Take me to the beach.

This time of year in South Eastern Wisconsin is a magical one. The weather is finally warm (ish) and people are out and about enjoying it.

My favorite part of going to the beach is the serenity of nature and the calmness that it brings to me. It is an awe-inspiring reminder of our creator and His creation. We have so much to learn from it.

The flowers are in full bloom after a long, dark winter. It is a symbol of renewal, new life, and abundance.

I am grateful to live on the third coast, just a few blocks away from Lake Michigan. When I stand next to it I am reminded of how small I am and how truly great and large our planet earth is.

The tide moves in and out and the seashore gracefully moves with it. I notice the crashing waves, tall and strong, loud and encompassing.

How similar this is to the waves in our lives; turbulent events come for days or even weeks, and then they wash away and become ever so peaceful, similar to the changing tide.

The trees sway in the wind without a care in the world. They are firmly planted with strong roots that are shaken by nothing, and the branches sway in the wind carelessly.  

How much we could learn from the trees! We too should try to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground and move like the branches, flexible, alongside our daily obstacles.

The birds soar in the sky, searching, seeking the next destination ahead. Like the birds, we are often searching for something as well. Sometimes we search for the next opportunity or the next pursuit to make us happy. Somedays it seems like we are always searching for something different. 

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Matthew 6:26

Seeing the birds flying around gallantly without being worried or troubled with tomorrow’s anxieties is a great reminder to us all to revel in the present moment, be at peace, and let tomorrow’s worries take care of their own. God will take care of our next steps on this journey. As He says, are we not worth more than the birds?

As I sit in the present moment, I relinquish my fears about the future and my daily worries.

I feel the breeze, and even though I cannot see it, I know it is still there. Similarly, I know that Jesus is alongside this journey with me, even though I cannot see Him.

It is here, much like the birds of the sky that I am free.