January 19, 2004

• Today a friend discovered La Jolla Cove for the very first time ...

  I've climbed to the peak of mountains, have crossed
  several rivers and have wandered through deserts and forests, but
  the ocean is still one of my favorite places. This may seem a little
  unproductive, but I could literally stare at the ocean for hours and
  hours. Something about it's vastness seems to humble me and calm me at
  the same time. On a day where there are few others around, I can look
  out to the left and to the right and see nothing but an expanse of
  blue. Something about the rhythmic sounds engage my mind in
  reflection. Something about the powerful waves crashing on the shore
  help me to see the smallness of my concerns and force me to gain
  perspective on life. Something about my friend getting lost as we
  stared out at the waves reminded me of my love for the ocean.

  As a child ...
  the crashing waves were a formidable
  force to be conquered. I still remember my brother and I spending hours
  building sand castles by the water. Our goal was to build these
  structures that blocked off the crashing waves and rediverted the
  incoming flow of water.

  In college ...
  I spent more time in study than in
  reflection. I seldom went to the ocean. My best memories of the beach
  were those late night bonfires and times of intimate sharing as the
  waves created a semi-periodic noise that added a fullness to
  our words.  

  In grad school  ...
  I
  lived in Minnesota and met a large number of people who have never seen
  the ocean before. I remember sitting on a small beach on the
  Northwestern campus and looking out at Lake Michigan. It's one of the
  few lakes in the US, where you can look out and not see an end. I
  remember thinking about this SCC song ... 
       I have come to this ocean
       and the waves of fear are starting to grow
       the doubts and questions are rising with the tide
       So I'm clinging to the one sure thing I know
  I was learning some tough lessons about holding loosely the things that are fleeting and holding on to Jesus.

  In Portland ...
  I
  climbed many of those mountain tops and hiked many of those forests. I
  was blessed to live about 15-20 mins from the columbia river gorge (the
  highest density of natural waterfalls in north america). I could see
  the majestic mt. hood and mt st. helens from my office window. But my
  favorite place was still the ocean  ... even though the nearest
  beach was about 2 hrs away. It's difficult for a SoCal person to
  understand, but the waters were cold, these public beaches were clean
  and were often quite isolated (no sun tanners and volleyball
  players).  I've camped out by the ocean and have often enjoyed
  many peaceful walks. I think it was here that I started to love coming
  to the ocean.

  In San Diego ...
  the
  weather is perfect year round and we are surrounded by beaches; but I
  missed the seasons, and I missed the solitary beaches of OR. This
  longing sometimes made it difficult to enjoy where I lived (or as
  another friend would say, "embrace SD"). Other than our tiny MSG
  bonfire, the beach was where I typically went to play ... volleyball,
  frisbee, football, rollerblading. Seeing someone discover the cove for
  the first time today (despite the hoards of people everywhere) reminded
  me of sunsets at the glider port, the evening walks along the cove, sat
  morning runs around PB and mission beach, and early morning devotions
  at the less popular beaches north of SD.

  I learned recently
  that Gethsemane was not just THE place where Jesus prayed so earnestly
  that "his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground" (prior
  to his arrest and cruxifiction), but it was a place where Jesus had
  gone often. John 18:2 says, "Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the
  place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples." Where are the places where you've gone away to meet with God? Our pastor shared with us recently that spiritual leaders must pray and seek
  the Lord. "Spiritual leaders are not decision-makers, they are
  discerners of God's will." I frequently remind myself that if
  praying and seeking the Lord isn't a regular part of my life, I have no
  business leading anyone. Let us stand in awe of our wonderfully
  creative God.

  • 5:28 am
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