My family moved into a house on Bethune Beach, FL when I was 17. I would often walk along the ocean’s edge for hours at a time, collecting shells while pondering all the big questions in life. My footprints would capture a puddle of water behind me, and reflect all the colors sky. Then the next wave would come and my footprints would be gone, forever. Yet, as long as I kept walking I was always making more footprints. As I walked along I knew I wasn’t really alone. I knew that my Maker, the creator of the heavens and the earth would join me on those walks. He enjoyed those days as much as I did. I wonder if He misses those days too.
I want to stand in the edge of the ocean, like I used to do almost every day. I want to roll up my jeans and feel the waves wash over my feet. I want to feel the warmth of the sun, I want to see all the colors of the sky. I want to look out at far as I can see, to the place where the ocean meets the sky. I want to turn my back on all the things that humanity has constructed and just take in the earth, the sea, the sky. I would stay in one place and let the tide come in around me, lulling me into the into deeper water where the waves were higher and the sounds of the sea made the sounds of the world fade away.
It was in those hours that all the troubles of life, and worries of tomorrow seemed to wash away. And it was just me and God. I would wait, I would watch, I would listen… and when my heart was quiet, and when my thoughts were all poured out like prayers into the sea, I would hear Him. I would see His beauty in the colors of the sky. I would know His power in the tossing of the sea. I would find His wisdom in the changing tides. I would discover His creativity in the clouds. His purity was in the wind. The sea gulls would soar above and dive into the sea, and I would cast my heart into the ocean of God’s love, His grace, His calling.
Those days were all about promises, dreams and plans and those were the footprints of prayers, songs and visions. I would often think of how amazing it is just to be alive. Just the thought that life exists would fill my heart with wonder. I would often pause and just reach into the sand, just for the chance to hold a million of something in my hand all at once. And then I would just keep walking, as the colors of day changed to colors of night and the stars would fill the sky, reminding me of how small I really was.
I saw many falling stars dash across the sky and plunge down as if to crash into the ocean. I’ve watched the whales dive among the waves, I’ve seen the dolphins play, and I’ve felt a shark brush against my skin. I’ve fallen asleep on the sandy shore, to the lullaby of crashing waves, only to be awaked by the coming tide. Just spending a day alone with the great and mighty ocean turned my heart forever to the things of eternity. For my life on earth is like footsteps by the sea, and this is my tide, this is my sunrise, this is my sunset, this is my starry sky…just for a moment. I want each step I take to leave an imprint of eternity, I want to make an impression on this earth that will capture just a puddle of God’s wonder and reflect the beauty of His glory, at least until the next wave comes to wash my steps away.
It was in those hours that all the troubles of life, and worries of tomorrow seemed to wash away. And it was just me and God. I would wait, I would watch, I would listen… and when my heart was quiet, and when my thoughts were all poured out like prayers into the sea, I would hear Him. I would see His beauty in the colors of the sky. I would know His power in the tossing of the sea. I would find His wisdom in the changing tides. I would discover His creativity in the clouds. His purity was in the wind. The sea gulls would soar above and dive into the sea, and I would cast my heart into the ocean of God’s love, His grace, His calling.
Those days were all about promises, dreams and plans and those were the footprints of prayers, songs and visions. I would often think of how amazing it is just to be alive. Just the thought that life exists would fill my heart with wonder. I would often pause and just reach into the sand, just for the chance to hold a million of something in my hand all at once. And then I would just keep walking, as the colors of day changed to colors of night and the stars would fill the sky, reminding me of how small I really was.
I saw many falling stars dash across the sky and plunge down as if to crash into the ocean. I’ve watched the whales dive among the waves, I’ve seen the dolphins play, and I’ve felt a shark brush against my skin. I’ve fallen asleep on the sandy shore, to the lullaby of crashing waves, only to be awaked by the coming tide. Just spending a day alone with the great and mighty ocean turned my heart forever to the things of eternity. For my life on earth is like footsteps by the sea, and this is my tide, this is my sunrise, this is my sunset, this is my starry sky…just for a moment. I want each step I take to leave an imprint of eternity, I want to make an impression on this earth that will capture just a puddle of God’s wonder and reflect the beauty of His glory, at least until the next wave comes to wash my steps away.
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