Chaplains on the River

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.
Comments: none

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.
Comments: none