2026 floated in for us, quite literally, on water. Our canceled river cruise to experience Oberammergau in 2020 was redeemed with a Panama Canal cruise to launch the new year and in no way intending to minimize the nature or glory of heaven, we’d say it approximated “heaven on earth” for two weeks.

Two weeks of no household duties (no cooking, cleaning, doing yard work, etc), no driving, very little internet, and virtually no phone service.

Two weeks of exploring Central America’s amazing features, on land and on sea.

Two weeks of sleeping, reading, writing, and engaging with new people at will.

Two weeks of seeing artistry in food and of tasting five-star meals.

Blessed beyond by this delayed gift from dear friends, we enter this new year refreshed and renewed because of the past two weeks.

*Early morning sunrise in Ft. Lauderdale was a great start to this extraordinary journey.*

It all started in Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 28, where we had almost two days to meet up with friends and walk the beach. It was our great joy to spend the late afternoon and evening with Dick and Becky Molenhouse on the Sunday of our arrival. Dear friends for well over 50 years now, we shared the joys and concerns of our lives and lacked for no conversation. It is such a gift to have such sages in our life.

*Dinner with Dick and Becky was a treat and a joy.*

Monday we had the first of many “first time experiences” as we took an airboat ride through the everglades. It was fascinating to have a distinctly different “boat” adventure than any we’d ever had—and though we only saw one American alligator in the “weeds,” we had a great time.

*We did indeed survive the airboat trip through the everglades!*

After the airboat ride, we walked through the preserve and did see this huge mama alligator with 5 babies crawling around her. You can see one of the babies towards the back middle of the photo. Very exciting!

Monday evening we spent with our dear friends, Kurt and Michelle Ling. We were brought together through Derek and Julie’s work with children with hydrocephalus (Neurokids.org) and our hearts beat in sync. We were so delighted to have several hours with them.

*Though the picture is a bit blurry, it’s the only one we have and ir captured a lovely evening as we strolled the waterways in Ft. Lauderdale.*

Tuesday morning we boarded the Viking Mars to commence this excellent adventure.

*The farewell from Ft. Lauderdale sunset as we left the harbor.*

*The morning sunrise our first day at sea.*

New Year’s Eve and Day were spent at sea and it was definitely unlike any previous new year’s celebration we’ve had! The Viking Mars pulled out all the stops and threw a great party with live music and an array of food that was as good to look at as it was to consume. We made it to midnight (barely) and enjoyed the first full day of 2026 relaxing on the ship and eating foods we seldom eat. We also fulfilled our commitment to walk 10 miles a day (twice our normal) to counteract the food we were intaking (close to twice the normal.)

*Dressed and ready for the New Year’s Eve soiree onboard the ship…we had so much fun!*

*Brunch on New Year’s Day was over the top in every way. Notice the carved watermelon on the right side of the photo. Artistry!*

We also started our new devotional, The Enduring Word Study Bible, written by our friend and co-worker, David Guzik. We were speakers along with David at Forest Home two years ago and fell in love with his deep teaching so much we had him speak last year at our HIM marriage retreat. We were thrilled when his lifelong project of making pastoral commentary on every chapter (and just about every verse) of the Bible was published in October 2025 and immediately got copies for ourselves as well as for many friends.

His depth of insight and explanation of context and meaning is rich and we are loving being taught by this deeply passionate man of God. We highly recommend it to you.

Our first port of call was Ocho Rios, Jamaica, which replaced the scheduled stop at Montego Bay, still inaccessible since Hurricane Melissa in late October. Our excursion was to Dunn’s Falls and River and we had the most unusual and exhilarating adventure there.

The falls cascade over what I would describe as sandstone “moguls” and the tour hikes you up these rapidly flowing falls which, at points, is no easy task. We literally had to link hands with the line of fellow hikers in order to not be carried away by the rush of water.

It was a blast.

And it was on this excursion that we met our newest dearest friends, Vance and Susan. We happened to be in the line-up together and through the mutual support extended to one another on this crazy journey, we bonded. Future excursions together would cement that bond.

*This very unique hiking/waterfall adventure was loads of fun and very memorable.*

*Leaning back in to the refreshing waterfall was a bit shocking.*

January 3 was a sea day, which ushered in the entrance to the Panama Canal on Jan. 4.

Though we had read about the canal and heard plenty about it throughout our lifetime, we had no idea of how overwhelmed we were to actually see it in operation. An engineering feat accomplished in 1913 is such a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of a generation which wouldn’t accept “it can’t be done.”

We were mesmerized as we watched the locks at work. The emptying. The filling. The rising. The sinking. The “mules” guiding. It was truly a feat to behold and we feel very privileged to have a real time experience of such a great accomplishment.

*We were front and center as the Viking Mars made her way through the locks.*

The major reason that going to the Panama Canal was on my bucket list was because I was born here. I wrote this several days after passing through the canal:

Today is our dear Mama’s 96th birthday…her 5th one in heaven. This day has even deeper significance for me than ever as Paul and I have just passed through the Panama Canal. It was here in 1954 that my very young mama, already mother to three children, aged 4 and under, was told that she would not survive another pregnancy due to a diagnosis of chronic nephritis. Four months after delivering her third child, she was pregnant unintentionally and was advised by the doctor in Panama (where they were stationed due to my dad’s naval career) to terminate the pregnancy, as it posed such a great risk of death to her and the child. My parents had not long before dedicated their lives to Christ at a revival meeting in Panama and informed the doctor that their trust was in Jesus and the pregnancy would be in His hands. They were 26 and 24 years old and parents of three little girls age 4, 2 and 4 months… in a foreign land, with no support around them. Eight months later, I was born and lived in Panama until I was 2. Returning 69 years later to the place where I was born and my parents were reborn was deeply moving to me. How grateful I am that my parents trusted Jesus and that His purposes for my life have been directed by Him. What a courageous decision they made that day early in 1954! Celebrating all of the decisions made over the course of her life that set her apart as a most extraordinary woman. How blessed all 7 of us were to have had her as our mother. #birthdaysinheaven #loveandmissher

Though we didn’t get to visit the base, Ft. Kobbe, at which I was born, it was enough to go through the canal. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

We went back through the locks the same day and ported at Colón for our next day’s adventure. We slept under a full moon, looking into the colorfully lit city of Colón.

Our excursion the following day took us to Agua Clara, the overlook site for the expansion Panama Canal. Opened in 2016, the expansion canal has the capacity for vessels too large for the original canal. It can accommodate new vessels called “New Panamax,” which are up to one and a half times the size of the original “Panamax” vessels and can carry twice as much cargo. We were fortunate to watch a vessel entering the new locks, guided by tug boats. Another amazing engineering feat!

From there, we went to a boat launch on Lake Gatun, the lake between the Pacific and Atlantic locks, and we kayaked with hopes of seeing howler monkeys or sloths or anything. We had to settle for a very large iguana spied in the top of a tree with its 2-foot-long skinny tale hanging from the branches. It was a beautiful day and an invigorating paddle.

*We watched this vessel enter the new locks at Agua Clara.*

*Ready for our animal-less-sighting kayak trip on Lake Gatun.*

We topped off the day at Manfredi’s—the well-known Italian restaurant on Viking vessels. It was delicious.

*The sun set on our day in Colón as we headed towards Costa Rica.*

Tuesday, Jan 6, we spent the day in Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. Our excursion that day took us on a 1.5 hour bus ride to a nature walk where we saw a few monkeys (never enough) and some sloths, just hanging out. After the walk, we did a river kayak, looking for more of the same and being rewarded with a few. It was a day well spent.

*Howler Monkeys apparently having a committee meeting in a tree.*

*On the river we saw turtles, monkeys, and the potential of a sloth (some saw it; we didn’t).*

The next day was a welcomed day at sea and we did quiet things, took a nap, and got dizzy walking 10 miles on the deck of the ship.

Thursday, Jan. 8, was spent in Roatán, Honduras. We weren’t the only “ship in town.” The vessel in the first photo is the Star of the Sea, with a capacity of 10,000. And there were three more vessels besides that one and ours! Coxen Hole, where we docked, is quite small, so we stepped from our serene vessel of 900 into a sea of people unlike anything we had seen. It took an hour to get out of the parking lot!

But once we did, we had a fabulous experience snorkeling on the Meso-American Barrier Reef. As avid snorkelers, we were over the moon to see corals and species of fish we had never seen. It was a symphony of color and unique designs unlike anything we had seen. All praise to our amazing Creator God!!

We had a short stint on a small beach before returning to the center of town, where we took advantage of being able to get steps OFF the ship. We got underway hot, sweaty, and very satisfied with a great land day.

*All life-jacketed for our dive on the Meso-American barrier reef.*

Our next stop, on Friday the 9th, was Belize City, Belize. Our excursion there was possibly our favorite: kayaking and tubing on a river running through Mayan caves.

Decked out with life jackets and miner’s hats, we kayaked into very dark underground caves, seeing the wonders of stalagmites and stalactites, of quartz crystals everywhere, and many unique geological formations. After kayaking upstream and then back, we exchanged the kayaks for tubes—and roped together, our crew floated down the river through the rest of the caves. It was so unique, beautiful, even breathtaking. We loved it.

*Each of the Caribbean towns had colorful letters establishing their identity.*

*Paul all dressed with some place to go.*

*The kayak trip was challenging at times, but mostly just captivating with all there was to take in.*

*The variety of formations was enchanting.*

*Then came the tubes. How fun were they!*

Our final port of call was Cozumel. Another first for us, our excursion there was beginning scuba! After a briefing on the fine art of staying alive while submerging beneath the surface of the water to a depth of 25’, we took the plunge. It was like snorkeling on steroids! The silence of the world around made it seem mysterious but in a most magical way, as the beauty surrounding us was breathtaking (though we had to remember to breathe normally). Again we saw things we’ve never seen and it was nothing short of exhilarating. What a treat!!

We also got our walking in as we soaked in the culture of this beloved Mexican city.

*Beautiful bronze artwork lined the waterfront of this city.*

Our last two days were at sea and they were a welcomed bookend to the trip.

Though there were many unexpected experiences throughout the two weeks, the two that rise to the top were the entertainment and the new friends.

This was our 4th cruise in 20 years and we’ve never taken in the entertainment on past cruises. After the first show on this cruise, we were sold. The four performers were extremely talented vocalist and performers. Every show, each showcasing a different theme or genre, was excellent and entertaining. Our favorites were “Broadway Musicals” and “The Beatles.” They knew the vibe of their guests and played right in to us. Viking doesn’t allow children or gambling, so it seems they attract an older crowd who would love older music.

And we did.

*These four, three Brits and one American, were exceptionally talented.*

We were also surprised by the extreme talent of our cruise director, Patricia Poblador, who was not only a very competent cruise director, but also a professional musician, both vocally and instrumentally. Her sidekick, assistant cruise director Jason, was equally competent in his ship work as well as on the stage. Together they performed “The Prayer” and it was goose-bump producing.

*Jason and Patricia knocked it out of the park singing “The Prayer.”*

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that we would connect with some great people, but we ended the cruise knowing we had gained five new couples with whom we’ll share parts of the future.

We met Tom and Kim on our first day, and after finding out that both Tom and Paul turned 75 within months of each other AND that both graduated from Cal State Fullerton the same year AND that they live in Orange County, we shared a number of meals and experiences with them.

These two couples have been friends for over 50 years, and have 103 years of marriage between them. We met them over tea early in the cruise and spent some great times getting to know each other. Towards the end of the cruise, Steve asked what our last name was and the next morning at breakfast, he confessed that he had googled us and spent hours after watching us on YouTube. :)

George and Lannette are two we had so much in common with…47 years married, lifelong ministry, focus on family and marriage, their three sons are walking with Jesus, all involved in ministry. We are looking forward to seeing them in Nashville when we go for a wedding the end of March.

*And Vance and Susan, with whom we did the most on land and at sea. Our hearts were knit together right off the bat and we look forward to continuing our journey with them.*

After two final days at sea, our magical great adventure came to a close and we left the ship with hearts overflowing with joy, gratitude, and wonder. We KNOW we are beyond blessed to have had this amazing gift and we’ll be treasuring the memories for the rest of our days

It was more than just a great time.

It was more than being spoiled beyond imagination.

It was more than having a break from all that is “normal.”

It was all that but so much more.

We were reminded every day, whether on the vast ocean seemingly in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by water, water, and more water, or exploring the land, people, and animals of parts of the world new to us, we were more aware than ever of God’s presence which surrounded us continuously.

In the beauty of creation.

In the generosity of the servers.

In the array of delicious foods.

In the sunrises and sunsets.

But mostly in the people, made in His image.

What a start to 2026!!