Beach Days, Puzzles and The Serenity Prayer
The last few years I have been a high maintenance beach goer. I really love the beach, when it’s under ‘perfect’ conditions. I will go--If it’s NOT too hot or too cold or too windy, or too crowded. Well good luck Dani, welcome to the Central Coast beaches. It’s usually too cold, and in the summers it’s way too crowded and on most days that end in Y, it’s too windy.. and then on all the other days it’s just too hot.
Unfortunately, I often look at life that way too. I say to myself, “if this happens, THEN I will be happy” OR “when this happens, THEN all will be right in my world.” But there has to be a better way. A more peaceful, accepting way to live life. I don’t want to wait for all the pieces of my life to fit together like a beautiful puzzle. When I look at my life I realize it is more like a hodgepodge of puzzles thrown together. And I am trying to put together one awkward piece at a time. Some pieces fit, others not so much.
But the more I relinquish to the process. The more I relinquish to just living my life—AND not trying to make sense of it all, the more peace I have. I can’t comprehend what He is doing in my life. I can’t make sense of it all. And the beauty of it is, I don’t need too. I can trust Him.
Isaiah 55:9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
The serenity prayer is one of my favorite prayers.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”—the wisdom to know the difference is the most important part of that prayer. Because I am usually trying to change the things that I can NOT change. And I don’t have the courage to change the things I actually have some say in. Wisdom Lord, I need wisdom to know the difference.
I don’t want to be so preoccupied waiting for ‘perfect’ before I actually enjoy living my life. God has blessings for us today, even in the pain, sorrow, loss, disappointments, confusion and chaos.
His mercies are new every morning—Lamentations 3:22-23 “ The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” not just on “good” mornings, but EVERY morning. I don’t want to wait for ‘perfect’. I want to enjoy and live fully when it’s hot, when it’s cold, when it’s windy and when it’s too crowded for comfort. I want right now to be enough. All of it. Trusting that somehow God is using it ALL for His glory, and my best--Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
I am realizing while I am waiting for those 'perfect' conditions at the beach--there is still so much to enjoy even under not-so-perfect conditions. The waves hitting the beach, the shells, the children running and playing, the fresh air. All things I would miss, if I didn't show up. So today, lets show up in our own lives. Lets see all the little gifts within the 'not so perfect' conditions.
Daily Grace to you,
