There is a saying that comes into my mind this morning – all things continue as they were. It seems to go with my thoughts of yesterday. I was driving with no place to stop to capture the beauty of sky and autumn leaves around me; how could the day be so beautiful? It should be rain to weep for me my unshed tears and hail to match my throbbing head; lightening should rend the heavens and thunder peal for my lack of words.

Have you ever had the loveliest experience and seemed to be ‘walking on air’ in your exuberance? You were so delighted with everything happening in life that you wanted to shout and dance about and shake the gloomy faces around you and tell then that life was wonderful!

Or have you had the worst news ever that tells you life will never be the same for someone you love or yourself and they are the same in your pain? And you want to shake the people laughing and dancing and tell them that life is hard.

We’ve all probably had both, many times, or will. These times seem as relentless as the ocean waves. And we long for calm seas. But they will not carry us anywhere and I must, we must, hope and long for the joy to come again. And I must see the beauty in the ocean power and majesty while wary of the same.

Where does your strength and endurance come from?

The words of a Psalm come to me, “My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth.” and I go and read the ending, “The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life, the LORD will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore.” And like many before me, I wonder at the words and hope and pray this for the one I love whose hope is small today.