Beach Treasures

 I’ve thought about my thoughts for a few days, hope this makes some kind of sense. 

If you know me then you know my feelings about the beach. I love experiencing Gods splendor in so many ways and to me the beach is just  one of the clearest  evidences of His wonder, His amazingness, His orchestration of the tiny and big details. I don’t have to be at the beach to be aware of this, it’s just being next to it emphasizes it for me. All of His creation is amazing to me, mountains, sunrises, sunsets, I’m so very aware of His glorious creation in the big and mundane,  even in my own backyard. For some reason I’m just drawn to the beach, my spirit seems to settle, I feel close to Him while there and it just seems alls right in the world. 

Thursday, like most days I’m at the beach, I was walking and looking for shells. I’m always happy to find some perfect and imperfect shells, even found some rare sea glass. While I was right at the waters edge I was listening to the shells rattle as they rolled over each other as a new wave would come in. So yes, so many shells. I was by myself so my thoughts had reflected back to a beach trip to Amelia Island with Shane and the boys, Molls was tucked tight in my pregnant belly on this trip. We met a lady that was searching for not shells, but sharks teeth, she showed the boys her many teeth she’d already found. I was more amazed than they were I think. So many-and I’d never seen one before, other than at an Alvin’s island in a bag,  unlike hers -they were always white, hers were black. She ended up finding us on the beach the next day and gave the boys a little bag of some sharks teeth because I think she could tell my patience was not for hunting for sharks teeth. Plus, this girl has never ever found a 4 leaf clover so it wasn’t looking good for me to find sharks teeth. As I was thinking about that experience, I immediately started talking to God, I’m sure He’s use to my running commentary with Him by now. I said something like, “Lord you know I don’t have to have signs and wonders from you to know YOU are real and your love for me, this life  I live is signs and wonders enough of WHO YOU ARE and how YOU LOVE me, but Lord sometimes a sign or a wonder can sure be a sweet love note from you, and after the past few years I could use a love note. So Lord if you’d like to give me a wink and a little assurance I’d love to find a rare sharks tooth. 

Lo and behold I took maybe 2 steps, I look down and saw it!!! I picked it up so fast before a wave or the sand took it out of sight. I was fighting back tears because at that moment I was just reminded of His tenderness toward me. A simple almost dumb request was heard and answered by my Father that has bigger request than me finding a sharks tooth. But Ohhhh didn’t HE!!! I ran/walked back to my people. I was so excited-not because I just found my first sharks tooth at 56 years old but because the Lord had been so gracious to entertain a simple request. I told the others about my conversation with Him. Maybe they thought it was a coincidence but not me, I felt it. 

I put my sharks tooth in a safe spot because ummmm the reminder!!! I headed back to look for more but nope, didnt see another one for the rest of the trip, and I looked! While I was head down looking for more-a man walked by and asked “finding anything good? We use to find tons of sharks teeth here but for the last several years we haven’t seen one.” I laughed and said, “ironically, I found my first one ever today.” He said, “that’s awesome because we just don’t see them anymore.” He walked off and I was like I hear you God-you sent this stranger to let me know that this wasn’t any ole lil sharks tooth and not a common thing to find. 

Again, I’m not one that needs signs and wonders to know the goodness and grace and love of my Father, I recognize and know it. But OH MY!!! When He allows something so small but so big-it’s a reminder that He sees me as His child and as a parent i know i want to do good things for my children to remind them of how much i love them…my Father still loves to do that for me…even with tiny beach treasures. 

I felt it then, and in my solo sunrise experience, nightly beach sunsets, a 3 year olds steady breathe on my face as she slept next to me, having my 3 under the same roof once again, my old house waiting with open arms to return, the unconditional love of my dog, His provision and promises He keeps, the mundane and the big are all signs and wonders of His great love for me. The sweetness of this treasure was just the lil heart one adds to the end of their love note❤️but this One is from the lover of my soul. 

I felt God close when I’d returned from the waters edge to find my group crying. Sam informed me that they had watched an older couple with their old golden retriever walk to the waters edge to take pictures with him. One of our group gladly walked over to offer to take pictures of the 3 of them, learning that they were on their way to the vet to put the old boy down but first wanted to bring him on last time to the beach. It was heartbreaking. They had already started walking up the dunes when I was finding out all the details. At that moment Holy Spirit said, “Go!”  Having just had my moment with God and feeling Him oh so close-I quickly went. Caught up with them and told them my kids had just told me about their dog. I asked them about him, petted him, he was 12, he had a carcinoma, could barely walk, age was not his friend, and his name was Marco. I asked if I could pray with them. She said, please do and grabbed my hand. I said a prayer for comfort and peace and gave thanks for the sweetest companion of a pet. The man, which was stoic, and being strong, grabbed my hand with a kind thank you. Knowing God had allowed a moment of sweet clarity for me to give me strength to pray with strangers in a time of brokenness. He does work all things for good. 

I watched them walk off with their old friend and cried…

knowing joy and grief can most definitely coincide.