by Bonnie Schultz

I walk the wooden walkway past the dunes and come to the end of the way where I catch my breath, staring at emerald green gulf waters completely taken in by the variations of blues and greens, on and on into the horizon. I let my breath out, sighing deeply. This is such a beautiful place. Can it be? I live here!

This is my new life, having recently moved from Indiana to Florida. I set up my beach chair near the water’s edge. There is an old Amish quote, “Sometimes I just sits.” This is what I do. Seated in my chair, writing pad at hand, I observe. I muse. There is something in doing nothing. The body is very still. But the mind? The mind soars. Maybe.

Looking around, I notice others in their chairs. Just sitting. Staring straight out at the water for long periods of time, like an audience at a great concert, not moving.

Be still and know that I am God.

-Psalms 46:10

Is that what we are doing? Does everyone who sits and stares into the deep waters have thoughts of God? 

In the beginning…the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

-Genesis 1:1-2 NIV

God and water.  In the beginning.

The sound of the waves is mesmerizing, rolling over each other to reach the shore in endless repetition. The sunlight plays on the water. My eyes move from water to the skies above, even more expansive than the water. 

The lighting changes as evening comes, variations in sky and water. Then darkness, unless the night lights come on. The moonlight reflects a path across the water and catches on the shore in waves. 

What is this beauty that draws us? 

The heavens declare the glory of God;

The skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge. 

They have no speech, they use no words;

no sound is heard from them. 

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.

-Psalms 19:1-3

This wordless speech reveals what? The nature of the artist behind the beauty? Qualities like peace, joy, and power?

I’ve been at the beach when the waves gently caress the shore. And I’ve been at the beach when the waves rise, crest and roll, crash and crush. Peace alternating with power unleashed.  When the weather report is, “There are good days to go to the beach. This is not one of them!” I disagree. I want to see this great water in all its manifestations. I thrill to the power of wind and water. 

Am I afraid? Am I “Oh, ye of little faith”? The master of it all says I don’t have to be afraid. 

Who is this that even the wind and seas obey Him?

-Mark 4:40, 41

There are creatures at the beach. I watch the birds who are amply fed, diving for fish, digging for crabs and other sea life too small for my eyes. Their maker feeds them well, and they don’t worry at all.  I long to trust like that. 

I delight to see a dolphin leap clean out of the water

Or spot a manta ray or school of fish or swimming sea turtle 

Or find a perfect sand dollar on the shore. 

Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord! 

They say that Navarre Beach is the most relaxin’ place.

When we stare at the water, are we letting go of everything we’ve held so tightly for so long? 

Letting go, but maybe also holding on to the hope that there is Someone who made all this? One who cares for us, who feeds us, who calms our fears?

Who is, after all, in control?

What about Jeremiah? We keep running into Jeremiah at the beach, selling his painted shell necklaces, chatting with people (people tend to be friendlier at the beach, free to talk to strangers). Does being at the beach call thoughts of God to his mind? What does he believe? 

When we leave him after a friendly chat he says, “I’m praying for you guys.” 

If he believes, how does this impact his everyday away-from-the-beach life? His relationships with others? His marriage? Jeremiah has a relationship, but not a marriage. He unabashedly shares that he’s living with his girlfriend. 

My dental hygienist is living with her boyfriend too and doesn't mind telling me at our first meeting. As though, of course, she is living with her boyfriend. Isn’t everyone? The thought of getting married seems a distant afterthought.  

When I tell her we just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary, do I sense a cooling in our budding relationship? I feel a bit like the woman in the poem, “Long Running Marriage” by Lois Wyse.

It was a party. 

One of the little dinners that dot 

the suburban social season, 

And I casually remarked,

“We’re going away next week.”

“Why?” 

I paused.  Why. Dare I say?

“It’s our anniversary.”

I flushed. I - who speak quickly and easily of 

Books, plays, politics, business,

the latest and the newest -

I choked on that old fashioned word: 

Anniversary.

“Which one?”

I shook my head.

“Can’t tell you; it’s too embarrassing.”

Timorous laugh:  me.

Funny look:  they.

For in this room of second marriages

and fourth affairs, 

Who am I to sound like 

Goody two-shoes, with only one

husband all these years?

I clink the ice cubes in my glass

And pretty soon they’re talking about the next divorce.

I was right. 

The interest is short lived

In a long-running marriage.

But I’m not so sure. 

I have seen a lot of weddings on the beach. So SOMEBODY still thinks getting married is a good idea.  My pastor, Scott, officiates weddings on the beach. He says he doesn’t always know a lot about the couple’s story, but believing in marriage, he does what he can to establish it. 

I wonder. Could I walk up to you on the beach as you are staring into the water and ask, “Penny, for your thoughts?” 

Are you remembering parts of your story or working out the kinks in your relationships?

Are you in awe and gratitude for how you came to be in this place at this time?

Are you surprised to be here, as I am?

Is it your first time?  Or do you have years of repeated visits, one built upon the other?

Does it remind you of other waters, of other beaches where you’ve been? Those other times and people in your life? 

Are you longing to share this beauty, this place, with someone you love? 

Or do you love the one you’re with? 

Are you deciding? Is it suddenly clear? Do you now know exactly what you want?

And do you know exactly what you want? As people sometimes do when out of their routine, like the group stuck in an elevator in the movie You’ve Got Mail (1998).

Joe Fox: Let me just say there was a man sitting in

the elevator with me who knew exactly what he wanted,

and I found myself wishing I were as lucky as he.

Patricia: If I ever get out of here, I’m having my eyes lasered.

Are you not thinking at all but only sensing - the visual delights, the warmth from the sun, the cool and gentle breeze on your skin, the way you feel inside?

Are emotions coming to the surface that were buried deep? 

Breathing deeply, letting go, more physically relaxed than you’ve been for some time? 

Just breathe. Breath of God. 

And my thoughts return to God. Alpha and Omega. Beginning and the End. 

Perfection. Heaven. Eternity.

What about you?

Beach photos of Navarre Beach courtesy of Bonnie Schultz

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there!