I love it when God shows up at unexpected times. I had one of those God-moments recently on a trip my husband and I made to visit our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.
They live on the Gulf Coast of Florida, so visits to them mean lazy days at the beach, enjoying God’s handiwork in the form of powder white sand and turquoise and green water that’s so clear you can see to the bottom. It looks like a postcard as colorful sailboats drift past.
On some of our trips we take a boat and head over to Shell Island, delighting in the pristine beach. I always feel like a member of the Swiss Family Robinson. One of my favorite parts is the snow-cone boat that bobs out in the water at Shell Island. You can wade out about knee-deep and choose from a variety of flavors. Let’s just say that a strawberry snow-cone on a warm day is downright heavenly!
I don’t know what it is about going to the beach, but even sandwiches taste better when sitting in a comfy chair with your toes in the sand.
But the absolute best part is spending time with our family, playing with our grandson and watching his joy as he digs in the sand.
Because our kids live there, they know the out-of-the-way spots where tourists don’t frequent. I love that we almost have the beach to ourselves on occasion.
Sometimes, though, I think that we must look like the beach version of the Beverly Hillbillies as we make our way across the sand, our cart piled high with a canvas beach awning, chairs, a cooler, beach towels, and all the other assorted paraphernalia we take with us. Yeah, I’m glad I’m not the one who has to push that through the sand!
I say that especially because just walking across the beach can sometimes be difficult for me.
A number of years ago, I broke my hip and pelvic bone, and fractured an ankle in a car wreck. The other ankle was messed up during my basketball-playing days, so walking through loose sand pulls on all those weak places.
Sometimes we have quite a hike across the sand to reach our favorite spots. One of those moments occurred one evening when we went back to the beach to fish.
I plodded behind my husband through the loose sand, and then I noticed something: When Paul took a step, it packed the sand down—and I discovered that if I walked in his footsteps, it made my walk across the beach so much easier.
And then it was as if God whispered, “Your life is just like that. If you’ll walk in My footsteps, I’ll guide you—and as long as you keep following in My footsteps, your journey will be much easier.”
Great advice for all us. Don’t you agree?
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. (Psalm 37:23)
