Sea Rocket

From the "Sea Rocket" Ocean City, MD
speedboat

When you hear the title “Sea Rocket” what do you think?

Me too.

While I was away, I took a nice ride on the Sea Rocket Northward off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland to the Delaware line and back again. We saw about 40 dolphins, and the breeze from the speed was great. But, I won’t kid you, there were a few toddlers onboard. So—It was a fun family-style watercraft excursion, dressed up with a high energy monicker.

As great as it was, I couldn’t help but thinking, “If the ride was called the “Sea Boat” would it have the same number of riders?

As much as I’d like to think of, or write of this time in my life as fascinating, exhilarating, or exciting, to describe it as such would be to add “Sea Rocket” label to it. I’d be trying to up the coolness…and it just isn’t completely accurate.

Sometimes I read blogs of people who seem to be so much more exciting than me. They have the stories and pictures to prove it. They rub shoulders with famous and fascinating people, and share the details. They write “Sea Rocket” posts, and seem really impressive, if you dig that sort of thing. But, I wonder if it’s more of a Sea Rocket marketing angle to generate more blog traffic. Or, maybe it’s simply old fashioned insecurity. Do you know what I’m talking about?

I’ve done it too. I’ll think, if Sea Rocket posts don’t happen, will readers get bored and look for more exciting people to read? Voyeurism is such a weird and shifty animal (a.k.a construct). It’s dependent on cooperation, too, no? Take the Sales Register tabloid stands. Those “news” rags parade sensational stories to find the same niche. We like to gawk. We like to see the celebrities in “misery” or read something stimulating and newsy. Who doesn’t read the whacky headlines while waiting in line? We think, “Who buys this stuff?” But we’ll read the headlines, too. All “Sea Rocket” stories, I tell you.

People peacock like this on Facebook too. It’s a tabloid universe. They make status posts of how amazing their circumstances are, and post photos to chronicle their Sea Rocket kind of life. I’m guessing it’s just the latest way to “keep up with the Joneses”. Do you think so? It’s this age-old need to feel significant and important. Technology helps us show off.

Do you ever rename, or reposition yourself, or your life, in some way, to exhibit a “Sea Rocket” type experience?

What’s the best example of this that you’ve seen recently?

A Way of Life

Have you heard the t-shirt, “Life is a Beach”? I think that by law they have to sell it at coastal gift shops. I was going to say, “I you heard of the phrase…” but I’m not sure I ever heard it except when a t-shirt told me.

There are a million “beachisms” out there. Do you know any?

I don’t think life is a beach. I think the beach calls the shots.

I’m taking 3 days off, Dewey Beach style…as a way of life.

See you on the other side.

1,600 miles later…

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NEW post: We’ve covered about 1,600 miles since Saturday.

First, we traveled to Greensburg/East of Pittsburgh to attend my mom’s wedding. It was the first wedding I’ve gone to where two other families watched via Skype. Ever happen to you? It was very hot, but no fights broke out, and now my Mom’s last name is Sutyak.

Then we went about 9 hours northwest to Gurnee, IL to visit my brother-in-law, Jeff, and his wife, Joy, and their five kids, in nearby Waukegan. The hotel stay in Gurnee had too many moments of horror (see previous post).

Timmy DeLay is the new Waukegan arrival, and first kiddo spawned from Jeff and Joy DeLay’s genes–A 20 lb, 4 month old, placid, curly-haired boy who is incredibly adorable. We went to Girodano’s for delicious Chicago-style stuffed pizza. Okay. You should be jealous um… happy for me. It was wonderful! We also visited the Waukegan beach, (lake Michigan). The kids were really into burying each other in the sand, and we didn’t lose anyone…for too long.

On the way back we stayed in picturesque Bryan, OH. Wee fun fact: This town is the birthplace of Ohio Art (Etch-A-Sketch) and the Dum-Dum pop, (plus Saf-T-Pops®, Spangler® Candy Canes, and Spangler® Circus Peanuts). Bryan is so much like the perfectly cute little town set in the 1950s in Back-to-the-Future. Idyllic. Jackie Blu’s was a tasty place to eat, too.

Since we traveled so many hours on Sunday, I haven’t been very good at remembering what day it is. The practice of worship, and Christian fellowship each Sunday works like a reset button. It centers me, including such things as mundane as the order of days. Is it like that for you? Needless to say, tomorrow will be a recovery day…sort of a sabbath on a Friday. Tomorrow is Friday, right?

I wanted to share the lovely or interesting pictures from our Western Pa and midwestern adventure. So, Enjoy. Leave your questions or comments, if you’d like.

Where are you traveling soon?

 

Mother’s Day Wkd madcap recap, 10 things I learned

Friday and Saturday I took off to the Poconos with my daughter for a mother/daughter retreat. The whole getaway sneaked up on me, and I realized about an hour before we had to leave that we were due to attend this overnight cabin camping getaway.

Ten things I learned from my getaway:

1. When a female retreat speaker likes to take off her shoes (and has toes that look like man fingers) I have trouble concentrating.

2. Camp cabins have a wet sock meets wet canine smell. This is normal.

3. A retreat menu consists of 300% of one’s daily requirement of carbohydrates. (MMM and uh-oh.)

4. A camping getaway is not complete unless several bugs are captured and treated like members of the family, before they die in captivity.

5. Turkeys wake up at 4 a.m….vocalizing.

6. Even if a mom/daughter hike includes spotting deer up close, friendly fowl, and indescribable beauty, wet pants, shoes, and socks will incur massive amounts of overshadowing whining.

7. Staying up past 11 p.m. for its own sake makes an eight year old immeasurably ecstatic and then immeasurably exhausted 12 hours later. Usually there is crying involved.

8. Apparently, when camping, there’s no such thing as “too much candy”.

9. Unspoken camp rule: carbonated beverages are a right, not a privilege.

10. Mysterious forces beyond one’s control cause one’s washcloths and towels to dry in no less than four days.

What are some things you’ve learned from camping?


photos of our time away.

 

Jump In! (Road Trip)

Tomorrow marks my first day of teaching a 12 week stint on Spiritual Formation. I’m relating the journey of faith with and toward God to a scenic road trip, like Route 66.

Early on, Route 66 was well-traveled as people moved westward for a better life. Decades later, it became a common vacation expedition for families in the 1950s and 60s. What is it now? It’s not any of that.

The huge Interstate Highway system made traveling West smooth, faster, and more direct. Many of the towns with roadside attractions, and the windy roads from Chicago to Santa Monica were all but abandon. Some sections remain, and for the nostalgic traveler or the lovers of adventure on open the road, no other route is more alluring than, the Mother Road–the famous Route 66. It’s the stuff of legends.

For those of you who can’t come on join us, in person, here’s a “postcard” from the first leg of the trip.

Before we set off on a genuine road trip, we usually get an idea of where we’re going, and who we’re going with. We might venture off the map, and we’ll certainly have unexpected happenings along the way. We can become anxious over what lies ahead, out of view; or we can keep optimistic, knowing that we trust our companions. We can adventure on, tackling whatever obstacles we need to. The truth is, our the destination shouldn’t overshadow our view or enjoyment of the journey. The journey is part of how we are trained for our destination. SO, here we go.

Here are 8 ways we learn during the Christian journey. Maybe you can think of some more.

  • Through the Holy Spirit
  • Through Scripture
  • In community
  • Spiritual guides/teachers
  • Through Sacraments
  • Through devotional practices
  • Through Christian History/Tradition

Which ones have helped you the most? Which ones have you left out the most? Thank you for sharing your ideas on this topic. Hop in, let’s go!

Next week’s lesson: God’s Grand Story