Shore Leave
That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. And He spoke many things to them... - Matthew 13:1-2
Sometime (O-dark thirty) on Monday morning my family will be leaving for a one-week sojourn to Cape Hatteras, NC. As we settle in the beach house after a twelve-hour drive, we will be at our favorite place on the planet. It will be a bittersweet adventure, as it is the first time we will be there since my father-in-law passed away last October.
Still, the unwinding will begin and the ocean breeze will start to slough off the remains of the day. The smell of salt in the air, the warmth on our skin and the seafood…all contribute to the beach bum mentality that we love. I can wait to savor hushpuppies and my first Apple Ugly (Think Apple Fritter on steroids) in over two years. Yet, I yearn for something much deeper than those Hatteras treats.
And He spoke many things to them...
The Father uses the ocean to speak to me and that is what I’m really going for. I enjoy all that other stuff but I long for a special connection to God that happens when I am by the sea.
The ocean waves have this effect on me and I feel cleansed and renewed. The wind is strong at Hatteras and some days it whips the sand up furiously, sandblasting you in the process. Even then, there is something spiritual happening and the metaphor of gunk stripping away becomes all too real.
I’m not sure of how much attention my blog will get during these next week but my heart will be getting plenty.
In and for Him,
Jay
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