This I Know For Sure

As my summer comes to a close I am always amazed at the things I learn each year. No summer ever passes by without giving me a little nugget of wisdom to marinate on till the next one comes around. This is what I am thinking now…You see, what I do for a living 11 months out of the year is that I show people “fool proof” recipes on how to make the best this or that. I go into great detail about the ingredients. The methods and even the tools to create culinary perfection. In actuality, this is the one place that I can get pretty close to “great” every time. However, the rest of my life is not that simple….

This morning as I was looking out at the ocean I couldn’t help but feel like my life is so similar to the waves. Sometimes I can gently float in the soft waves never fearing that I will be tossed carelessly onto the shore. While other times I stand waist deep allowing the waves to crash into me. Almost taunting them to knock me over. Whereas there are days I am drug under by a rogue wave knocking me senseless and making me gasp for air. I truly feel like the secret to the waves is faith and God’s grace to deliver me safetly back to the beach.

I know that without God’s everyday presence in my life that I would be a soul forever taunting and recklessly riding the waves. At first that might be exciting but in the end it would almost certainly require me to remove sand from parts unknown. Not to mention this way doesn’t allow me to catch my breath.

I know with absolute certainty that just like the waves there will be days when the tides are high and vicious while others will be calm. It is my job to handle them both with grace. God wants me feel courage in his love to lean back and float but to know that no matter what wave hits me he is always my lifeguard. Trusting God and his plans for me and my family is my goal for this new season. To be a dutiful sailor in life and to ride life’s waves with distinction. That way at the end of this lifetime I can look back and say “wow God, now that was a great life at the beach! Thank you!”