Glorious...

We did drive to the beach after church yesterday, but most of the afternoon was spent volunteering with church-sponsored games at a pumpkin festival a few blocks inland from the water. We had the most fun watching the little ones who, with much determination and perseverence, attempted the bean-bag toss and golf game that Emily and I were assigned to run.

It was a stunningly beautiful day. The temperature reached well into the 80's, but a cool front ushered in drier, less humid air that combined with the sea breeze to create the most delightful weather.

When the festival activities were over, we walked down to the beach but discovered it to be much too crowded for our liking. It was, afterall, a perfect beach day. With too many hours before sunset and no desire to join the crowds at water's edge, we headed off the island. Disappointed? A little, but Lord willing, we will have many more opportunities to do that frolicking in the sand we had anticipated.

We do still live in a bit of paradise, don't you think?

Even though record-breaking high's are forecast for what seems like forever, the mornings are still cool enough for an early walk, and the sunlight breaking through the fog and branches of the the tall pine trees, illuminating the foxtails...

and the dew-speckled spider webs and flowering clumps of moss....

...is just as glorious as the beach, I think.

That wasn't how I saw it at first, as I walked out into the cool morning air. Confusion and discouragement had been disturbing my sleep and occassionally my thoughts in recent days, and the misty fog that descended on Pollywog Creek seemed to match my melancholic mood.

"I could really use some encouragement this morning, Lord. And wisdom. And hope."

It was then that I noticed. The streaks of light that fog could not hold back, that overcame the darkness and illuminated the path. Glorious. And I knew at that moment that He had heard.