Stop and Smell the Sunsets

Last night my parents told me they'd take care of Delaney so I could go out and do whatever. Well, I jumped at the opportunity. It was 7:30 pm and the sun hadn't set yet so I thought I'd go to the beach and watch the sunset. What a wonderful display. The beach is actually more crowded during sunset than during the day. I had my Diet Coke, beach chair and my camera. What more could I ask for? I had about 35 minutes until the sun said farewell. I watched families pick up sea shells and tourists take pictures of each other in front of the sunset. I watched the birds dive for their evening meal, felt the wind on my face, smelled the smell of ocean. What is it about the "smell" of the ocean? It's a mix of sun tan lotion, dead fish, salt water and wind. Very strong smells all on their own but fabulous when mixed together. Yankee Candle or some candle company has a candle called Ocean Mist but they never seem to actually capture that unique smell. I love the smell of the ocean. I love that God is so marvelously displayed through the ocean. The strong waves, the gentle sand, the detail in the shells.

If you don't believe there is a God just look at sea shells. I have found shells almost as small as a needle and there is so much beauty and detail in that shell you would have to know there is a God. The fact that that tiny shell can survive the harsh waves and the tumbling among other shells and sand and arrive in my hands is MARVELOUS. This makes me think how our lives can be related to a sea shell. We experience crazy things in our lives, times that we are tumbling among the the shells, times we get scratched by the sand, times when those waves pick us up and then slam us down on the ocean floor and we find ourselves struggling to the surface gasping for air. As we're going through these things He is refining us, making us shiny, giving us an extra swirl of beauty until one day we are MARVELOUS.

God is in the ocean which is why I believe the beach is my favorite place to be on earth. The sun continued to sink into the water and looked like an orange crayon melting into a pot of hot water. As the sun bid it's final farewell the crowd erupted with applause. Whether those folks knew it or not they were applauding at God's masterpiece. Thank you Lord for the simple pleasures in life like FREE art!!