SUN, SAND AND ONE SUNSET

TODAYS SCRIPTURE: Psalm 103:1

Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

SUN, SAND AND ONE SUNSET

I SURVIVED! ! ! We are not sure if three adults and four children or one adult and six children went on vacation. The four grandchildren (ages 5 through almost 13) were counting when I said, "Yes, but your mommy is my little girl, so she is a child." Then I asked, "Is your daddy grownup?" The answer was, "No!" That is when we decided I was the adult and the rest were children. Here is a picture of the six adorable children who allowed me to accompany them to Florida.

We did have fun and I swear my grandsons are part fish. They were always in the pool or trying to find big waves in the Gulf. Or they were standing under an outdoor shower rinsing sand off before they could go back into the pool or into the house. They were wet from the time they finished breakfast until they put on their pajamas.

They did dry off enough to go to a Military Museum, a BooZoo at the Tampa Zoo, play miniature golf and eat. We also played Uno and many games of Farkle.

The youngest had the responsibility of taking care of grandma and he took his duties very seriously. Timothy always made sure I got through the airport and was quite certain that if he was in the water, I should be too. Noah helped me pick up shells and Joshua and Matthew made sure I added the Farkle scores correctly. After all, they kept reminding me, "You are 62 and that is old."

This last week was a blessing. Time with our daughter and her husband. Time with our grandchildren. Time to --

It has been a long time since I have been to a beach. The sound of the waves is a sound I love. And watching the waves come in. Go out. The strange things that wash up on shore remind me that God has a great imagination. I find peace as I stand and take it in and one evening, when I walked the beach by myself, I had a quiet time with God.

He put on this sunset just for me. Were there other people on the beach? Yes. Were there other people looking at the same sunset? Yes.

But this sunset was for me.

For my soul.

This sunset was the glory of God shown in a spectacular display of clouds and color.

As I walked the beach that evening. As I watched the sunset. My Spirit was singing:

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice!     Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice!     O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,     And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

(To God be the Glory, by Fanny Crosby)

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Has God given you a sunset?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

No matter where I am, on the beach, at home, at work, awake or asleep, You are there. Praise the Lord. As the daylight begins and as the daylight ends, You are there. Praise the Lord. When my life is clear and when my life has clouds, You are there. Praise the Lord. When I behold your glory, You are there. Praise the Lord. I am just one person. I do hear your voice. I do come to the Father through the Son. And I do give you glory for all you have done. Praise the Lord. Amen