Perhaps my adventure on the Outer Banks wasn’t as grand or as earth saving as Samwise Gamgee’s when he uttered those words to his wife, but it was my time, my adventure.
Today for the first morning in eight, my view is a computer screen not the sun rising over the horizon as the waves reach the shore.
And, that’s okay.
It mixes references, but there’s an old gospel song that two of my aunts used to sing together in church. Their voices were soft and sweet and blended beautifully. The song says:
But the Lord knows I can’t live on the mountain, So, He picked out a valley for me…in the valley He restoreth my soul.
I wasn’t on the mountain top. But one morning on Facebook I did make a reference to the experience the disciples had on the Mount with Jesus. When Elijah and Moses appeared the disciples said let’s build three tabernacles and stay. But Jesus told them they couldn’t stay on the mountain.
And, I couldn’t stay at the beach.
This morning, no, actually last night, we hit the ground running. My wife and I are cast leaders for our church’s annual Christmas production of Glorious Christmas Nights. That will be a major focus for the next four months.
But also, there’s writing to be done, a yard to be reclaimed, a Jeep to be repaired and more.
I don’t consider this to be “back to reality.” Reality was last week. This is just what we have to do to get there.
Time on the beach helps me get grounded. It helps me prepare for the months ahead. It helps me set goals. Sometimes I make them. Sometimes not.
There’s a race to be run. One of my goals actually is running, not walking a 10K in the spring. That’s why I need to sign off here soon and get to the Y.
I can’t stay on the mountain, or at the beach. So, we move. We press forward.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 3:14
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