As I sit here at my desk, I'm fully aware that my physical body is here in Chattanooga, but even more aware that my heart and mind is still at the beach! I've always felt like nothing could hurt me or touch me at the beach! Except of course the ever present sunburn, that I'm more than willing to endure in order to see the beauty of the ocean! As little girl I adored the beach even though I remember only tiny things about what it was like living there in FL. I was of course born iin Daytona Beach FL. This time my family gave mom and I the gift of taking a week long trip to FT. Walton Beach FL. (You can see a few pictures in my previous post. I had one of the best weeks of my life! The meals were amazing, the scenery so beautiful and I found myself over and over again overwhelmed by thankfulness and awed by the goodness of God!!!! I never would have imagined even two weeks ago that God would make a way for mom and I to go anywhere for a weekend, much less the beach for a week. I know it was because of God's grace and your prayers. God reminded me that his love truly knows no bounds it goes beyond the height of the heavens and the Immeasurable length of the seas! Romans 8:38-39 reinforces this wonderful reality! I also thought about how even the beach cannot even begin to contain the fullness of God's glory, and how it is only a tiny foreshadowing of what is waiting for us in heaven one day when Christ returns. See John Chapter 14. I always have the hardest time explaining to people why I look forward to heaven. I suppose there is some part of me that should dread it as most people, and there is a part of me that fears God's rebuke on Judgement Day and yet if what I have been taught, and believe is true, then why should I fear? Maybe I'm crazy, but there isn't anything or anyone on this earth that could compete with God and heaven, that would cause me to ask him for one moment to live on this earth, than he desires. In fact, at times, it is harder for me to see his purpose for remaining in this fallen world. I know I need a greater balance in perspective in regard to these things. Most of my longing for heaven, are self centered, because these are more about a pain free existence and lack of sin, than they are even about glorifying Christ Wow what a confession... Anyway something about the beach always reminds and teaches me more about the unfathomable greatness of God. If God can and has created and has sustained something as wonderful as the ocean, then what on earth makes me doubt his watching over me, caring for me loving me. Why would I every question his ways? I never liked to read the latter part of Mt. Chapter 6 about not worrying, because I believed it was a punishment from God, and I believed every time I worried that God looked down on me with disgust, but really this week he showed me it isn't so much about him or others scolding us, as it is about him telling us that because he cares for us; our worrying is not needed. God loves us far too much to let any need we have go unmet. Mt. 6:25-33 I'll be glad to post the verses later. I had a great time with Mom she feels better everyday, and I praise God, and am striving to trust him with the next steps in her treatment/recovery. Blessings,
