Wonderful chaos
Last Sunday I saw it. I could feel it. Pure joy.
We had driven for most of the day. It was our first time to travel so far as a family of five packed into the car. We had all been feeling the effects of so much change over the last few months and were very glad to be heading down the coast to our family’s favourite place in the world.
We had been there for less than an hour but we headed straight down to the beach to let the kids play. And they played. Sand is an invitation to play and they accepted whole-heartedly. They found their own space and started to dive in to the sand and pick it up and dig. They were giggling and running and beaming with smiles. It wasn’t long before the water started to call and they were in it up to their knees, now covered in water and sand.
Sarah ran around with the kids. My beautiful twelve week-old, Simeon, was cradled in my arms in a sling. I stood watching the treasure of my life, knowing that I am the richest man in the world.
In play, in that beautiful place, stress was washed away and joy rose up in our hearts. The whole trip was worth it for just that half hour.
There’s something wonderful about chaos. Just mix sand, waves and kids together - three variables that will always improvise so wonderfully together. You can’t stop the waves. You can’t stop sand from getting everywhere. My kids will always have fun when they play in both.
We need to let go of our attempt to control the variables of life. Real life - real joy - can’t be controlled. It bubbles up and takes us by surprise when we let go, when we play, when we take things moment by moment.
Let go. Embrace the chaos. Let joy overwhelm you.
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A spot of joy
Psalm 139
I just enjoyed the best part of a week in my favourite place in the world. It has the beach and it has the bush. In fact it has a lot of empty beaches and a lot of bush full of wildlife. More than all this, my favourite place holds a lot of personal history. In many ways I have grown up there.
I love the beach. There’s nothing like a huge, open beach. And I love it when we have it to ourselves as a family. I love the beaches of the south coast. Beautiful blue water, white sand, and backed by national park. What a great place for getting back to zero. Such a wonderful place for washing the stress away and being reminded God’s love and power are wild, mysterious and immense.
I love the bush there. I have taken countless walk there – through my teen years and now as a father. You can see just enough blue sky through the high canopy of green leaves. There’s enough fern and scrub to hide quiet kangaroos resting in the sunshine. I love the sound of the wind through the trees, it always reminds me of God’s power moving constantly and strongly. Walking in the bush, I always seem to spot interesting surprises.
There’s something about having a special place. A place you go to where you and God have history together. Where you’ve sought Him so many times before and found Him. I’m so blessed to have that place that I always look forward to being there. A place where I have done a lot of growing up, a place where my heart searches and my soul is restored.
Where is your special place?
When was the last time you were there?
Nice thoughts! I think you guys need to move to Coffs. Beach and bush every day :)
ReplyDeleteCoffs is lovely:) was just mentioning to mark this morning how you guys should move back here. miss seeing the kids grow up :(
ReplyDeleteSurely that would make the spiritual life just too easy. I'd become complacent.
ReplyDelete:)
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