…sitting by the ocean in December, that is.  I don’t think I’ll be getting a great tan this trip…mainly just trying to stay warm - glad I brought my hoodie!

I’ll write more later as something more comes to me…

more than….

“Wow, it’s really cold sitting by the ocean in December!”

Peace.

So we took the Harley out today.  It’s been a while since I’ve ridden on it, so it took me a little while to get used to it again…

It seemed particularly windy to me - I sat up very straight and felt like I was going to be blown out of my seat…so I slouched back down - hiding myself behind Byron’s back.

I wondered if he ever feels afraid…afraid of the wind.  Just as I was wondering this, he seemed to gun the gas and speed up…almost defiantly.  I guess I had my answer…

So, I just continued to try to make myself small to avoid the battering winds.

And it reminded me of all the times, over the past few years, that I’ve faced winds…storms that have seemed to knock me over - to batter me…times that I’ve longed not just to be smaller, but to just become invisible somehow.

I’ve realized in the midst of the storms of life that if I try to make myself too tall…too grand - then the winds will find me for sure.  I need to decrease so that God can increase…

The other thing I’ve realized is that the best way to face the storms…the winds - the only way to make it is through….moving forward….never stopping, just….through.

I need to feel the wind enough to remind myself that I’m still human - and feel God’s strength enough to remember…He’s divine.

He has a way of dividing the wind if I’ll hide in Him just enough….just enough to make it through.

And on the other side, I can remember fondly the feeling of the wind in my face…even as I faced my fears.  There’s always some joy to be found…

…and the struggle will lead me home.

Peace.