Tag Archives: beach

Breathe Deep

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Walking to the ocean, whipped by the wind and salt and mist.  The closer you get, the more you feel the resistance and push of the wind.  Crossing the top of the dune, you see the angry but beautiful waves.  Covered with sea foam and white caps, with no discernable rhythm to the waves.  Only sheer noise and crashing and power.  God’s power.  You hear Him again, telling you that He is in control, even of a seemingly uncontrollable ocean.  You breathe deeply, the way you’re only able to at the ocean.  The wind almost takes that breath away, but then you feel it.  Relief and peace and clarity.  This world is a gift from the One who loves you, but yet there is so much more than what you can see.  He has made more, and you will be there with Him one day, and that deep breath will go on and on and on.  Slainte, Lisa

 

Azure and Turquoise

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Where am I?  Is it the crystal blue seas of the Caribbean? These beautiful azure and turquoise seas are found in Dingle, Ireland on Coumeenoole Beach, the famous beach filmed in “Ryan’s Daughter.”  Soft sand, crystal blue waters and protective cliffs towering around you…what more can you ask for in a beach?  🙂

For those of you who could use a little “wave therapy” to start out your weekend, here’s a video capturing the sounds of the ocean as well as the stunning scenery.

Isn’t it always amazing how truly beautiful the things that God has made are?  Slainte, Lisa

You Don’t Know What You’ve Got ‘Til It’s Gone…and then Back Again

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We had a wonderful relaxing beach vacation last week.  A mix of sun, clouds and rain, just like I like it.  The clouds and the rain give me a “break”…a good excuse to curl up on the sofa with a book and stop going so fast.  Anyway, on our last day on the beach, my dear husband informed me that the trusty umbrella, our protector from the harsh sun’s rays, the umbrella that I am always in charge of carrying (since he is carrying everything else) did not make it home the day before.  Which meant that I had LEFT it, the poor little defenseless umbrella was left to the ravages of the ocean’s waves all night alone.  We scoured the beach house, the dunes, the decks, the stairs in vain…no umbrella.  Meanwhile, I am feeling low and pitiful for myself…not only did I forget the only thing I was in charge of, but the sun was beating down unmercifully and I could practically feel myself burning despite my sunblock.   As I sat in the beach chair, I sent my daughter on one last “scouting” expedition down the beach to see if she saw it.  And lo and behold, there it was…lying in the sand incognito.  We reclaimed/asked the nice man whom it was sitting with if he had found it, and Presto!  He gladly gave it back to us.

I have never been so happy to be sitting under an umbrella.  Which goes to illustrate the song lyric, “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”  Of course, as things go, it was cloudy and pouring rain within the hour, but those few minutes were precious!    Here is a picture of our lovely umbrella, in the rain of course, back at the beach house.  This time I was extra careful to bring him home.  🙂  Slainte, Lisa

The Outer Banks

Meet Nod & Bob

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Nod & Bob

I have declared this week to be beach week here on my blog, and to kick it off, I share with you Nod & Bob.  They reside in Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.  That’s right, they are styrofoam balls, but if you look closely, they have eyes and very cute noses.  My husband and I gave them their eyes when we were happily floating in the crystal blue waters last summer.  (Yes, we defaced the styrofoam, but hey, they look much better now!)  The reason that I share these two characters with you is this:  they are content, they are happy just to nod and bob along on the water.  They are rather tied down to their swimming area containment job, but seem to make the best of it.  They encourage visitors with their pleasant countenance.  And they stick together as friends through it all.

“A friend loves at all times…”  Proverbs 17:17a

“…be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5b

So if you head down to the Bahamas and see Nod & Bob, please send them our best!

Slainte, Lisa

 

Waiting for the Wind

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Facing the wind near Tir na Nog

You don’t have to wait very long in Ireland to feel the wind.  Yes, there are calm still days.  But the weather in Ireland changes rapidly, and these changes are usually brought about by the wind.  My family and I were attempting to walk Rossbeigh beach and reach the fabled land of Tir Na nOg,  According to local legend, Oisin and Niamh rode their white horse into the sea to reach the land of eternal youth on this strip of wide beautiful sand.  The wind was blowing so fiercely on this particular day that we could not push our car doors open when we arrived.  We thought about giving up the adventure and going home to our nice warm cottage, but we were here, and there was the beach.  So we pushed again and made it out of the car.  Amy, my youngest, held on to my hand tightly as the wind buffeted us.  Bundled up in hats and coats, we leaned into the wind and tried to walk.  We made it about five or ten minutes, and not very far, when we finally surrendered our quest for Tir Na nOg.  Turning around, the wind pushed us VERY quickly back to the car.  It was comical, but showed us all the power of the wind.

Wind brings change, wind can be clearing or terrifying, sometimes both.  After being in the wind, shelter seems more precious.  Wind can propel you quicker or push against you harder, depending on whether you fight it or not.  I wrote a song a long time ago about God’s Wind, the wind of His Spirit that carries me, that sustains me.

“Please hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry come to Thee.  Do not hide Thy face from  me; I need You.  I lie awake nights, like a lonely bird in flight waiting for the wind that leads him home.”  (“Waiting for the Wind”, c 1996 Lisa Lyons, based on Psalm 102)

Have a blessed day.  Slainte, Lisa