Lake Day!

 Last weekend some of our friends loaned us two paddleboards, oars, and life vests so that we could try out paddleboarding! It was great fun! We went to a nearby lake on Sunday afternoon, and we took a picnic dinner. It was cloudy when we got there, but still in the upper 90 degrees. After we got our camp settled in the grass, Joshua and Mallory blew up the boards and headed for the water. Caleb and Bethany went for a swim until they could take a turn. I was happy to read my book on the grass and enjoy the breeze.

After 20 minutes or so, Joshua and Mallory came back and Caleb tried it, and Bethany sat on Joshua's board. They all enjoyed it and kept tooling around on the boards. We had dinner and they headed out again. Caleb came back, put a towel over himself, and took a nap. 

Can you see them by the buoys to the left of the trees?

They finally persuaded me to try it out, and I did enjoy it. I'm not a huge adventurer, but I sat on the board while Joshua rowed us out a ways. About halfway through our trek in the water, it started to sprinkle. Then it began to rain harder and harder. We got back to shore, ran up to our camp, and helped Caleb finish packing up. It was evening when we got home. We loved trying something new!

Go, Bethany!

Pretty sunset...

That's me! I rowed too...

Matthew 14:22-34

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.