From Sea Level To Mountaintop

About a year ago, I mentioned a project...writing a daily devotional based on my military and outdoor experiences. It's been a bit tougher than I thought it would be, mainly from a "can't find the time" viewpoint. But I'm making good progress. So much so that I'd like to share it with you, one devotion each day on this thread. Feel free to add your valued commentary or not.

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Jan 1

At lunchtime one day with the ship inport, I decided to go up to the bridge and get some extra work done. That's when I discovered an operations specialist (radar operator) asleep in a chair. And not just any chair, mind you. "Hey! Get out of the Captain's chair!" Seeing no response, I marched over to the chair and poked the guy in the shoulder. He just kept snoring away, his mouth open and oblivious to his serious violation of decorum.

And that's when my face began to mimic Calvin's, the mischievous cartoon boy with a vivid imagination. I looked around the window sills and found what I was looking for. I carefully picked up the dead fly and brought it over to the chair, dropping the fly into the open mouth. I poked the guy a little harder and he shifted his weight, smacking his lips before resuming his snore. At that point, I walked away.

Flies were used on Pharaoh when he refused to listen to the warnings from Moses. Because his heart was hardened, Egypt suffered numerous plagues, each more severe than the previous. If only he had heeded the earlier warnings and corrected his behavior.

I am trying to figure which scenario played out here:

#1. Bad Captain?

#2. Captain who was offended by the "slight" to his authority?

#3. Previous Enlisted Man who decided to handle things "Off the Record"?

Claymore wrote: I am trying to figure which scenario played out here:

#1. Bad Captain?

#2. Captain who was offended by the "slight" to his authority?

#3. Previous Enlisted Man who decided to handle things "Off the Record"?

At the time, I was a junior enlisted man myself. Not sure if there's an Army parallel to this. Maybe it would be like a private using McArthur's pipe? You just don't do it.

Jan 2

My first ship was on its way across the Atlantic for a 6-month deployment. Shortly before our arrival at Rota, Spain, flight quarters was sounded. I wasn't assigned to that evolution, so I was hanging around outside as a CH-46 helicopter was being readied. As the rotors started to turn, I noticed the First Lieutenant with goggles and hearing protection on. He also had a couple of loaded sea bags next to him. A Boatswain's Mate walked up to me about the same time as the officer picked up his bags and boarded the aircraft.

"Hey, Boats. Where's he going?" He waited awhile before answering. "The captain fired him and is kicking him off the ship. Doesn't even want him to enter port with us." I gave him a quizzical look, wanting more. "Well, it turns out we don't have any paint onboard. We're just starting this cruise, and there's no paint."

The Captain had lost confidence in his department head. I never forgot that, especially years later when I became a First Lieutenant myself. Little things can quickly become big things when you're not adequately prepared.

"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season..." 2 Tim 4:2

Jan 3

Early in my naval career, I was faced with the most important decision of my life. Ever since being introduced to Jesus by my girlfriend, my struggle between believing in evolution or creation had been growing There was no acceptable in-between compromise. I couldn't pick and choose the verses that I was comfortable with. I knew that it was 100% or none. Onboard my ship in an Italian harbor, I prayed a real prayer for the first time in my life. Lord, if you're real, show me what to believe in.

The next morning was Sunday, and I took a boat into the city to find a laundromat. Finding one, and being the only person there, I was bored until I noticed I could read the cover of a magazine on the other side of the room. It was an international version of Time magazine and the featured article was The New Evangelism. I flipped through the pages and read the following quote from a scientist. "Since it's impossible to prove whether man evolved or was created, the acceptance of either belief is an act of faith."

Prayer answered. Right then and there, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Admittedly, back then you needed a lot of faith to believe in creation, since all the evidence seemed to point towards evolution. But in the years that followed, the science pendulum swung dramatically towards creation. Now its the evolutionist who must have a lot of faith in his belief.

P.S. I married my girlfriend.

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17

Jan 4

My ship was in the waters off the island of Oahu, undergoing a few weeks of Refresher Training. A better name for it would be "Deployment Readiness", as you definitely had to pass this grueling test with a shipload of inspectors constantly looking over your shoulder. As we sailed past Honolulu on our way to a missile test range, things weren't looking good on the navigation plot.

When close to land, the most accurate way to determine your ship's position is to take visual bearings using a compass. When drawn onto a chart, bearings from various land features end up making a tight cross-cross pattern of lines, or "fix", that indicate "you are here." But it just wasn't working well. The pattern was consistently loose, lowering the level of confidence in the ship's location.

The navigation inspector watched this for awhile and then took over. He went outside to get his own bearings and then came inside to plot them on the chart. He had a smug look on his face, but his fix was just as loose as ours. He tried it again and again with no improvement. Having an idea of what the problem might be, I pulled out another chart of the same area, but with a smaller scale. I plotted the same bearings and presto! A nice tight fix. I then compared the latitude and longitude of a particular land feature shown on both charts. My suspicion was confirmed. The chart we had started with was incorrectly printed, and we lost all trust in it.

Paul warned the Corinthians to live according to their faith in the Lord. In the moment, the heart and eyes can sometimes fool you.

"We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

Jan 5

Approaching the harbor of Sasebo, Japan, my ship stopped outside the breakwater in order to pick up a pilot. The harbor pilot is a specialist with knowledge of a local port, and assists the arriving ship's captain in bringing his vessel safely inside the harbor. The pilot's boat brought him alongside my ship and he climbed up the Jacob's ladder. He was escorted to the Bridge, where my captain walked over and introduced himself. He then asked the pilot if he would like a cup of coffee. The pilot's eyes got real big and he said, "No sake. Am driving!"

Sometimes, things get lost in translation, even if it's the same language.

"He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame." Proverbs 18:13

Jan 6

While awaiting a military flight overseas to join my first ship, I was temporarily assigned to the honor guard at a naval station in Philadelphia. Some of our duties included going to funerals and services for deceased veterans. One day we were transported to a small cemetery in the city, next to an old stone church. The only people in attendance were Catholic nuns, standing in a group to one side.

We took our positions in a line, rifles at the ready, while prayers were said. At the given order, we moved in unison and fired a volley of blanks into the air. The nuns smiled broadly and lightly clapped. As we were preparing to leave, we found out that the graveside service was for a departed fellow nun. She had been among the first women to join the WAVEs, a military auxiliary started by the Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

This dear sister had left a legacy of selfless lifelong service to her country and Lord, and had received the reward of eternity with Him. Seek His guidance for what your service should look like.

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord..." Ephesians 6:7

Jan 7

In the lead-up to the Persian Gulf War in 1991, my ship was patrolling a portion of the Northern Arabian Sea. The quiet afternoon was broken by a shout from an observant lookout. "Sir! It looks like a mine off the starboard bow!" The officer of the deck immediately changed course to the left and slowed down, fearful of the possibility of running into a minefield. Another ship had been recently damaged by a mine.
The captain came to the bridge and ordered the ship to circle the object at a safe distance. A helicopter, carrying an explosives specialist scuba diver, took off from a nearby ship and flew to our area.

Hovering above the object to get a closer look, the diver eventually dropped into the water and cautiously approached the object. After a few minutes, the diver produced a tool from his belt and raised it over his head. Wham! Again and again, the diver hit the object until it sunk. As it turned out, the object was an older model television set floating upside down. It looked like a curved mine with the contact horn (trigger) sticking out.

People are often fooled by outward appearances, and that can lead to a false sense of security or unwarranted fear. Discernment, a gift from the Holy Spirit, can help us in our daily lives.

Jan 8

It was spring in Southern California, and I was enjoying a desert campout with a group of boys. Most of the ground was rocky, but we found enough sandy spots to pitch tents on. Knowing the nights would be cold, the boys collected dead wood in the area for a fire.

There was free time once the work was done, and many of the boys whittled on wood. One boy had forgotten to bring a knife and looked enviously at the others. Whenever a knife was put down, he tried to borrow it, but without success. Frustrated, he watched for an opportunity to get one. He later saw a boy hide his knife under a tent floor. Seeing his chance, he snuck over and took the knife. Excited, the boy accidently cut a finger, badly enough to be driven back to town for stitches.

In the book of Joshua, Achan kept some of the forbidden war plunder and hid it under his tent. His greed led to the Israelites losing a battle that should have been easy to win. His sin was found out and he lost everything, including his life. There are some things that we're just not meant to have.

Jan 9

Late on one New Year's Eve, some of us on the ship were getting hungry for pizza. I was picked to go get it, so I borrowed a friend's car. It was raining heavily on my return, smiling as I could smell the cheeses, sauce and meats.

Driving on the base road leading to the piers, I was slowed down by a train moving on the same road and in the same direction as I. With no room to pass, I fell in behind and made slow progress. All of a sudden, the smooth road became extremely bumpy and I stopped. Once out of the car, I could tell that the road had made a turn while the train tracks went straight. And now the car had sunk into the mud between the railroad ties.

Long story short, I eventually got a tow truck. A couple of weeks later, I found myself in front of the base traffic judge. No matter how I professed my innocence, all the judge would say was, "You weren't drinking...on New Year's Eve...right." I was sentenced to a one-month ban on driving.

Darkness can often hide the right path to take. When that happens and you're not sure where to go, pray for wisdom to light your path.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

Jan 10

After finishing off a "mid-rats" sandwich, I put on my heavy pea-coat and prepared to stand the midnight-to-4 am watch on the quarterdeck. My ship was in dry-dock at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in early February. As I opened the steel door to the flight deck, an arctic blast hit me. Three of us stood watch there, keeping an eye on the walkway and controlling access between the ship and the yard. It was bitterly cold and we wondered how we were going to survive another 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Off to one side was a huge pile of at least 400 kapok life preservers, awaiting maintenance. With our heads down we moved behind the mound, hopeful that it would be better. Nope. So we all burrowed our way into the center of the pile, leaving just enough of a gap to see through. Though we were grown men, we giggled with relief.

But trouble doesn't always come in physical form. If you are weighed down emotionally or spiritually, seek His hiding place for refuge from the storm.

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7

Jan 11

Arriving in Elliot Bay, we tied up to a downtown Seattle pier to lend our presence to their annual SeaFair celebration. Once the mooring lines were secure, a platform and walkway were brought over to give us access to the pier. Looking it over and feeling uncomfortable with the arrangement, I decided to check information about the local tides.

"Captain, when low tide comes tonight the walkway won't be safe to use. The wharf master didn't put fenders between the ship and pier." He thought about it for a moment and said, "You're the Command Duty Officer tonight. I trust you to arrange for a tugboat and take care of it." I thanked him and responded, "But I'll have to take in the mooring lines, sir. Technically, the ship will be underway." He smiled. "Just have a token rope between us and the pier. I'm going ashore, and we don't want to break any rules, do we?"

Early in my Navy career, I made it a habit to think "What's the worst possible thing that could happen?" More than once, it saved equipment from damage. I imagine that King Solomon might have had his own personal phrases that helped him.

"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." Proverbs 19:2

Jan 12

A weekend family campout took us to the high-altitude mountain town of Idyllwild. Halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles, you're deep into a beautiful pine forest, with a convenient state park right on the outskirts of town. After a day of seeing the sights, we returned to the campground to cook dinner. As the sun set, the temperature quickly dropped to freezing. The boys were shivering and it was just too cold to eat at the table. So we took our food inside the tent and ate from within our sleeping bags. Afterwards, it was a long and cold night.

The next day was bathed in sunlight and we again had a great time. But back at camp that evening, my wife and I stood there thinking back on yesterday's cold. With hardly a word said, we quickly broke camp and were driving down the mountain in less than 10 minutes. An hour later, we were back in our warm home.

Sometimes, through our own choices, we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations. It's natural for parents to be concerned for their children's welfare. It's (super)natural that God does the same for us.

"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you..." Isaiah 66:13

I am enjoying this series. good work

Jan 13

At long last, after 12 weeks of boot camp, 5 weeks of navigation training, and 2 week's travel, I had finally arrived at my first real duty station. My first glimpse of the ship was through a gap in the boat's canvas cover, protecting us from a driving rain. All I could really see was a towering wall of steel, stained with rust.

I was escorted to the mess (dining) hall and told to wait. I looked around and saw a huge coffee machine and a stack of cups. Well, I thought, I'm going to be here for the next 20 years, so I might as well get used to it. I poured myself a cup and took a drink. Vile! It took self-control not to spit it out. On top of the bitter taste, the coffee was lukewarm. It was my first and last cup ever.

The apostle John wrote of people in the church of Laodicea, warning them that the Lord was disappointed in their walk. Those whose faith was cold at least had the potential of realizing their condition and turning towards God. But those who were half in and half out were too comfortable to be of much use.

"So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:16

January 14

On the second day of Navy boot camp, my company lined up outside the dentist's examination room. I was among the first recruits who went in and got a quick thumb's-up. As I got up to leave, the dentist smiled and said, "Not so fast. You're going to assist me for the rest of your company."

And for the next three hours I was his assistant, handing him a variety of dental tools and using suction equipment on my fellow recruits. At times it became rather intense, as some of them had apparently never been seen by a dentist before. I remember thinking some had never owned a toothbrush, either. Some of the recruits moaned and cried during their time in the chair. If only they had taken better care of themselves.

Jesus marveled at how well a Roman centurion was taking care of himself and his family, even praising him for his faith. But He had a warning for those who knew better, yet have no faith.

"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 8:12

January 15

My brother and his family once met mine in New Mexico for a summer camping trip. The high desert was brutally hot, although a side trip to Carlsbad Caverns brought a few hours of relief. On another day, I spotted something on a map...a spring.

Curious and hopeful, we all piled into cars and headed down the rough road. It was too hot to chance running the air conditioners, so we lowered the windows and imitated dogs. Nothing but sagebrush and cacti for miles. And then we arrived.

It was a rocky outcrop, with water gushing out into a large pool. Outer garments quickly came off and my brother and I jumped in at the same time. A second later, we were out of the nearly-freezing water, trying to get warm again. For the rest of the afternoon, we cautiously stepped in and out of the pool.

Walking around and seeing dozens of tracks, we could see it was an important source of life-giving water to the whole area. For those who are spiritually thirsty, Jesus is the source of never-ending life.

January 16

The military prison that I worked at was typically never half-full, which is a good thing. But a federal official, looking for ways to solve his problems, made a move to take over half our facility. It took a few months, but walls were constructed to divide the prison, and a private security company was hired to run the federal side. In short order, over 200 illegal aliens with felony convictions were brought in.

Things went well the first two weeks, until their prisoners rioted and set numerous fires. The security company's guards panicked and ran away, never to be seen again. And for fear of the rioting prisoners, the base fire department couldn't enter. So we mobilized our military staff to restore order. Many were later recognized for heroism, as they had rescued prisoners overcome by smoke. Federal prison buses then arrived to take away their convicts. We never saw them again, either.

Hired men will not often risk their lives to protect what is not theirs. Nehemiah was an Old Testament prophet who wept at the crumbing walls of Jerusalem, knowing that they could never protect its inhabitants. Wisely, he assigned men and their families to specific areas of the wall, which they would rebuild and protect.

"The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away." Nehemiah 12:43

January 17

While at sea on our way to the Persian Gulf, a seaman burst into my office. "Sir, we're going to lose the motor whaleboat!" As I ran to the back of the ship, I was trying to figure out what the problem was. We had recently gone to flight quarters for helicopter operations. As part of that, we put our lifeboat in the ready position, in case of emergency. A boat davit system has two large arms that are mechanically-controlled and can lower the boat into a position where the electric winches then lowers the boat on wire cables to the water if necessary. As I reached the flight deck and looked towards the boat davit, I was stunned.

One of the heavy steel arms had literally snapped and the other arm was twisted like a pretzel. The boat was now hanging vertically from a single wire cable, in danger of dropping into the ocean. Coordinating our actions with the bridge, we successfully lowered the boat to the water before the cable snapped. A volunteer went down to the boat and disconnected it, though there was still an attached nylon line.

After getting the volunteer back up, we let the boat drift towards the stern. The plan was to pull it around to the opposite side, where a crane could then hoist the boat back onboard and place it onto a cradle. Unfortunately, the seas were too rough and the line snapped. We lost the boat, but no one was injured.

Although everyday life can seem safe and even boring, danger can be around the next corner. That's always been true, as King Solomon was keenly aware of.

"The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Proverbs 27:12

January 18

My ship was entering the harbor of August Bay on the island of Sicily, preparing to drop off supplies. There were two tugboats assisting us, one up front and one in back, both attached to us with a 6-inch towing hawser. Everything was going smoothly, until an unexpected wind squall hit us. The force of the wind was pushing us much too quickly towards the pier. Damage was imminent.

The harbor pilot was directing the tugboats, so he ordered them to pull us back. I could hear the boat engines getting louder, but they weren't having any effect. The pilot then ordered full power, and the air filled with diesel smoke and the water was whipped to a froth. All of a sudden, the front tug's towline snapped with a loud noise. Stretched beyond it's limit, the line then shot back at us like a rubber band. The broken end hit our officer's motorboat with great force, causing it to rock back and forth. Fortunately, another than needing a paint touch-up, there was no damage.

Although we Americans pride ourselves on our independence, most things can't be done on our own. We need the help of others, and that is especially true in spiritual matters. Don't forget to include the entire Holy Trinity in your praise and prayers.

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

January 19

My older son and I stood on the rural airport tarmac, looking at the one-engine Cessna plane. A tow rope was attached to its tail, and it led to the nose of a glider directly behind. After a safety briefing, the two pilots went to their cockpits to prepare. My son and I squeezed in behind the glider pilot.

After the plane's engine was warmed up, it started to taxi down the runway, with our glider in tow. In what seemed no time, the plane took to the skies with the glider obediently behind. For several minutes, we flew in a series of lazy turns, gaining altitude. Then we heard the tow rope disconnect, followed by nothing but the rush of air across the glider's wings.
Without the benefit of an engine, we were flying like a bird, looking for "thermals" of warm air to lift us. We wanted to stay up there forever, but gravity always wins in the end, and we made a smooth landing.

Whether its gravity or the pressures of life, we are constantly being pulled down from where we'd rather be. In the unmistakable presence of God, it can be hard to return to the cares of the world. We can whine and wish all we can, or we can take the opportunity to get recharged and get back up there.

January 20

My younger son and I were on a long-planned kayak trip on the Missouri. We were paddling upstream, intending to spend the night at the exact location where Lewis and Clark camped. After several hours, we pulled our kayaks out of the water and turned around to face a sign: "Extreme Fire Danger - No Camping."

Disappointing to say the least, but we had cell phone coverage and arranged for my wife to pick us up several miles further upstream. We had a quick meal, but dreaded more hours of paddling against the current. Minutes later, an aluminum fishing boat tied up to the dock. It turned out that the owner, Dave, was formerly in the Navy and he agreed to tow us upstream.

We quickly packed up and got back in the water. Sitting in our kayaks, my son and I held on to each side of the boat. Taking off, Dave finished off his beer and reached in a box for something else. Drinking straight from a bottle of tequila, he was laughing as he sped up and slowed down, and turned right and left.

I looked at my son, who gave me a thumb's-up. At least Dave was saving us hours of work. Another sharp turn to the right and the boat was pointed to a shoreline covered with big boulders. I kept waiting for Dave to straighten out, but then his eyes rolled back and he passed out.

I yelled at my son to let go, just before the boat crashed onto the rocks. You could hear the motor propeller disintegrating and Dave's friend jumped back to shut down the outboard. We helped pull the boat off the rocks and watched as it drifted downstream with the two men. That was the last we ever saw of them.

The book of Acts tells the story of how Paul was once shipwrecked on the island of Malta. His watchfulness ensured that all those onboard survived and serves as an example for us to follow.

January 21

Navy ships are able to stay at sea for long periods of time through a potentially dangerous mission performed on a weekly basis. An underway replenishment is when a "customer" ship approaches the "delivery" ship. The latter maintains a set speed and course while the customer ship gets closer, on average 100 feet, and matches the course and speed. Wires ropes, under hydraulic tension, connect the two ships and provide the means for cargo delivery.

On one such unrep, a thirsty aircraft carrier came alongside for hundreds of thousands of gallons of jet fuel. After all the wires and hoses were rigged, we settled into the quiet routine of pumping fuel. But vigilance is key, as the presence of so much flammable liquid is dangerous.

The BOOM! was so loud we instinctively ducked our heads. Did one of the fuel tanks explode? As it turned out, one of the carrier's fighter jet pilots had decided to show off and flew at supersonic speed right over our ships. We weren't impressed, and the wing commander later apologized to us.

Someone who had been entrusted with great responsibility should have exercised greater care. Paul wrote of how the elders of the church also carried great responsibility for those under their care. It is timeless wisdom for the ages.

"An elder must be...not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient." Titus 1:6

January 22

After eating lunch onboard ship, I took advantage of the remaining free time to find a quiet place to read. I normally joined a Bible study, but today I just felt like being by myself. I went up to the chartroom, which is about the size of the average household bathroom. I sat down on a swivel chair, put my feet up and opened a magazine to read.

A moment later, someone put his hand on my shoulder. I knew that I was the only person in the room, but it felt so real I just had to turn around. Nope, nobody was there. Seconds later, an announcement was made over the PA system. "Bible study is now being held in the ship's library." I put down the magazine and joined them.

Whether through His word or His hand, know that the Lord desires us to stay close to Him. It's for our own benefit.

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." Psalm 139:9-10