I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. - Louisa May Alcott
Have you noticed it takes a good storm to bring in the biggest, loveliest shells?
On calm days, when the sea is smooth, a few gems may roll in.. longing to impress with their beauty.
When storms approach and waves roll in like coasters at a theme park..... screaming with a force that still takes my breath away, pushing the gifts that lie deep.. up, up and out into the sun. We get a glimpse of things that are mostly hidden from us. The waves push them out of the dark places... the power in all of this, surely a glimpse of God.
What we are left with is days of beautiful sea jewels..... bumping into our feet, surprising us, like unexpected gifts.
Two days I asked God to give me a gift from the sea as I walked... in quiet, but for the waves that remind me of His power.
The answer... two days lovely cowries and conch shells rolling in, as if saying, "Here, I am, just for you."
On each of those days I spotted purple rimmed spherical shells. I waited and grabbed as the surf brought them in.
Each time I was amazed at the loveliness of the gift. I also noticed it was inhabited.... It was home to a conch... life.
I tried to lure it out, one tried to muscle it's way down the beach. I tried to encourage it to move to another conch... one not as pretty.
It seemed that this fella enjoyed his pretty home and was going nowhere.
I gave up both times, lobbing them out as far as I could throw.
Without the storms I would not have witnessed the beauty, saw the life inhabited or taken a moment to breath in the salt air. The storm showed me new things, made me stop and look closer at what was around me. It showed me a bit of majesty of the God of the heavens and the earth and the sea......
Is it not the same with the storms of life? They try and ravage us and wear us down.... they come on furiously, sometimes without warning and yet He is there. He is always there and He has gifts to give us, truths to show us and bless us in ways we would never have expected.
We learn to trust Him.. daily.
When the storm passes and the sun shines on us again... we see the gifts that roll in, surprising us, touching us deeply.
Without the storms, we would miss the gifts, the beauty, the blessings. We would miss Him.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. - Psalm 139: 9-10
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. - Psalm 139: 9-10
There is no greater mercy that I know of on earth than good health except it be sickness; and that has often been a greater mercy to me than health…
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing to be without a trouble; but it is a better thing to have a trouble, and know how to get grace enough to bear it.” ~Spurgeon
Know how to get grace enough.
It is a better thing to have a trouble, and know how to get grace enough to bear it. And we get grace enough to bear it — when we run into the arms of Grace who bore it all, into Him Who is more than enough.
wow, beautiful words dear anonymous.. I agree. thank you for sharing:)
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