Sandbar

Sandbar


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
March 15, 2011

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. -Mark 11:24-25 NIV

A sandbar is a submerged or partly submerged ridge of sand that is formed along the shore by the action of the waves or currents. When storms come off of the ocean, sandbars actually act as a shock absorber for the powerful waves and currents. By consuming some of the power, then there is less damage to the shore. That’s one of the reasons when we have damaging storms, some areas fare well and others do not. The sandbar that we cannot see offshore has soaked up some of the waves’ strength. Some people that are looking at oceanfront property to purchase will consult nautical charts to see if offshore sandbars are present, offering added protection to the beach.

While sandbars are great because they help block the oceans’ strength, when we go to God with our petitions, we don’t want anything to stand between us. But, unknowingly, that is exactly what can happen. How can we go to Him asking forgiveness of our sins when we won’t forgive someone of theirs? How can we expect mercy to be shown to us if we don’t show it to others? Like a sandbar, our unforgiveness can act as a ridge that prevents God’s blessings from getting to us. Matthew 7:2 tells us not to judge, or we too will be judged. For in the same way we judge others, we will be judged, and with the measure we use, it will be measured unto us. Many rifts in relationships begin this way in judgement and then before long, unforgiveness takes root and then bitterness follows. Matthew 6:14 plainly tells us that if we forgive men when they sin against us, our heavenly Father will also forgive us. But if we do not forgive men their sins, our Father will not forgive our sins. But, what if we don’t ‘feel’ like forgiving someone. We are still angry at them and rightfully so. We may have every right to our feelings. God would have us know that it doesn’t matter. He will take care of seeing that justice is served. That is not our job. His message is clear. We have to make the decision to forgive and God will do the rest. Our decision to forgive is what sets everything in motion. And don’t worry, He will supply us with all we need and the fullness of heart to begin to forgive. We should not let our unforgiveness towards anyone cost us our blessings, prosperity or healing. Pray this scripture so that we can see and feel in a new way. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 NIV.

Influence

Influence



Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
March 09, 2011

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. –Psalm 43:3

The beach has been such a part of my life since I was a child. It made sense that I would share my love of the beach with my own children. They were influenced by me and both of our children love everything to do with the beach today. I enjoy seeing parents taking their children to the beach for the first time or out on the pier with their first rod and reel. Little children want to emulate their parents. We don’t have to tell them what to do as much as we must show them by our actions and live a life that would make them want to follow. When our actions and words surround them, that is called “influence”. We each have the power to influence anyone. It is a mighty thing to know that something we can say or do could shape another person’s life, choices and decisions.

Using our influence in a subtle way is far better than actually telling someone what to do. To be told what to do can often be received as unsolicited advice, unappreciated wisdom, and just plain interference. To have success in this area, we must realize that our actions carry more weight than our words.

How are we using our influence in our everyday life? Who do we look up to? Who looks up to us? Everything that we say and do reflects our character which reflects our relationship with God. If we are using the gift of influence to guide others, we must pray that it is God’s Light and His Truth leading us to lead others.

Daffodils


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
March 02, 2011

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. -1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

The definition of encourage is to inspire with hope, courage, or confidence. Each year about this time when I see the daffodils begin to poke through the soil, I know that the season of spring is not far off. The anticipation of warmer weather and a new growing season wards off the winter chill. The seed catalogs are coming in the mail and many of us are mentally planning our gardens. I think of the daffodil and other early bulbs as encouragers. They are among the first to step out ahead of everything else that remains dormant. My spirit gets a lift when I see a daffodil or two. It gives me hope for new beginnings.

While we can be encouraged ourselves by things in nature, kind words from friends or praise, we are reminded that we are to encourage others too. Being patient with someone is a major encouragement to a person. It says we care and are willing to stand along side of them, as long as they need us to. Being joyful in all things and with each other is another way to encourage and be encouraged. It has been said that “each person has an ideal, a hope, a dream which represents the soul. We must give to it the warmth of love, the light of understanding and the essence of encouragement”. I believe that God would be so pleased if we took a moment to encourage someone who will cross our path today. Perhaps God will send someone to us today for that very purpose.

The Pelican

The Pelican

The Pelican
Reflections by the Sea - Betsy Ore Glass
February 23, 2011
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
Proverbs 3: 25-26

The Pelican is most graceful in flight but can be a little awkward on land. They are magnificent birds to watch as they circle around in large numbers in search of food. Flying high above the water, plunge diving in the sea from heights of up to 60 to 70 feet, the impact is cushioned by the air sacs just beneath their skin. With their pouch located under the bill, they are capable of holding large amounts of fish and water for quite some time. It is known that the Pelican requires up to 4 pounds of fish a day. The Pelican was once thought to be a threat to commercial fisherman because of their fish consumption but that is no longer the case today. Their diet consists of mullet, minnows and menhaden and other unimportant fish to the commercial fishing industry. The Brown Pelican is the species that mostly inhabits the Atlantic Coast. They normally nest on the ground or in the tops of trees. At one time they were on the endangered species list but fortunately there is an abundance of Pelicans now. Wouldn’t you agree that their presence, beauty and uniqueness adds to the Outer Banks landscape?

Watching Pelicans go about their daily activities leaves me with the impression that they are very confident. They know what they should do, they do it and they expect a positive result. Is confidence learned or taught? Maybe it is a combination of both. So many things are tied to confidence, like self-esteem, leadership and success. When we try something new, our confidence level may not be as high, but as we do it over and over again, we gain that feeling of accomplishment that translates into satisfaction. It’s important that we get this right because developing confidence and being aware of it, or the lack of it, can be at the core of so many decisions and outcomes in our life. Offering encouragement to chase a dream or realize a goal is something we can all do in our relationships. It is something we can do for ourselves. Positive self -talk will carry us far. Taking the first step to building confidence is to give our fears to God and to ask for His strength to flow through us. Knowing that God is by our side, what is it that we can do today that we were afraid to do yesterday?

Feeling Connected

Feeling Connected



Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
February 16, 2011

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 NIV

Whenever I can I will brag on the Outer Banks to anyone who will listen. The memories of years’ past, the natural landscape, the terrific seafood, shorebirds, lighthouses, water and bridges and more. But it is a “feeling” that I get on the Outer Banks like no other place I have been. I feel such a strong connection. The emotion that envelopes me is the overwhelming sense of being home. Yes, many things are familiar still, even in the changes that are evident that comes with change. But it is the inner sense of peace I find. Everyone needs a sanctuary, a safe place to be and to renew themselves. The salt air washes away any worries and weariness and sunrises and sunsets remind that each day is a new beginning. We can meet each day full of hope and promise of what treasures are yet to be revealed on the Outer Banks. It is ever changing yet it remains the same. The surprise of a morning fog or a dusting of snow keeps the weather watchers on their toes. My favorite place to visit is the sand dunes on Pea Island. Recently, climbing to the top of the grassy dunes during a frigid winter gale gave me new appreciation for the strength of those Pea Island dunes. With numb fingers I snapped as many photos as I could before the sun faded in the western sky. But it was a serene, quiet moment….just me and the blowing sand as ripples formed in an artistic design that only nature could make.

One of His gifts to us has to be the Outer Banks! The combination of natural beauty with an overwhelming peacefulness one feels must be the work of God. Other people have said how much they find God’s Presence during walks on the beach, fishing at the pier, sailing the sound and so forth. It’s true that He is everywhere. This time of year the Outer Banks slows down during the winter season. What better time to reflect on His goodness and mercy than on a cold winter day with a warm heart of full of gratitude for all He is. He will meet us on top of a sand dune or at the end of a pier. He will walk beside us on the beach and listen while we talk. I believe He is calling us closer to Him. Take to Him all the fears, worries and problems that we carry like baggage. That is called surrendering. We are nothing without Him. Jesus walked in humility and so should we. He had a heart for helping others and putting their needs first over His. We should follow His lead. Each time I pick up the Bible I learn something new. God is always teaching us and through the Bible we can get to know Him and His ways. Take His hand and find a quiet place to be together. Connect with Him for the first time or if He has been placed to the side, renew the relationship. Sometimes hard hearts need to be softened and He can do it. Disappointments are too great to carry any longer. He wants to take our burdens. He can give us encouragement for that new thing we are doing and He can renew our strength to fight our battles. He is our Hope, the Bread of Life, our Light.

Love

Love


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
February 08, 2011

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136:1 NLT

There are so many things that I love about the Outer Banks. This season of winter is actually a beautiful time of year. There is a quiet solitude that envelopes the beach and its surroundings. Great peace and a time of reflection can be captured by a pier, a bench by the sound or from a seaside beach access. If there is a need to warm the soul, to be close to God, to feel His Peace and see the beauty He created, this is the place and the time of year to do it. The sky is so blue and often cloudless. The stars and moon at night sparkle with such clarity. Where else can one go and see dolphins feeding in the distance, seagulls flying overhead, waves rushing through a pier’s pilings and feel peace at the same time! God’s Love is present everywhere here. What a gift it is!

The Bible has much to say about love, but the two most important instructions are these from March 12:28-31 NIV which is “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

Perhaps today is the time to put the past aside and begin anew with Jesus’ instructions as our guide, to make each day one where love is given and love is received. I heard it said once that the beauty of life is while we cannot undo the past, we can learn from it and change. So that every new moment is spent not in regret or guilt, but in wisdom, understanding and love. The lyrics from an old hymn dated back to 1912 have been drifting in and out of my thoughts today. “Love lifted me…Love lifted me…When nothing else could help…Love lifted me.” God’s Love for us will lift us up and over our own problems and circumstances so that in turn we can be a blessing to others.

Reflection

Reflection


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
February 02, 2011

As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. –Proverbs 27:19 NIV

Everywhere on the Outer Banks one can find reflections. Like sand fences casting shadows in the sand, or seagulls looking down at their mirror image in the water. Boats docked at marina’s that reflect their bright colors and tall masts or even a window that holds the image of a lighthouse.

I find myself looking back to last year and reflecting on all the changes that have taken place in my own life. Followed then, by looking forward to a new season with hope and expectancy of good things. Perhaps you find yourself doing that, too. Charles Dickens once said that we should reflect on our present blessings of which every one has many, and not on our past misfortunes, of which everyone has some. That’s good advice and wise to focus on the present while being grateful for our blessings. If we put the past behind us and not be so anxious to live in the future, how can we reflect on where we are today, this very moment? Probably the most important thing that shapes our day is our daily interactions with people we live with, work with and come into contact with. It has been said that how we treat others is a reflection on us. Actually, to be more specific, it is a reflection on how we FEEL about ourselves. That is very revealing.

Do we dare to find out what others would say about how we treat them? Would we be brave enough to ask? Would we be surprised? Would we try to justify our behavior and make excuses? It takes an exceptionally wise person to discern that when they are treated poorly, it is not a reflection on them, but on the other person. In other words, what is on the inside of each of us is what spills out to others, like a bucket full of water being tossed back and forth. Our words, actions and attitudes reflect our heart. Psalm 51:10 talks about creating a pure heart. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 tells us to live in peace with one another. Do these scriptures reflect what is going in at the core of us? Hopefully our words, actions and attitudes are pleasing God and that we are a reflection of His Love to others and in all that we do.

Gazebo

Gazebo


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
January 25, 2011

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 NIV

I try to visit the gazebo in today’s photograph as often as I can. This gazebo is on the sound and there is a peace and serenity felt there making it a wonderful place to reflect on life. Whether it is a visit during an early morning walk or if I stop by with my camera to catch a magnificent sunset, it is so relaxing that I often feel like it is a spiritual place at times. With nothing more than the squawk of an occasional gull, or the drone of a boat motor in the distance, the view from this little gazebo offers a glimpse of God’s natural beauty. I like taking a mental picture of the scenery for later recall. Sitting on the gazebo at the end of the wooden walkway is a perfect place to take some time for thinking about things. Important things, like are we on the right track? Are we in God’s Will? Would He be pleased with the way we are living our lives?

January is a good time to look forward to another year ahead. But sometimes I believe it is necessary to look back, too. For instance, if any relationship needs special attention, or if a friendship has been neglected, I like to start there. If there has been unforgiveness in any area of my life, I know it has to be dealt with and disposed of, or it can harm me, both physically and spiritually. When I was much younger, I thought that in order to forgive, I had to “feel” like doing it first. That “feeling” never came. I learned that forgiving is a decision, not a feeling. Even though we may have a right to our emotions and no one would argue that we have been wronged, we must make that choice to forgive. It won’t happen naturally on it’s own. I believe time does not heal, instead, it only makes it harder and more difficult to forgive, as the bitterness grows out of control. So much of our wellness stems from whether or not we carry unforgiveness in our heart. It weighs us down and becomes heavy. It affects our outlook, health, our relationships and it destroys our faith. Unforgiveness is not from God and if we are carrying it, we must give it over to Him right away and ask His forgiveness. We can ask Him to change our heart and to give us the strength to forgive. We can ask Him to carry the pain of the situation and to give us His peace in its place. God never fails us