Micro Lights

Psalm 93:4 -- "But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore - the Lord above is mightier than these!."  

The moon was big and round and bright and just beyond it's halo were millions of stars twinkling at us as we dipped our toes into the waves that seemed to be sneaking onto the beach.  I don't remember how it was we were able to get permission to take a trek down to the beach in the middle of the night, but I was spending the night with a friend and her parents said it was o.k. as long as we had a bantay [pronounced bon tie - in Cebuano means someone to keep watch].

The night was hot and the cool, salty water felt amazing. We didn't have air conditioning, so when the temp stayed in the upper 90's through out the entire night, we could really, really feel it. Needless to say, we were eager for this reprieve. My friend and her big sister splashed in ahead of me.  I was taking in the night.  It was beautiful.

Swimming out past the breakers to meet up with the other girls, I noticed something that to this day -- I will never forget.  The water sparkled. Each time I moved a limb and stirred the water these tiny little lights danced and put out an amazing amount of light.  I was in awe.  I know, now, that they were tiny little creatures that fluoresced when bumped, but at the time, it just look like micro lights - tiny particles of neon glitter that made a nice warm glow when my body moved through the water. I haven't seen them while here in the US, and I don't know why there was such a huge difference between a night time dip in the Pacific compared to a night time dip in the Atlantic....but I was so amazed and as I said....I will never forget that night with the Hill girls and our bantay.

The beach, to me, is like a deep breath of fresh air.  A sigh after sinking into a nice hot bubble bath or the complete relaxation after a really good massage.  It represents healing. Peace. Solace. And on that night....complete awe and reverence for my God.

I have seen the sea angry. The sands that mark the shore line get whipped into my face, stinging my eyes, my legs and my hands.  I've seen the waves crash the breakers as if they were linebackers in a foot ball game. But it's still a respite for me.  Even in a storm I like to go and dip my toes in the surf.  I can feel the ache and the worry wash out with the tide.

I think of this verse. Mightier than the breakers is our Lord. And more gentle than the micro lights dancing into a frenzy of warm glow. Deeper than the trench off the coast of Mindanao and more vast than both Pacific and Atlantic oceans put together. His mercy more plentiful than the shark's teeth for which I constantly scout at Mickler's Landing and more amazing than the turtle nests we tape off during our Turtle Patrols in the dunes. I comb the sands and take it all in.  The salt in the air. The shells between my toes and the sun making diamonds on the waves. The Lord above is mightier than these.