On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand...

One of my favorite memories of any trip to the beach is standing at the ocean's edge, barefeet in the surf, watching the waves come rolling in.

So, naturally, on this trip I could not wait to get my little piggies into the water!

Our first day in Fort Bragg was nice. We went to one beach and I got nice and sandy footed (and no, that's NOT my hobbit name!!). But it wasn't like I remembered it. Still, I enjoyed the cool water and the nearness to the ocean.

Our second day was much like the first, except more of it. We went to Noyo Point, Caspar Beach, and three more beaches. At every one, I slipped out of my shoes and into God's creation, basking in the coolness and walking along the water's edge.

But it wasn't until the last day that it happened. That memory from the past came back.

We went to the beach one last time. We'd found a great ocean access point not far from our motel, and trudged across the sand--me barefoot, as usual:-) The surf was a bit more aggressive that last day, as the wind was kicking back up and the fog was about to roll back in.

The waves were gorgeous, crashing against the rocks and the bluffs, and there were tons of whitecaps. It was COLD, but I wrapped up in my denim shirt and stuck my feet in the surf, shivering with delight.

And it happened.

As the waves receded, the sand was sucked from beneath my feet, and I felt as if I was falling. I wobbled a bit, nearly toppling backwards, but reminded myself that it was just an illusion. I stood my ground and reveled in the memory.

Then, it hit me.

That was my life!

I was fighting the tide of the world's mentality creeping into my home, enduring the crashing waves brought on by my mom's passing, my daughter's rebellion, and a myriad of other events, feeling as if I was on shifting sand and sinking, nearly falling.

But then I remembered that hymn from growing up: "On Christ the solid Rock I stand/all other ground is shifting sand/all other ground is shifting sand."

Satan was feeding the illusion that I was falling, with no place to put my feet that was safe and solid. And sometimes I was, because I was resting in my own logic.

But my life is rooted in Christ, and nothing has ever been able to pry me away from Him. I've always felt that I'd rather stop breathing than believing in God and what He has done for me.

And no storm I've endured has been able to tear me away from Him. Oh, I've been torn in places, and some have grown weak, but I'm still standing, at times clinging, arms wrapped around Him for dear life...

But I stand on solid ground. I just have to tell myself not to believe what I feel, and to believe what I know. I may bobble, I may wobble, and I may sit on my hind end if I'm not careful...

But I'll stand. And when the surf gets high, and the waves get harsh...I'll just move a little more up the beach, plant my feet, and stand...

And enjoy the sensation!

Be blessed, and make sure you're standing on Christ the solid Rock...there's plenty of room up here, and the view is spectacular!!

Deena