souldare

When we take our boat out for excursions, our devotion to the trip happens well before we leave for our destination.

We have been dreaming and preparing and practicing over the last ten years for this particular trip. When we first got the boat, I remember promising myself and Les that for boating to remain fun, we’d have to plan on enjoying the packing, the trip and the unpacking. We weren’t done with a trip until those things happened.

As you might imagine this is an important attitude to maintain as we prepare for our Alaska trip. (This summer, we hope to explore what is called the Inside Passage in southeastern Alaska on our boat.) To embark on such an adventure has taken devotion, and we will need that intention as we move forward.

New Oxford American Dictionary defines devotion as, “love, loyalty or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause.” I am sure all of these elements will be tested in our pursuit of this dream of a lifetime trip.

Even as I write this blog post, we have devoted most of this past week to outfitting, updating and adding upgrades to our beloved Intuition. As a team, my husband and I have lovingly and with some frustration installed a windlass for the anchor, made space for a hot water heater under our sink, and made a storage bench to place in the back. Today, we will be removing, replacing and repairing deck pieces in the cockpit or the “back porch” of the boat, as I like to call it.

All of this takes time, expense and a lot of strong words (or praying) to make it all work out. We have been pleased with the money we have saved, despite the setbacks, by doing our own wiring and plumbing. My job has mostly been to admire my husband’s workmanship, but I’ve also been on hand to measure, turn a screwdriver and problem solve when the process goes awry.

Pictured above is the wiring for all the electrical elements of the boat. Normally it is covered, and remains hidden above my head (on my side of the berth/bed.) At first glance it looks messy and convoluted, but really, it’s an elegant mess, which is really quite complex and necessary. If one wire is misplaced or dislodged then something is not going to work. It’s important to protect the “brain” of the boat. By working together, I have gained a greater appreciation for all the intricacies of the innards of the Intuition. As I looked at the wires, I gained a greater appreciation for the human brain, and how important and complex a gift it is. I often take my brain for granted, but today, I am more aware and ever so grateful that the Master Electrician wired me just the way I am.

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God–you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!” (Psalm 139:13 The Message)