My growth has been greatly enhanced by learning to sail.

The following are small insights in seven principles that have helped me gain perspective and stay on course. Some of us never learned to “sail” very well in the arena of personal integrity, growth through adversity and recovery from failure. As you go ponder these thoughts, I pray you’ll learn to navigate your own craft in stormy weather or the deep blue calm seas…keeping upright on a true course.

I. Face the right direction!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5-6

The wind can be blowing nicely, but if I am not positioned correctly I go nowhere. When I tack at the right angle, I really get moving.

Face up to your weakness, as well as your strengths. Use God’s word and the power of His Spirit to fill your sail. Leaders take responsibility for their lives and the direction they take.

Leaders cast the vision and set the direction.

II. Pay attention to the hull!

“Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds…” Prov.27:23

Cracks appear in the hull from time to time from stress, abuse, and normal wear and tear. It takes time to turn the boat over and sand out the rough spots and fill in all the cracks and “dings”. But if you take the time, your boat will stay seaworthy.

Take time to really examine your own life…the places where you might be “leaking”. Are certain habits creeping back? Are cracks appearing in your recovery? It may be time to put in a little extra “rehab work” with a brother/sister or a counselor.

Leaders don’t shy away from self examination.

III. Expect adverse winds!

“Consider all joy when you encounter various trials…” James 1:2

Without the wind, I will sail nowhere, but strong opposing winds can at times be terrifying. How can I sail straight when the wind is coming at me? Setting the right course and constantly adjusting it keeps me on track.

Are you staying on course? Are you making the right “course corrections” in your life to help you keep your top lines working and your bottom lines intact?

Leaders know how to continually adjust to keep on course.

IV. When in trouble, let go!

“In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed. In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; Incline your ear to me and save me. Psalm 71:1-2

Sometimes I get caught in a gust that threatens to capsize by boat. I have learned that instead of getting tipped over, all I have to do is let go of the sail and the tiller. The boat automatically positions itself into the wind, and I can try again.

What do you need to let go of? Your reputation? Your shame? The idea that you can “manage” your sin? While you’re not the “perfect Christian” you often portrayed…you’re not the sum of your sin either. Let go of both extremes and let God direct you into safe waters of healing, help and recovery.

Leaders have great resiliency.

V. Prepare your crew!

“So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.” ⁷Then he said to the people, “Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the LORD.” But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!”  Joshua 6:6,7 & 10

Maggie, our Labrador dog has learned the hard way. When I yell, “We’re coming about…!” she jumps from the bow to the center of the boat. She got tired of sliding off the bow into the lake every time I made a sharp turn. Even the dog wants to be told when we’re changing direction.

Men usually move at light speed and can get ready in a moment’s notice. Those around them often have a hard time adjusting to these rapid course corrections. We often forget the comfort of those around us depends on us communicating what we know might lie just ahead. Learn to read the wind and prepare those around you for what’s looming on the horizon.

Leaders share their insight and communicate with their crew.

VI. Invite others to sail with you!

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” Philippians 2:3-4

Sailing alone can be great. It provides peace and relaxation, or skill and stamina depending on the day’s wind.  Watching the reaction of a first time sailor to six dolphins rising out of the water in the Gulf is a thrill for both of us. We sailed around Honeymoon Island after crossing the Dunedin Bridge and sailed by some spectacular beaches. We talked about life, and the ups and downs we faced. By sunset, we had seen how God provides the wind, the sea and helped us to get back to a safe harbor.

Others need to hear how you sail into growth or recovery. You’ve faced strong winds and rough waters. Invite another individual to lunch. Share your story and your struggles. Be an encourager. Lead a bible study with a few other people, or organize one and find someone to lead it. Someone has to initiate to make it happen…why not you?  Keep an eye out for that person on the horizon who needs to be invited in.

Being “inclusive” is a mark of leadership.

VII. There’s always more!

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters” Psalm 24:1-2

The world is more than two-thirds water and I’ll never run out of new places to sail and explore. I won’t ever get bored with the same old scenery or feel like there are no new adventures. I’m off to enjoy warm winds, colorful skies and deep blue water!

The great news is that you can continue to grow for the rest of your life into a deeper more intimate relationship with God and others. You don’t ever have to stop, and it’s not something that is ever “complete” or that you eventually “retire” from.  As you grow you’ll have a greater capacity to lead and influence those around you.

Leaders who persevere are in for the long haul, and not just a seasonal run.

Conclusion

Leadership in this context simply means taking initiative and responsibility for your own actions. As you do this, there will be plenty of opportunity to positively impact those around you. It is a natural byproduct of growing in a healthy relationship with God and others.

This Mother’s Day, why not try one or more of these ideas as gifts

• Flowers
  Either potted plants or cut flowers, there are so many lovely arrangements you can buy at this time of year. There are hanging baskets, potted mums, hydrangeas or bedding plants. Giving a bouquet of flowers is always a tried and true gift.

• A personal tribute
  In a card or letter, express how much she means to you and how much you appreciate her. It would be great to have the kids each write their own too.

• Spa getaway
  Give her a gift card to go to a spa to be pampered. Every woman loves a pedicure, manicure or hair treatment.

• A weekend away
  Has she been hinting at that bed & breakfast she’d like you to take her to? If not, be creative and come up with something on your own. Make it extra special by adding a gift and a romantic dinner out with your own special twist. Maybe she hasn’t seen the new grandbaby yet. Secretly arrange travel and accommodations. Surprise her (if she likes surprises) and remember to give her enough time to pack!

• Your time
  Here are several ideas you can incorporate into your Mother’s Day celebrations:
  • Take her for a special coffee in a nice location along a beach or a nice tea house.
  • Take her out for a nice meal (without kids if she has small children).
  • Invite her over for a nice home cooked meal (kid free and dishes free).
  • Offer to mow the lawn for a month.
  • How about weeding her garden or planting a vegetable garden together.
  • Help with spring cleaning.
  • A work-free weekend for a mother with kids at home.

• Perfume
  Is she almost out of her favourite perfume? Maybe try your creativity and spend some time at the perfume counter to select something special just from you.

• A portrait
  Has she found that perfect painting for above the fireplace but hasn’t had the nerve to spend that much money on it? Here’s your chance! Another twist would be to secretly get the family together for a photo shoot and surprise her with a framed work of art of her favourite people. Or purchase a prepaid package for a portrait of the whole family, including her.

• Bath products
  Does she love to relax in the bathtub? Put together or purchase a gift basket with some relaxing bath products, candles and a relaxing CD. You may want to include a bottle of massage oil and a gift certificate…from you! Make sure you take care of the extra things when she is relaxing, like taking the phone off the hook, taking the kids out, or anything else that would hamper a relaxing time.

• Chocolates
  Are always a hit. But it might be a good idea to include a tribute card with this or a little something extra…let your creative juices flow!

• New robe
  Does she love “cozy” rather than “sexy?” Surprise her with something that is really “her.”

• Jewelery
  Perhaps a ring or pendant with her birthstone on it. Or a nice pair of trendy earrings with a matching necklace. Then give her an opportunity to wear the jewlery when you take her out to dinner.

• Clothing style
  A gift certificate to her favorite clothing store will always be a hit. Attached to a plant or chocolates to make the gift perfectly complete.

Outdoor culture of ornamental trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials has shown a marked increase in recent years.

Container culture

Gardeners find that by using planters, tubs, pots and good cultural practices, they can overcome the problems of poor soil found in many local gardens.

The limitations imposed by paved surfaces and restricted planting areas can also be partially overcome by growing plants in containers.

Culture of plants in containers affords a chance to change landscape effects periodically and makes possible the use of tender plants outdoors during the warm season and the ease of moving them indoors during cold weather. In addition, container culture facilitates the control of weeds, sometimes a difficult problem in ground beds. The most serious difficulty is that container grown plants require watering, sometimes daily, to keep them growing well.

Planning and placement

The use and placement of containers must be considered a part of the home grounds landscape design. If containers and plants are out-of-scale, conflict in color, shape, texture or relate poorly to other parts of the landscape, the resulting effect will be disjointed and spotty. The need for careful consideration applies equally to new properties being planned for the first time and older properties ready for renovational plantings.

In planning, remember that containers and woody plants left out-of-doors during winter provide year round effect and that any moved indoors leave a gap in the landscape scene. Hardy, deciduous plants given seasons effects and do not require protection. However, they generally do not supply the tropical effect many desire around the patio or terrace. By having two groups of plants, hardy and tropicals, one can achieve seasonal interest by changing the plant during the time the weather demands this.

The cultural needs for plants grown in containers are critical. To maintain an attractive healthy appearance, attention to watering, fertilization and control of insects and diseases is especially important. In these respects, container plants are more difficult to grow than are plants grown in the soil.

Plant adaptation

Many plants are adapted to container culture. Some flowering plants that grow well in containers are:

• camellia, plumbago, Texas sage, gardenia, dwarf crape myrtle, florabunda roses, azalea, duranta, dwarf pomegranate, bottle brush and others.

For shaded areas:

• aucuba, mahonia, fatsia and fatshedera are good choices.

Evergreen plants that grow well in tubs are:

• holly, boxwood, palms, euonymus, cleyera, cocculus, umbrella plant, dwarf banana, croton, yucca, podocarpus, agave or century plant, banana shrub, sweet olive, dwarf juniper, pittosporum, pyracantha and many others.

To enhance and enrich limited growing areas, try growing a container plant on your terrace, patio, porch, courtyard or open foyer. You’ll be glad you did.

Here are a few creative ideas you can use to create autumn memories with your grandchild:

Drama

Be falling leaves.
“Oops! We’re falling, floating, down, down, down. Here comes the wind to blow us farther and faster. Now let’s be leaves blown along the ground….”

Places to go

• hazelnut farm
• apple farm (pick apples)
• salmon spawning ground
• pumpkin patch
• turkey farm
• corn maze
• spot to fly kites

Crafts

• Make bark rubbings by holding up a white piece of paper against a tree trunk and rubbing against it with a crayon.
• Collect leaves, press and make placemats.
• Create cards with leaves placed in the shape of fish. Use a simple leaf as the main body, cut a small v-shape at one end for a mouth, and place a lobed leaf like a maple behind the main body for the fins and tails. Add a bead for an eye.
• Make seed mosaics. Draw a simple figure like a bird on a tree branch and fill in with various seeds.
• Take stalks of oats and cover each kernel with various colored aluminum paper. Wrappers around toffee candies make ideal sizes to work with. Place a number of decorated stalks in a vase.
• Make bird feeders out of gourds.
• Make pine sachets by breaking needles into pieces and then sewing them into sachets.
• Make corn cob pipes like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
• Create small baskets by sticking burrs together and filling with dried flowers.
• Make corn husk doll.

Special activities

• Apple party
  Make candied or caramel apples; bake or cook anything involving apples like cookies, pie, cobblers, apple butter; make apple cider; dry apples.
• Pumpkin party
  Make pumpkin cookies, pie, muffins, bread. Roast pumpkin seeds. Play “Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin” and go for a pumpkin seed hunt (seeds should be hidden earlier). For party activities wear orange, decorate pumpkin cookies, carve pumpkins or draw faces on pumpkins with felt pens. Turn out the lights and watch the pumpkins glow in the dark.
• Hallelujah party (instead of a Halloween party)
  Have guests come dressed as Bible characters, play Bible trivia games, etc. If you like, eat foods people in Bible times would have eaten.
• Apple roast
  Place the apple on a stick and roast over an open fire until hot and juicy.

Long distance grandparenting

• Send dried autumn leaves in the mail to your grandchild.

If you’re planting new trees and shrubs this spring, don’t spoil them by enriching the soil with organic matter.

• Labels attached to your plant by wires can girdle the branch, so remove them when you plant.
• Set the tree in the soil at the same level that it grew in the nursery. Look for a dark mark on the trunk that indicates the depth.
• To protect the trunk from sunscald, rodents, and lawnmower nicks, use a treewrap from soil level to the lowest branch.
• If you use mulch, don’t allow it to touch the trunk of the tree.
• Check your plant from all angles to see that it is sitting straight before filling the hole.
• Stakes often cause more damage than they prevent, so use them only when planting in a windy, unprotected area, or if you are planting a top-heavy tree. If you use a stake, leave an inch or two of slack in the wire and cover the part that encircles the tree with a protective covering.

Used with permission from GardenGuides.com

A gardener’s relationship with birds is one of mutual benefit.

Birds have four primary needs: food, water, shelter and a place to raise a family. As you’ll see, these needs are easily met.

• Food
  
  • Two types of seeds, white proso millet and black oil sunflower seeds, will attract most common seed-eating birds. These two seeds should be the mainstay in your feeders.
  • To broaden the diversity of birds visiting your feeders, add species-specific seeds such as red proso millet, black and gray-striped sunflower seeds, Niger thistle (for goldfinches, pine siskins and purple finches) milo and peanut kernels (for chickadees and white tufted titmice).
  • Beef suet helps birds maintain their body heat in cold weather. Hang plastic mesh bags of suet or pinecones dipped in melted suet from tree limbs. Woodpeckers are particularly appreciative of this treat.

  For more suggestions on feeding birds, see Leigh Abernathy’s article, It’s For The Birds on the gardenguides.com website. If you’re interested in attracting hummingbirds to your garden, see Naomi Mathew’s article, Creating a Hummingbird Haven on the gardenguides.com website.

• Water
  An ideal water source for birds should be about three inches deep and three feet off the ground. Motion and sound will grab a bird’s attention. You can create moving water by suspending a leaky container from a branch over a birdbath. Fountains and waterfalls are favorite hangouts for songbirds, and misters place in the plants near your birdbath will attract a variety of feathered visitors.

• Shelter
  Birds need shelter to protect them from the elements and allow them to hide from predators. Dense, twiggy shrubs and evergreens are the shelter of choice for most birds.

• Nesting sites
  Different species of birds have different nesting requirements, and you can find ready-made bird houses or build-it-yourself plans for almost every species of bird. Choose birdhouses that are weather resistant and have a pitched roof to shed rain. There should be holes in the sides and bottom for ventilation and drainage. A hinged or removable roof is a bonus for you because it makes cleaning much easier. The birdhouse should be cleaned after each nesting season.

When hanging your birdhouse, position the entrance hole away from prevailing winds.

A little golf etiquette will go a long way on the golf course.

If you are not aware of the etiquette of golf you are at the mercy of others. Be aware and golfers all around will appreciate you on the course.

Etiquette means behaving well in a social situation, and golf, above all other sports, is a social game that follows a strict code of ethics. Knowing and practicing proper golf etiquette will make you more comfortable regardless of how well you play.

Before swinging into technical golfing tips, read these suggestions that will make your time on the golf course, and that of others, more meaningful and enjoyable. The basic etiquette of golf, outlined to make the sport more enjoyable and safer, is as follows:

• No one should move, talk, or stand close to or directly behind the ball or the hole when a player is addressing the ball or making a stroke.
• Prior to playing a stroke or making a practice swing, the player should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs or the like which may be moved by the stroke or swing.
• The player who has the honor (lowest score for a hole) should be allowed to drive first (from the tee) in beginning play on the next hole.
• No player should hit the ball from the tee until the players ahead are out of range.
• Play should be conducted without delay of any sort.
• Players searching for a ball should allow other players coming up to pass them by making an appropriate signal and should not continue their play until those players have passed and are out of range.
• Before leaving a bunker, a player should carefully fill up all holes made by him therein.
• Players should ensure that any turf cut or displaced by them on fairways or greens is replaced at once and pressed down.
• Players should ensure that, when dropping golf bags or the flagstick (used to mark the hole), no damage is done to the putting green, and that neither they nor their caddies damage the hole by standing close to the hole or by mishandling the flagstick.
• The flagstick should be properly replaced in the hole before the players leave the putting green.
• Players should not damage the putting green by leaning on their putters, particularly when removing the ball from the hole.
• On completion of the hole by all players in the group, damage to the putting green caused by golf shoe spikes should be repaired.
• When the play of a hole has been completed, players should immediately leave the putting green.
• Local notices regulating the movement of golf carts should be strictly observed.

Used with permission from Freeman River RV Park

How it all began

It all started last year when Valida learned that the local Birthright centre, an international, pro-life ministry, that provides counseling and support to women who are distressed by an unplanned pregnancy, was in need of volunteers who could knit afghans, sweaters, bonnets and other items for newborn babies. Getting together with some ladies from her church, Valida set to work.

As time went on, Valida started doing projects on her own as well. Since she started, Valida has knit or crocheted over twenty items, all of which will be given to unwed mothers who have recently given birth. Although Valida has never met any of the mothers to whom her gifts have been given, it still makes her feel good to know that God can use her abilities to help others.

“God gave me the gift, so I wanted to use it for him,” Valida says. “I don’t condone what the girls have done, but girls make mistakes. At least they’re choosing to keep their babies or give them up for adoption rather than abort them. I think it’s important to support them any way we can.”

You can help in your community

Although Birthright is always looking for such donations, Valida is quick to point out that Birthright isn’t the only place that needs help. Hospitals and other community services also require such items.

“The need is great, so if you have the gift or talent to do something like that, use it,” Valida says. “It’s a very rewarding thing. I enjoy knitting and crocheting anyway, and if I can do it for something like this, it makes it all the better.”

To learn more about how you can provide knitted or crocheted items to Birthright, please visit Birthright International today.