Alaska Report #5… A Whale of a Ride

The ferry ride to Wrangell was the best (for me) for many reasons. Not the least of which was that I caught my first-ever glance of a whale's tail (several of them!) sweeping up out of the water. Until then, I had seen a bit of back and fin rising up and over, almost like a giant wheel rolling by. Or a blast of mist as one came up for a quick breath of air and went down, again. Once--at night--I even turned in time to see an entire head of an Orca pop up behind us to watch as we passed by.

I have also seen many of the small white Beluga whales that frequent the Cook Inlet in Alaska. I am always looking for whales. Even when I fly in airplanes, low over water, I am looking for them. Which is why I am embarrassed to admit that I did not recognize my first glimpse of that whale's tale for what it really was. This because I was so busy watching antics of the ducks and birds we were passing by (it was dusk, and dinnertime for most wildlife) that I thought I was looking at some giant eagle that had picked up a fish too big to carry and was floundering. Can you believe that? Too true. 

But then I saw a back and a fin, and a spout of steam, and--"Oh, my gosh, Shale--come and see!" They were all over the place. We saw them all along that particular passage. But try as I might, they were always too far away, or the ferry was too bumpy, to catch them on video. But I'm going to show you a picture from tour guides, to show you exactly what we saw. It was all very exciting, and one of the high points of the trip.

After the sun went down, however, everyone settled in for the long voyage. We had a sports team of high-schoolers aboard, along with many of their families. You could tell they were old hands at this form of travel, as they spread themselves all over every nook and cranny of the the ferry. Lots of family groups sitting in stairwells, while toddlers enjoyed running up and down cabin corridors, and one had to step over many sleeping forms to get to the vending machines if you wanted a snack before bed. 

Meanwhile, Shale and I got a lot of work done on our respective agendas. It was marvelous, really, to think one could continue a work schedule in the middle of large stretches of wilderness, with absolutely no towns, or villages, for miles and miles. But I did have one amazing incident during this time, that proved to me--beyond a shadow of doubt--that here is nowhere on earth where the good Lord cannot get in touch with you. Because in the middle of the night, with no cell phone or Internet service--I got a voicemail from a family member who needed some immediate prayer. I tried calling right back, but couldn't get through. But I prayed. Which was the important thing.

By the time we came back into civilization, the crisis was over. But I knew I was meant to get that particular message, and lend my prayers to others. Something that went a long way in convincing me that no matter how far one wanders, for any reason, one is never out of touch with the Lord. More importantly, I will not miss anything that He wants me to participate in. Even if I have to tap into "heavenly circuits" to do it. 

Probably one of the most important lessons I've learned out here.

Thank you, God.

Tomorrow, we dock in Wrangell: gateway to what is known as "deep north."

Hugs and blessings,

Lilly

(who is waving hello to my good writer friend, Clare Revell, over in England, today… "Ahoy, Clare! Alaska is a fascinating place to send a character to for a bit of adventure… even if they have to come all the way from Headley Cross!)

Long Time Gone...

It has been a long time since I left on my Mystery Tour. This time, last year, we had only a few weeks left till departure time, and a mountain of household effects to get into storage. After ten years of living on the farm we were pretty well entrenched. But it was all very exciting. And what an itinerary we had planned!

We were looking for gold.

Up hills, down hills, off the beaten path to out-of-the-way places… some where only ghosts visited anymore. Did we find any gold? Yes. And to this day, I carry it around in the bottom of my purse to remind me of that fact. Did I slake my thirst for prospecting? Not hardly. Once you're hooked, you're hooked. But we also found gold of a very different sort, that turned out to be a lot more valuable for us than the other kind.

It has to do with our search for divine appointments (do they really exist?), and what might happen if our dreams somehow collided with God's plan for our lives (is there one of those for everybody?). Not only are these fascinating subjects, but to actually encounter such things could turn a person's entire life on its ear. Which it did. And I told exactly how that happened in the wonderful anthology 21 STORIES OF FAITH by Shelley Hitz. 

In company with twenty other stories of people bumping into the same kind of stuff. How encouraging is that? Enough to keep us going on, instead of going home, that's for sure. Because it has also occurred to the Captain and I that if God provided us with this boat in such a miraculous way, He just might have somewhere He would like to take us in it. Right?

So, we will be leaving Liberty Bay on June first. Heading north. That's all we know so far. But considering how things went last year, that's plenty! Here's hoping you will all come along for the ride. To keep us on track, give us your advice (this time, we'll be doing a lot of stuff we've never done before. Yikes!), and maybe even help us to feel not so alone in some of the wilderness places we will be traveling through. At the moment, I'm thinking about bears.

But I guess I'll talk about that next time.

Glory B. Too...

There are several important things we need before we start our journey north. One of which is a dinghy. This because there are times we will be “on the hook” (at anchor) and will need some way of getting ashore. We were thinking this would be a fairly major expense since we had been watching the classifieds for several months, and nothing came up that seemed a good fit. 

Then, one Saturday, we had a sudden urge to drive to nearby Port Townsend (love it when that happens), and see if there might be any for sale there. Imagine our surprise to find that the used marine equipment store was going out of business that week, and they did have a couple to choose from. One of which was a traditional little sailing dinghy, complete with mast, sail, centerboard, teak seats, and grates for the bottom (so your things don't get wet should she take on a bit of water). Not to mention the cutest little anchor and fenders, too. All for about one third the price of what a simple dinghy with no extras was going for in the papers. Is God good, or what?

Considering the fact that we also got several other items on our “to go” list—like a bosun's chair in case the Captain might have to get to the top of the masts for any reason—we decided that little jaunt wasn't anything less than another divine appointment for us. So, we brought our new little treasure home and christened her the “GLORY B. TOO.” She will get a new coat of paint and some trim inside and out when we go to dry dock, same as the GLORY B. 

But that didn't stop us from trying her out on an overnight campout to a place called Blake Island. A small island, only accessible by boat, that has a unique view of the Seattle skyline from the campsites. So, we rounded up another “family crew” and decided to explore. Details are in my newsletter, along with a few other things. Like how you can get a free advanced copy of my soon-to-be-released, new inspirational adventure novel called THE PANDORA BOX.

Meanwhile, the GLORY B. TOO behaved beautifully, and is officially a member of the family, now. Of course, she immediately got taken over by the younger set, but hey...

You have to keep building those dreams!

The Real Thing, or Not?

Half of life seems to be just waiting for things. I'm waiting for negotiations to be completed on the GLORY B. I'm waiting for Stella Madison's visit on Friday. I'm waiting for a release date on THE PANDORA BOX, and I'm waiting on decisions on two young adult novels that are very close to my heart. I guess you could say they are part of my heart.

Having spent a lot of time on a farm, I've learned something about waiting by watching animals. They never fuss about it. The longer it takes, the more determined they get, and -- most importantly -- they never take their eyes off what they are waiting for. For instance, if a dog sees you walk through a door, he will sit there and watch that door until you come out, again. 

If the weather is bad, creatures that you normally see out-and-about all day, will "hole up" somewhere to wait it out. Doing little else but sleeping. And if life gets too rough for turtles, they go into a dormant state that can last months (even years) until times get better. They have survived drought and famines that way. And, oddly enough, they live longer than almost any other creature on the planet. Hmmm…

Myself, I tend to get involved in something absorbing when I have to wait for things. Mostly reading. I get a lot of books read and reviewed during times like these. But I'll tell you, when something comes up on your horizon that you've been waiting for years to come through, the wait can get pretty intense. And I don't mind saying the Captain and I are in for some pretty big changes when these things finally get here. Which suddenly makes me realize I maybe should be packing instead of just sitting around. 

Because I have a feeling this next leg of the MYSTERY TOUR is going to be the best one, yet. Besides, if there's one thing I've learned about God's way of doing things, the whole situation could change in the blink of an eye. And usually does.

Wednesdays are the days I said we would talk about divine appointments. Any ideas out there how you can tell if an encounter is, or isn't, one?

I'm listening...

The Poll Is Closed…

Dear family and friends… the vote is in (but please vote on the new question as long as you're here). Most of you believe in divine appointments, but not by much. Dear me! Here's hoping following our adventures on my 2012 MYSTERY TOUR this summer will help prove your point. So far, it is definitely proving ours. 

What a weekend we've had! Up, then down, then up, again. But isn't that the nature of life? As it stands, right now, it is looking very good for the GLORY B (scroll down to catch a glimpse of her on last Friday's video log if you haven't, already). Which makes the Captain and I nearly giddy with excitement. But we are trying to contain ourselves. Of course, you will be the first to know as soon as we iron out the details. Meanwhile, this is a very special week for me…

Because my good friend, Stella Madison, will be arriving on the scene. She's quite the mysterious woman, herself, and I don't mind telling you she has made an extremely generous offer to us, regarding the GLORY B. But more on that, later. As far as she, herself, is concerned, you can find out more about her over on my regular blog. I'll be posting something about her over there, every day this week. It's a big week for Stella… especially Friday! So, stay tuned for some lovely announcements…

A Divine Appointment for You…

A wonderful part of the MYSTERY TOUR is that I get to spread the word about GOLD TRAP, the first ever book with my name on it. Having taken much longer than I expected to "get all my ducks in place" for this trip, I decided to celebrate with a contest. 

Since the Captain and I are on something of a pilgrimage, here in the great northwest, as we search for the GLORY B. … (more about that later) there will be days when we are on the road from one end to the other of this state (Washington) while we look at available boats. 

So, I thought I would host a "treasure hunt" for GOLD TRAP at the same time. The prize? A signed copy which I will personally send to you from the box of books I will be taking overseas with us. What's so good about that? 

Well, to begin with, they have all been bathed in special prayers that the recipients would not only be entertained by the story, but would have a "divine encounter" of their own, to prove just how real divine appointments are. I should maybe mention, at this point, that I am a firm believer in divine appointments, myself, and that God has never NOT answered when I have petitioned him with a prayer like this. But why would I do such a thing?

Because I know there are many of you out there who have dreams -- wonderful dreams -- that have lain dormant for years, while you have been busy doing whatever it is life has required of you. But what if God (who can give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4)) will also go so far as to bring them to pass, if only we will ask him? By now, you've probably guessed that I believe that He does. In fact, it is what has made me a life-long adventurer. But what do you think…

Is this just a game, or what?

A Divine Appointment...

Why are we so interested in divine appointments? Of course, I can't speak for everyone, but the way I look at it, I can't think of anything more exciting than having something specially set up for you by God, Himself. It would imply that he cared for you enough to depend on you in some way. 

One thing I have learned about divine behavior over the years, is that God never has just one thing in mind. Whenever He intervenes, or sets something up, it always benefits more than just one person. It seems to me that whatever He touches has a ripple effect of good that spreads out in all directions, splashing wonderful things on anyone in the way. Many of whom had some sort of "help" in order to get into that position in the first place. And I am constantly in awe at how the Lord orchestrates these things. Here's an example of a recent one that "bumped" into us, just a couple of weeks ago...

Every year, for the last several years, we have traveled to a cooler location during the summer. Mostly because the Captain is an outdoor man, and once the temperature gets up over a hundred degrees and stays there for weeks on end, most otherwise enjoyable outside activities turn into torture. Since this has become such a habit for us, we decided how wonderful it would be to go back to something we have enjoyed so much on various occasions: living aboard a sailboat. Some of our most memorable times have been spent on boats. 

In fact, the more we thought about it, the more it seemed to actually fit into the "big picture" of our lives. We could see how it could even expand our ministry in many delightful ways. That would be the real draw of the thing, because if something doesn't fit in with God's "master plan," we wouldn't want to do it. Not because we are so selfless (I wish we were!), but because we have found His plans to be much more exciting than ours. And it is usually "His treat" when it comes to the expenses, too.

At any rate, we decided to "test the waters" a little bit, to see if this was really a "God idea," or not. So, we put our house up for rent. The phone started ringing within five minutes after the ad went out. Lots of people were interested. Everyone who came to see it within the next two days, wanted it. But there was one young family we had an instant connection with. It seemed they had very much wanted to live in the country (ours is a small farm), but everything they had been looking at was too expensive. So, they prayed about it. Because it really didn't look like something that would be possible for them to do. Shortly after they prayed that prayer, they saw our ad. 

I could end this story right here, and it would be enough for us to agree how good God is at working things out for everybody involved. Except I would be leaving a few special things out. Such as their desire to have some dairy goats because the goat's milk their two-year-old daughter needs is expensive. I happen to love dairy goats, and while I don't have any this year because of travel plans, the barn, pens, and pastures are already set up for them. However, we have two dogs who have been in our family for years, and we didn't look forward to losing them. So, we were more than delighted when the family agreed to take care of them for us during our travels. 

Something tells me, this is going to be a very exciting and unusual summer!

"Is it possible to miss a divine appointment simply because you fail to recognize the moment?" Hmmm…Meg wondered then if a person could actually go looking for divine appointments, and, if they got good at it, might even qualify for more…"

Taken from GOLD TRAP, the book that inspired our MYSTERY TOUR.