Don't give up the ship!

This past weekend, Pedro and I took a drive to Erie to stay with the Carams.  The weather was pleasant as this winter has been quite unusual, a relatively warm winter.  We arrived Friday afternoon and enjoyed a delicious home cooked meal from aunt Jane.  I don't recall any moment where I was hungry while my stay there, apparently they are quite famous for that, can't complain.  On saturday morning we headed over to their beautiful church, which actually used to be a firehouse.  The building is 107 years old this year, yet it is in great shape.  It is a strong building, and as Ps. Caram says, a fort indeed. That morning we had practice for a special for sunday and afterwards we headed to a nursing home where we sang some songs.  Its always nice to see the glow in people's eyes when you sing songs to them that reminds them that Christ is very much alive.  Saturday night we had dinner and movies with the Anderson family.  We enjoyed the evening so much, the food was great and the movies were hilarious, oldies, but funny nonetheless.  Sunday services were a blessing, and Pedro and I had the privilege to play in the worship team with them and Sunday evening we shared a quick testimony. We finished off the trip with a quick drive down to the bay and to the peninsula (Presque Isle).  There was some rich history there as Lake Erie was a site of one of the pivotal moments in the war of 1812.  It is crazy to see such a peaceful place, made for recreation now, and yet think on the gruesome battle that once took place there.  Oliver Hazard Perry held off the bay and defeated the British (not one of Ps. Baileys favorite stories), and won a great victory for America.  In honor of his fallen friend Captain James Lawrence, he had a flag on the ship which read: "Don't give up the ship," Lawrence's final words.  It became the motto for the war, and an inspiration to many of how Perry, against much adversity, defeated the great Royal Navy.