CLOSURE!
Heading Home again to a different looking driveway!
It’s Friday! Yahoo! I’m excited to head home again to Onslow County!
Maybe I’ll have some oysters this weekend, provided it’s been cold enough?
We change our helpers again! Alew goes home to his family today and our youngest daughter, Mary, comes out of the mountains of VA to the coast of NC to help us. We are excited to see Mary, especially Debby! You see Mary and her both love to quilt and they have been scheming about this weekend for a while on a project to do together, as they care for me.
I am blessed to have finished another week of chemo and radiation, PTL! I only have next week to finish radiation treatment, almost to the finish line!
With all that said, this ride home to Rock Creek is different today. Let me explain.
Last Saturday evening was a day of a significant closure for me and my immediate family. Before dinner I had asked for their help to go to our shed and help sort out all the deep ocean fishing equipment for my dear brother Bill. Why? My brother was gracious in hearing and then acting on a very special concern for me. One that was very emotional and challenging, but I knew had to be done. I needed to sell my 2019, 255 Ultra Sea Hunt boat.
Why sell the boat? First, one of the major reasons of letting go with the boat was to diminish our debt. This is my decision, one that I’m completely at peace about, as a husband wanting to care for his wife in uncertain times, as I wait upon what God has next for me. In my current state of health, my ability to captain a boat has been dramatically diminished.
Second, and as critical, selling the boat will bring some spiritual closure in an important area of my life. These words I’m about to say are deep and wide. Debby and my children will more fully understand what I am about to share, even my brother and sister, Bill and Susan.
You see my Heavenly Father has allowed my family and I to enjoy the shoals of Schackleford Banks all my life! As a child with my mom and dad, I spent summers on the amazing sands of Shackleford Banks!
As an Airman, every summer my dad would take leave and head home to Morehead! Very special time of my life, in which we would camp and spend weeks enjoying the beautiful shoreline of this special part of the crystal coast!
We would gather together with other immediate family members as well on Shackleford Banks, except for the years that our dads were in Vietnam.
Well after Debby and I married, now as an Airman myself, we came to Shackleford Banks nearly every summer!. A common generational experience to share with my children. These Banks are a haven of joy, peace, relaxation, and rejuvenation for my Lewis clan!
One must have a boat to get to Schackleford Banks! Today one can take a ferry ride there, but I prefer my boat. Speaking of which, my boat, the 2019 255 Uktra Seahunt is large, heavy, and needs experience to run. I failed to share that knowledge with my family.
Therefore when I say closure, I deeply refer to a profound, life changing, emotional catharsis of saying farewell to a deep rich family experience!
The closure is also a challenging spiritual one for me. Will I be selfish, hold on to what I am not able to now captain and put burden of selling on Debby?
In my prayer life and reflections, I heard and sensed, and then moved in order for me to help my lovely bride, my best friend, Debby, who already has enough challenges in caring for me on a daily basis.
Holy Spirit moved me to call my brother Bill.
“Bill, I am going to sell my boat so I can take a significant burden off Debby. Are you interested in buying the boat? If so, I will make you a deal that will bless us both! “
Now Bill, who has fished with me in my boat called the “Promised Lander” several times, knows how precious this boat is to me.
The Promise Lander name refers to small area of land by water on 12th and 14th street in Morehead City, NC , the heritage of my Lewis family! When it came to naming my boat, the choice was easy and “Promise Lander” was born!
Within a few minutes of hearing my question, Bill replied, “Jerry, it would be my honor to buy the “Promised Lander” and keep it in the family!” Joy filled my heart as I heard his gracious response to my need. Bill emphatically shared he would keep the “Promise Lander” at his daughter Abby’s place in New Bern.
So my dear friends, as we leave Duke and head home today, Bill will be waiting for us as we arrive at home, to allow me the opportunity of saying bye to the “Promise Lander”. Bill is generous in waiting for us to get there, he realizes the significance of what is occurring and sincerely desires to just support his brother wishes; for Bill it was never about the boat, but about supporting his brother and family during their time of need! As he drives away this afternoon with the boat, it will be a signifant emotional and spiritual experience for my whole family!!!
Even as I say these words, deep emotions arise within me. Am I at peace, am I grateful? Yes! But I am also human, full of emotions, and I am already wondering this Friday morning, what emotions I will experience as I witness an empty driveway?
Knowing this is coming, I have been pondering and praying on this scripture verse:
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
I John 2:15 NKJV
Question: Is my Heavenly Father pleased with my joy of owning and using the Promise Lander?
I have been pondering these few but powerful words, “Do not love the world or things!”. Is it possible to love an item like a boat so much that one could be unfaithful to Jesus?
Question: is there any item in your life where its possession and utilization by you is being unfaithful to Jesus ?
We all need to be constantly aware of the important and subtle temptation with our earthly possessions.
As we finish our first cup of coffee this Friday morning, let us ponder with our Lord Jesus, am I loving some things, desiring some things, craving some things…more than You, Heavenly Father?
Come Holy Spirit, please awaken my heart and mind if this is happening in my life with You!
Yes, this afternoon, I will experience a different driveway!
However, fear not, it is all good, thank you Jesus!!!
If we live in the Spirit, let us also WALK in the Spirit!
PS: Sometimes objects in our possession are not just objects. They are anchors. They keep us moored to an idea of past and current family, our identity, our history, and perhaps much more. Our boat keeps my memories from floating away.
