Author - Clay Corvin

Crossing the Atlantic by ship is a unique experience. It isn’t something I would want to do often but it has been enjoyable. One of the great blessings of this journey has been calm seas. I am grateful for that. The people on the Prinsendam have all been nice to travel with. The food of course is outstanding.

We joined our tour group for sightseeing on Ponta Delgada at 12:30 p.m. today. We visited a pineapple plantation, Ribeira Grande and Fire Lake. Relaxing and fun.

They are cranking up the ship and we are already on our way. Short stop. Lisbon on Saturday.

I read Jason’s blog on Jimmy’s visit to see Retia at West Jeff. The pictures brought tears of joy to our eyes. We are praying for Retia’s continued recovery.

Our trip across the Atlantic has been a relaxing experience. Watching the Ocean from our room is calming. So far the weather has been outstanding. The sea has been moderate most of the way.

We will reach the Azores tomorrow and will spend the afternoon there then late in the day up anchor and sail towards Lisbon.

We have quietly eaten our way across the Atlantic. It seems we have a meal very often. I have worked very hard at not eating too much.

The Lord is good and we are grateful for this opportunity to travel.

No man’s land in the middle of the sea
Mountain ranges five thousand feet below
Extending downward fifteen thousand feet
At the midpoint in the Atlantic
Newfoundland is closer than Europe

No man’s land in the middle of the sea
You can listen to the silence
It seems to be nothing but is vaster than any desert
The sea it is filled with activity
Just because I don’t know what it is doesn’t mean it isn’t important

No man’s land in the middle of the sea
Controlled by God
A part of His creation
That has a direct affect on mankind’s existence
It operates without our approval and is out of our control

Man’s land is where we live
Thinking that what we see and do is exclusive
The truth is it isn’t because we are human
Humanity has a way of excluding everything including God
Which has exactly no impact on God-its impact is on the man

am discovering that when you are crossing the Atlantic time quickly slips away. We began four days ago and it seemed we had all the time in the world. Today I suddenly realized that our time was passing me bye.

We will be at Ponte Delgada (Azores) on Thursday, the third day from now. I had so many things that I was going to do and I’ve done only a few of them. It is easier to relax than I thought. Our ship is in constant activity mode. It is just like being in a small town, except that it is constantly moving.

The biggest obstacle is the fact that we seem to be eating every few hours. It is extremely difficult to maintain one’s discipline when food is chasing you all day long.

The cruise continues to be excellent. Blessings to you and yours. Please keep us in your prayers.
Clay

Sunday all day. Carol and I had a devotional time in our room. We also rested more today than the previous two if that is possible. The ocean for the most part today has been smooth with very little wave action. We are cruising toward the halfway point at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.

The meals are extremely well planned by Holland America and we have enjoyed each one. One of the good things we discovered before on an Alaska cruise is that the portions are not huge and you don’t wind up getting stuffed.

Today was the second day in a row that we have pushed our clocks ahead at noon. That takes a little out of the day but again it seems to have been planned that way to cause the least amount of interruption with our body’s clock.

The wind is kicking up. It’s 11:30 p.m. here and we are having a bit of a squall. High winds and waves. The good thing is that it is bed time.

Thank you for you prayers.

We are settling in to a relaxing itinerary. Even though the time is passing quickly I’m getting a lot of things done. Just completed going through my Israel poems. I’m reviewing and editing them for an e-book on the Internet. That was the major project I had in mind for our sabbatical.

The seas are moderate and the wind is quite brisk. Beautiful sun so far. Our first stop will be the Azores on May 7. That is 5 more days.

I looked on the Atlantic map of shipping activity. There isn’t a lot of activity in the area that we are in.

Another good day. So far no sea sickness. Thank you for your prayers.

You can follow our progress at

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=PBGH

Everything is working well. We are a long way from shore but only 1 day into 7 sea days. The wind is high, the sun is out and the ocean is beautiful. There is something about the movement of a ship at night. Our sleep was excellent.

This first day at sea has passed entirely too quick.

We have spent a lot of time getting everything ready. Carol is packed. All of the necessary medicines have been put together and ready to pack. I will pack tonight and in the early morning. I’m finishing things at the office today. Tomorrow we will travel Southwest Air to Fort Lauderdale and overnight at the Airport Holiday Inn Express. I’ve really made sure that we squeeze every dollar a couple of times for value. I noted that the Euro is bouncing between 1.30-1.32 the last several weeks so that also is good.

I can’t remember us every being away from home thirty plus days (that of course would exclude Katrina when we were all exiled in Atlanta for five months.) I’m still a bit overwhelmed by the fact that we are taking a sabbatical. My prayer is that we will renew ourselves during this time away and be more productive when we return to work.

I hate to leave Jimmy and Retia here with us traveling. Usually they have traveled with us. Don Richard will make sure that they are doing fine. Don has been so great in going to see Jimmy just about every day. He and Trish have visited Retia regularly.

Our son Adam has been traveling in Turkey and Greece and will return at 10 p.m. tonight. He gets back just in time for us to leave.

Please pray with us while we are traveling from April 29 to August 3, 2009. I am praying that everything will go smoothly and well. That neither of us will get sick. No sea sickness as we cross the Atlantic on the Prinsendam. That Jimmy and Retia recover quickly. That NOBTS fall enrollment will be up. That Doc and Rhonda have a good summer. That the campus will be safe and incident free. That MissionLab have its best summer. That WBSN really does well. That Libby enjoys her new city and married life. That New Orleans will be hurricane free this year. That August would be cool and not so terribly hot. That you grow in Christ. Jesus is Lord. Blessings to you.

Herod and his soldiers mocked and beat the Christ
Sending Christ to Pilate, enemies became friends
Both treated Jesus with contempt
Rough soldiers beat Him like a conquered foe
All around Jerusalem people wanted blood
Crucify Him, crucify Him, crucify Him

Before we get too smug
I must confess for myself
Everytime I sin I too am screaming crucify Him
We deny it and rationalize it
The truth is we do it and we do it a lot
We live like we are eternal but Jesus holds the keys to the kingdom

They marched Him to the cross
He was battered beyond recognition
It took every ounce of strength to carry His cross
He was carrying it for me and you
Every jostle was for my sin, my sin, my sin
He was weighed down with agony with our sin

Jesus was surrounded by pagans
They didn’t love Him
They didn’t care that He was doing it for them
They wanted blood, His blood
Screaming and shouting on His march
Jeering and shouting they followed Him to Golgotha

The soldiers stretched Him out on the cross piece
Hammered nails thru His hands
Placed Him on the upright piece and hammered nails through His feet
Jesus was in absolute agony now
Listen close as He prayed again and again
Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing

They elevated the cross and He prayed Father forgive them
Wham into the hole, ripping His hands and feet
Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing
Soldiers cursed Him and rolled dice for His coat
Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing
God’s wrath forestalled so that they could know Him

When things get bad
Listen as Christ prays for you
Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing
He never gives up
Jesus sees us through
Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing
Clay Corvin 4/25/09

I feel like a failure, when I am alone,
Wanting to do good, I try
Success runs ahead of me, just put of reach
I wasn’t, then I did, sin is in control

I have been changed by Jesus
He came looking for me and found me
He liberated my soul, gave me strength for every day
Christ united me with God my Father, I am in His family to stay

I heard the glorious gospel, it spoke to my soul
His truth brought light for living, Jesus loves me
I have received His forgiveness, victory walks with me
He broke my bonds of slavery, He gave me light to see, now I am free

I believed in Jesus, I asked Him in my heart
I surrendered myself, now Christ is conforming me
To God’s reality, He holds me in the palm of His hand
Nothing can ever separate me from Christ, the Lord is Lord of me

When I came into His family, God wanted all to see
The Holy Spirit took His ring and sealed me
God declared “this one is mine,” he is bought with a price
He promised love and protection, death must flee, eternity was poured in me

Christ is Lord of everything, Christ created me
Now He’s come to help me be
A son of God, living life free, the Spirit of God resides in me
Jesus set me free, obedience is alive in me,

His image reflected in me
Christ is real and lives in me, guiding me to grow in Christ
The Lord fights for me, In Jesus I’m made free
When I feel like a failure, I get the Book

Clay Corvin April 18, 2009