Lots to write...

Today I took a visit to the Seashore again. It's been awhile. I think the last time was a couple of months ago before the weather started to turn cold. Even today the weather was gray and cloudy. The waves were choppy as they toppled one on over the other washing foam up on the rocky shore.

Being by the sea started me thinking about life. Mainly because the ocean draws me closer to God...I feel his presence so strongly while I stand and glance at the massive waters stretching out as far as my eyes can see. And when I think of God...I have no other option but to think of my life. For it is in Christ that I live, I move and I have my being.

Lately I have felt like a failure. So often I go through these times. Times when I seem to fail God over and over and then finally I come to the place where I run to him and lift up my hands in surrender once more. Being back in the States has caused me to question once again what my purpose is...what God's purpose and plan is for my life. Seemingly things don't seem to be happening in my world that would indicate that I serve any purpose at the moment. It is during these times of lack of a sense of purpose when I start to unnecessarily feel sorry for myself and slip into this "poor me" attitude which only causes me to drift farther from God and his purpose.

Thank God he is not finished with me yet. I'm not perfect. And when I visit the seashore God seems to drop something in my heart. Sometimes it doesn't come right away; sometimes it does. Today he used something I wrote a few years ago to illustrate what he wanted to drop in my heart.

It was a a story I started to write in 2007. Let me share it with you:

Cliff of Praise,

In the morning light she stood there on a hill. With an umbrella to shield the sun in her right hand and binoculars in the other she glanced down at the sight before her. Dressed in a black cotton dress, an orange scarf about her neck and matching gloves on her hands she hoped she wouldn't be spotted by one of her companions. Her black hat with an attached piece of red silk was another item of clothing she'd purposely put on that morning so that she would be inconspicuous. She never wore hats and nobody would give her a second glance when they saw the hat atop her head.

Solitude. That is what Miss Eliza Price had escaped from the Bed and Breakfast for that morning. Just a few moments to herself so that she could clear her mind of the thoughts that had tormented her of late. That was all that she desired. Surrounded by her dear old aunts who had accompanied her to Italy was no place a person could spend time heart searching.

Early that morning, when Jaimieson, Marilyn, Laura and Elizabeth were still sound asleep in their bedrooms, after a long day at the beach the day before, Eliza slipped from her own room on the second floor of the B&B. As quietly as possible she tip-toed past the doors of the two bedrooms occupied by her companions. At one point, as she neared the stairs, the floor creaked beneath her feet and then there was a sound of someone stirring from the first door along the hall. At that moment Eliza made a run for it down the stairs and through the foyer finally exiting the B&B before she could be discovered.

Pausing to smell the lovely roses planted outside the building, she quickly headed toward the worn path that wound around the corner to the right. As she followed the path it led her to the edge of a cliff. Below were colorful stone buildings built into the rocky hillside.

She stood there glancing down at the hillside that was so scattered with buildings and the incredible clear blue water at the bottom. She put her binoculars to her eyes and noticed boats of every shape and size coming and going. At this moment she felt as if she were on top of the world spying on the goings on of those below.

The time and place was perfect for her to reflect upon her recent thoughts and to search her heart for some answers. Being near the rocky cliffs below and the calm Ocean water spread out as far as her eyes could see gave her a sense of God's peace. God was here with her and she could now let go of all her fears and all of her...

Wait. What was that she heard? Eliza heard footsteps behind her coming from the path she'd just walked herself moments ago. She waited. Maybe the intruder would recognize a woman basking in the presence of God and respectfully walk on. No, that was not to be. The footsteps grew louder and she noted the very moment they stopped.

FOr a moment she closed her eyes imagining that she could somehow will the intruder to leave her side. She need only to turn her head and see the person who had stopped at the edge of the cliff next to her. Finally she opened her eyes and moved them from where they lay ahead to her left. A stranger. Indeed, she had never laid eyes on this person who stood closer than she had realized. As she stared at his profile she noticed that the stranger's eyes remained focused on the hillside below. Maybe the stranger was blind and knew this spot only by memory.

A few moments passed and the stranger still had not glanced once in Eliza's direction. Feeling that the perfect moment for reflection had long passed Eliza shuffled her feet about to turn and head back down the path toward the B&B. At that moment the stranger spoke.

"God delights in the praises of his people!"

This statement, although familiar, startled Eliza.

"You know I'm here?" she questioned out loud.

Not desiring to be rude and disrespectful, Eliza's hand flew to her mouth surprised at her own bluntness.

Smiling graciously at Eliza the stranger continued, "The Lord delights in the praises of His people, but sometimes in our ignorance we do not honor him with our praise. When we focus our attention on ourselves and not upon our creator we offer nothing for the Lord to delight in. Do you know what happens when His people do not praise Him, ma'am?"

It was at this moment, as she opened her mouth to respond, that Eliza saw not a stranger before her and certainly not an angel but a man of God carrying a message. In the midst of her new perception of this man, she could not find the words to answer his question. The question was directed to her, she knew that. There was nobody else around to answer and his eyes were fixed on her and her alone.

Once again he smiled at her holding her gaze only a moment before going on.

"The Rocks cry out." He watched Eliza's face as she glanced down at the rocks on the hillside. "Yes, even these rocks, ma'am. You see, even though the Lord delights most of all in the praises of his people he is such a great and mighty God that if we do not do so, something must proclaim the greatness of the Lord.

"Often times when I'm tempted to pine over my circumstances and have myself a pity-party I run to this here spot. When I look down at these rocks below I realize that even though they are so mighty and strong and the very appearance of them declares how great God is, it is my praise in which the Lord delights. The Lord is always worthy of praise even when I may not feel like praising him. But, do you want to know what happens when I praise God even when I'm not feeling up to it?"

His eyes were smiling now and Eliza couldn't help smiling herself as she nodded. There was a fascination about the man who stood before her speaking words of wisdom and knowledge. She only wished she knew where he came from.

Seeing her nod the man turned his face back to the sight before them. The sun brightened his expression as he spoke his next words, "The Lord lifts me up above my circumstances. There's times I'm praising God right here on this cliff and I feel I could jump off the ground and sore above the hillside below. He truly blesses our obedience to praise him even when our act of obedience is a sacrifice."

For a moment the two of them stood side by side in silence, each quietly praising the Lord in their hearts.



So today God dropped in my heart that I should praise him...even when I don't feel him...even when the circumstances of life are seemingly hopeless offering no signs of purpose. Our greatest purpose is to Praise God! Psalm 150:6, Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.