He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever. – Psalm 146:6

(Note: There are a lot of photographs at the end of this post. Just scroll through and enjoy the ones that speak to you.)

I had two possible directions for today’s post. The beach, or the golf. I’ll start with the beach, as there is something about the place where the vast oceans lap against the land that reminds me of the indistinguishable overlap between time and eternity, mortality and immortality, the flesh and the spirit, what is seen and what is unseen.

We stayed in a simple cottage with an expansive porch and stairs leading down across the dunes to the sand. That – so long as there is a decent kitchen – is pretty much all you need. I have to be honest, Tuesday morning it even crossed my mind to stay right there while George and Rick went to play golf! Of course I didn’t, but that’s how much the serenity of the place was beginning to work on my soul.

I have a new book to write. Give me no distractions and a beach house for three weeks and I can guarantee the project will be mostly complete. There is just something about the setting that both settles my soul and awakens it at the same time.

Wednesday morning a pod of dolphins offered me one last invitation to hang around. For me, seeing a dolphin is like catching a shooting star, waking up to a fresh snowfall, or photographing a rare bird; it is a glimpse of God, a splash of light, a sign pointing to grace.

I guess that’s it, that’s what I have been working toward over the past couple of paragraphs; the realization that this week I have – once again – been the recipient of grace, graced with more evidence of peace and goodness; invited into that sacred space, the juxtaposition of what is temporal and where eternity laps up against and interfaces with my life.

Peace to you all; grace, mercy, light, and love – DEREK

Atlantic Beach, NC

crossing the sound

view to the west

my friend George