Waves
The sun beats down, I should be wearing sunblock, in truth, I’m not. I want to soak in the sun like a sponge until I drip, sunshine. The sand is hot, through my towel, I feel it mold around my body like a spa treatment. I smell water, trees and grass. I hear gulls. (I check the snack bag….I don’t want my oasis turned into a scene from a Hitchcock movie” No worries-It’s all neatly tucked away. Children laugh. A dog barks and chases a stick into the water.
Above all this; I hear the womb like “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh” of waves crashing ashore. I’m in my happy place. On the beach. In Michigan, we’re never far from a lake, and I like to go often. Sand, sun, beach and waves. I love to sit by the water, Ipod on, Bible open, drinking in the creation and the creator. Being at the beach relaxes my body and refreshes my soul.
Usually.
I remember another day, when the waves weren’t so relaxing. We were staying at a favorite spot, when a black storm rolled in off the bay. Lightning danced across the water. The bay looked as if it would roll over the shore- it rose against the sea wall. It kept rising. My two oldest sons were 7 and 5, they hid their faces (in their gameboys) in fear. Fear of the storm and fear of the waves. Storm warning’s sounded. We “took cover.” (Well, as best as you can, in glass front a hotel on the water.)
The waves kept coming. They grew. My ears rang from the sound. Then, suddenly-there was calm.
The storm was over. The clouds rolled away. The sun broke through the late afternoon clouds like a second sunrise.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.” The waves continued to roll in, but now, they were our friends again. We took our places again, on the beach.
Like waves, troubles sometimes roll in one after another. Maybe it’s just the crush of waves of everyday life. The carpool, the laundry, the grocer’s. The bills. Work. Repetitive, even boring. But heavy, crushing when rolling in one after and on top of one another. “Whoosh, whoosh, Whoosh” . Other times, it’s huge, violent waves that threaten with a promise of the destructive power they possess. Cancer. Illness. Death. Loss of a job, loss of relationships. Change. “Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. “
Different kinds of waves. But they keep rolling in.
I had that kind of week last week. The kind of week, where one thing after another crashes around me. Small waves: broken things, doggy messes and inconveniences. Medium waves- Strep infections for my youngest and middle sons. Work stress for my husband. Then there were big things, commitments unfulfilled, tragedy in the lives of people I care about.
“Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.” The waves crash.
If there is water. There are waves. If there is life- there is trouble. The waves roll in…. then out. The storm rolls in, then, it is gone. There may be damage and debris, the shoreline may be changed. We or our lives may be different. But the storm is over. And it’s once again- time to take our place, on the beach.
I Peter 1 6-9
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. “
“Lord I pray that all who come by here- would bask in your Son…..that they’d be filled with your light and pour it out like lamps to the world around them. Even more than a Michigander in March craves sunshine- I pray that we’d crave you. I pray for those in times of storm and crashing waves right now- that you’d give them peace in the storm, or calm the storm. I pray that faith ou rfaith would be refined by every firey storm. I love you Lord- amen. “
This was so beautiful, thank you.
Amen!! Your last paragraph pierced my heart =)
Tracey,
I love your vivid word stories. I was right there with you on the beach. You write so well. I feel encouraged. Thank you.
What a beautiful post!