Seek the Sacred Amidst the Ordinary

This morning is cool and clear, yet it will be hot and sticky before long. It seems like fall in the early morning and summer in the afternoon. We are in that funny in between time, looking forward to the colors of fall but already missing a day at the beach. So I was drawn to this amazing photo taken by my cousin Katie at Huguenot State Park near Jacksonville, Florida. It’s difficult to tell where the water stops and the beach begins. The tides have created a transitory work of art, to be washed away and rebuilt day by day. Our oceans and rivers ebb and flow, thanks to the pull of the moon. When this cycle is disrupted by a hurricane, water is transformed from a life giving force into a destructive force. Yet how often do we turn our own lives into a flood? We are tempted to press ahead, and double our efforts, to finally get everything done. Instead, we end up working ourselves to the point of exhaustion, and even becoming ill. Without periods of rest and relaxation, our bodies force us to stop, and we end up in bed, face up to God. We create a hurricane of activity that disrupts the tide of life. The life giving force becomes a destructive force. Sometimes the greatest harm comes from haste. We say things without thinking of how our words affect others, we simply don’t listen or see those we love. We bowl over those we cherish like a flood, bent on our own agendas to the detriment of others. Take time today to rest and relax. Pause and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Truly listen to your own heart and to those you love. Allow the natural rhythm of life to take hold, and you will create a transitory work of art, a life well lived, one day at a time. Photo by Katie Collett