Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Cruising Along

All last week I kept thinking what can I draw from this adventure of cruising to Mexico?  Below is a few words I put on my facebook wall.   I try to post almost everyday a quote or some encouraging word. 
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Cabo Cruise Ship. Large cruise ship anchored off the coast in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico royalty free stock imagesJust want to say I missed you all as we were on a cruise for a week and laid our cell phones aside and did not even take our computers with us. We went to Mexico with some friends from church which always makes it fun. Of course, all have been asking how we liked it?

Cruising is the most relaxing way I have ever traveled. Mexico was not new to us since we been before on a mission trip. Life on a huge ship is different, like not having to cook, clean, and being waited on all the time was very different. It took us a couple days to get over being overwhelmed because we were not doing anything. As our son says, we don't know how to relax. We had a room with a balcony which we loved. I did get another chapter done on my book sitting on that balcony, the weather down south was wonderful. 

As I ask God to show me the deep part of what I was feeling I soon realized we were traveling without a purpose. We travel all the time to meet missionaries, go to conferences, meetings, visit our supporters and family which to us has a purpose. But to travel just to travel.  There is was, the deep part...we were traveling just to travel. God knew we needed to experience this wonderful feeling and once we got use to it, we relaxed. It's called a vacation...so Lord willing as we save our pennies we will go on a cruise to Alaska in couple years or three, that cruise takes a lot more pennies. 

Or if  we are still physical able maybe to Israel, Rome, and all the place Paul traveled to by ship to share the sweet gospel, ( I am pretty sure it will take pennies from heaven for that one.)

I am still not caught up with emails, facebook messages, and settling back into land living but just wanted to say hello and share God's goodness to us.

A few added words that came after I posted on facebook.  As much as I like cruising I don't really want to cruise through life.  I don't want life to be all about me.  Ace and I both did not totally feel normal as we cruised along the ocean.   Most  people only wanted to talk about themselves, I wanted to talk Jesus. Only one person was open, she sit by us and told me how many cruises she had been on.  So when my turn came I stepped through the open door and told how even through this was my first cruise I had lived in a couple of other countries.  Then she said, are you are missioinary?  Wow, the door blew open even wider, but before I could ask my standard next question,  are you a believer? She said, I love New Tribes Missions, love what their missionaries do, we support some.  They are the real missionary going into remote place telling the gospel.   I had not even mention the mission I was with.  Instantly we both started talking at once seeing if we knew some of the same people.  Sadly I had to go, I had an appointment to keep. You know I did not even get her name and I did not see her again while we were on the ship.  My heart was encouraged though, I wanted to talk to everyone then about Jesus.  I never had another open door so I went back to relaxing for the sake of relaxing.  It was good for Ace and I to let our friends see we could do that since they were such a part of getting us to go on the cruise.  

How many of you have been on a cruise, what was your favorite thing about it, where did you visit, would you do it again? Thanks for listening to me rambling on and on.  

16 comments:

  1. Good Morning, Betty! I loved reading of your struggle with doing something for yourself. "Traveling without purpose." But, you see, Abba, sees it as purposeful. Something just for you!
    As a full time, Servant of my LORD, I am very much like you, so I know that struggle. Years ago on our 25th anniversary, my missionary daughter and her husband told us they were giving us a cruise to Alaska - a dream come true for me. Joe is a workaholic who in 40 years of marriage only took one week off. So, year after year, Alece would ask are you going to go THIS year? Every year Joe said no. Finally after about 4 years of asking, Neil, called and offered to send Alece home if I wanted go to Alaska with her. Well, the highlight of my life happened. You see, Alece moved to Africa just before her 19th birthday. I had never spend time with her as an adult. Alaska itself was magnificent. But having a whole week ALONE with Alece was priceless. All we did was laugh from the moment we got up the gangplank - when the guy asked if we were sisters. We laughed and laughed through the whole cruise. People kept asking if we were sisters - one woman asked if we were twins. Oh, did we laugh. Having that one "no purpose" vacation really did have a purpose and I saw it as a gift from Abba.

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    1. You hit that nail on the head...we are so use to giving out that taking in feel foreign. I would love to go anywhere with my daughter, just her and I, we are in so many ways best friends, sisters in the Lord and we too laugh all the time when we are together, her dad and husband just look at us like we are crazy sometimes. You are so right, it was a gift from Abba through many who support us and social security. we had only planned a 3 day cruise then these friends from church who cruise all the time got such a good deal we said yes to seven days. After seven days through we were ready to get home. My heart dream would be to go on an Alaska cruise that the Gaithers put together. southern gospel music plus the beauty of Alaska..wow. Their cruise are a little more expensive and booked up most of the time. But I will take what God gives and say thank you, thank you, thank you. Next year my friend, you and I are going to have an adventure when we meet face to face. Blessings.

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  2. We were privileged to go to Alaska this past September. Some of the folks in the church wanted to honor us for celebrating 45+ years in ministry so they asked for donations. We absolutely had the time of our life. We were both so ready for a vacation-a real vacation- that I didn't want the cruise to end (at least not for another couple of days). I want to do it again but Jo says somewhere else. Me? I want to go back to Alaska. But it was "traveling with purpose" for us-to relax and get to know each other again. To be where I was unknown (although we did meet people who were Christ-followers). I'm glad you enjoyed it. I would recommend saving them pennies for Alaska. :)

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    1. You penned it right, it was a real vacation. Our room was great, especially the balcony and the farther down south we got you could sit outside and watch the moon reflect on the ocean. Got my first mason jar full of the change I did not spend in Mexico. Blessings Bill

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  3. Cruises are not for Danny and me, but we do love to get away to the mountains, just the two of us, which we will be doing next week. It's so important to give yourself time to let everything go and truly relax, and extended Sabbath, if you will. I'm so glad that Ace and you were able to do just that.
    Blessings, Betty!

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    1. I have to admit I am a mountain girl too. The ocean always overwhelmed me but I felt safe on this huge ship that at times I forgot I was on a ship. Seeing mountains from the ship was awesome and we took a bus tour that got us up in some of the mountains. Mexico reminds me of Bolivia somewhat only its a lot more developed then Bolivia. We have a list of people to visit that are home on furlough now that we are back. Ace has been on the phone everyday sitting up meetings and I have got to get some Christmas done. My 4 year old grandson wants to know why my tree is not up yet. Thanks for the encouragement.

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  4. We recently went on a cruise this year as well... My wife, Amanda... our daughter and one of my daughter's friends. They went to celebrate their graduating high school... We went because they needed someone over the age of 21. We enjoyed it... Not my #1 choice of a vacation and not something I would do over and over again, but it was enjoyable.
    What I liked the most is being unplugged. No Internet, no phone, no text... This was nice. Spending time with my wife was nice. The endless supply of food... nice at the time... working to pay that debt off now.
    All in all, enjoyable... but the mountains and the woods are what really call my name.

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    1. I think my husband had withdrawals for the first couple days. He kept trying to get out on his phone on the ship, couldn't. Then he found out how much roaming charges were on land and that that did away with the withdrawals. I noticed he was on his phone almost the whole 4 hours train ride home when he was not napping. Yep, we will be paying for this trip for a while on a no interest credit card my husband has. then we have our taxes we get back and it will be paid. That is always good to look forward to. Thanks for commenting Ryan.

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  5. Sounds like you had a wonderful time! I know how it is to not be able to relax, but God is teaching me! It is actually quite nice to be able to lean back in His arms and allow Him to do the heavy lifting. He has wanted us to know that all along, but if you are like me, I don't learn so quickly. We haven't gone on a cruise yet, but if we ever do, Alaska will be our choice, too. God's will be done. Hope you are enjoying your Christmas season!

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    1. Maybe, just maybe we could end up on the same Alaska cruise, that would be wonderful. I was not feeling the best when I got home, so to the doctor I went today, got strep, guess I will be getting more rest. Thank God for meds. Blessings.

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  6. I am so happy you could go on a cruse just to relax and enjoy the vacation.

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  7. Hello Hazel, good to hear from you. God is good. It's funny how sometimes it's hard to enjoy His goodness. We are such strange creatures. Hope all is well with you. I am sure the holidays can be a little hard without your mate. I pray the Lord bring lots of comfort for you.

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  8. I'm so happy that you've been able to get away just to rest with good friends, to enjoy God's creation, to write, to reflect.

    This is comfort and joy indeed, friend!

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  9. I've been out of the country... Havana and Dominican Republic, but have never been on a cruise. I wish I could, but it would really have to be with someone special. But that brings up a good thought.. as you have pointed out.. I have never been able to relax! Oh yes, the people around me think that's all I do.. but inside.. inside I am just a bundle of nerves and stress.

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  10. Good for you! So glad you got to spend some relaxing time. It's not an easy thing to practice, I know! We are meant to recharge, but a lot of us aren't very good at it.

    It doesn't matter where you go, you're doing the job God sent you to do. Good stuff.

    I haven't gone on a cruise yet... I take fast planes! (I'm not good at relaxing either!)

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  11. they came in twice a day to straighten your bed....once in the morning after you leave for breakfast and once sometime before you come back to your room after evening activities. Of course you can put the little card in the door that says, no service please. But this wise hearted women thought, I have been straightening beds for 70 some years it's about time I give someone else a job. I truly never worried about not being able to relax, I knew the days would catch up with me. thank God I have had man years of crossing the world for Jesus, I figured if I can stand living in a third world culture, no electricity, no Walmarts, no TV, bless God I could stand someone making my bed. Thanks for the reminder it's God's day no matter where I spent it. Blessings.

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