Follow the Leader

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were blessed to be able to take a week away from our work and family and cruise with another couple through the Western Caribbean. Two of our day excursions involved snorkeling around the island's barrier reefs where we were stopped for the day. It was my first time ever snorkeling, and my first try at it in Grand Cayman was difficult both physically and mentally, but it was during my second try off of Haiti when I figured it out. For those of you who are snorkeling naturals, I am probably preaching to the choir, but it was extremely cool to be able to see all the various coral designs and vegetation, not to mention all the various fish and crustacean species living throughout its expanse. Well, the boat that took us from the ship out to the reef could not pull right up on top of the area where we were to snorkel, so it had to anchor on a sandbar maybe a quarter of a mile away. Once all 35-40 people were geared up and in the water, our captain instructed us to follow him out to the reef and not to get ahead of him during the journey. The group was fairly calm and organized while following him out, as most folks kept their eyes on the captain while taking periodic looks beneath the surface to see what we were swimming past. However, when we reached our furthest point, and he instructed all snorkelers to begin working their way back to the boat, things got a bit crazy. Some folks had had all they wanted by this time, and attempted to go straight back towards the boat. Others were so caught up in what they were seeing beneath the surface that they swam in circles or erratic patterns, often bumping into others or the kayak positioned to keep folks out of the shallows. Still others, though, managed to steadily snorkel their way back to the boat at the same angle in which we had gone out, scanning the reef below while keeping an eye on the captain, and as a result, staying out of the shallows and off of the delicate reef.

Psalm 119:1-3 (Message)
You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.

Was Blind, But Now I See

One of the current projects that the Cool Spring sportsmen have undertaken is the development and construction of an archery range. This range is being designed for archers and bow hunters from our community to use as a convenient and adequate facility to tune their shooting skills, and also be easily adapted to host archery camps and ASA qualifier shoots if and when the opportunities present themselves. Our hope is that during the course of their regular visits to the range, that we can build relationships with them, and in the process be able to share the life changing message of Jesus Christ with them. Well, in the process of clearing shooting lanes on the range last Saturday, a tree limb came across my face, got up underneath my sunglasses, and scratched the cornea on my left eye. Six doctor's visits later, my sight is just about back to normal, and I have an all new appreciation for the gift of sight!

Matthew 6:22-23 (NASB)
"The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"