Why Can’t We Just Be Lovers and Sharers?

So I was a little ticked when I saw this sign. After all, this is the Red River – a public waterway, yet a landowner put up barbed wire and this sign to keep what is public to himself. It didn’t bother my kids but it did me when I saw my girl fishing in a narrow place between the bridge and the barbed wire AND on the other side of the barbed wire – fish jumping everywhere. I researched what the New Mexico laws are about public waterways. And, sure enough it has been an ongoing statewide dilemma for years. The main problem is the public getting to the waterways through private property. I can understand that is an issue. But, what about just riding in your kayak or walking up or fishing the river and you come to that barbed wire fencing and the sign that says $1,000 fine and 364 days in jail?

I was in a setting where I could put time into research. It seems that in 2015, it was ruled that the public can wade and fish in streams running through private property, as long as they remain in the stream which is in line with common doctrine in most states. BUT, landowners and outfitters protested and in 2018, the state began a process to allow landowners to certify streambeds as private property. But, public access advocates are still fighting back by working to strike down the law as unconstitutional, but the effort won’t be cheap. “The tragedy is that the public is going to have to spend millions to win back something that was ours in the first place,” says a public representative, “by suing the entity that’s supposed to act in the public’s best interest and be the steward of a public resource.”

I told my kids about this blog and they told me they saw a man and woman with two children ask the old man who owns the property if they can come over and let their children fish there. He was obliged to let them. Staci said the kids were adorable when they caught a nice-sized fish and when all done, they thanked the landowner and so did the kids. I love that ending to my saga. Well, it may not be an ending, but at least knowing the landowner might have a generous heart after all.

I amuse myself that this controversary intrigued me because it reminds me of our little ones when they were over-protective of their toys. Something innate in them caused them to be selfish with their blessings of toys that had been given to them. That’s what I saw in this old man’s property and so many other times we’ve witnessed the selfishness of people wanting it their way – which is, most of the time, the selfish way – instead of allowing others to share in the bounty.

Someone once said that Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history. A movement grounded in the unconditional love of God for the world - and a movement mandating people to live that love, and in so doing to change not only their lives but the very life of the world itself.

That's what love is. Love is not selfish and self-centered. And, that unselfish, sacrificial love changes lives, and it can change this world. Think and imagine a world where love is the way. Imagine our homes and families where love is the way. Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way. Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. When unselfish, sacrificial love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again. When love is the way, poverty will become history. Because when love is the way, we actually treat each other, like we are actually family. When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all, and we are brothers and sisters, children of God."

John said in 1 John 4:7 “Let us love one another”. I LOVE that love. John included himself in that exhortation. He is telling us that everyone is called to love. And actions speak so much louder than words. It’s not enough to just say “I love you”. We really need to actually LOVE.

I don’t know which side you live on, “It’s MINE – get out of here!” Or, “It’s OURS – let’s share the blessing.” As for me, I plan to do my best to err on the side of love. I know it will serve me well as I purpose to sow seeds of love everywhere I go. How about you?

Life is Often Like a Wild Water Ride

Aw! Water! Refreshing, cool, thirst-quenching water. I’ve been packing a lot of water over the last week or so. The warmer weather and being outdoors requires it.

But, today, I’m talking about the beautiful water features that I’ve been enjoying. My Austin family and I spent the last week at the Gulf of Texas’ Port Aransas. The ocean, pictured here, was like I had never seen. Multiple waves were always billowing in. It was easy to stand in it and get cooled off. But in the early morning, it was always high tide which meant it billowed way into land. See this lovely sand castle being carved? I left the beach before this expert sand castle sculptor finished it. The next morning when I walked the beach, it had been consumed by the high tide.

Now, back at home, I enjoy my community's lake views -- still waters with a backdrop of magnificent sunrises. Over the years, our family has enjoyed every water feature you could imagine. We frequented lakes and rivers all over the U.S. and Canada where we camped, fished, skied, fished, river rafted and kayaked. And there are no adequate words to convey the beauty of the majestic oceans and seas that we cruised. I recall my sweetheart sitting back, delighting in the stillness and beauty of those moments in all of those water places. He loved taking it all in. He was "home" by the water. I'm quite sure he's made sure that our mansion in heaven is right by the River of Life.

What if life was like living by a pond or lake that represents stability and tranquility? It doesn't change much. With the exception of a severe storm (like the tornados we encountered many times), a lake is a secure place with clear boundaries, stable waters, and a quiet shore. There is a sense of order, control, and safe predictability about a lake, with few major surprises from day to day.

I have found life to be more like traveling down a river. It's extremely unpredictable and filled with many twists and turns, highs and lows, rapids and calms, unseen obstacles and unexpected objects. It can also be filled with exhilarating experiences that are packed full of adventure. You can ride the currents of a fast flowing river in a raft or kayak, but you have to avoid the potential dangers that can be devastating to a rider. We know that for a fact. When our kayaks tipped over, we were pulled into the rapids. But for the grace of God, we could have lost our lives. Our kayaks went on down the river….without us in them. Thank God, we had on life preservers.

As we journey on, we want life to be safe and secure for us and our loved ones, like my subdivision's lakes with borders -- no big changes or surprises. But, in reality, life is more like a river as it is continually moving in ways that we cannot control, predict, or expect. Doesn’t it feel like that’s exactly where we’re at right now? Every day is unpredictable – well, in our eyes – certainly not God’s. He is always in control.

The good news for us is that our security, stability, AND sanity are not found on the rivers of our lives, but in the Lord of our lives. Our hope is in Him who knows the way through the obstacles and the twists and turns. Our peace is found in the One who directs our course. Our hope is fixed upon the One Whose hands not only created the waters, but calms them, and He is THE ONE Who causes the unpredictability of the waters to work things together for our good. (Romans 8:28). I’m so certain – that all we have encountered in the last few months is a part of God's providence in our lives and through it all, we are secure in God's sovereign hands.
Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you....."

Stop and Look Around Once in a While

In the words of the great philosopher, Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you'll miss it!" That is so true, and unless you're my age, or more, you may not give those words a second thought now -- but give it a few years, and believe you me, you'll understand them so much, you'll be glad you did or you will regret NOT stopping and looking around.

I woke yesterday morning early to get my blog posted as usual and then getting breakfast going for the gang. Some of us departed our separate ways. Alexia and Gracie (who came in the day before) are heading to Nashville, Alexia’s friend, Zeke, is headed to Colorado and I am heading home. Payton and his friend, Chris, moved from the cabin to the RV. Larry, Staci and the guys still have more fishing and adventuring in them for a couple more days. There’s just too many hungry trout calling their names! Biggest catches of the day was yesterday as Larry and Staci took to their kayaks aka fishing-boats-extraordinaire that brought in the greatest trout haul so far!

Honestly, this group lives by John Wayne's famous words, "Hurry it up! We’re burnin’ daylight!” Usually it isn’t yet daylight when we're headed to the river. You know you're a "red neck" when your biological clock is set to the time that fish are feeding.
It is such a joy to hang out in the great outdoors with my children. My daughter, Staci, is at the helm of the adventures. In the great outdoors. She's not the girly-girl we normally see. She's an adventurer and outdoors-woman to the core, so just the thought of those fish being there for the taking, gets her "engine" revving. You know you're a "red neck" when you sleep in your clothes -- ready to hit the ground running.

The beer-battered fish didn’t disappoint and neither did the fried squirrel. You know you’re a red neck when squirrel is your appetizer. Boys will be boys! Oh, me! You know you’re a red neck when squirrel and “coon” hunting, finding and feeding is the best-of-times to you!

I overheard the three guys in Cabin 45 (my grandson and his two friends) who had so many adventures that started with the mind-set “Daylight’s burning so let’s get in as much as we can!" They dreamed out loud about having a restaurant called Cabin 45 – specialty wild game and delicacies that represent the great outdoors. By the way – no cell coverage in Cabin 45 – so their imaginations went wild! They were able to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN to the “call of the wild” and the “call of God” Who starts with dreams and visions planted in their hearts. Isn’t that what He wants for His kids? That's the stuff that God's goodness is made of -- great ideas, being creative, living with a grateful heart in the ups and downs, and enjoying the littlest of things that makes the biggest of things seem so trivial. It can only be had when we stop, look and listen.

Maybe it’s time to come to a screeching halt to the fast-lane and go off-road to all that God could be putting into your pathway! Life is a great adventure!

How awesome it is to "Look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!" Psalm 27:13. So, to put John Wayne's "Daylight's a'wasting" to scripture words, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24









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The Thrills, Chills, and Spills of Kayaking

Our recent trip to Beavers Bend included a leisurely, afternoon, 2-1/2 mile kayak trip down the Mountain Fork River. Right away, Staci and I decided to get a 2-man kayak. We asked which of us should sit at the back or front. The kayak rental guy said, “It depends on brains or brawn”. Evidently, I have the brains, because he recommended Staci take the back seat as it would require more focus on rowing. As it turned out, we both enjoyed casually rowing and occasionally giving it a heave-ho. We meandered off the beaten path…er the water-way and paddled into a grove of trees and just chilled out and then we found a huge flat rock formation and “beached” our kayak on it. We disembarked and cooled off in those chilly river waters. The rest of our kayaking buddies thought that was such a great idea that they joined us. This kayaking ride was a joy ride – just basking in God’s creation and enjoying His peace throughout.

Now let me tell you about a kayaking adventure that was quite different. It included thrills, chills, and spills. This one was with my husband and our two oldest grandsons, then 12 and 14 (11 years ago). Our plan was for a leisurely float trip down the Illinois River. The river was up to 8+ feet because of recent rains so it was mandatory that we all wear life jackets. My husband and younger grandson had the 2-man kayak and the 14-year old and I each had a 1-man kayak. It was impressed upon us to avoid any fallen trees because that is where the more dangerous rapids would be. Being the adventurous team that we were, we opted for the 12-mile, instead of the 6-mile trip.

We were off and rowing. We were having a great time enjoying each other and the Illinois River's beauty and serenity. At 4 miles in, Barrett (Bear), the 12-year old, assured us he was now well trained and ready to have his turn in the 1-man kayak. So he took it on for his solo ride while Ron and I took over the 2-man.

Then our guardian angels went into double duty. Not 5 minutes into Bear’s "solo ride”, rushing water pulled him into the "fallen trees with heavy rapids" waters. He was stuck. Papa and I quickly rowed to assist him, but no sooner than we reached him, he laid back on his kayak, and was freed from the perilous waters and floated on down the river. We weren’t so fortunate. The fierce rapids pulled us into the trees and turned our kayak over. In a matter of seconds, I was stuck under the kayak. I had the momentary thought that I could drown right here. At the same time, my husband was using all the strength he had to pull the kayak off of me. Then, as if an escape hatch was opened, the kayak came off of me and I popped up out of the rushing water. I am convinced, was it not for divine intervention, my husband's strength, and the life jacket, the sharp branches of the tree and the rushing waters would have resulted in someone else sharing this story with you. When we were toppled, we lost our oars and the kayak took off down the river without us. We were free-riding in the rushing river with only our life jackets keeping us bobbing.

Braden, the 14-year old, caught the 2-man kayak, but in the process lost his 1-man into a clump of fallen trees and rushing water. During this whole perilous experience, a family in a raft (the first people we'd seen since we started), witnessed our predicament. They pulled off to shore to see how they could help. They were able to retrieve our oars as they floated down the river. They were expert swimmers with experience in whitewater rapids and insisted on helping us free the kayak that was stuck in trees. As their two young children, our grandsons, my husband and I watched from shore, this precious couple took our 2-man kayak, and with great skill dislodged the 1-man sending it on down the river. We expressed our heartfelt gratitude when we made it to their camp. They were "angels on assignment" for us. Their presence was divine intervention.

TRon, Bear and I boarded the two-man kayak, Braden was on the one-man, and before long, we saw the kayak stuck in another treed area, with oar and cooler still attached to it. This time, my hero, Ron, climbed the treed area, worked his way through poison oak vines, limbs, and branches, enduring lacerations, cuts, and a terrible poison oak rash that last for days, but released the kayak. Thankfully, the kayak floated to a shore up ahead where we were elated to stop and express our thanksgiving to God for safety, protection, and to eat our lunch that, unbelievably, was completely dry. After lunch, we continued on down the river, for an uneventful 5 more miles.

Our most recent kayaking adventure reminds me of the times that our faith journey is more routine, uneventful, calm and often extremely filled with joyful and peaceful times. God is with us in those times of smooth-sailing waters.

The other death-and-harm defying kayaking adventure is a reminder of the times that our faith journey is filled with highs and lows, pitfalls and pretty scary and painful times. It’s in those times that we don’t take life for granted and we call on divine intervention. Every day, whether we are aware of it or not, our lives may be spared as we may be in near-death situations, near-devastation circumstances – but God is with us in those stormy, perilous waters times. The reassurance of it all – God NEVER leaves us or forsakes us in ALL our kayaking experiences of life. We just need to hang on for dear life and enjoy the ride!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6