From Sea Level To Mountaintop

January 23

For the first time in decades, the US Navy was preparing to conduct an amphibious landing under combat conditions. Somalia was falling apart under the control of competing warlords and members of international aid groups were in danger.

In the pre-dawn hours, my ship was preparing to launch a dozen amphibious assault vehicles (AAV), each with about 10 Marines inside. The AAVs were staged in our well deck, ready to launch once the stern gate was lowered. Their engines were belching clouds of heavy exhaust, which our ventilation system was struggling to clear. I was standing on one of the catwalks above the vehicles.

BOOM! Looking around in alarm, I couldn't pinpoint the source for the noise. Green light for launch, and the AAVs roared out and splashed into the ocean and made for Mogadishu. Later, we found out what happened. A nervous gunner on one of the vehicles had mistakenly fired his grenade launcher. The projectile penetrated the ventilation duct 10 feet away from where I was standing and exploded. Fortunately, the duct had contained the shrapnel. I didn't vent any anger. I just marveled at God's hand in protecting me through my wife's prayers.

"May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other." Genesis 31:49

January 24

My ship was approaching a 2 a.m. rendezvous point where we were to join a 30-ship formation. I was the conning officer and responsible for working out and executing a serious of maneuvers to get us to our assigned spot. On this moonless night, all I could see were the other ships' white masthead lights up high and green running lights down low.

I had no distance perception in the dark, so I was relying on the radar set. Working my way through more than one fervent prayer, I matched dots with the names of ships. After working out course and speed changes, I prayed a final time and made my move. Over the next 20 minutes, I safely weaved my way through the formation to our assigned station.

There will always be challenges as we navigate through life. We can do it the hard way, the harder way, or the hardest way. The hardest way is trying to do everything on our own. The hard way is what it is, but keeping Him in it makes it a little easier.

"The path of life leads upward for the wise..." Proverbs 15:24

January 25

It was a glorious day on the Pacific Ocean, returning to Westport, Washington after a morning of catching salmon. By far, I was the youngest person on the charter boat, but I had caught my limit like everyone else.

As we neared the harbor, the shallower depths made for high seas. All the other passengers retired to the boat's cabin, but I braced myself in a corner outside. Every 10 seconds, the swells lifted us high and then dropped us into a deep trough. The skipper looked down at me from the flying bridge, laughing out loud and enjoying himself.

But he lost his smile once back at the dock and opening the cabin door. All of the other passengers had gotten violently sick. While life can be thrilling at times, it's wise to avoid tossing seas whenever possible.

"But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud." Isaiah 57: 20

January 26

Towards the end of my naval career, I became the go-to guy for protecting amphibious ships against chemical and biological agent attack. I wasn't the person who knew the most, but I was asking the tough questions and working towards solutions.

I found myself taking a lot of short-term trips to the Middle East, and I always got sick. On top of the jet lag, it was beyond miserable. I mentioned this to someone, who told me that the airliner's recirculated air was the culprit. I was getting germs from the sick guy 30 rows in front of me! The solution? Putting a little Neosporin up each nostril before getting on the plane. And I was never sick again.

Fighting the virus at the entry point was the way to go. Similarly, we need the Lord's help to protect our heart and mind from the things of this world that will enter us and harm us.

January 27

Getting the OK from our parents, my brother and I took a one-week bicycle trip to the San Juan Islands. After taking the ferry there, we rode to our campsite and celebrated by cooking a pound of bacon. We decided to save the other pack for our final morning.

Picking up the bacon on the last day, I screamed like a little girl and dropped it. Although the original package was still sealed, the bacon was crawling with maggots. And that's the reason why God made bacon off-limits to the Israelites. Without a way to keep raw pork cold, He knew the parasites would sicken them.

There's always a reason why God keeps us from enjoying some things that seem not to have any downside. Trust that He has your bests interests at heart.

January 28

During my tugboat skipper training, the day's schedule took us to a fuel depot close to the mouth of a river. Because of the level of difficulty, the seasoned tug master told me to step back and watch how it was done. Getting in and tying up a fuel barge alongside was the easy part.

The river current took over at that point, making the tug's thousand-horsepower diesel engine next to useless. We tore out an elevated walkway, multiple power cables and assorted items by the time we cleared the pier. After a couple of quiet minutes, the tug master turned to me and said, "And that's how not to do it."

Never underestimate the power of water. It can quickly make us weak, even as we claim to have strength on our own. It takes time and wisdom to make the right choice, whether it's for a physical or spiritual outcome.

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching..." Ephesians 4:14

January 29

It was a quiet weekday afternoon tied to the pier in Long Beach. Deciding to make a final walk around the ship, I got up and missed the doorknob by several inches. As the heavy bouncing motions ceased, my first thought was someone had released the anchor. I ran up to the foc'sle, but everything was as it should be.

A few minutes later, someone said there was a radio station announcement of an earthquake. At that time, I had no idea that a quake could do that to a ship. But water is a pretty good conductor of energy waves, as we all found out years later after a series of destructive tsunamis.

Things that are solid look like they will last forever, but their foundation is often on shaky ground. Trust in Jesus to be your solid rock.

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken..." (Hebrews 12:28)

January 30

On a wall in my home is a framed collection of arrowheads that our family had found over the years, mostly in Idaho. But my Dad told me the story about one that had gotten away. We were camping with his brother's family, and my father had found a unique treasure.

It was a large and intact curved obsidian blade. Quite beautiful to behold, it may have been an artifact used for ceremonial purposes. My father carefully wrapped it and placed it under a car seat for safe-keeping. But the next day, it turned up missing. And worse, it caused a family rift that never healed.

Someone had given in to temptation. Someone had not forgiven. And in the background, a sinister laugh.

"...I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us..." (2 Corinthians 2:10)

January 31

I don't know if it was intentional, or just an accidental alignment of the calendar, but a group canoe trip was planned during the return of Halley's Comet. Its orbit through the solar system brings it to Earth's skies once every 86 years, so it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime event. We observed it from the shore of the Colorado River, away from any light pollution, and it was awesome to see.

Many astronomers hold to a belief that the universe is many billions of years old. At the same time, scientists believe that the lifespan of Halley's comet is expected to be between 2000-40,000 years. So...wait a minute. If that's the length of their existence, we should have run out of comets billions of years ago. Unless the universe is much younger than we think. Hmmmm.

"Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night..." Genesis 1:13

February 1

I've always tried to be the guy that learns from other people's mistakes. During a port visit to Acapulco, I was in line to try para-sailing and watched various errors by tourists, caused by not listening to instructions. My turn had come and I was strapped into the harness. I looked at the angle of the towline to the boat and started to wonder.

The boat took off and I went up...about 5 feet. Then I went sideways along the beach as tourists dove for the sand to avoid getting hit by the towrope. I was still going sideways when I noticed a group of anchored boats, some with tall antennae. Yep, my rope hit one and I went down hard, fortunately into the water. Before I had a chance to change my mind, the ride crew had me in a new harness and dry chute. The second time went much better.

It all went by so fast, I didn't have a chance to call out for help. David's life was full of danger, so he wrote a Psalm in preparation. "O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!" Psalm 71:12

February 2

After a long walk through the forest, my father found what he was looking for. Handing me the double-sided axe, he left to find another. But not before telling me to be careful. In pride, I said, "I know what I'm doing." A huge wood burl was at ground level, but still attached to a tree. Once cut and polished, the wood grain of burls was a sight to see.

After a few minutes of inspired chopping, my tired arms lost their accuracy. The next blow glanced off the hard wood and the axe head planted itself into the ground...after going through my tennis shoe. I didn't scream or anything, just stood there looking at my foot. Carefully, I pulled it free and took off the shoe. The blade had also cut through my sock and went between a couple of toes, where it mercifully stopped before making contact.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Whether spoken or written, it's prudent to take wise words to heart.

February 3

Canyon Ferry Lake is enormous, formed by a dam on the Missouri River in Montana. Because it's so big, it can create its own weather. I was camping on the shoreline one night, with my son's family in a nearby tent. All went well until he pounded on my door in the middle of the night.

A windstorm had come up and destroyed their tent, bending the poles and repeatedly lifting the tent with the family inside. Everyone, including two dogs, took refuge in my fifth wheel and waited for daylight. As expected, the tent was a loss and their anchored boat had been driven ashore.

Paul and his fellow travelers had experienced a storm which threatened their lives. But then and now, God protects those who are near to Him. "And so it was that they all escaped safely to land."

February 4

During the first summer of my long-delayed retirement, I fulfilled a dream of skippering my own sailboat. It wasn't a big one, but still had a myriad of lines to figure out. If it hadn't been for my years in the Navy, I would have been even more confused.

On my first outing, the winds were light and progress was slow, frustrating me. Afterwards, I trailered the boat and prepared to go home. A park ranger came by and mentioned that a bigger sailboat had gotten caught in a fast-arriving storm a couple of days ago. It's crew of 4 had been rescued after it capsized, but it later sunk to the bottom.

On my day on the water, the weather matched my inexperience, keeping me out of trouble. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18)

February 5

While on liberty in NYC, I was walking down a street and noticed an old man standing on the curb. He was unkempt and wearing disheveled clothes, and kept looking left and right. When there was a break in traffic, he stepped out into the street and walked up to a manhole cover. With a great flourish, he pulled out a set of drumsticks and played them on the steel surface. He was actually quite good. When he finished, he stepped back to the curb and waited for the next traffic break.

Years later, I was watching the news on TV. A new segment started, showing a reporter speaking from an urban location. Then the camera panned over to someone on the street with drumsticks. With a big smile on my face, I yelled out, "I know him!" And my wife gave me a look of deep concern.

Normally, I might have ignored the man, but there was something different that caught my attention. He quietly offered something to those who took the time to see, and I was richer for it. "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

February 6

The text from our son read, "Truck stuck by Crow Creek Falls." Earlier in the day, he and his family drove into the Elkhorn Mountains. The sun was about to set, and they were at least 50 miles away. We threw food, water and blankets into our truck and took off, calling the sheriff's department in the next county for help.

One met us in the foothills and we followed him in the dark on rough roads for nearly 20 miles. Nearing midnight, our headlights reflected off our son's vehicle and grandchildren rushed over for hugs. We drove everyone home, but pulling the truck out of the mud had to wait for the next day.

Without the deputy, we would never have found them that night. Following him was the best decision. "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong." (Exodus 23:2)

February 7

During basic training, my company commander was a "Brown Navy" riverboat skipper who received a Bronze Medal in Vietnam. He just had a certain way about him that made us work for his approval. How did he take 80 teenagers and quickly mold us into an effective unit? The six Ps.

Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Using examples from his own career, he drilled us with this phrase as much as our marching. He trained us to carefully plan every activity of every day. And on graduation day, our company flag had more accolades on it than any other. We didn't lose a single recruit, and actually picked up "rejects" from other companies and turned them around.

I used his phrase throughout my own career, and I began to use another one as well: Proper Prior Prayer Prevents Poor Plans. Too often, we wake up in the morning and charge out the door, over-confident in our own abilities. We'll do much better when the Lord is a part of our plan.

February 8

Normally, fishing was very good inside the breakwater of Shilshole Bay by Seattle. But on this day, the water seemed lifeless. I leaned the rod against the railing, stretched and started to walk down the pier back to the parking lot. But when I got there, I heard the unmistakable sound of fishing line screaming off the reel.

Running back, I wondered what kind of fish would be doing that. Not the usual saltwater bottom fish, it had to be...a salmon! Just as I slid to a stop and reached for the rod, the last few feet of line were pulled off the reel and there was silence. Whatever I had caught had escaped and my heart was still pounding.

Without a doubt, the life of a fisherman is filled with highs and lows. For those who do it for a living, it can be all they have to support their families. I have always admired those disciples who put their livelihood down to follow Jesus. And people have been doing that for 2000 years.

"Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." (Luke 5:10)

February 9

Far from being a uniformly hot and bland landscape, Southern California has a varied topography. And until ruined by millions of backyard lights, it was the building site for ground-breaking telescopes. We visited one and stayed at the adjoining state park.

The family was hiking a trail and noticed a strange "cloud" swirling around at ground level. It was about 100 feet in length and half of that in height. I stepped back as it menacingly moved towards me. As the edge enveloped me, I had to smile. Lady bugs, hundreds of thousands of them.

Just when you think you've seen it all, God shares something new. But visual treats pale in comparison to spiritual truths that He longs to share with us. "For by him all things were created...all things were created by him and for him." (Colossians 1:16)

February 10

It was a quiet Saturday morning, and my brother and I were fishing from a rowboat in the waters by Seattle. We were bottom-fishing, which meant relaxing and soaking up the sun. About a half-mile away, something caught our attention. We rowed faster and faster as we realized it was a capsized boat.

Coming alongside, we saw a man and little boy hanging on in the cold water. We pulled them aboard and rowed to shore. As the man told his story, we learned that the boy had leaned over the side while the boat was moving. In grabbing him, the center of balance was lost and they went into the water.

In our busy lives, we are prone to letting things get out of balance. By keeping Jesus at the center, we can avoid the inevitable pitfalls.

February 11

Accurate celestial navigation depends on knowing the exact time. For example, a one-minute error in time can lead to a 15 mile error in the ship's location. Normally, we received the time on a radio frequency, but sometimes atmospherics interfered. On those nights, we relied on nautical timepieces called chronometers.

For them to maintain their accuracy, we wound them everyday, although they would run for 3 days. And then the unthinkable happened. The person responsible for the weekend windings forgot, and they stopped. That person thought about going UA (unauthorized absence), but waited until Monday to face the music.

My chief took me into the chartroom where the stopped chronometers were and locked the door behind us. He then swore me to secrecy and showed me how to get them restarted. It would now take a month's worth of radio time comparison to restore our trust in them, but the alternative was much worse. Why did he show me how to do it? Because he knew I would have my own division one day and would need to save someone's career. And he ended up being right.

God's grace is a bit like restarting our own lives when we seriously mess up. Thank Him for the second chances that we all get.

February 12

Like a little boy at Disneyland, I hopped off the ferry and hurried to the next attraction. Walking quickly, I went around the last building...and my heart sank. Instead of being afloat, looking like it was still ready to sail against the British fleet, the USS Constitution was partially stripped down and laying in a dry dock for repairs.

My feelings were buoyed going through a museum next door. With curiosity, I stopped by a table and waited for it to open at the appointed time. A petty officer arrived and laid out engraving tools and a stack of copper plates. And that's how my name ended up on the hull of this great warship, still commissioned after more than two centuries.

Whether your future battles are physical or spiritual, lean on the Lord's strength and know that He will be there. "Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us." (Nehemiah 4:20)

February 13

Around 1990, I organized a winter campout for 5 groups of boys and their leaders. Being east of San Diego, it wasn't too cold, but there was enough snow to teach them winter survival skills. On the last morning, I shared a message about the plans God has for each of us. We wrapped up the day by writing down what we thought we would be doing in 10 years' time. The papers were put into a time capsule and buried, with promises to meet there on Jan 1, 2000 to dig it up.

On the appointed day a few of us drove back to the campground and walked up to the site with a shovel...but never used it. At some point, park rangers had built a fence around the spot in order to protect an endangered plant.

Although we didn't remember what we had written down a decade ago, we could be sure God knew what His plan for us was. ' "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord," "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ' (Jeremiah 29:11)

February 14

A TV news story prompted the base to tackle a long-term problem. Hundreds of sailors were awaiting action on their discharges, many having to do with disciplinary problems. Most of them ended up being non-supervised, and some had actually left and restarted their lives. I was one of several sailors that had been temporarily pulled from their jobs to restore order to the chaos. It was tough work, to say the least.

After a couple of months, I was ordered to report to the base commanding officer. He talked about the importance of what we were doing and then dropped a bombshell. "Your chief says you aren't cooperating, and are working against him." He said more, but I was so flustered I wasn't processing it. "So what do have to say for yourself?"

Finding my voice, I said that "I honestly feel like you're talking about someone else, sir. The chief has never told me anything negative." We talked for another minute and then I was excused. Returning to the barracks, I found the Chief and asked, "What was that all about?" He never responded, and for the next 4 months, he never looked me in the eye.

Being falsely accused is something that has always been around. In response to a soldier's question about what they should do, Jesus responded, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely..." (Luke 3:14)

February 15

On our way back to the ship from a Kenyan photo safari, our van went off-road and stopped at a traditional Swahili village. While our driver haggled over the entry fee with the tribal chief, I examined various features. There was a 10-foot wall constructed from thorny briers around all the whole village. The gate was open, but I could tell they brought the cattle inside at night for safety from lions.

Entering the village, it wasn't long before a young man not yet out of his teens motioned for me to follow him. I stooped to enter his small hut and looked around. With a smile on his face, he began talking in his native language and pointing to various items. It suddenly dawned on me that he was showing off his new home. Although his possessions were few, he was proud of being on his own.

When we look at our own lives, they can often be cluttered and distracted by too many things that aren't important. David may have felt the same way, for he wrote, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." (Psalm 119:9) Make room to simplify what you can for what's eternally important.

February 16

Although they are "Assistant" Navigators, a ship's senior quartermaster has the real responsibility for the safe navigation of a ship. Early hours and late hours are the routine, adding celestial fixes to the mix. In waking up our Chief, the routine was to help him light a cigarette in bed. It was the only way to make sure he stayed awake.

As the Leading Petty Officer, I had an idea. I told the Chief that he had taught me a lot and that I was ready for a new challenge. I proposed that I could take on the duties of Assistant Navigator between the hours of midnight and noon, and he could take the other shift. It worked out well, as I lifted half the burden of responsibility, and he got a good night's sleep every day.

Having lived among us, Jesus understands our weariness and provides rest. His promise to us is, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...For my yoke is easy and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30)