oceanside.

Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus

Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free;

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness, 

Over me. 

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Seeing the ocean always reminds me of the timeless hymn by Samuel Trevor Francis. It is one of my all-time favorites--the haunting melody; the soulful words. Somehow, I think that if I were on a ship sinking, that hymn would be the last thing playing in my mind--filling me with peace. To think of Jesus' love surrounding me, as powerful and more powerful than the ocean, is an awesome thing. 

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On Sunday, our family traveled down to the Oregon Coast to celebrate Mother's Day (my mom loves the beach, and I do, too. Most of the time). It started out just windy + misty, but it turned extremely wet and a bit miserable.

 Nevertheless, there was a wild beauty about the stormy beach (though I can't say the same about my wet and tangly hair). The tarnished clouds moving restlessly across the sky and the choppy waves with their shades of blue-grey looked so moody and free. I managed to snap a few photos before the air became too wet (and then I sprinted for the car, because naturally I didn't bring my camera bag), but the salt air and the billowing misty wind remain uncaptured.

I used to be afraid of the ocean, and I still am, a little bit--especially on days such as this one. I remember, a long time ago--when I was five or six--running in my little girl excitement down the beach beside the lapping surf. Suddenly, I found myself on my back in the midst of the inch-high tide, flailing my arms. I wasn't in danger or anything, but I was petrified. It is one of my most terrifying memories--lying there, helpless, sure that waves were going to cover me and drag me out to sea at any instant.

Then, daddy scooped me up. And I was safe. But that memory has stayed with me to this day. And I shiver a little when I see a stormy ocean. 

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But summer is coming, when the sea turns blue, the sand warms your toes, and the cotton-flecked sky banishes all storms from the horizon. Yes, I'm all too ready for that, aren't you?

Does your family travel to the beach?

With love,

Lucia 

  

p.s. (have a question you've always wanted to ask? ask me anything here!)