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Jamie Lemoine Johnson-Regency Romance Author

Once many years ago, my college roommate’s father invited us for an afternoon excursion on his Grand Banks Boat.  If you are into boating you would have thought his boat a thing of beauty.  It was lovingly cared for and its teak wood and brass fittings glowed in the warm Florida afternoon sun.  Me…I am a bit leery of boats, so I boarded the vessel with some amount of trepidation.  The trip started out idealicly enough…an easy, gentle cruise down an intracoastal waterway as we made our way to the gulf.   I was enjoying the novelty of a boat ride and the company of my roommate’s family.  They had brought along their poodle named Teddy.  As we ate lunch we took in the raw beauty of nature in the small islands doting the waterway and exchanged greetings with passing boaters, relaxed smiles on their faces and cool drinks in their hands.

We arrived at the mouth of the waterway and headed out into the bay, trading smooth waters for the rougher chop of the ocean.  I had only ever before been on boats on lakes so I was not prepared for the rolling action of the ocean.  Neither was my stomach.  I soon found myself hanging over the side of the shiny boat sick to my stomach, weak, and light headed.  I can still distinctly remember feeling in those moments that I would give everything I owned to be back on solid ground.  My stomach now emptied of its just-eaten lunch, I headed downstairs to sip water and eat crackers, alone, with only the dog for company.

I missed the view as the boat rounded the tip of the peninsula and came near the magnificent Sunshine Skyway Bridge.  I also missed seeing the afternoon squall heading our way.  Anyone who has ever lived in Florida knows how pop up storms come on like clockwork in the afternoons and just how intense the storms can be.   The boat was soon tossing and turning in the rain, wind, and waves.  I clutched the poodle to me as I was tossed around in the cabin below, terrified that the boat would sink in the storm.  The storm quickly went on its way, though the water remained choppy.

I heard my roommate’s father calling for me.  Our exchange went something like this.

“Jamie, come out here.”

“No!”  I replied in fear.

“Jamie, get out here now!’

My roommate’s father being  a man few would disoblige, I sheepishly I went upstairs.

” I need your help.  Get out of the boat!”

“No!  I’ll drown.”

“Jamie, get… out… of… the… boat… NOW!”

I jumped in the water only to find that the water came up to only my thighs.  The storm had turned the boat sideways to shore and the waves had pushed it inland and were now slamming the boat against the sand below.  We all strained and pushed till we finally freed the boat and turned it in the right direction.

That whole time I had sat below, being tossed by the waves and clutching the poodle in fear, I could have been above board, seeing the sky clearing of the storm and setting my feet on solid ground.  It was a somber trip back to the dock as I sat…ashamed.

I know of another boat ride.  The one in Matthew 14 :22-32, where Jesus, after feeding five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, sent his disciples out on the boat to go to the other side.  Later, after staying behind to pray, Jesus walked out on the water to the boat where it was being buffeted by the winds and the waves.  And there’s Peter …impetuous, brash, passionate, imperfect, stumbling Peter…Oh how I can relate!!!…who calls out to Jesus, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

And Peter, in his bravado, his faith, his courage, stepped out of the boat.  He walked on the water till his faith faltered, then he began to sink crying out “Lord, save me!”

The Bible says, “Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.  “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

They then got into the boat and the wind died down and they worshiped him.

Many upon reading this passage focus on Peter and his faltering faith.  I think of the rest of the disciples…the ones who stayed in the boat.  Yes, Peter’s faith faltered when he took his eyes off Jesus, but at least he got out of the boat.  He had the thrill of walking on water in the midst of the wind and waves, and when his faith faltered and he began to sink, he had the assurance that his Saviour would rescue him.  Those others missed the lesson, but Peter, even in his imperfect faith, learned first hand that God is faithful and that God is all-sufficient.

Get out of the boat!

Lord,

I praise You and thank You for your faithfulness and sufficiency.  Help me not to live a mediocre life of faith out of fear.  Help me to trust in You and to get out of the boat and follow You, wherever You might lead me, knowing I can count on You.

Amen

]]> http://jamiejohnsonus.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/devotion-for-the-week-of-may-3-2010/feed/ 0 jamiejohnsonus http://jamiejohnsonus.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/before-the-morning/ http://jamiejohnsonus.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/before-the-morning/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 13:32:59 +0000 jamiejohnsonus http://jamiejohnsonus.wordpress.com/?p=90 ]]> Here’s something for those who are struggling along the path of this life.  Hold on!

I won’t start back on the weekly devotionals till the kids go back to school in a few weeks.  It’s just too hard to block off enough time to do it while they are home.  So, I just wanted to pop in and say “hi” to my internet friends/lurkers.  I hope you are having a great summer!  I’ll be back posting soon.

I am not up for writing a devotion for this week other than to say that I hope and pray that God has a special fondness for dogs (given that “dog” is “God” spelled backwards!) and that it means we will have Sam with us in Heaven. Till then…he is deeply loved and will be deeply missed.

“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-24

I am not into very many things. I’m not particular about the label on the clothes I wear, what kind of purse I carry, or what brand of shoes are on my feet. My weaknesses are books, chocolate and…dinnerware. Dinnerware?…What?!…If given the monetary resources I would own rooms full of books, have only the best chocolate imported, and have hundreds of dinnerware patterns displayed in large glass cases. So it was with great glee that I finally convinced my not-so-enamored-with-dinnerware husband that it was time to retire the cheap, scratched up glass plates we bought at Walmart over 15 years ago and purchase a new set of everyday dinnerware.

The hunt began! I could barely contain my excitement as I entered the kitchen departments of several stores looking for just the right set. And, then, I spotted it! I instantly feel in love with a simple, elegant, classic set of everyday china by Mikasa called Antique White…and it was lovely! It had a gently scalloped edge, a creamy white shiny finish, and a light weight feel. It was perfect! I could barely contain myself as I purchased a 45 piece set that included the most adorable sugar bowl and creamer. Back home, I immediately unpacked and washed it.

It’s first use was for a breakfast of waffles for my daughters and one of their friends that had spent the night. The elegance of the plates made the waffles not only look like a million bucks but made them taste like something out of a five star restaurant. Professional chefs say you taste with your eyes first…and man! did they taste like perfection itself!!!

After breakfast I got on the internet to see what other pieces were available to complete my set. My older daughter interrupted my search to ask me if she could download a popular pop song onto her mp3 player. I quickly looked up the lyrics and, much to her disappointment, I had to tell her no because the lyrics weren’t appropriate for her age. “But m-o-o-o-m,” she said, and went on to point out that she hears it on the radio, so why did it matter? I explained that it was different to hear it sporadically on the radio versus playing it over and over on a mp3 player by which the repetition would ingrain the lyrics and the values they promoted onto her heart and mind. Though disappointed, she took it well.

It was when I got back to my search for more dinnerware pieces that I saw it…underneath a glowing description of the china I had purchased there was a little warning notice at the bottom of the page. “Warning this product contains lead”… followed by the dire consequences that could be expected as a result from eating off these dishes. There had been no warning at the store, nor on the box. Apparently, while meeting FDA standards for lead, this particular pattern does not meet California’s standards under Proposition 65 which established more stringent standards for Californians. Though considered safe for the residents of 49 states, the dinnerware was a health hazard for California citizens.

OH NO!!!! I was crushed! I called the Mikasa customer service number to get details and couldn’t relieve my concerns with their assurances. I then talked to the sales associates in the kitchen departments of a couple of stores who both knew nothing about it and followed up their vague assurances of its safety with questioning the logic of those, to paraphrase, “liberal Californians who go overboard with their environmental concerns.” I realized what I had to do. It was a sad day…a very sad day, indeed,…when I packed up the beautiful china and returned it to the store.

Just as the pop song my daughter wanted to download wasn’t the best for my daughter, that dinnerware wasn’t the best for my family. Though the song has a catchy tune and the dishes were elegance themselves, still they weren’t the best. And, just as daily doses of a pop song that will be forgotten within months could still influence my daughter’s heart and values as she grows up, so too, daily doses of lead, albeit small, could still impact my family’s health in the years to come. The choice has to be made…do I settle for something that is acceptable and even considered good, or do I settle for what’s best for me and my family?

As I grow and mature as a Christian, I am faced with this decision multiple times daily. Should I read a particular book? Should I watch a certain tv show or movie? Should I wear a particular piece of clothing? Should I invest my time in a certain way?, Should I spend our money on a particular item?, Should I respond to others in a particular way?, etc. And, I’m not just talking about things that are blatantly wrong according to the Bible’s standards. There are plenty of things that are acceptable and maybe even good that may not necessarily be the best for me or my family. There is no end to the things available for Christians to get into. The question is, should I? Should you?

For many years I made these decisions based on trying to earn God’s love, approval, and favor…aka legalism…which is always a defeating proposition and a totally unnecessary response to God’s free gift of grace and His unconditional love for us. Now, I am secure in God’s love for me no matter what, and also secure in my salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ who was crucified on the cross for my sins, then rose again.

I try to make these decisions based on the spiritual impact something has on my relationship with Christ…Does it encourage and add to my relationship with God and others? Or, does it cause distance in my relationship with God and others? Does it hurt my Christian witness…meaning, if others see me doing this, will they question the validity of my faith? Does it influence in a negative way how I see people or things or how I think? Does it reinforce the world’s standards that are in direct conflict with Biblical standards? Is it something that, though not expressly forbidden in the Bible, I still don’t feel good about? Even if it’s acceptable and good, is there a better standard for my life?

These are the kinds of questions that each one of us should ask and answer for ourselves…what impact does (you fill in the blank) have on me and my relationship with Christ and others and on my witness of my faith to others? (And don’t kid yourself, everything influences you for the better or worse.) The challenge is, for each one of us, individually, to answer it with the best choice and have the faith and courage to live out that standard.

I’d be lying if I said this was an easy thing to do. Just as it was difficult for my daughter to not download that song and for me to return those dishes, it is difficult on so many other levels to consciously choose the best standards, God’s standards, to live by and then to actually do it. Mistakes and failures are guaranteed as part of this process, but we have a faithful God who will show us the way…and will forgive us and love us along the way, too!

Father,

The idea of living up to your perfect standards is overwhelming and impossible. I am so grateful that you remember that I was created of dust, that I am only a human who will make mistakes regularly, and that you have a never ending abundance of compassion and love for me that covers all of my mistakes. Give me a desire to live a better life that is pleasing to you and the courage to make both the easy and the hard choices and to follow through with them. Help me to not fall into the trap of legalism in order to “earn” the love you so freely give, but to choose a better way in order to obey and please you, to not put distance in my relationship with you, and to grow in maturity as a believer in you. I praise you for who you are…my creator, my God, who has the best plan for my life.

In your son, Jesus,’ precious name, Amen.