I See the Light

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?

A green light shone every six seconds.

Seventy-seven steps. The number of stairs a person would need to climb to get to the top of Marblehead Lighthouse. Tim and I have climbed those steps to the top, in the daytime, where we stood against the railing and viewed Kelleys Island in Lake Erie. When we turned to face the lighthouse, we peeked in on the magnificent LED lights that shine in the night.

We are drawn to the lighthouse at dusk, when the green light flashes every six seconds. There isn’t a beam, like a search light, instead there is a steady lamplight warning boats of the hazard of the nearby land and rocks.

Boats aren’t the only thing aware of the light at night. Mayflies are drawn to it. They appear around May, June, and July on Lake Erie. If there are a large number of the flying creatures, the lake is clean because these insects choose a clean environment to lay eggs. On Kelleys Island, I asked a young lady if they were bothered with mayflies. She told me they mostly come out at night because they love the light.

In my everyday life, God is my lighthouse. He’s not shining a search light, instead He’s a steady beam of light which draws me to Him out of the darkness of our broken world. Like the boats, I need Him to warn me of the dangers, and like the mayfly, I’m drawn to Him as my shelter.

David reminds me God is my stronghold and my shelter. I have no need to fear, because He’s the light which draws me to Him and the salvation for my soul.

When I keep my focus to God’s light, as I walk through this dark world, hope wells up in me and I embrace His peace.

Seek God’s light and salvation.

When is Enough, Enough?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Into the woods we go.

Beyond the forest we trekked through, Lake Erie roared. Leaves scattered across the trail, under an overcast sky. We dodged puddles as we hiked along the North Loop on Kelleys Island. From an opening in the woods, we spotted the alvar, a rare ecosystem along the coast, made of limestone, very thin soil, and scant vegetation.

After we climbed over roots and rocks, we stepped onto the limestone and watched the angry waves tumble in. At first the alvar looked barren. Then I noticed plants and moss growing out of what appeared to be nothing. The environment provided just enough soil and nutrients for plants to grow. I'd read that the northern bog violet grew there in the spring. Even in late October, with the water crashing in, the autumn plants thrived.

I've experienced times in my life when resources were thin like the soil on the alvar. Other times my physical being felt weak or my spiritual life fell short. In all of those times, the Holy Spirit reminded me God is enough. Trust me, I struggled. I didn't just glide through without doubt and fear, but my Lord provided the resources, the strength, and the desire to plant my spiritual roots deeper.

With faith and hope, I believe with all my heart—God is enough. When I fall on my knees and seek his forgiveness—God is enough. When I worry and fret—God is enough. He provides all my needs, if I am willing to ask him and trust him.

Believe God is enough, even in times of doubt and despair. He loves us more than we understand.

September Wanderings

In our September travels, we headed north toward Port Clinton on Lake Erie. We lodged at the Great Lakes Motel, a throwback from the 1970s, in the town of Fremont, Ohio. There we found a clean room and kind innkeepers.

From Fremont we sped up to Port Clinton to check out the lighthouse that's been replanted back to its original home. The lighthouse, still in stages of reconstruction, stood on a small beach where undisturbed shells decorated the sand. A quiet walk along the water accompanied by ducks and geese lent itself to a peaceful respite. 

While in the vicinity, we stopped by The Tin Goose for a bite to eat and then visited Kelleys Island, always a favorite. The relaxed atmosphere was the perfect way to spend a day. We hiked through The Scheele Preserve to a lovely beach. Then we pressed on to loop around the island and view some of the historical homes. 

 

On our trip home we wandered into the delightful little town of Gibsonburg. That is after we found a way to detour around the Labor Day Parade in Fremont (which took me straight back to the streets of my hometown, when the locals tossed candy from the firetrucks and the marching band played the school song.) 

Nostalgia is a precious thing filled with the memories of emotion. The town of Gibsonburg drew me back to the 1960s and 70s, with a touch of modern. But more about that later...