Our family grew this summer as our overseas family came home for over two months. It’s been three years since the whole family was home last. The baby is now 3 1/2 years old. The rest of the kids shot upward too. They have all grown so much.
These kids love to come to the farm for all the fresh air and space to play. Early in June, I did the unthinkable again. I found some kernels of field corn which I had stored and I brought those out for all the toy farm equipment in the living room. Such an addition can create an extra mess to the carpet, but the hours of enjoyment are totally worth it all!
Ed and I wanted to do a special trip with our overseas family while they are here. Thus, we arranged a round-trip ride on the S.S. Badger from Ludington, Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This ship is a car ferry which was originally built to carry railcars across Lake Michigan all year round. Later vehicles along with their passengers were added to the voyage as the railcars no longer utilized it. With additions to the scheduling, this ride across Lake Michigan has become a family-friendly event.
The ship offers amazing views of beautiful water, games to play, plenty of food to purchase, a gift shop to browse through, a movie theater, staterooms to rent if one needs to rest and even a toddlers’ playroom. Since it takes four hours for the trip, the entertainment makes the time fly by quickly.
Thankfully no storms passed over the lake while we were on the ship giving us a super smooth ride. One could hardly tell when the ship started to move even. That was amazing too.
One of our granddaughters learned about the Great Lakes in her overseas school, so while they were home seeing a Great Lake was one of the targeted events to do this summer. Well, I’m quite sure she will have stories, pictures and souvenirs to share with her class in the fall. She now knows how big one of the Great Lakes is.
We didn’t take our vehicles with us to Wisconsin, which is offered by the S.S. Badger. Upon arrival, the young adventurous family walked the maybe 1-mile hike to the hotel while we older folks waited for a taxi. I got to ride in my very first taxi. The hotel was only one-fifth of a mile away from the landing dock, but there was no direct route to it. The distance was short, but the required energy to get there was for the youthful ones.
We stayed only one night in Wisconsin and then took the S.S. Badger back to Michigan the next day. That departure time was scheduled for 2 p.m. giving us time in the morning to venture about.
Close to the hotel was a submarine museum with the USS Cobia available for touring. That was a delightful educational addition to our adventure. I think the kids enjoyed that part too but not as much as Grandpa. Being a former Navy man, he enjoyed the submarine tour with all the sights, smells and sounds of a ship.
After the museum, we grabbed a bite to eat then ventured back to the dock where our ship awaited us. We knew what to do this time. We enjoyed all the entertainment on the return trip as we did on the first one.
All in all, it was quite an adventure. The children learned more about the Great Lakes. The Navy man relived his sailing the seven seas days. I continued to learn what my new normals are after cancer and I knocked a couple of things off my bucket list, including riding in a taxi and riding on the S.S. Badger.
I hope your summer is full of adventures and fun times too.
Gail loves the Lord most of all. She delights in her calling to be a wife to Ed Malick and a mother to seven children and grandmother of 19. Ed is the sixth generation on the homestead family farm in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan.
Seeds of Hope
A small third grader was locked in a fight with the school bully. Calling on strength that was far beyond his size, he was winning the battle. Suddenly, he began to call for help. “Why?” shouted a friend. “I can feel him getting up,” he said.
It is the same with our fight against temptation and sin. It is real, constant and often more intense than we expect. We constantly need to call for God’s help if we are to overcome evil and the evil one.
Temptation is the enemy’s primary strategy against us. In Genesis we read, “The tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious.” Eve was tempted by something that was attractive but against God’s teachings. While it looks desirable in the moment, it can lead us straight to destruction. The wise response is to develop the habit of calling for help immediately. We cannot win this battle alone. The same God who first called us into a relationship with Him stands ready to strengthen and deliver us when we turn to Him.
Victory doesn’t mean we will never face temptation; it means we don’t have to surrender to it. We can resist and overcome. Remember that you are not alone in the battle. The moment you sense the enemy stirring, lift your voice. Help is only a prayer away.
The choice is yours.
Today’s Prayer: Father, help us to be victorious in recognizing and resisting the temptations of Satan. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Today’s Scripture: The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
1 Corinthians 10:13
This article originally appeared on Farmers Advance: Sailing Lake Michigan: A floating family adventure on the S.S. Badger
Reporting by Gail Malick, Farmers’ Advance / Farmers Advance
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Gail Malick, Farmers' Advance | USA TODAY Network
