Maui/Makawao/Paia/Lost in the Lava Fields--no signal from Catherine Zeta-Jones

We arrived in Texas after a lovely 3-week stay in Maui. The trip was initially to check into a job that my husband was looking at. God used that as bait, I believe, to get us to Maui. We had solid 'family time' for 3 weeks, which was much needed. The pastor provided his home, a car, and a stocked pantry for us. His family was very generous. My husband preached for two of the weeks. It was a powerful time. Especially our last Sunday. Bill preached a 10-minute sermon and then painted on a large white cloth to music. It was so anointed that one of his assistants on the platform who was helping to hold the cloth still, stood there and cried. Many people were moved and came to the altar for prayer. Their hunger for God was refreshing.

We had lots of beach time. We explored the little towns of Makawao and Paia with their quaint, laid back island shops. We drove around the entire island. The winding road to Hana has 617 turns and over 50 one-lane bridges. It was precarious, but absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking waterfalls were many.

We were told about a great snorkeling spot called 'Fishbowl' and we attempted to find it. The trail to it is mostly unmarked and slightly difficult to walk. It runs through the lava fields. Talk about desolate and unforgiving. That's the place. We were wearing flip-flops and carrying snorkel gear as we began the walk. What was supposed to be a 20-minute walk turned into a 2 1/2 hour ordeal in the middle of the lava fields. My daughter and I got some cuts on our feet. I never knew that lava rock was so sharp!! We were getting tired and had a difficult time climbing up and down the mounds of lava rock. I checked the cell phone to make sure we had a signal. Thank God for Sprint. Had it been my T-Mobile phone, we would probably only get a signal on one square inch of the island (sorry Catherine Zeta-Jones, but your looks don't help the telephone service). The thought of calling for a helicopter to come lift us out of there crossed our minds. We began to pray and ask God to help us find the trail. Within minutes, a man saw us out in the distance and began a harsh walk to where we were. I've never been so happy to see another human!!! He helped us carry our gear and led us to the right trail. We ate and called it a day!

We'll be going back to Maui at some point, but for the time being, everything is a step-by-step adventure with God. He's given us so many surprises in the last few months and I can't wait to see what He has next. I delight in this moment.

Snorkeling Black Rock in Maui

I finally got the nerve to subject myself to the possibility of being attacked by a shark, an eel, or some great sea monster. Up until now, I stayed right near shore, but my husband insisted that I was missing out on a great adventure. I am glad that I listened. We went to a popular spot on Maui called Black Rock. I took with me the security of a boogie board. At least I had something that floats near me in case of emergency. I forgot about my fears when I put my face in the water and suddenly I was in another world, getting a glimpse of God's great creation. I saw a small, black eel and numerous multi-colored tropical fish. We hovered above a colorful reef full of life and then we came across a sudden drop off. The coral reef ended with no warning and it was like flying off of a cliff, looking down at a vast desert. About 30 feet below us, we could see solid white sand and a school of trumpet fish near the bottom. At this point, I kept picturing a great white shark appearing in the distance. Thank God that wasn't the case! As we headed back to shore, I made sure to cherish the moment. My husband, son and daughter swam side-by-side...next to me, all keeping a hold on the boogie boards. What an awesome sight to see with my family. I'm glad we took the plunge.