A Wave Tossed

Recently, I was considering the journey that is my life. Have you ever felt the pressure of time? Often I come to the realization that life is short and fleeting much like David did in the psalms (Psalm 39:4-6). I am growing up too quickly. It only feels like yesterday, I was a little kid at Camp Cobeac (where I grew up) engaged in a joke of a wrestling match with a counselor or riding my bike to the dining hall from my house on the hill. I remember “showing off” in front of the campers. I remember standing with my brother and watching a tree fly by our window and both of us proceeding to run for our lives. I remember: watching M*A*S*H with my dad, playing horse with my sister, breaking a window with a rock, and then breaking my hand with a window. Life is a vapor. “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14b, ESV) I recall moving to Wisconsin and the sadness it brought to my heart. I remember lying in bed and weeping while singing “Lord, I Need You.” I was young, but those nights have left an imprint on my heart. I am reminded of the trip out west with my Grandparents and Cara. Together, we made too many fond memories to mention. I think of all the friendships God has blessed me with over the years. Way too many names for me to mention. I recall the sad times. Where I was when the plane hit the World Trade Center. I remember where I was when Dan and Mike died. Too many tears. Life is short. Life is like a wave on the ocean. Now that I am grown and no longer a child, I wish I would have loved my family more and lived more for the moment instead of looking for the sunrise. Life is a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow! Still from this point on I can live life in joy and love. “Redeeming the time because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16, KJV) Thank God for my family and our memories; Memories of vacations, fights, arguments and just odd moments. Reminiscing the weddings, parties, graduations, ballgames, and camping trips. I love my family and I owe God thanks and gratitude. To my dad: You are my hero, and you are the man I ever wish to be. To my mom: You are the tenderness of our family. You have learned the art of listening like nobody else I know, and I relize you are always there when I am down. To Jonathan: You love by showing me areas of inconsistency in my life just by your life and your walk with God. To Christina: Your gentleness and kindness puts me to shame. I’ll miss our movie (Pride and Prejudice) nights that you never fell asleep during! To Cara: I adore you. Your spirit is always encouraging to me. I love your random hug in the hallway at school. To Karen: I cannot imagine our family without you. To Eric: I go to you often because I know your advice will be godly advice. All of you: I love you, and I miss you when I am away (even right now while you are all going to an Irish Tenor Concert without me). I love you all! I Praise God for you all. So now that I am in college, I pray for God to guide and enable me to live serving others. Expecting God to allow me to enjoy life and to live for the day, but always remembering...I am a wave tossed in the ocean.