8.17.2005

Drawn to Water

"The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplations. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." -Kate Chopin, The Awakening

I love the water. I have always loved the water. My mother used to call me a fish. Maybe that's where my fascination with all things marine comes from...somewhere inside me is vivid memory of the constant beat of the waves against my feet as the tide rises and falls. Some of my favorite memories of family vacations, getaways with friends, and mission experiences revolve around water. Whether it's standing in the freezing waters of the Pacific Northwest while looking at the starfish that have washed ashore, playing in the crisp pure water of Mt. Rainier, walking through the warm Costa Rican seaside, or simply playing along the Atlantic seaboard, they are precious memories. I have a picture of Tim and I from last October. We are standing on the beach in Cape Cod and both looking out into the ocean. It's a candid photo and you can tell we're both freezing, but it is quickly becoming one of my favorites of the two of us.

Even here in Bloomington, I've shared meaningful conversations at Lake Monroe and spent a day under a tree reading and laughing at Lemon Lake. I've laughed at the 'mighty Jordan' as it trickles through campus and even gone so far as to play in the puddles left after a summer storm.

Water is part of the rhythm of my life. It is the pulse of God with which I connect the most. Looking out over the lakes, rivers, and oceans of my life, I see something bigger and more important than me. I see renewal and an abundant promise of life. One of my favorite verses in all of scripture is Ezekiel 47:9. "Where the river flows, everything will live."

May the voice of the sea, whether tangible or just in your memory, speak to you today.

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