It was a gift...

There are many treasures in my life.  Most of them were gifts.  I'm not talking about the gift of friends or family, though I know they are truly gifts from God.  I'm talking literal gifts.  For instance our dog, Blue, was a gift from a breeder who took my daughter, Steph, under her wing.  At the time, we couldn't have dogs or cats in our rented house.  (We had about every other species of animal at one time or another, but no dogs or cats...)  Steph was able to live vicariously by learning to show and groom these beautiful Shetland Sheepdogs.  (My favorite breed, BTW.)  The breeder kept insisting that Steph should have one of the pups from her dog's next litter.  As providence would have it, the landlord relented, and Blue was ours.

Blue is the first dog I've ever lived with.  I always thought I was a cat person, until we got Blue.  After Steph, I'm his next favorite person.  I'm okay with that.   With the schedule of a typical 17 year old, Steph is gone more and more, so I become #1 a bit more often.  Blue can always be counted on to shadow me around the house.  He thinks it's great fun to go out to the carport to move the laundry.  He's sits with wrapped attention when I'm cooking dinner - or anything in the kitchen.  When I go out to water the plants, he's sure that I really want to throw the tennis ball for him.  I'm amazed at how he hangs on my every word.  He understands me most of the time, but when he's not sure, he'll cock his head ever so slightly to the right...trying to figure me out.  That, my friend is a gift!

A gift is more than just being given an item that someone doesn't want anymore.  That's a hand-me-down.  Yes, I'm very grateful for those, too.  But I'm talking about gifts that are given because the giver wants to bless you with something above and beyond your expectations.  Pakele Nui is such a gift.  Yes, she is 30 years old and could use some TLC, but she's a gift that was above and beyond any of our expectations. 

Pakele Nui is our sailboat.  Her name means "Great Escape" and that's just what we feel like whenever we get to take her out.  Yesterday, we took a much needed escape to our favorite spot, the sandbar in Kaneohe Bay.  There had been a Tsunami warning earlier in the day that was later cancelled, so no one was out but us.  I guess we were the only ones brave enough - crazy enough - to go for it.  So we packed up for an over-night excursion.

There is nothing like being out on the water.  There was no wind and the bay looked like glass as we eased out to the bar.  You can just feel the stress of the week melt away in the fresh, sea air.   The sand bar was emerging from the water as the tide came to its lowest.  By about 7:00, instead of being surrounded by water, we were anchored at a beach that stretched about 1/4 mile.  Such beauty.  I'll never get tired of it.

The sun was just setting as we arrived.

See the stress melting....

Andrew paddled out to set the crab net.....no luck this time, but sure is fun to try.

Sunrise

After some breakfast and snorkeling....we head back home.  After all, it's Thursday, and Mark has to work.

Today was made possible because of a gift.  I am forever grateful and really am ... enjoying the view.  *;)