Sea Glass, Tsunami's, and Such

Some people call it Mermaid Tears... most of us know it as Sea Glass. Whatever the name, it's beautiful. I remember being a kid and visiting my cousins in Michigan. I had grown up in Illinois and only understood landlocked life. When we arrived at their home I saw jars and jars filled up with these beautiful rocks.. they had to explain to me that it was actually glass from the river. It was love at first sight. Then I went home and forgot all about them. Fast forward to my early twenties and me moving to Maui. I rediscovered my love for sea glass again. Somedays I would spend hours hunting at the beach for those perfect looking pieces. Sea glass actually brings a feeling of serenity to me.. and I believe it's not only their beauty but because of the what they represent. Here they are, broken pieces of glass, with the sharpest of edges, ugly and insignificant. Then they are rolled around in the ocean, thrown against the sand, sea shells, and reefs,again and again until one day the ocean carries them to the shore and they are "ready". They are smooth, have rounded edges,and the beauty has been brought out of them.    

Then with some help from an artist they are made to be adorned and shown off. This is so our life in Christ. Whether we know it or not we come to Him a broken people.. broken ideas of value, self, destiny,and even broken ideas about Him. We walk through this life in a world full of pain, injustice, disease and heartbreak. Yet if we allow His love to overwhelm us and overtake us He will soften our hard edges, and that undying, unconditional love will draw out that inner beauty that He knows is there. He understands our beauty and value from the beginning because He wove us together in our mother's womb's and formed our intermost beings. He calls  us precious and valued.I so love what the ocean does to these pieces of glass.. but the strength of the sea can cause so much devestation as well.

 Of course I am speaking about the tsunami in Japan. Watching the horrific footage brought tears to my eyes and an ache in my heart. It has caused me to think about the Tsunami relief work we did in Sri Lanka.. the people who were still in complete shock and complete devestation a week after their island had been hit. They recalled stories to us of fighting the currents to get to their loved ones bodies that were stuck under water. They showed us where houses once stood and huts stood but now was miles of flat sandy beach. I just remember the sadness in their eyes.. and I see that look in the eyes of the japanese... I wish I could fly over there today... hug someone, hold a hand, play with the children, bring some sort of relief to the deep set devestation they are going through. Lord please hear their cry, send the aid, the relief, send someone with laughter in their pocket and comfort in their shoulders... It's hard at times to talk about normal things when I know that even at this moment thousands are at their lowest in life and in devestation...wierd to go on facebook and see a post about the tsunami and then the next post about food, or fun, or silliness. This is a strange time we live in.. when we can know and see it all but still cannot touch in the places that need touch and comfort.

 Yet our lives go on too...

 I am now the Pastoral Director of the base.. It sounds too puffy to me.. haha But I do love all that it includes; overseeing worship and intercession times for the base, bringing about prayer intiatives here, I also have the privelage of overseeing the growth groups here.. the mission statement for this role is "To encourage spiritual well being and continued growth at personal and corporate levels." So official!  I am still overseeing our kids club and the boutique... I will be praying about the timing of handing those things over or keeping them on the agenda. 

Both Bryan and I are also exploring the idea of me speaking more and traveling more. I know I am called to the church body, I am called to stir the church and  be a reminder of the beauty of our salvation and to bring prophetic ministry. So we will be praying about what that looks like.. If you think that you would ever be interested in me coming to your women's group. college group, or church please let me know.

Bryan continues to be a sounding board for many.. and a speaker of love and forgiveness. He is still helping out the  base in any way that he can. He has now taken on the responsibilities of all our transportation matters on the base as well as heading up his landscaping team.

Kieva is on spring break and is cherishing every bit of it. He makes sure to ask me every morning if he has the day off! Such is this life...full of happiness, sadness, new adventures, and constant reminders that we are not in control.. Lord be with us.