Chaplains on the River

Do you remember this saying from childhood:  “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!”  While this line may have helped sooth our hurt feelings and defend us against verbal bullies when we were teased or taunted as children, it is actually not true.  Words can have a powerful positive or negative affect on our personalities.  The things that we hear repeatedly, whether from others or through self-talk, will over time shape our self-image and alter our self-esteem.

A friend of mine brought me the sayings from a number of fortune cookies recently after she had been to dinner with fellow community hand bell choir members.  One of those “fortunes” was the inspiration for this blog entry:  “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless.”  While this is so very true, it has been my experience as a chaplain and minister for over twenty-five years that unkind words seem to come far to easily.  How often in a day do we allow ourselves to make unkind, or even cruel, remarks to others or about others?  Cynicism and anger have become major attitudes among young and old alike.  Instead of looking for, and expecting, the best from situations, others, and even ourselves, we instead more closely resemble this character.

God’s word in the Holy Bible also addresses this issue.  In the third chapter of the Book of James in the New Testament, the author uses an illustration that every towboater can appreciate.  He talks about how a large ship is steered by a relatively small rudder.  Every river mariner knows that without propulsion and steering the boat is just another barge!  James likens the human tongue - our words - as having that same kind of ability to steer our lives and the lives of others.  In James 3:10 there is this wonderful verse:  “Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.  This ought not be happening” (my paraphrase).

What kinds of things are you saying about others?  Are you building people up or tearing them down?  I was on a boat today where the captain was enthusiastic and vibrant, and the whole crew was obviously feeding off that vibe.  Whenever a crew is together for extended periods of time, there will naturally be differences or even conflict.  Can we resolve to find ways to deal with these issues without resorting to verbal warfare?

What kind of things are you saying to yourself about yourself?  Are you more tolerant and forgiving of others than of yourself?  None of us is perfect…yes…not even you!!!  Do you put yourself down or build yourself up?  We need to be honest about our strengths and areas where we can improve…but we do not need to belittle and berate ourselves.  We are all children of God and deserving of abundant life.  Abundant life is life lived to the fullest…from A to Z!  Living live abundantly will put a big smile on your face faster than a trip to  Wal-Mart!!

What kinds of words are you sending echoing down through the corridors of life?  Are you seen as a positive person…a problem-solver…a team player?  The words we speak about others and about ourselves will be part of our legacy in this world.  I hope and pray that each of us will take the high road and help to make this world a better place, beginning in our own lives…our own familes…our own boats…and watching the good spread!!

See you on the river!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: October 13th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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NO…ABSOLUTELY NOT…the phrase in the title is not going to end with the word “S**t”!!!!!

During a church service last Sunday morning, a young boy was participating in the part of the service where the children were sharing from their lessons in Children’s Church.  He was holding up a large card with words printed on it that the audience could read, and he was reading the same words aloud from the back of the card as the children’s ministry leader held a microphone for him.  Pretty heady stuff for a young boy.  He spoke clearly and plainly as he read the words from the card:  “The World Is Full of Good.”  But what he said was “The world is full of God…of good!”  He received applause despite his mistake.

But did he really make a mistake…or from the mouth of a child did we receive an important reminder of a powerful truth?  The world IS full of good - because the world is full of God!  A call and response litany was born in the African American church tradition and has found great popularity in many churches.  It goes like this:  “God is good…all the time!  All the time…God is good!” 

Too often we would finish the phrase in the title with a four letter word, and it would not be “love.”  There is something about negative attitudes and outlooks that are contagious and difficult to expell.  How are you looking at life?  How would you finish the phrase?

Please understand that negativity and bitterness are poisons that only serve to hurt us and those around us, both at work and at home.  What is your life - your world - full of these days?  Jesus said, “I have come that you might have abundant life!” (John 10:10, paraphrase).

The world is full of God!  And God is good…all the time!

Until I see you on the river, may you be blessed and be a blessing!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: September 22nd, 2009 under Towboaters.
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Last Sunday I had the opportunity to preach in two United Methodist churches in the New Orleans metro area.  After the second service, before going to lunch, I was engaged in a very interesting discussion.  Growing out of some thoughts from my sermon earlier, I was asked what I thought were the two greatest needs of people.  The man asking the question felt that one’s vocation should be the intersection of what one loves to do with those needs, in order to live a life of service.

My first answer was CONNECTION.  I believe that while we communicate with many people in many different high-tech ways we often fail to really connect with other people.  A case in point is blogging, texting, e-mail and twitters.  These are great tools for quick communication - but they are not a substitute for connection…for really getting to know someone…for communication at deeper levels, involving eye contct, expression, bidy language and nuance of voice and language.  I use these tools as appropriate, but nothing substitutes to conversation over coffee…on the bow…in the wheelhouse.

My second answer was IDENTITY.  I believe that people have a tendency to identify themselves by what they do…what they possess…what their social status might be.  Somehow the basic concepts of human dignity and self-worth have become lost.  When working as a minister in a local church and teaching confirmation classes, I would try to instill in sixth grade youth that they were beloved children of God.  They were each inherently valuable despite skin color, clothing worn, neighborhood lived in, or amount of money in the bank.  Most adults need to learn this lesson as well!

As I have reflected on this question, and my answers, in the days since, I have come to realize that these two needs are easily met!  Each one of us can help be part of the solution.  You and I can truely connect with those we work with and our family members.  We can go beyond the superficial - as made too easy with tech glitz and gadgets - and “be there” for and with others.  As we do this, I see it also addressing the second need.  If we are willing to take the time and expend the energy to really connect with other people. then they  will see that they are a valuable and worthy person.  What goes around comes around, and we all benefit.

Some things in this world are so big that they are far beyond the ability of any one person to make a difference.  But in meeting these two fundamental needs of those around you (and yourself), YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!  Just as every crew member plays a vital part in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the boat, so each one of us has a crucial role in meeting needs. 

See you on the river!  We’ll connect…and remind each other that we are important just for who we are!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: September 16th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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Labor Day weekend is upon us.  The first Labor Day in the United States was in September 1882 in New York City.  It was intended to celerate the contributions of organized labor groups to the economy.  President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a Federal holiday after violence and deaths during the 1894 Pullman Strike.  The national celebration was hoped to foster a sense of reconciliation and help restore peace and order.  In recent years, Labor Day weekend is recognized as the end of summer, which began on Memorial Day.

As I continue visiting with boat crews and shoreside staff in this hard-working and productive towboat industry, I am very aware that many of us do not feel a sense of reconciliation, peace, and order.  Our fast-paced and increasingly demanding society does not seem to be making life less stressful, but more stressful.  This stress manifests itself in physical ilness, depression and anxiety, bad personal care habits (too much food, alcohol, and tobacco - and not enough exercise and rest), and stressed if not broken relationships. 

So this Labor Day weekend, I want to invite each of us to consider having not just the summer season end, but putting an end to unproductive seasons in our personal lives as well.  Be brave in taking stock of unresolved conflicts in your life, and dealing with them.  In some cases, you may need to deal with another to end the situation. Often, we just need to let go and let some things end.  Like a wound on your skin will not heal if you keep picking at the scab…so it is in our emotional lives.

Summer is ending, and fall is beginning.  Even down here in the South - where our seasons go from hot to hotter to bearable - you can feel a refreshing coolness in the morning and evening air.  As the seasons change, I invite you to join me in allowing a sense of harmony into your life as change is embraced and the past allowed to drift away.  The view on the bank always changes as the boat travels steadily along the river.  Let your life move forward and enjoy the new landscape!

In the Holy Bible, we are told that King Solomon of Israel was the wisest man who ever lived.  In his old age, he wrote a book called “Ecclesiastes” found in the Old Testament.  It contains the reflections of this wise old man as he considers the question of meaning in life.  All of the book is well worth reading, but I especially want to call these words to our attention:

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, English Standard Version)

So what time is it for you?  On this weekend originally meant to symbolize reconciliation and that now marks the changing of the seasons, will you embrace harmony and peace in your own life instead of conflict and dis-ease?  Will you shed the old unwanted things from your life as leaves will soon be falling from the trees?

For those working this weekend…may your labor be safe.  Know that your work is appreciated.

For those off this weekend…may you enjoy life and not take it for granted.

To all…see you on the river!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: September 3rd, 2009 under Towboaters.
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In conversation over a meal a few days ago with my closest friend, the topic of my recent birthday came up.  Always a quick wit, she commented that I was so old (54 years old) that, in Roman numerals, my age would be written “LIV” (”L” for 50; “IV” for 4).  After some good-natured ribbing and self-deprication, it suddenly dawned on me - “LIV” could also be read “LIVE”! 

This same friend gave me the gift of an MP3 player, a Sanza Fuse, for my birthday.  It included a Slot Radio card loaded with Billboard hits in many music genres.  One of the rock oldies is the Rare Earth hit “I Just Want to Celebrate.”  Rare Earth was a Motown group who hit the top in the early 1970s.  The lyrics of the song include:  “I just want to celebrate another day of livin’, I just want to celebrate another day of life.”

This is the attitude I am trying to live by each day, and I want to invite you to do the same.  Can you find something to make you smile and laugh each day?  I believe that we can and should!  Life is a precious gift and is meant to be celebrated, shared, enjoyed, and savored each and every day.

In the Gospel of John, Chapter 10, Verse 10 in the Holy Bible, Jesus the Christ says that he came so that we might not just have life, but have abundant life.  Now we all understand that the abundance mentioned here is not limited to only money and possessions.  Different people have different amounts of money and possessions.  But we can all have true abundance - riches from A to Z, from Attitude to Zeal, and every good attribute of personality and character in between.  Life is not about what we are dealt, but is about what we do with what we are dealt.

Back when I was in high school, a friend did a pen and ink sketch of Jesus with his head thrown back in a hearty laugh.  I loved that image.  It cast a whole new light on faith for me.  For may years, that sort of image of Jesus was rare to see.  Now, such images abound on the Internet and in retail outlets.  We have come to understand that life is best lived with laughter.

I just want to celebrate another day of life!

I invite you to join in with the celebration!

Be blessed and be a blessing!

See you on the water!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: August 26th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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It often happens when I am visitng on boats…sometimes on the deck…or in the wheelhouse…and very often in the galley.  I will hear some tidbit of real meaningful truth uttered by a river mariner that stays with me for days and sparks my thinking and imagination.  Last week, a boat captain in Channelview was sharing over coffee in the galley about his philosophy on crew morale.  He leaned across the table…and earnestly said…that he always tried to make the boat on his watch a good, positive, clean atmosphere.  I was reminded of the lesson we had drilled into us in officer training in the USAF:  The attitude of the commander will be the attitude of the unit under his/her command.  My experience in  visiting with the boat crew of this particular captain showed me that the adage still holds true, and that this master was being successful in creating a good morale on his boat.

I am reminded of an informal experiment I tried years ago while an undergraduate student at the University of Southwestern Louisiana.  Back then…way back then, in the mid 1970s…there were no cell phones or other personal electronic devices to occupy your time as you trooped quickly from class to class.  There was a path that I…and several hundred others…would walk each day moving from one classroom building to another.  At the beginning of the semester, everyone hurried along, not making any eye contact.  I started making eye contact with people at every opportunity.  After a week, I started smiling at those people.  They were reticent at first, then would begin to acknowledge me, and even to smile back.  Then came the big step…to say “hello”!  After the initial resistance, and after about another week, I had actually managed to coax a few people to exchange small talk during the class change routine.  The actions of one can affect the behavior of others for the good!   Of course, the same can be true for affecting behavior for the worse.

So my question for your consideration is this:  are you contagious?  How is your life…your words, your actions, your attitude…affecting those you work with and your family and friends when you are at home?  Are you seen as a change agent for good or bad?  What kind of effect do you want to be?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ taught about how we influence others:  “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (14:16, New International Version).  Likewise, The Apostle Paul elaborates on the character traits that help us make a positive mark on those around us:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).

The bottom line here is that we are all contagious, either for the good or for the bad.  Are you making your own life…and the life of your family and friends…and the life of your fellow crew heavenly or hellish?  Is your mind full of good stuff, or is it a trash can with a hairy lid?  You make the difference!  Be blessed and be a blessing!  See you on the river…

Chaplain Mike

Posted: August 9th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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Last week I had the opportunity to attend a Family Fun Day held here in South Louisiana by one of the major towboat companies.  About 200 crew and their families came to an operations center to see the facility, tour a boat, and enjoy food grilled up for a huge picnic.  It was a rare chance for me as one of your river chaplains to visit with parents, spouses, children and grandchildren, and significant others of crew whom I see fairly often.  Ministry on the River is here for those who hold down the homefront as well as those who are on the water.

One of the lessons the organizers of this event wanted to make clear to the families of the boat crews is how important they are to the safe operation of the company, and how much they are appreciated for what they do in support of their family member who works on the boat.  With a nod to Sister Sledge for the song title used to title this blog entry, we ARE family. 

No matter how independent we may like to think we are, we ALL have people we depend on for support, encouragement, and assistance.  As Barbara Strisand sings:  “People who need people (ed. note - people who are willing to admit they need other people) are the luckiest people in the world.”  Think for a moment about the people in YOUR family.

Most of us will begin to think about parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings…some of us will begin to think about spouse, children, in-laws, grandchildren…how about your fellow crew on the boat?  Yes…you all are family!  You almost spend as much time on the boat as at home.  You get to know what each other like and don’t like…who has the good - or the sick - sense of humor…you watch each other’s back and watch out for each other…you laugh together…and maybe even cry together.

Like any family, sometimes the relationship gets strained.  Family members can get on each other’s nerves, or say or do something which offends - usually without meaning to do it.  At times like that, we need to be willing to offer…and accept…words or actions of apology, and let it be.  Unresolved anger and hurt is like a festering sore.  It will just cause pain and discomfort, and can become a much worse infection.

In the Holy Bible, we find a wonderful teaching on how to be family in Pslam 133 (English Standard Version):

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious oil on the head, running down the beard, on the beard of aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!  It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!  For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore!

May you be blessed by ALL your family…May you BE a blessing to all your family…See you on the river!!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: July 30th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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We have all experienced a maze at one time or another.  Perhaps you were in a circus…or a county fair…or a corn field maze at Halloween time.  Mazes are designed to be confusing…scary…and to get people dazed, confused, and lost.  During several boat visits lately, I have found some people who felt like their lives were mazes.  They lacked direction or purpose, not exactly knowing what direction to move in next.  If you have ever shared these feelings, you know how uncomfortable it can be.  Imagine trying to navigate on the river at night with no lights, radar, or AIS…feeling a little stress?  When we see life as a maze, we end up living agitated much of the time.

But consider a labyrinth.  Labyrinths and mazes may be confused, but they are very different.  A maze is a puzzle to be solved, with twists, turns, and blind alleys.  A labyrinth has only one path…a journey to the center and back out again.  There are no wrong turns or blind alleys.  The unique nature of a labyrinth is that the path to the center is circuitous.  At one point you may be headed directly toward the goal…the next you may be moving away or tangentally…but you can trust that you will reach the center.

This seems like the way to understand our sometimes confusing life experiences.  By trusting that God is walking with us, loving us, and guiding us on the path, we are better equipped to cope with life’s surprises.  Author Caroline Adams expressed it:  “Your life is a sacred journey.  And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way.”

The Bible reminds us of trusting God on our journey through the Labyrinth of Life.  In Proverbs 3:5-6, we read “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”  Remember this phrase from Psalm 23:  “Even though I walk through thr valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (vs. 4).  Hear these timely yet timeless words of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (All Scripture quotations from the English Standard Version.)

Life is not a maze meant to confuse, but a journey on which we receive and share blessings.  We are all on the path…exactly where we need to be…at different places than perhaps anyone else…no better and no worse…just who we are and how we need to be with God’s abiding presence, power, and guidance.  The labyrinth is a model of our life journey.  And God calls it…and us…good!

See you on the river!

Chaplain Mike

Posted: July 20th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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Step outside…of your home…onto the deck of the boat…breathe deeply!  Fill your lungs to capacity…hold your breath for the count of 10…and slowly exhale.  Ahh!!!  Despite a few possible smells, isn’t it wonderful?  The air we breathe sustains our lives.  We cannot see it - unless you live in a very polluted area! - yet it is full of sound, smells…and bugs.  God’s presence is like that.  It is all around us, within us, sustaining us, and uplifting us.  Yet, sometimes, we also have to deal with bugs in our lives.

We cannot point to God’s presence, because to point that God is “over here” is to imply that God is “not over there.”  We can, however, point out signs of God’s presence everywhere - in the beauty that we see along the river each day, in the person we share our watch with, in other crew across the galley table, in our family and friends shoreside.

In reality, it is not possible for us to be apart from God.  But then why do we sometimes feel like we are apart from God?  Most of the time we are not conciously aware of God’s presence.  We are like the young child who cannot see Mom in the next room.  The child assumes that Mom has ceased to exist until she steps back into the room again.  We seem to forget that every breath we take is God’s breath; everywhere we step is holy.  We forget that we - and all others - are the expression of God.

Seeing God all around us automatically creates reverence for life.  Thoughtless actions and words can only occur when we forget that God is right where we are, in every situation.  So now is the time to breathe deeply and acknowledge the presence of God to fill our lives.  I have a saying that I like to use:  “Be blessed and be a blessing!”  May this become your mantra and affirmation as well.  See you on the water…

Chaplain Mike

Posted: July 7th, 2009 under Towboaters.
Comments: none

There are probably lots of former Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, CampFire Girls and Boys - or parents of kids who were in these youth groups - reading this blog.  The motto “Be Prepared!: has become synonomous with Scouting, and even the American Red Cross, in recent years.  Certainly those of us living along the Gulf Coast are well aware during this season of the year to be prepared to handle possible tropical storm/hurricane occurances at both our homes and on the rivers where we work.

Last week, while attending the rededication of the upgraded simulator and refurbished building at the SCI Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, I had the opportunity to visit the fire training field for the first time.  While I have had fire extinguisher training in the past, the size and heat of the simulator were impressive.  When I remembered that this could occur while underway - and that the area in which to move and work would be restricted to the deck - I began to appreciate how important it is to be prepared to deal with fires on a towboat. 

I hope that none of you reading this blog have to deal with a fire onboard your boat.  But, I am told, the reality is that most inland mariners will have to deal with fire at some point in time.  I do know this:  “fires” will occur in the life of each one of us in some way at some time.  Just as we benefit from training and practice in dealing with a galley, bilge or fuel line fire, we can also benefit from being prepared to deal with “fires” that happen in our lives.

So what can help us to be prepared?  Without trying to sound trite, I would propose several straight-forward practices that will be beneficial:

1. Pray, meditate and take time to be reflective every day.  It does not have to be long, or formal, but take time to pause, breathe, and gather yourself each day.  Many find this useful just before going to sleep, or upon waking up.  Whenever…and however…just do it!

2. Be mindful of relationships.  No matter how strong you may be - or think you are - as an individual, we all need other people!  Every towboater knows how important it is to find ways to get along with fellow crew.  The same is true in our lives in general.  Think twice before popping off or blowing your stack.  Be kind and gentle to others.  What goes around DOES come around.  The greatest strength is a quiet and controlled strength.

3. Don’t try to be a Lone Ranger.  Think about it - even the Lone Ranger had Tonto!  One of the reasons your Ministry on the River chaplains are here is to listen…listen…and listen some more.  If we can pray for you, give advice and counsel, and/or help contact someone on your behalf, we are glad to do it.  When we are on your boat, we are there for you.  Anytime - 24/7, 365 - an MOR Chaplain is available by dialing (800) 708-1998.  Pictured left to right are Chaplains Jim Wilkinson, Ann Mills, and Mike Hammett.

Be Prepared!  It is not just a well-known cliche.  It is a good philosophy to live by on the river and in our personal lives.

Posted: June 30th, 2009 under Towboaters.
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