Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. – Colossians 3:14-15

Well, it’s a/another gloriously beautiful morning here at the beach, absolutely perfect for celebrating our wedding anniversary number thirty-seven. I can’t think of a better setting, free from the distractions of our usual day-to-day responsibilities. We’re here, together, with good books, good coffee, good food, a spectacular view of the water, and all the time in the world to enjoy the good decision we made more than a lifetime ago.

Every time I come to the shore I am surprised – again – at how much the view changes from hour to hour, and moment to moment. It reminds me how alive everything is, that I could take the pulse of this Earth just as easily as a person, that there is no such thing as tedium or sameness if we are alive to the Spirit, and open to the delicious variations and rich permutations of the daily privilege of living.

Even the late evening views – with the help of last night’s full moon – have been spectacular, and we walked out on the long boardwalk to witness not only an ocean bathed in moonlight but a couple of shooting stars for good measure.

So this week I’ve been writing about not just resting, but “resting in” (see the series on the preacher retreat we helped lead); well today – and all vacation long – Rebekah and I are resting in the blessing of this life together.

I’ll wrap this short entry with my Facebook post from first thing this morning (it went with the sunrise photo):

“The sun rises on our anniversary: looks like it’s going to be another beautiful day… year… 37 years… Full with love, blessing, peace, and promise.”

– In every way – DEREK

not a painting, but grainy from the low light