Wisdom From A Park Bench

I took an early-morning walk along the gorgeous coastline of Lake Michigan last month. It was sunny, warm, and peaceful. The hordes of beachgoers were still back in their hotel rooms, asleep or eating breakfast. I was in Heaven on that white sand, enjoying the still blue water and some well-deserved "me time."  Praying is easy when you are staring at endless blue water, lighthouses, and have white, powdery sand in between your toes. You manage to see God's beauty everywhere.

But even in the midst of that peaceful time, a few sad and lonely thoughts managed to creep in, threatening to spoil my serenity and make me feel blue.  It was then that God had me happen upon a bench.  Sure, there were many benches along the beach, benches with memorials on them, funny messages about Uncle Bill who loved boating, or Marge, who so loved being "up at the lake" every summer. But this one caught my eye, because it said exactly what I needed to hear at that moment.  And I do believe that God does this for us: He gives us just what we need at any given moment. All we have to do is look around. And have a seat. Thank You, God, for Your many gifts.