A lesson in trusting God - Thailand February 2013

So if you have known me for long you know I used to be quite the tree hugger.  I mean I literally hugged trees - climbing them of course.  While in Thailand I enjoyed a month of very few backaches and a few great adventures.  Grace and I went to Adventure Land in Chiang Mai which is a ropes course, climbing wall, zip line and obstacle course playground.  It was fun.   Fat Mamma with her too long fingernails didn't quite make it to the top of the rock wall, but I did pretty well and at least the Thai were impressed with my "skill" - I use that term very loosely.  It was a load of fun and Gracie enjoyed herself immensely.  She even got to ride a crazy pony.

                                                        

                    

I have to admit that living in the city takes it out of me.  I really  don't like it very much and being in a place where I could climb made me feel very alive.  I don't know the last time I felt so good.

A week later at the beach Lola tempted me with her desire to kayak.  There we were on a beach with a rack of kayaks just waiting to be rented, $3 for an hour.  Across the bay there was an island.  Officially it is called monkey island because it is infested with monkeys, but we called it Daddy island because it is the shape of a man lying down.  A man with a belly : )  A friend had told us that they paddled out to monkey island the morning before so I thought it would be fun.  The problem lies in the fact that I do not know the ocean.  I can paddle pretty well, but the tide has a way of taking you where you don't want to go.  We went out easily.  That should have been my first clue.  Lola was nervous once we were  far off the beach.  She was scared we might go into the open sea.  I was able to maneuver the kayak and was heading directly toward monkey island.  We got close enough to see the monkeys then we turned around.  That is when the trouble started and I realized the tide was going out and we were trying to go in.  After repositioning for the fifth time our kayak tipped over.  It was very scary for Lola, but I showed her how to lean back on her life jacket and had her hold the paddle and I bailed and flipped the kayak back over.  I got her back on easily, but I couldn't get myself back on with out throwing her off again so I opted to swim.

Daddy Island
To get an idea of how far out it is look for the boat in the picture.

I swam and swam and swam- for about an hour total, and although I was making progress, I was a loooong way from our beach.  Lola was crying and I told her not to worry that GOd could see us.  He knew where we were and what had happened and he would take care of us.  I suggested we pray that someone would come along that could help us.   She prayed earnestly. The bay was deserted.  After 5 minutes a fishing boat trolled by about 100 feet in front of us.  We yelled and waved but they didn't see us.  THey were laying their nets.  All I could think about was sharks.  But I told myself the same thing I had already told Lola. We prayed and sang worship songs and I swam.  After about 45 minutes or so another boat came into view and we started yelling.  This time the boat turned and came to help.  A couple had rented the boat to take them to another island and they were headed back.  The Thai fishermen pulled us and our kayak up onto their deck and took us back to the beach.  It was good to be safe and out of the water.

A boat like the one that rescued us.

Once we got back to the beach we asked if they could help us return out kayak.  We were on the other end of the beach from where we had rented it.  I had to talk to the boss lady.  She knew the owner of the kayak and said she would return in for us later in her truck.  I asked her how much I owed her.  Nothing.  See, I told Lola, when God saves us it is free.

It was quite an adventure and I would say I have most certainly given my child a fear of the ocean.  She was not at all interested in getting into another boat or going too far out in the ocean for the rest of our vacation.  I am just thankful for God's faithfulness.  He was truly with us.  I could feel his Spirit giving me peace throughout the whole experience.  Lola too got a lesson in trusting God.