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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Calm (emotionally) (09/13/07)
“Vacation is supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy yourself.” my wife chided.

I was trying. It seemed like all of the work that I left behind to go on this vacation was crying out for my attention. The voices were so loud. I needed to organize myself for when I got back to work. I listed phone calls in my head and made mental checklists. I even recalled things that I should have done before we left. It was impossible for me to relax.

I tried to explain but I knew it would be no use “honey, I want to relax. I just can’t. It seems like every attempt to relax leads me to thinking about things that I need to do.”

She was not impressed with my confession. “Go for a walk and get it all out of your system before you come back.”

What could be better then a walk along Virginia Beach where we were staying in a hotel.

My walk turned into a bare foot jog. I simply left my shoes behind and started to run. The words to a Ten Shekel Shirt song played in my thoughts, “something about the ocean makes me stand in awe of you…”

Finally, something other then work to think about.

The song led me to worship the creator of everything that I was witnessing as I gazed at the ocean.

It was a beautiful morning. Just a few wisps of cloud separated the foggy skyline from the calm ocean’s disappearance into the horizon.

The rhythm of my feet throwing sand and a song about the awesomeness of God put peace into my heart. It was that illusive calm that my vacation was suppose to provide.

It took a little bit of work to get there because it is too easy for me to wallow in busyness. I act like I should suffer with chaos. I seem to think I deserve it.

To escape it would only be prompted by my awareness that I was wasting a perfect vacation for my family and myself. I had to believe that it was truly inappropriate to cling to the misery.

Form the capturing of that illusive clam grew a heart of worship.

God was not going to force his way into my preoccupied heart. He knew that I needed him and waited for me to seek him. He waited for that jog down the beach to put the right song into my head. It was the song that would put the right attitude into my heart.

I had told my deserving wife that I would get the chaos out of my system. It seemed awkward but I prayed through my list of to do’s. I gave them to the Lord. I asked for his help to really take a vacation from the chaos.

Something about the ocean told me very clearly that he would.

I think I was swallowed by the magnitude of God’s capabilities. The immensity of the small portion of the ocean that I could see stirred me with faith. I was not going to be hassled by this chaos any more during my family vacation.

I make very few promises. This seemed like the time to make one. I told God I would see him again the next morning. We would meet “same time, same place.”

God makes promises too.

I turned to get one more glimpse of the ocean before I jogged back to our hotel.

Again, its beauty captured me. But this time I saw jumping on the water a school of dolphins. I turned around to head back and the dolphins followed me the whole way.

Something in my heart told me God was using those dolphins to speak his promise to me that he would be at the ocean again tomorrow when I came to meet with him.

Daily devotions seem to be a proper way to live out faithfulness to the Lord. Though God is always faithful it created such a calm to receive evidence of his promise to be there “same time, same place.”
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This article has been read 1146 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Brandi Roberts
09/20/07
Just a few pointers. Watch your capitalization, I noticed a few places (I'm sure they were typos, though) that you missed a capital here and there ("honey,..."). Also, your paragraphs were a little TOO broken up in my opinion. When you're on the same thought, you typically stay within one paragraph.

Other than that, I really liked this piece. You use some good strong word choices, and the content is great -- right on topic!
Jacquelyn Horne
09/21/07
Yes, God's oceans have a calming effect.
c clemons
09/22/07
This is a very good entry. It is a shame that spellcheck doesn't read our minds. A couple of words "form and clam" I am sure were suppose to be "From and calm" if not then this takes on a whole new meaning. :) Anyway, keep up the good work and write on.
Sheri Gordon
09/24/07
The ocean can be so ferocious, and so calming. This is a nice devotional piece. I especially like the way you used the dolphins at the end. Nice job.
Paul Potenza
09/25/07
Thank You SO much for this article. My heart is beaten black and blue from worrying about business. My bride of 15 years has been trying to help me "let it go" but until today, I couldn't. This piece may have done the trick.

Pauly