A day at the Beach

The sound of the waves breaking up on the shore. The wind is blowing and I can smell the saltiness in the air. The sand is hot as I step down off the pier. I am at the beach. The sun is shining bright ion the sky I can feel the heat of its rays on my skin as I begin to put on my sunscreen ah it feels so nice. I sit in my chair, put on my sun glasses and pick up my book. This is definitely the way to relax. I start to read my book and I hear giggles up in front of me. As I look I see three small children burring a man in the sand. The children one girl little, blond, about three years old, The boys look to be five to eight years old, both with sandy blond hair the older ones a little darker. "Just stay still dad" the older by says as he dumps a bucket of sand on the man. Their mom, I assume, standing close to them with a video camera in her hands laughing as she films. Off to the right from the corner of my eye I see a few seagulls fly in to get a snack being thrown into the air from a blanket filled with children. A woman in a chair close to the blanket states" Do not give the birds all the food!"
I get up to walk to the water, it is hot out here today. As I get closer the sand is moist beneath my feet, it feels good to walk on. The water rushes up in waves over my feet. The water is warm not at all a shock to my body. I walk deeper into the water as the waves rush in and splash against me. It is a refreshing relief from the heat of the day. I walk until I am deep enough to get me wet and then head out of the water. I thought enters my head.."I think I will go for a walk" as I walk out of the water and along the shore just close enough so the water comes in as a rush over my feet. I walk along the shore and my head fills with praises to the God who made the sea and the shore. I sing prasies to His name and enjoy the day that He has made for me.

Answered Prayers

Sitting on the front porch rocking chair I watch a squirrel run up a tree in my yard. The dog lays lazily in the drive way keeping guard on the street in front of the house. Neighbor's across the street are having a cookout and the smells of hamburgers and hot dogs linger across the street. Sounds of birds chiping fill the air. The sun is bright and the sky is bright blue and clear, not a cloud in the sky. A thought enters my mind about my youth. Avivid memory as if it were happening right now. I can see the moon shine in the window at the top of the attic stairs. I remember talking to God and not knowing if He was even there. I remember crying and asking Him if I would ever have a family again. I rememer the pain and anguish of a sad little girl who has just found out her daddy is moving away. As my mind comes back to my porch I praise the God I prayed to as a devastated young girl. I thought my world was falling apart and for a long time it did. But the Lord is great and awesome! He answers prayers now and He did then. I just did not know it yet. Thirty-seven years later I realize the answered prayers. Because of this I Praise the Lord whom I prayed to that night so long ago. He knew the answers would come and I would have a wonderful family of my own and also have my extened family all together one big family. Thank you Lord

How do they know

Sitting on the front porch rocking chair I watch a squirrel as it scurries up a tree. How do they know they have to how to provide for colder winter months?
How can they reason what they are supposed to do?
A small spider on the railing of the porch spins a web to call his home?
The web is so artistic no artist can make one better.
How do they know how to make their homes so beautiful and perfect.
Day is creeping away and I can see the sun slipping down for its night s rest like a big bright ball in the sky with its colors of pinks and blues.
How does it know when to come up and when to go down?
Darkness comes to the world around me with a million stars up in the sky.
How do they know when to shine.
The sun comes in in the morning with a splendor of colors so bright no artist can paint it better.
How does it know when to come up?
The birds chirp their mourning song as they fly from the next to feed their young.
How do the know where to fly?
An amazing world opens up to us each day with wonders we can not began to fathom.
How do they know what to do?
They know because our precious Lord has conducted the orchestra of life all around us from day to night and back to day?
How do we know there is a God?
Just look around you.

The little girl

She sits on the steps of the attic wondering if there is a God why is this happening. Yesterday everything seemed OK. Yesterday life was filled with fun and friends. Today my world is broken and sad. The light from the moon shines in the window at the top of the stairs as she sits and listens to the sounds of mom crying and her sisters sleeping. How could God let this happen? She prays "If you are there God, can you please fix my family?" She starts to cry as she talks to the God she has heard of but is not sure of. "Where did my dad go? Why did he leave? What are we going to do? Will we ever be a family again?" Mom must have fallen asleep she thinks because she no longer hears her crying. So the little girl walks up the few steps from where she was sitting to the attic room she shares with her sisters and gets into her bed.

Before she knows it morning is here. It is a brand new day maybe it was just a dream and dad is down stairs reading the paper and eating breakfast as always before he goes off to work. She jumps from her bed to run down the stairs. Dad is not there; mom is crying again. She realizes it was not a dream. Daddy has left and is moving out.
He is supposed to come by today to get his stuff. Maybe she can make him stay. She thinks of things to say to him as she gets ready for school.
School is a distraction from all that is happening at home. She immerses herself in her work and her friends telling no one what is happening at home. They would not understand. They all live at home with their moms and their dads. Their lives are perfect at their homes, hers is falling apart. Every once in a while a thought of home creeps into her head and she thinks of what she could do to fix it. Then distracts herself again with school and friends.
School is over. She walks home with her sisters as always, but today is different as they turn down they alley to their home dad's car is there. She is so excited to see him until she realizes he is bringing boxes of his stuff out of the house. Her younger sisters help him carry boxes not even realizing what is happening. But she knows, he is moving out. Dad smiles when he sees her and reaches out to her. She runs to his embrace and dwells in the smells that is her dad. "Daddy, I love you! Please do not go." she says as she is caught up in his arms. "I have to go honey,"he says"but I will come to get you on the weekend and you can come to my new apartment for the day."
She starts to cry and holds on as hard as she can. Dad breaks from the embrace saying he still has some stuff to get from the house. The little girl retreats to the steps beside the house and watches as her beloved daddy packs up his car to move to his apartment all the time wondering how could God let this happen.