He One-Upped Me!

 June 8, 2023

I had an “AHA!” moment this morning while admiring the quaint homes along the Tennessee River. Mind you, there are several McMansions along this stretch of river also, but I’m always drawn to the smaller, more modest homes. I’m not sure why this is, but it’s always been what catches my eye no matter where we might be traveling. Years ago, when David and I had just begun our family, we would travel back and forth from the mountains of central Vermont to my childhood home in Ontario, New York. I would make mention of the lake homes as we passed by Eagle Lake in the Adirondacks. I’d say, “One day, I’d love to live by a body of water.” David would always dismiss the idea with all kinds of excuses. None of the excuses ever satisfied me and I would just keep dreaming of the day when we would have our own little home on the water, somewhere, somehow.

Maybe my desire stemmed from my upbringing on the Wile Adler Fruit farm situated on the shores of Lake Ontario. We literally lived right on Lake Road. Our back yard consisted of some lawn, a row of grape vines, then an orchard of cherries and apples, and ended at the shore of Lake Ontario. In my mind, I can still smell the lake. I can hear the sound of the waves and I can feel the warm stones and pebbles on my feet. The picture and memories are always very clear in my mind. Having moved to the Green Mountains of Vermont when I was twenty in order to fulfill my dream of skiing everyday, took me away from the lake. The mountains and the beauty of Vermont replaced my love of water and I took immediately to the playground which was Sugarbush Ski Area, hiking adventures on the Long Trail, and canoeing and swimming in the Mad River. Eventually, we were drawn back to the lake when we would take the kids to the sandy beaches at Lake Champlain and when windsurfing became a hobby for a number of years. Then, the kids grew up and went their own ways. So David and I ventured up to the St. Lawrence River and rented a houseboat for a week at a time for a few years in the Thousand Islands. Do you see where I’m going here?

A scripture from Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” My faith has always allowed me to hold onto this truth. Now, this is the crazy, wonderful part. David and I have been traveling by boat for the past four years. We sold our lovely home in Vermont and have been navigating the waterways of the eastern USA since June of 2019 – and we both LOVE it! But, all this time, I’ve been wondering how God orchestrated this lifestyle we’ve come to treasure? It wasn’t really our “dream” or desire to live and travel on a boat. We didn’t even have a boat until 2017!

Then, this morning, the “AHA!” moment happened. As I was looking out across the water from my perch on our boat (aptly named Selah Way), and thinking whether we would ever have our little home on the water, it hit me. We DO have a little home on the water. Not in the way I had ever imagined it, but in a way, it’s even better than I’d ever imagined. And that’s just what God has done. He loves us so much more than we can ever imagine and absolutely does give us the desires of our heart. Sometimes, we don’t even see it until we’ve been sitting on it for four years. Another reminder, that God’s plans are always so much better than anything we could ask for or imagine. [Ephesians 3:20 “Our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or imagine.”]

I write this not to brag about what I’ve done or to sound proud, but to encourage others to seek God, too. Especially in the days we are living in, when right is wrong and wrong is right, life gets very confusing. Are you intrigued by this story or maybe you’ve had a similar experience?

Maybe you’re frustrated or disenchanted with how life has turned out. Do you wonder where my faith comes from? A scripture that may help you find what I have found is from Romans 10:17 and it reads, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Start by opening the Bible, finding a gospel preaching church, praying, or finding a trusted friend or family member to help direct you. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments with me!

Amen.