Safe

One day, three children went out to play on the white, sandy beach. They had brought along three buckets and three spades - red, blue, and yellow so that no one should become confused and use their brother's (or their sister's) bucket and spade. These little details are extremely important when one has siblings who might, just might, use one's items.

There they played, splashing and digging, all the afternoon. There was no end of fun to be had. They had the waves, which seemed to indicate the 'in' of the tides, and which felt fun to jump into. They had the endless shells and sea glass to collect into piles, and they had their buckets, which were shaped like castles so they could make all the sand castles a child could ever wish for. An enormous city, in fact, of sand castles, right there for all the world to admire. It was enormous fun, and took up all the hours of the afternoon.

Mother and Dad, along with Grandma and Grandpa, were there. They watched all of this playing, splashing, and digging, and the three children knew that these loving people were there, and were watching. But they didn't really notice us very much - they were having so much fun. And then, a larger wave than usual came suddenly up, and overcame the nearest of the castles, the favorite castle. This larger wave was very inconvenient, and the small girl ran to her grandmother to tell her about it, with broad gestures and a look of thunder upon her pretty face. Then she laughed. It was funny; it was sweet.

Seeing this, I thought about my life, and how sometimes for hours I play and dig, building the things I think pretty and important. I am aware that God is there with me, watching; but I don't perhaps notice Him very much, not until some wave comes along and destroys or frightens. That is when I (and others like me, I feel sure) begin to remember, and to call out to Him with gestures, and thunder. And maybe even questions; the 'why?' questions, often the first to come out of our mouths when we think He hasn't been paying good enough attention.

But He has. He will. He's never stopped. The very reason we are safe at all on our 'beach' is down to the fact that God is actually there, bringing with Him enormous protections and mercies that we never see. 

The three children heard the voice of their mother, calling, "Time for dinner, everyone - let's eat!" Instantly the buckets and spades and shells and sea glass were collected into some semblance of order, and they three all trooped in for their dinners. They didn't know yet what it would be, but it would be good. Knowing their mother, they were certain of that.


See you along the Way!
the SconeLady