Overboard

Recently my friend, Hans, was sharing with me some scripture from Acts 27 about Paul and the ship he was sailing on as it hit some very rough seas. All week, I’ve been thinking both about that story where the men in desperation began throwing stuff overboard in order to lighten their load… and something I read from Anne Dilliard’s essay, An Arctic Expedition, where she describes how 19th century explorers from England took so much unnecessary stuff with them on their exploration of the Arctic that it actually cost them their lives. Among other things they took a 1,200 volume library, sterling silver place settings, wine goblets, crystal, hand organs and many other things on an Arctic expedition! There were some notable things they didn’t bring… like protective gear such as gloves, coats, hats, etc… Their clothing consisted of Navy uniforms. The story doesn’t have a happy ending. Months later Eskimo’s found the men frozen dragging a lifeboat full of place settings, books, chocolate and other items that proved worthless to save. If the men would have had a choice they would have thrown all the beautiful place settings out in order to make room for something that could have saved them.

I would guess that many a person has gotten to the end of their life only to regret that they had held on to things that were unable to save them. For example, I saw a beautiful brand new jaguar the other day and an elderly lady driving it. Her license plate said, “For my 80th”. (I can only hope she has bigger aspirations than that.)

It’s a simple thought… what are you holding on to that’s really a determent to your soul? Throw it overboard. Hurry, it’s killing you.

What do you really need…? Truly…? My best advice is to figure out what that is and never, ever let go.