sea

Someone's posting on FB reads "I don't know what the second half of 2020 has planned for us, but it better not involve my air conditioning". And I could agree except that I fear attracting the attention of Harry Golden's nemesis the Evil Eye. All HVAC units here at Harbour Village are new, installed last year as part of recovery from Hurricane Michael. We're counting on them to not become part of our ongoing May 2018 to Present Day cataclysm of life. Too Much is Enough might be one way to put it, Wishing You Long Years.

Saturday morning breakfast, AT, sandwich of anchovies on ww toast. Try it, you may like it, Sam I Am.

Conscientiously sheltering in place as covid19 continues to make fools of us. Doing what? Some reading, currently a NT-related book by New Testament scholar and professor Bart Ehrman. Some films, this week "Greyhound" on Apple TV+.

 

Not only in bible lingo but also in human life, "forty" can mean "a long time", and it does indeed mean such to me with more than forty years since the winter morning I retired from the U S Navy. So I"m out of touch with terms; but affectionate words for destroyer were "tin can" and "greyhound". Tin can because of their thin steel construction: in my stateroom below decks forward, in a WW2 era Navy destroyer back in the late 1950s, my upper bunk was against the skin of the ship, and I dozed off nights listening to the shhhhhhhh sound of the Atlantic Ocean rushing by less than an inch from my ear, the deep sea closer to me than the bunk rail on the other side of my bed, closer to me than my other ear. Greyhound because much of their duty was dashing around, fast as a greyhound racing dog, guarding merchant convoys, battle groups and carrier groups against enemy submarines and surface threats. The ship in the film is the destroyer pictured above, and "Greyhound" is her call sign as lead ship for that convoy escort assignment. Who loves war films and especially victory at sea movies, don't sit down without your bottle of nitrostat. Jiminy. 

For tomorrow, our response to the Genesis story of Jacob's ladder is from Psalm 139, a favorite that I always liked to hear during the scattering of ashes at sea. Listen to part of it:

Psalm 139 1-11 

LORD, you have searched me out and known me; * you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

 

You trace my journeys and my resting-places * and are acquainted with all my ways.

 

Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, * but you, O LORD, know it altogether.

 

You press upon me behind and before * and lay your hand upon me.

 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; * it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

 

Where can I go then from your Spirit? * where can I flee from your presence?

 

If I climb up to heaven, you are there; * if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

 

If I take the wings of the morning * and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

 

Even there your hand will lead me * and your right hand hold me fast.

 

If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, * and the light around me turn to night,"

 

Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day; * darkness and light to you are both alike.