outlying beach. My mother would pack the same picnic as when I was a child: tuna sandwiches with pickle, potato chips, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and a cooler of lemonade mixed with orange juice.
When my father grew older, he remained a salty kind of guy and custom built his first double-station rowboat in an open lean-to on the side of his small home when he was seventy eight. I’ll always remember our lunch in that boat on the Niantic River. My dad removed his hat to thank God for our subs. As water lapped the sides of the boat, I watched him speak to the One who created beauty all around us. I asked my father for the boat that day, offering to match his best offer if he decided to sell it. Today the boat is mine—a gift
I suppose all of us can flip back the pages of our past—chapters that represent happenings, beliefs, and choices that influence us. It may be an endearing talk on a boat or a season we want to forget, but God weaves it all into the fabric of our lives. His weaving comes with a gift greater than a boat. The gift is His the promise that He works all things together for our good if we love Him and say “yes” to His calling on our lives. With that foundation, I can’t wait until my knee is fully healed so I can get back in the boat. Wish you could join me!
