I remember when I was a little girl, my parents would take me and my brothers to the beach a LOT. I think we stayed on the east coast for a vacation at least once every summer. We always had a blast playing and swimming in the ocean. We would jump over the waves and let them knock us over. We would sit down and just wait for the waves to come up and knock us backwards. We would laugh and play. I remember some times even just floating under the water and allowing the waves to push and pull me around. It was fun!
We were fearless. I don't remember for a second being scared of those powerful waves and currents. I might have heard a little something about them, but never really thought about it.
Ben and I took the kids on a day trip last weekend, over to the east coast for the first time this year. The kids are now at an age where they are fearless just like I was when I was little.
Until now they were always scared of the big waves crashing down. But for the first time in their lives, they ran and jumped right into those waves!
They were jumping the waves and letting it knock them over.
They were sitting and laying in the water like I did when I was little...just being kids, carefree, and having fun!
It seemed it was the funnest time they had had at the beach so far...while I found it really difficult to relax and completely enjoy it. I was a nervous wreck! I couldn't keep my eyes off of them, just worried that something awful might happen. Of course now that I'm an adult I know about all the dangers of rip currents and under toes. It scares me to no end to think of what could happen if my kids were to lose their stepping or go under with a wave.
It made me think back on when I was a child and not once can I remember being afraid, and how my parents must've been a nervous wreck watching us too. I guess I always knew that my parents were there if I needed their help.
I think the beach is a lot like life. The waves can represent the tempting and sinful things in this world, trying to pull us under. They are constantly present, there, threatening us.
When we're kids we don't have any clue about the dangers that are out in the world. It's not until we are older, maybe teenagers, until we really start to see first hand what can really have an impact on our lives. That is why I am thankful that I had my parents, just like when I was at the beach, there to grab me in cause I lost my stepping or a wave pulled me under. They kept me in church and on the right path. I learned to stay away from those temptations and sinful things. I learned what to do if I ever got caught in a rip current. I learned to be careful because of under toes.
Before I had kids and would go on beach trips as a teenager or a young adult, I was well aware of the lurking dangers of the ocean. I was careful, but still enjoyed my time in the water. I had knowledge of it all and I also knew what to do in case something went wrong. I had Jesus living in me, so I was still able to have fun, but just a little more cautiously. Instead of my parents being there in case I lost my stepping, I had my God to guide me.
I might have gotten knocked down and a little disoriented by a wave or two, but because I knew what to do to get out of the danger, I never allowed the ocean to completely take me.
Now that I have kids of my own, it is my job to watch them carelessly enjoy the beach. It is my job to keep them in church and on the right path. As long as I am faithful in teaching them about God and how we are supposed to live our lives for Him, then one day when they are faced with the dangers of life, I will trust that they will apply that knowledge and handle it the way that we as Christians are supposed to. They will get out of the rip currents and the under toes that this life throws at them because they will have Christ living in them. We will raise our children to when they're older, carefully enjoy the beach AND to stay away from the dangers it imposes. They too will have God to help and guide them when they are too old for Mommy and Daddy to always be there to pull them out of the danger.
I'm thankful that I was raised and taught how to enjoy the beach and LIFE in a responsible way, (with Christ living in me) that will keep me and my family above the waves.
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