photo: Martha G. Brady

The ocean.

There is no place I would rather go for a vacation.

There are many reasons.
I grew up in south Florida where I often went to the beach.
It tended to be a time when we were rushing to get there and rushing to get home.

But when we lived in Jamaica, the beach was much more relaxing.
Actually, life was much more relaxing!
We didn’t live near the beach, so we had to rent a place when we went to the beach.
We had some places that were pretty decent, not in high tourist areas, that matched our poor purses.

The girls were young and would play on the beach in the mornings.
In the afternoons, they would take nice long naps as the sound of the waves lulled them to sleep.
We often dozed, read and did whatever relaxing we wanted during that time.

Once they were awake, they played on the beach for awhile in the late afternoon
And we had supper in time for their usual 730 PM bedtime.   stop
Then Ron and I would read, talk, play games (rare) or find other ways to enjoy the evening.

Since Jamaica, we have taken other beach vacations as a family.
Between enjoying the water, shelling, walking on the sand, enjoying the sun
And relaxing and reading inside with the sound of the waves in the background,

I have rarely found another vacation more relaxing.
These days I enjoy taking my digital camera too!
It is such a beautiful place to feel part of the hugeness of GOD’s nature.

It seems to surround us as the sky meets the water on the horizon
And the waves of the ocean lap onto the land.
I often sit amazed at GOD’s beautiful creation.

Nighttime is often just as beautiful as the stars come out and the moon is reflected in the water.
Once again, the greatness and majesty of GOD’s creation is displayed in ways we don’t often see.
At times when we are taking a break, we get to stop and enjoy it…and even reflect on it for awhile.

So refreshing!

For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Psalm 95:3-5