Beach or Bust

I want a vanity plate. Or perhaps I should say 'personalized license plate', lest Ecclesiastes comes and shakes a finger at me. Every idea I have for my seven characters of space to define my entire car driving self always comes back to the word BEACH, or some variation. Or maybe, SNDYTOS, or SALTEE? I've got the rest of my driving years to figure it out.

My love for all things beach is gigantic. If I held my arms as far apart as they would go, I think my soft spot for salt, sand and sun would still be bigger than that. I am blessed enough to have never lived far from the ocean, in fact, going to school near D.C. is the farthest from the ocean I have ever been for such an extended period of time. Thanks Dad, for choosing a career that needs you near the ocean, even though you hate the beach. (He wears socks and tennis shoes to the beach. But we love him anyway.)

I took a 4 day sabbatical from life this past weekend. I had been having an interesting week, having a few curve balls thrown my way rather unexpectedly. My mom called me on Thursday afternoon and said, "it's supposed to be 75 degrees here tomorrow, come home tonight and we can go to the beach all weekend!". What a good mom.

So I went, I drove all night, and got up nice and early the next morning to just get some sand in my hair and vitamin D on my skin. Every time I park on the ocean side of 72nd and Atlantic, and cross over the dune ramp, I get goosebumps. God gave the world the most awesome, beautiful, inspiring, wonderful, tear-jerking beauty. From the vastness of an ocean to the intricacies of every seashell, God thought of my smile, relishing in the idea of the day I would enjoy His creation.

You see, God is after our hearts. He works tirelessly and always to romance us, to widen our eyes with amazement and broaden our smiles. When he died for us, his arms were open wide, saying this is how much I love you.

I walked back to my car, as the weather was getting cooler and I knew my mini vacation was over. I usually shake off as much sand as possible before getting into my car, but this time I brought it with me. My little car was going to bring me back to my responsibilities and academic life, but just because its license plate doesn't display my love for the beach (yet), its floorboards were going to. Sand and all.