Are You Satisfied With What You're Becoming?
In the Bay of Naples there's a jellyfish that loves to swallow a certain snail. But the snail has a hard shell and the jellyfish can't digest it. So the snail fastens itself to the inside of the jellyfish and slowly begins to eat away at it. By the time the snail is fully-grown, it has consumed the entire jellyfish. Understand this: a lot of the things we think we can handle, finish up consuming us - things like appetites, overwork, stress, greed, or simply the aimlessness of our lives; there's a real killer!
Fred Smith, author of Learning to Lead, once sent his friends a letter with 3 questions:
- Am I enjoying what I'm doing?
- Am I happy with where I'm going?
- Am I satisfied with what I'm becoming?
One of his friends, a top Wall Street broker, called him back and said, "When I read the question, 'Am I satisfied with what I'm becoming?' I said, absolutely not! I'm tired of grabbing the Wall Street Journal first thing every morning like it's my Bible. My life has no real meaning outside of my investments, so, today I liquidated them all - I'm quitting! Tomorrow I'm beginning a new life and I want to thank you for giving me the courage to do it."
Don't end your life feeling empty, having your insides eaten away by a quest for things that can't satisfy. God has a wonderful plan for you. (See Jeremiah 29:11). Spend time with Him today and let Him tell you about it.
Sunken Treasure at Rangitoto
Its 5.30pm on a warm & sunny December afternoon. I rush down to Westhaven marina, Z pier to complete the team of salvage divers aboard ‘Bearing Up’. Heather & Sally helped me load on the gear while Grant dropped the ropes & Andrew drove us out in the direction of Auckland’s youngest volcanic island, Rangitoto. The vessel had managed to hook up its anchor on foul ground at Rangitoto Island. We were keen to retrieve it. What a great excuse to go cruising & diving & to indulge in an adventurous challenge.
At 18 knots it didn’t take long until we arrived at Islington Bay or as it was more often referred to as Drunkards Bay. Drunkard's Bay was so named - as many Aucklanders’ know - because it was where ship's captains sailed their vessels after hauling their crew out of Auckland pubs to sober up. (Lord Islington was Governor General & the name was changed in his honour). (Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust)
We located the marked buoy & Heather, Sally & myself discussed the plan of attack with reference to safety & back up plans. After three splashes & some final chitchat, I lead the way & followed a very wiggly anchor chain on the muddy bottom. I found the anchor & tried to move it, something was holding it down with a relentless grip. I dug away some mud to try & feel what it was. It felt like a heavy ship chain tangled around the anchor. Maybe one of the old navy ships had lost an anchor. I realised that the girls had not yet arrived so I slowly ascended. As I reached the surface I heard the sound of contagious laughter. Heather & Sally had got lost in my trail of stirred up mud & the winding chain had caused them to split up & then meet head on as the chain intersected itself. They banged heads together & the whole situation sent them into underwater hysterics. Which believe me is not comfortable especially when your mask starts to fill up with water.
The next logical step was to winch up all those meters of chain. Andrew & Grant got the anchor as tight as it would go. This time Heather & Sally went down first to see if they could make sense of the snagged anchor. Within a minute we were discussing it in technical terms far too difficult to explain in writing. With the master plan agreed on we went down for the third attempt. Basically Heather was to twist & pull the anchor while Sally & I were to lift the large rogue chain from below. For ten minutes with zero visibility we managed to keep up this unusual underwater, three person, anchor dance. With the music being the sound of bubbles, grunting & grinding metal.
We Finally gave up & all went to the surface. It looked like we had been defeated. The sun was getting low & our ideas were exhausted. Andrew went to tighten up the chain while we contemplated & discussed a final attempt. Then it happened…… the great moment of victory & triumph…. Out of the blue the Anchor arrived from the water & slipped into its place on the boat as if nothing had ever happened. We all cheered at the sight & congratulated ourselves on a job Well Done!
Without hesitation we boarded the vessel & cruised back to Westhaven marina with the sun setting & the waters of the Waitamata sparkling as they do. We safely arrived back showered, dressed & ready to enjoy a celebratory seafood buffet that Heather had prepared (which was top of the line I might add). Trophies of bottled wine & beer were opened & consumed with pleasure.
Before too long the camera came out to take photos of the rescue team.
(As seen below)
by Dominic Bamford
