July is on it’s way out, and the first emails for the new school year have begun trickling in. I can’t believe how fast life has flown this summer. We’ve embarked and returned from our trips, been a revolving door some weeks for children headed to and from various camps, had friends and family visit us. We’ve had jam packed days and a few slow ones. Lots of doctors appointments, mishaps, an important surgery, and plenty of unplanned repairs around the house. Life is oh, so full.
Today my heart yearns for the beach. We returned from my favorite place about 10 days ago. I love the ocean. Watching it, listening to it, walking at it’s edge. I love watching my children play and discover and explore. I love learning from it, being calmed by it, feasting my eyes on the color. I feel like it’s the only place where I successfully slow down, which is perhaps why it’s such a sacred place to me.
This year my girls and I had so much fun walking the beach in the mornings at low tide. We found amazing things, like a tiny octopus and these little rays all over the place (above). We found sand dollars and seashells we’ve not seen before in that spot. We marveled at the landscape of the sand during a very low tide. We watched birds and crabs and discovered and talked. It was perfect.
I love sunset at the beach. My grandpa never missed one. He always made time to walk out and watch the sun disappear below the horizon. I love the way the water and sky so often seem to mirror each other. On our drive home the sky was spectacular in Utah, reminding me that if I can’t feast on the beauty of the sea every day, I can at least look up and marvel at the sky.
It went too fast. Now I’m home and so immersed in the craziness of daily life that our vacation feels like it was months ago. It’s been a week of remembering that I’m not strong enough for all that needs doing and that I have to rely on the Lord for courage and strength. So many good things are happening, but at a pace I can hardly keep up with, especially peppered with the random (and sometimes intense) disappointments and struggles that are part of mortality.
There is a verse in Ezra chapter 3 that I keep coming back to…
“And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth forever toward Israel.
And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.” (verse 11, emphasis added) And from Alma 58:10:
“Therefore we did pour out out souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us…”
That’s me! I’m reaching out wholeheartedly for all of it: mercy, strength, deliverance. It’s so awesome what He offers us. Totally worth the effort.
