“Where The Water Meets the Sky”

I just returned from seven beautiful days of sunshine and peaceful relaxation. You know, that place where the water meets the sky and the sand meets the sea. The beach. The ocean. God’s little slice of heaven where anything can be cured.

I’ve realized after my second trip to Edisto Island in South Carolina that I have become a bit of a “beach-snob”. But in doing that, I have also been able to make memories for myself, Callie and Greg that I wouldn’t be able to do otherwise at one of those crazy, overly-developed beaches. I have been to one of those and I will say-not impressed. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with those beaches, they just aren’t for me.

In Edisto, or Edi-slow as it is sometimes called, life really is slower. It’s laid back and you don’t have to rush. You are on “island time”. There are no high-rise hotels, only rental houses. There are no big name restaurants, only small, locally-owned eateries and diners. Most people bike to where they are going and the beach is quiet. Plenty of room to stretch out and not be run over by crowds. No amusements parks, water parks, go-carts or arcades. Last week, Callie’s “thrill ride” so to speak, was her boogie board or her bike. One evening we spent an hour passing a football. We made seashell necklaces and sat on the porch waiting for the sound of the ice cream truck. We climbed the live oak behind our rental and took a bike ride around half the island.

The most amazing thing about Edisto though, is taking in all of God’s unspoiled beauty on the island. There is no shortage of shells, starfish and sand dollars. The land is sand and marshes with a canopy of live oaks and palmetto trees draped in spanish moss.

Greg and I woke at 5:00 one morning to go to Botany Bay. We took our bikes and rode the path to the beach to catch the sunrise on the insanely odd, yet gorgeous Boneyard Beach, where trees bleached by the sun, stand in the sand and the water. It is truly one of God’s masterpieces, in my eyes, and I was so fortunate to see the sun come up as a bright pink and yellow ball and then light the entire beach in its yellow glow.

On our last full day there, Callie and I were walking along the beach and I asked her if she ever stopped in the moment to consider all that was around her. I told her that she should always take a minute to just breathe it all in and not forget how that moment in time felt. There were so many times during our trip that I would stop and thank God for where I was and for the beauty all around me and for the complete absence of any type of anxiety, worry or stress. I’ve heard tell that Edisto is a magical place and I really have no doubt about that. God blessed this little slice of South Carolina and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

If given the choice, I would encourage anyone to take the time to visit a place like Edisto. Enjoy those slow, lazy days with your family. Don’t spend them waiting in line for some over-priced attraction or sitting in traffic on a crowded street. Take in all that God has given you. Most of it is free! That’s the real beauty of it because after all, time spent with family is priceless.

More pics of beautiful Botany Bay on my website at www.luckyshotphotography.zenfolio.com 🙂

“Zoom Out”

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths” -Proverbs 3:5-6

Take a look at this picture. What do you see? Ugly, dead tree branches? A barren tree in winter? With no lush green leaves sprouting from it, it isn’t much to look at.

But what if I show you the whole picture? What do you see now? Yes the tree is weathered and worn but can you see the beauty and uniqueness in that? It is still standing firm in its foundation. The ocean at its base makes for a beautiful scene. The  wind, salt water and erosion have taken their toll, but through it all, it still stands.

Many times we go through beaten and battered times in our lives. We wonder why and often question God’s motives. But we are only seeing a tiny part of the picture. Like the first photo, we see something ordinary and not so amazing. But if we “zoom out” and see the bigger picture as God does we can see that there is more to our struggles than we imagine and that we can persevere by trusting in God and knowing that His picture for our lives contains much more than we can comprehend.

Don’t look at the ugly parts (the dead tree branches) of your life and forget to focus on what God has in store. Look at the whole picture and see the beauty in the fight.