Let All Creation Roar

I had an opportunity to slip away to the beach for a couple of days due to a bridal shower near the beach. I prefer going late summer and early fall, mostly for my budget, but I also like the slower pace and the cooler temps. This worked perfect all around. The humidity was lower and the evenings offered a nice balmy atmosphere as the sun dipped into the western sky.

I was almost giddy my first evening as I sat on the shore with a cup of coffee doing what I love. I never tire of the majesty of creation that points to a Creator. His Presence is everywhere. His handiwork is cast upon the sand as the waves roll in bringing treasures from the deep. All manner of shapes and sizes lay before me. Man, in his finite knowledge doesn't have the ability to craft as many different kinds and colors as can be found in the natural world, though we may try.

Come and see what God has done,

how awesome his works in man's behalf.

Psalm 66:5

Many fortunes have been made throughout the centuries by brilliant artists, and when it all boils down they are merely trying to reproduce what the original artist Himself first created, In the beginning...

Can you blame them? It was a sight to behold as the pink and purple tones of the evening sky were on display for all to see. The clouds were strewn about the horizon as cotton candy, made especially for me, a feast for the eyes. And when the sun completely disappeared, stars replaced the cotton candy, dotting the night sky like Christmas lights, except it's Christmas year round in God's world. The scene is drawn every night upon the canvas, free for anyone, anywhere in the world.

The roar of the sea is a reminder that He is always present, always faithful, never changing. Is there a time the sea doesn't roar? When I return to the eastern coastline, it never loses the characteristics that tell me where I am. Manmade markers certainly change the landscape, but the salty air, the ocean breeze, and swell of the tide cannot be mistaken, nor do they ever leave the place they were assigned.

In an ever-changing world where nothing is safe there is One who never changes. I will put my trust in Him and Him alone. If you think anyone in this world is going to fix your problems you're wrong. Fix your eyes on the only one who has the power for now and eternity.

We assign power and prestige to those we think can bring those same qualities to our lives, when in reality they lead us further away from the one thing we truly need...a relationship with the Creator.

I'm reading through the Psalms and after writing this post, the next Psalm in my reading said this:

He rules forever by His power,
His eyes watch the nations,
let not the rebellious rise up against Him.
Psalm 66:7

I don't have cable television, but I can glean from what I hear and read about our political climate and our choices, America is on a slippery slope, with a very short slide. He may just be growing weary of her rebelliousness.

The Bible also says creation has no problem understanding her connection and responsibility to the Creator. It says in Luke 19:40, even the rocks will cry out in praise of creation. And we, the crown of all His glorious creation have dishonored Him and spit in His face with our self-righteous, haughty attitudes. How can we ask for mercy? As a pastor in my church said recently in Sunday School, He's already been more than merciful.

Oh that we as a people would see Him through the world He's given us. Look around as summer fades and autumn bursts forth with colors that man can only dream of reproducing. The sky above turns a shade of blue the entire state of North Carolina will stop in their tracks and salute. Have you ever noticed the day after a storm is usually a day with the bluest of skies? It's a gentle reminder from God that He is in control.

And the orange and gold that shows out in my part of the country is so much more beautiful than the Clemson orange or the Georgia Tech yellow, though Death Valley lays only twenty minutes from my home, and Atlanta is two hours south.

He is watching and He is in control. I trust the truth in those ancient words, and I trust Him. This is His world whether you believe that, or you don't. History and the future will prove it. Don't let creation and the rocks be louder than the praise that comes from your mouth as you witness beauty wherever life takes you.

A Life Is Worth a Thousand Gifts

I took this picture while texting my daughter on a recent beach trip. They tease me about my eating habits and I was reassuring her I was making myself a decent breakfast.

As I looked at the photo, I realized it was a snapshot of a life. It's also been a year since I was in this same condo and took a similar picture while working on my book. A lot can happen in a year.

Back to the photo...

We surround ourselves with the things we love. My reservation was for a week so I took books, chocolate, tea, coffee, Bible, devotion books, my pillow, and a new favorite blanket given to me at Christmas. I had notepads to record all the thoughts swimming around in my head. And what would I do without my Mac Air? It faithfully stores all my words and spits out most anything I want to know.

I did get lonely though, by the end of the week. We were made for human connection, for relationship. It's in our DNA.

I was able to focus on a few things I want to do better for the new year. I watched a series from Ann Voskamp, based on her book, "One Thousand Gifts." I'd read the book and have been keeping a "Thankful Journal" for awhile. I thought the DVD's would be repetitious of the book, but I was wrong. Ann brought so much of herself into the production. Each session was meaningful, but the last part of the last session caught my attention. She was talking about service and said,

"Your life could be the gift."

As I looked at the photo that morning, I thought to myself, "Is this a picture of my life? Am I being a gift?"

I want my writing to be a gift to Him. I want my service at church to be a gift to Him, and I want my relationships with people to be a gift. I want to be more intentional with the ones God brings into my path.

How about you? What's in the snapshot of your life? If you were to take a photo of your immediate surroundings, what would be in it?

Some of the clutter will be put aside as the seasons change and winter fades into spring. The books will change as I devour them and move on to the next. The one constant in my life is the one thing that matters most and it can't be found in the picture. That thing is the condition of my heart. I can't be a gift if my heart isn't in it. The only way I can be a gift is to stay connected to the giver of all good gifts, Jesus Christ.

Then, and only then, do I have a gift to give.

Cindy

Pondering Life...to Choose or Not to Choose

I do my best thinking when I'm staring at water. It can be a pond or lake, but I prefer the ocean. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing to the shore does something deep in my soul.

I was at the beach for a writing week recently. It was one of those wrapped up in a blanket kind of days. Coffee was involved. Perfect combination.

I was deep in thought as I watched the waves roll in over and over. It occurred to me as I sat mesmerized by the repetition, that water doesn't have a choice about its ebb and flow.  The sand and seashells are carried along by the whimsey of the current. They certainly can't say, "I want to go this way or that way."

And the beautiful sunrise I can expect on a clear morning...does it have a say in where it rises and sets? Does it determine the length of its days? The clouds can't position themselves to look like cotton candy as the sun is setting in the western sky.

All of it was created, and is controlled, by a holy God. He spoke and it appeared.

Staring at the ocean reminds me of the vastness of God and the smallness of me.

As my thoughts continued to wander, I naturally thought about people. We're made in His image, His likeness. Even the angels are curious about us.

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 

1 Peter 1:12 ESV 

We can choose how we live, where we live, and who we live with. It's our decision. We don't choose the family we're born into, but after a certain age you can choose to leave.

The most important choice we'll ever make though, is the one to accept or reject Jesus Christ. We were made for Him. He breathed His very breath into Adam and inflated his lungs for the first time. That fact alone ought to signify the intimate relationship He longs to have with us. But, He wants us to choose Him freely, because of our love for Him.

That one choice in our lives controls our destiny, both now, and for all eternity. It's more important than the person you marry, the place you live, the school you attend, the car you drive or the zeroes on your bank account.

Don't stumble through life without making this choice. It won't always be easy. It will rarely be easy, but, it will be worthwhile.

When you go to the beach the next time, let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think when you sit wrapped in a blanket and ponder life.

Cindy

When He Calmed the Child Instead of the Storm

As I sat on the beach one evening watching the waves crash to the shore my mind drifted to another land and another time.

The scene was on the Sea of Galilee and the waves were turbulent on this dark and stormy night. The fishermen on the upper deck of the boat feared for their very lives. They sought help from the One who slept beneath deck to rescue them from certain death.

His words, "Peace be still," would calm a raging sea and allow them to maneuver the boat safely to shore.

..."then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. And the men marveled, saying, what sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Matthew 8:26-27

How many times have I needed His words, "Peace be still," spoken over a storm in my life?

There's a song that says, "Sometimes He calms the storm and sometimes He calms His child..." His very presence is peace, if we'll be still long enough. That's the difficult part. Life and its daily battles are continually pressing in, robbing us of His joy and peace.

We are no different than the fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were that stormy night. We fret and worry, then run to everyone else to solve our problem when the answer lies beneath deck, or deep within our heart, in the person of Jesus Christ.

He's there all the time...waiting patiently for our cry for help.

I thought peace would only be mine if He calmed the storm, but this time He calmed the child.

What storm are you facing? There's nothing He can't handle or doesn't already have the answer. Trust Him, for He is faithful.

Cindy

My Treasure At The End Of The Rainbow

Have you ever made a plan to go somewhere and then everything went haywire? That happened to me recently. I won't mention where we were going for I would embarrass myself way too much. There's humility and then there is stupidity. I would fall into the last category.

This particular outing had been on my calendar for awhile. I'm notorious for planning something and then unplanning because of my love of home. This time, however, was not the case. The problem was I didn't make reservations for a place to stay.

The internet, credit cards, and fax machines allow us flexibility in planning or buying anything we want at the touch of a computer key, and I let that override my common sense. Also, the fact that spring is here and I've been spending glorious hours in my garden has left me in a pollen-induced haze.

All this aside, I SHOULD have been on top of this but I wasn't. The day we were leaving, I was still looking for reservations. Fortunately, my...ahem, persistence paid off and a place was booked. I was printing off the parking pass, literally, while the car was running.

If it could go wrong that day, it did. 

Our son could not find the title to a vehicle he was selling, and called, as we were walking out the door. I'm a meticulous record keeper. All the titles to our vehicles are kept in a folder in the safe, except that one. He needed it for something earlier and it never found its way back to the folder. That incident, and a dozen other things beckoned us to stay home.

But, we got in the car on a dreary day and went anyway. Rain poured intermittently. A latte helped improve my mood. He slept while I drove, typical for us.

As we made our way to our destination the most beautiful double rainbow appeared. The colors were the most vivid I've ever seen in my fifty something years. So of course, he had to take a picture, or two, or three…at my insistence. Because you never know when you might need a good rainbow picture.

By the time we arrived, it was already dark, still raining, and we were bone tired.

I couldn't wait to see the scenery that awaited as the sun rose. I was not disappointed, the view was breathtaking.

As I reflected on the beauty of my surroundings, it occurred to me the time spent away, the rest I so desperately needed, and the planning I was able to do were my treasure at the end of the rainbow.

God used the rainbow in the Old Testament to remind Noah He would never again destroy human life as a whole, with water. He set the arc of color in the sky to remind us He is God, He controls all things, even our plans and reservations.

What a gift that time was to me. 

We've all heard the myth of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There is a treasure far more important than gold. I've learned that time spent with Him is more precious that any pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The treasure He gives in the stillness of my soul is priceless. I could have found that at home too, but He had to move me out of my comfort zone to remind me to be still and know.

And my sweet boy, who is so much like me, found the title to his truck. He kept searching and found his treasure.

My prayer is that my children see the value of a treasure that is priceless…one that is found, not at the end of a rainbow, but at the feet of the One who made the rainbow.

Cindy

When Your Heart Finds Its Home

How do you know when your heart has found its home? For me, I find it on the shores of the sea. The wind and waves clapping their melody makes my heart skip a beat, and settles it at the same time. Peace washes over me like no other.

Sunrise…My favorite time of day

Some of my most memorable nights have been spent under the stars at the beach…ones I'll never forget.

Memories of time spent at the beach with family and friends through the years are precious to me.

Life is hectic and busy right now, but this past weekend we had an opportunity to slip away for a couple of days to a beach in South Carolina. I took advantage of the quiet time to do some wedding planning, writing, and we also attended the son's wedding of dear and longtime friends.

Life is made of joy and sorrow, busyness and quiet, hope and despair. Through it all there is One who never leaves us, who draws us back to home. He draws us back to being centered in Him and not ourselves.

If I only focused on my struggles and pain, I'd be a mess. He reminds me to trust Him and He will direct my path and give me the desires of my heart. The interesting thing that happens in the process of trusting Him, is He conforms my desires to His will for my life. Either way, my life is better, my heart is better.

Where do you find your heart this week? What place do you find most peaceful? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments.

Cindy

When the Ocean Becomes a River of Inspiration

I spent last week at the beach in a condo, with only my memories, my laptop and chocolate...and I guess you could add coffee to that list.

I was working on my book and needed seclusion and quiet to complete it. I needed to be able to escape the daily activities that require my attention like laundry, cooking and cleaning, a high maintenance dog, and my own busyness.

Going away to someone else's place freed me to concentrate on the task in front of me, and remove any chance of doing business as usual.

On Sunday after church, following a busy weekend, I got in my car and drove five hours, arriving just in time for Downton Abbey. I settled in and savored every moment. The television wasn't turned on the remainder of the week.

Sleep came easily as I allowed exhaustion to take over.

Monday morning arrived at 5:30 a.m., and with no sugar in the house, tea would have to wait. Since no one knew me, I didn't care that my hair wasn't brushed and the mascara had worn off. I don't wear any other makeup so that wasn't an issue. I slipped on jeans and a sweatshirt and off to the grocery store I went. I didn't even brush my teeth–must be the rebel in me.

After tea was made, I had a few other writing tasks that needed to be accomplished before I could begin work on the book.

Have you ever had to do something and it took you forever to get started? That's what happened to me.

One of my friends texted me to ask how it was going, and I told her, "I've done everything but fix the garbage disposal. I just can't get started on the book." She's a writer friend, so she knew exactly what I was talking about.

I finally sat down down at 3 p.m. after everything else was done. I read a little of the "back story" and the words came. They began to flow like a river. I wrote well into the evening. I didn't want to stop because I was afraid the river would dry up, but it didn't. I finished what I set out  to do on Friday afternoon.

Sometimes, God has to do His greatest work in us, and for us when He has us all to Himself...no distractions.

My time alone in that condo is one of the most sacred weeks of my life. I found I need very little to truly be happy. I also found that even when I'm alone, I'm never really alone. My constant companion was there the whole time.

There was something peaceful about staring at the beauty of the waves crashing to the shore. The serenity of that place kept my mind focused and the solitude allowed the One who knows my story better than me to write it through me as He helped me remember.

He may even need a byline...if my story ever gets published. If not, He and I had the most beautiful week together...my Creator and me.

Blessings from My Little Corner,
Cindy

Fun In The Son...Beach Reflections

We often think of the beach as a place of sunshine, laughter and warmth. And while all those things are true, sometimes, it's a place of reflection and quiet ... a place of solitude.

I've had one of those kinds of respites recently. The first part of my week I was totally alone ... except for  the One above who loves me unconditionally. I spent my days deep in His Word, hungry for Him to feed me, to fill me with Himself.

I needed Him to chase away the demons of doubt, fear and discouragement that would seek to devour me. And He was there. He carried me to the foot of the cross and reminded me of His nearness, of His very Presence.

I'm so thankful for the time of finding Him ... of hearing His voice.

He will meet you wherever you are in your deepest need. You don't even have to go anywhere to find Him, He's a breath away. Just whisper His name ... Jesus. He longs to hear His creation cry out. If we don't do it, the Bible says the rocks will cry out.

The end of my week was different than when it began. As His words and His Presence began to fill my heart, my countenance lifted. My husband arrived and then later in the week, old and dear friends came to visit as well.

I needed the time for writing, reflection and study. I needed to hear Him speak and sometimes God can only do that when He has us all to Himself. How does He speak to You? Do you allow Him uninterrupted time to be alone with you?

My encouragement to you would be to give Him access, even if it's only a few minutes a day. It's a beginning. He is so worthy of your sacrifice of time and effort. He will multiply your minutes and give you peace in your place of deepest need.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:16 NIV

If Jesus Himself needed to withdraw to a quiet place to seek His Father, how much more do we, His children, need to seek Him from a place of stillness?

Don't be afraid of solitude, it can be your best friend in the midst of life's trials. Allow it to lead you to the One who can still your soul and bring peace to calm the storm.

Blessings from My Little Corner,
Cindy