The Ocean

The Ocean Reflections by the Sea ©   Betsy Ore Glass September 28, 2011

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. - Psalm 145:3 NIV. The ocean has a hold on me. It is so powerful. I have a large amount of respect for what it can do when unleashed. The waves that pound the shore in rhythmic fashion remind me of a strong heartbeat…some days beating faster than others. Going to sit by the edge of the ocean makes everything better. It is as if the waves wash over me and cleanses my soul in quietude and refreshes my mind at the same time. The ocean breathes its salt air on me and I feel wrapped in a blanket of calm. I can think better and there is clarity. For years I have wondered what was the real secret of the ocean….is it the salt air, the breezes, the serenity, the sound of the waves? I suppose it adds up to all those things. Water has a calming effect on so many of us. To each their own. Some people need to fish, while others surf the waves. Photographers need to capture the perfect sunrise while people like my Mother and I are content to drive to the pier and feed the hungry gulls some pieces of bread. We are all unique but unified in the fact that many of us hunger for the ocean in some way or another. And we all agree on one thing, the ocean is a force that deserves our honor and respect. God is most worthy of our praise, honor and respect as well. Yet, I don’t think He gets His due. The busyness of our schedules and our fast and furious lives leaves little time for Him. Our mind is where our heart is…or is it the other way around? I think both ways apply. God seems to get the leftovers at times. “Oh I’ll get to God after everything else is done and I can relax and really focus”….haven’t we all said that? We can pray or talk to God anywhere….driving in the car, vacuuming the floor, pulling weeds, walking the beach. We are told to pray continually (I Thess. 5: 17). Some times my talking to God turns into prayer and then back to talking again…..I don’t really know the difference. He deserves to be exalted in our lives. And to be appreciated and for us to allow Him to guide us in His Way and His Will. God’s power and mightiness are so much greater than anything we can imagine. While our footprints along the ocean’s edge may get washed away with the tide, our memories of our time with God will be forever written in Heaven and our heart.

Rest

Rest Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass September 21, 2011 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. –Psalm 62:5 NIV A sweet neighbor and I visited this morning on the sidewalk. I have a little flower bed that has been neglected. It is on the top of my “to do” list to bring it back to life this fall. I shared my landscape ideas with my neighbor and she kindly offered to share some of her plants to get me started. The kind lady said that some of the plants would rest over the winter and may go completely dormant. But not to worry, while they are resting, they are developing good roots. The word, “rest” has popped up several times this week. People talking about needing it or not getting enough of it. The definition of rest is the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep, spiritual calm, tranquility, refreshing ease, relief or freedom from anything that troubles or disturbs. Many of us have had challenges we had to rise up to recently. Probably like many of you, I’ve taken time to re-group. To take stock of where I have been, where I am and to pray for direction for what God wants to do with me next. Seems recently there has been a season of change that has swirled around me like autumn leaves falling to the ground on a September day. And sometimes with change comes chaos, too many decisions, turmoil and the like. Followed by rest. Yes, sweet rest. At some point, things start to settle down. The pieces of the puzzle come together to form a beautiful picture. Rest is a good word. It represents that the battle is over, the difficulty has subsided and peace awaits us. But rest is not always physical relief. We can have mental rest and give up a situation that our minds have been obsessing about for too long. We can also find spiritual rest by surrendering everything to God. Resting in Him means to totally trust Him. Whatever the situation is, it isn’t too big for God. His rest will restore us and nurture us so we can pick ourselves back up and head back out on our journey. (I find it interesting that within the word “restore” is “rest”). Like my neighbor’s plants, I like to think our faith is growing deep spiritual roots when we rest in God.

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Footprints

Footprints


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
September 14, 2011

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you; to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul. -Joshua 22:5

Walking in soft sand at the beach can be so strenuous. Sometimes the sand is deep and it can really be a struggle. But the job gets easier if you can find the footprints of one that went before you and then follow their path. As little children, we would try to walk in the footprints left by a grownup, only to stumble to our knees because we couldn’t make the long stride. Some footprints are narrow, others wide, some long, some short. Some people go barefooted on the beach, while others wear shoes with ridged soles. To find another footprint is to know that someone walked ahead of us. Their footprint made the path just a little easier for us. Their weight caused the sand to compress, giving us a place for firmer footing.

Following God is His desire for us. But, the path is not always so easy to walk. Sometimes He leads us into the deeper sand and it is difficult. Other times we can cover a lot of distance in the firmer sand because the walk is smooth and easy. In both cases, He is building our spiritual muscle for our journey in Him. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5. There may be times of hard work and effort, and then He surely rewards us with rest and restoration. Knowing in advance that tough times are ultimately for our own growth and development, it somehow makes it easier to understand. There is a benefit to every step we take if we let Our Father lead the way on the path before us

Change

Change


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
September 07, 2011

Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my help. -Psalm 30:10 NIV

Change seems to be everywhere. Change is one of those words that bring with it a lot of feelings and emotions when it surrounds us. Probably the simplest way to describe change is ‘to pass from one state to another.’ Seasonal changes we tend to welcome and look forward to with anticipation. We know what to expect year after year. The fall colors of this season are about to emerge as the leaves turn from green to golden yellow, deep red and burnt orange. Pumpkins are displayed on front porches, replacing pots of tired geraniums. Gardens are being harvested for the last of the summer vegetables, while firewood gets stacked near the back door before the onset of winter. The transition from season to season is somewhat predictable.

It’s the unexpected, unpredictable turns that come upon us at times that can shift our lives in another direction. How do we cope? That’s when our faith is of utmost importance. Some changes in our life can be devastating such as an illness, divorce, and the death of a loved one. Other changes may not be as impactful, but nevertheless they do affect us. God made us adaptable and flexible. We can face anything that comes to us. God won’t leave us alone to get through these times of difficulty by ourselves. We can count on Him. He made us strong. We can rely on His strength to help us. How we choose to react to change determines how we will be able to manage it. Something to think about. God’s plan is at work in our lives and in our surroundings. We must never forget that. Yes, God is part of everything and every situation. We don’t always know the reason why things happen. He will allow things at times to occur to bring us back closer to Him and to strengthen us. As we are certain to meet change almost daily, we should remember that God does not change. He is always there with His promises to lift us up out of the mire on to high ground again. We can take refuge in Him and He will take our pain and give us strength in its place. It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. Psalm 18:21 NIV