一葉扁舟

林榮峰 | Emily Lee

我喜歡看遠遠的一條船——安安靜靜的、有目標地駛向前方。這樣的景象常常帶給我心靈的寧靜，因此，我也特別喜歡畫船。

2013年，我七十歲，在紐約第一銀行畫廊舉辦了個人畫展，展出了我三十七幅作品，展期兩週，吸引了許多觀眾，既有熟識的朋友，也有初次見面的陌生人。那次展覽中，一幅36” x 24”的〈舟〉特別引人注目，被一位來自俄羅斯的針灸醫師以三千美元買下，掛在他的診所中。

不久之後，他邀請一位風水師前來看診所格局。那位風水師建議他將這幅畫換掉，因為畫中的舟象徵獨自奮鬥、前路艱辛，可能會影響診所的發展。醫師來找我商量是否能換成一幅風景畫。當然可以，我很高興這幅我特別喜愛的〈舟〉又回到了我手中。

這個禮拜（7/21至7/24）我們參加了紐約新生教會在賓卅Amish地區的基督使者協會退休中心舉辦四天三夜的退修會，最高興的就是第二天安排我們去欣賞當地出名的音樂劇《挪亞方舟》。

四天裡的課程都是：早上聆聽蘇桂村牧師分析《創世紀》第六至第九章——講述上帝因人類敗壞而傷心，決定毀滅他們，唯有挪亞是上帝眼中的義人。上帝向他啟示計畫，要他建造方舟，預備迎接將至的洪水。

劇中，挪亞信靠神的話語，一方面僱請木匠建造方舟，一方面向眾人傳講悔改的信息。但人們不但不信，還譏笑他、甚至放火燒舟。然而，挪亞忠心順服神，重建方舟。當工程完成，卻不知道如何尋找神所吩咐的動物配對進入方舟。就在洪水將臨之時，上帝行了神蹟，讓各種動物自動前來登舟，連同挪亞一家八口，上帝親自關上了方舟之門，將他們與外界隔絕。

大雨降下，洪水持續了四十天直到雨停，方舟安然停泊，一道彩虹出現在天際——那是神與人立下平安之約的記號。挪亞放出鴿子試探天氣，當他明白新的開始已經來到。於是他築壇獻祭，感謝神的恩典與眷顧，展開新的旅程。

說真的，我一直喜歡畫「獨舟」送人。廿多年前當兒子-伯寧，接受哈佛醫學院整形外科教職工作的時候，我送他一幅波士頓海邊的舟畫當禮物，讓他掛在他的辦公室裡。我希望這艘靜靜前行的小船能在他心煩時帶來平靜，提醒他安息在主裡、與主同行的喜樂。

當女婿鼎貴出任紐澤西Ocean County Medical Center院長時，我也送了一幅描繪美國東北海岸黃昏時分的小舟畫作。他將畫掛在辦公室最顯眼的位置。每次與女兒去探望他，都會被那份熟悉與熱誠深深感動。

這些「舟」，並非如風水師所說象徵孤單獨行，其中有我這個母親的愛在陪伴，更重要的是要顯現生活在主裡的安穩、與主同行的生命旅程——步步豐盛，帆帆得力。

相信上帝，與主同行，祂所賜的祝福，都是美好的！感謝主！

中文 | English

A Solitary Boat

I’ve always loved watching a boat in the distance—quiet, steady, and moving purposefully forward. That tranquil image brings peace to my soul, which is why I so often paint boats.

In 2013, when I turned seventy, my family hosted my first solo exhibition at the gallery of Amerasia Bank in New York. The show featured thirty-seven of my paintings over the course of two weeks and drew many visitors—both familiar friends and curious strangers. Among them, a 36” x 24” painting titled Boat stood out. A Russian acupuncturist purchased it for $3,000 to hang in his clinic.

Not long afterward, he invited a feng shui master to assess his office. The master advised him to replace the painting, claiming that the lone boat symbolized solitary struggle and a difficult journey ahead—an image that might hinder the growth of the clinic. The doctor asked if he could exchange it for a landscape painting. I gladly agreed. In truth, I was happy to have my beloved Boat return to me.

This week (July 21 to 24), we attended a four-day retreat organized by New Life Church of New York at the Christian Missionary Alliance Retreat Center in Amish country, Pennsylvania. One of the highlights was attending the renowned local musical Noah’s Ark on the second day.

Each morning and night we listened to Pastor David Su leading us through Genesis chapters 6 to 9—a powerful account of God’s sorrow over humanity’s corruption, His decision to bring judgment, and His favor toward one man: Noah, the only righteous one in God’s eyes. God revealed His plan to Noah, commanding him to build an ark to prepare for the coming flood.

In the musical, Noah faithfully obeys God. He hires carpenters to help build the ark and tirelessly preaches repentance to the people. But they only laugh at him—some even try to burn down the ark. Still, Noah holds fast to his faith and rebuilds. When the ark is complete, he has no idea how to gather the animals God had instructed him to bring aboard. But just as the flood approaches, God performs a miracle: pairs of animals come on their own and enter the ark. Along with Noah and his family of eight, they are safely sealed in—God Himself closes the door behind them.

The rain falls for forty days, and the floodwaters rise. At last, the rain stops, and the ark comes to rest. A rainbow appears in the sky—a sign of God’s covenant of peace with humankind. Noah releases a dove to test the weather. When the dove returns with a leaf, he knows a new beginning has come. He builds an altar and offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, then steps forward into a new chapter of life.

To be honest, I’ve always loved painting boats to give to people as gifts. Over twenty years ago, when my son Bernard accepted a faculty position in plastic surgery at Harvard Medical School, I gave him a painting of a boat on the Boston shoreline for his office. I hoped that the quietly moving boat would bring him calm in moments of stress, reminding him of the peace found in Christ and the joy of walking with the Lord.

Later, when my son-in-law Dean became president of Ocean County Medical Center in New Jersey, I gifted him a painting of a small boat at dusk on the northeastern U.S. coast. He hung it prominently in his office. Every time I visited with my daughter, I felt warmth and connection just seeing it there.

These boats are not, as the feng shui master claimed, symbols of loneliness and isolation. They carry a mother’s love with them. More importantly, they reflect a life anchored in Christ—a journey walked with the Lord, rich in blessing and full of grace.

Trust in the Lord.
Walk with Him.
All His blessings are good.
Thank You, Lord!