The last time that I was on this beach near Nags Head, NC. was in 1976. I was twelve years old. My mom was 32 and dad was 36. Where did the time go? Here we are: I’m with my wife Cheryl (almost 29 years of marriage), to my left is my sister Stephanie with her husband Tony (I think about 18 yrs of marriage), to their left is my sister Stacy with her husband Bill (I think they’re on 31 yrs of marriage), and then our parents of 50 yrs of marriage. I say, “To the Glory of God,” because my dad’s life was spared from colon cancer in 1974 and my mom’s life was spared from breast cancer in 1977. I say to God’s glory because life is not an entitlement, it’s a gift from the Creator who gives and takes life according to his over-arching purposes to magnify his supremacy over all that he has made. God has not dealt with us according to our sins – though he could have.

The Atlantic Ocean that we stand beside belongs to him and not one tablespoon is wasted. The sand-filled beach that we are standing on belongs to him and not one grain is wasted. Each droplet of salt water and each speck of sand is saying, “You have no idea how big and powerful and kind and loving and merciful and wise and holy God is. If you are joyfully speechless at the magnitude of our dimensions and the tranquility of mind and soul that we offer, you ought to check out the one who commands the waves to be still – who can subdue the soul with breath-taking, sin-forgiving delight. His name is Jesus. To him be all the glory.”

I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I was able to revisit this beach-head. It reminded me of the steadfast love of the Lord and stands as a witness for future hope in God until we are safe and sound on the other side of the glassy sea (Rev. 15).