Captain Of My Soul

On this Memorial Day weekend, I am especially thankful for the freedom to share my faith because of the brave military men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Regretfully, I am lacking in material regarding our various armed forces and the incredible sacrifices they have made and continue to make around the world. Most of my writings are about spiritual battlefields and the unseen warfare for our souls and minds. I’m much more familiar with that kind of battle!

My late father served several tours as a Navy Seal in Vietnam. In honor of him and of the many others who perished while serving in the military or after returning home, here is a poem about Jesus, Who gave His life so we could be free! By following His lead we find peace and safe passage through the treacherous waters of life!

“Captain of My Soul”

In Him are streams of water
without Him, a desert land;
With His love a bounty,
without it, selfish hands.
Within me, Christ dwells
as the Captain of my soul.
Floods of grace abounding
as He the wheel controls.
His compass ever guides me
along shores of light and peace;
Blown ever onward, I will sail
’til my earthly ropes release.
Oh, Captain, my Captain,
my soul finds rest in You
Setting sail without fear upon
this journey grand and new.
Each day I wake and greet the sky
the Son lights it so bright!
And even the stars still guide my way
as I navigate at night!
Thank You, O Lord, for salvation’s gold
I love You forever, Captain of my soul.

8-2-98
©Ladeena Ashley

Out of curiosity, I looked up the ranking order of the United States Navy. I realize now that the highest rank on the seas is really an Admiral (Fleet Admiral, to be exact), so Jesus is really my Admiral, not simply Captain. Also, though I had “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman in mind when I wrote this poem, Jesus is very much alive – only “fallen cold and dead” a short time before rising victoriously from the grave on the third day!

As you remember loved ones and strangers who have lived and passed on after vowing to serve our country, give thanks for the freedoms they helped secure and maintain. But also give thanks for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross so we could be free from the punishment for our sins. Through His death and resurrection we have salvation, victory over the enemy, hope, and peace even in the midst of war.

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:9-10

Extra Credit

Ephesians 6:10-18

Blessings to you, this day and always!

©Ladeena Ashley
2017 All Rights Reserved (blog content and photos)

Frozen or Free?

 

For some folks, this time of year is difficult. Hearts can feel as frozen and cold as the ground, and the crisp air can easily feel stinging instead of refreshing.

Several days ago, the northern Willamette Valley was graced with several inches of snow. It was beautiful, and still is; however the lingering cold front quickly turned a winter wonderland into dangerous conditions for travelers. It reminds me of a Christmastime in my not-so-distant past.

2003
My husband and I were visiting his family in Washington state for Christmas. It snowed while we were there. In fact, we were having so much fun with family members (some we rarely saw), that the decision was made to stay an extra day to romp in the deep snow. I remember talking with my father on the phone. He’d been especially vocal about wanting us to come back to Oregon and spend more time together. My dad was quite disappointed that we weren’t returning just yet; however we still ended the conversation on good terms.

About an hour into our journey home, Mom had called, asking me to phone when we arrived. We happily discovered that it had also snowed a bit there, so as I stood by our front door, looking at the other-worldly landscape, I called. She let me know that Dad had remained in bed all day, and had passed away peacefully in his sleep a few hours earlier. Mom had checked on him a few times before realizing the final time that he wasn’t breathing. This was three days after Christmas. Sadly, not everyone could make it to the funeral, due mostly to the hardened snow and ice that stubbornly coated the roads that whole week.

Thankfully, my father and I talked and spent time together during the months leading up to Christmas. He’d been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (from inhaling fumes during a truck electrical fire) the previous year, and had been using oxygen for a few months, but it was still somewhat of a shock. Though I sort of regret not returning more quickly to see him for a few more moments, we had already talked things out the best we could, and I had shared my faith with him. We had made peace.

Sadly, some souls may not have had that privilege, and may muddle through the holidays with a palpable emptiness and bitter regrets. Many others try to ignore unresolved differences with estranged family or friends.

The good news is, we don’t have to live like that!

Hope & New Life
The gift of Christmas is for all time! Hope came in a manger, Jesus bore our sin and pain on the cross, and then the promise of a powerful new life sprang from the tomb!
Put another way, if we come to Him with hope and faith like a child, trusting that He knows and has taken on all of our sorrows and mistakes, then He creates beauty out of the ashes of our life!

No matter what you have been through, whom you have lost, or how badly you might feel things are messed up, there is ALWAYS hope, ALWAYS forgiveness and ALWAYS renewal available through Christ!

Forgiveness
If you have been hurt, just remember what Christ did for you. He endured pain and all kinds of temptations, ultimately taking the punishment for all of our screw-ups, on the cross. Our sins did not put Him there, but in awesome love, He willingly gave up His life for ours. Nothing anyone has done or could ever do will come close to that. We have forgiveness through Christ, so we must forgive others. Before we even come to the manger or “go tell it on the mountain” and offer praises, “if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you” (Mark 11:25).

If you get along with all of your family members, count yourself especially blessed! If that is not the case, do what you can to pursue reconciliation and patch things up. Just remember: In the end, you can only do what you can do. The rest is up to the Lord. We are each responsible for our own choices and ultimately accountable to Him.

In Summary…
All of us know folks who have lost loved ones. Show them extra patience and love.
If someone has hurt you, forgive them. (You’re really releasing yourself!)
If you hurt someone, ask for forgiveness. (Humble yourself by taking responsibility for your part.)
Like Jesus, they may reject us. Love them anyway. (1 John 4:11)
They may not accept forgiveness. Forgive them anyway. (Romans 12:20)
Don’t let the winter snow chill your heart. Let His love melt it and make a new start!

The greatest gift of Christmas is love.
Don’t wait! Claim it, embrace it and then double it by sharing it today!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

©Ladeena Ashley
2016 All Rights Reserved (content & blog photos)