Broken beach chair

There is no better time to start a blog than while on vacation. The peacful serenity. The absence of meetings and deadlines. A time to relax and refresh and refocus. So that is what I am doing and that is where I am. On vacation at oak island, nc. And finally getting around to joining this blogging community. Today is the first full day of vacation, so no better day to start. This morning I set out for the beach. I planned on relaxing in my favorite beach chair with my beautiful wife by my side, watching the kids play in the sand and the ocean, and soak in the magnificence of God's creation in one of my favorite spots. The fact that my beach chair is my favorite does require further details, I suppose. You see, it's my favorite chair not only at the beach, but also back home in Tennessee. After last year's beach trip I set my favorite beach chair up on my back deck. And I left it there. I sat in that chair every day that was warm and/or sunny since last June. But I also left my favorite beach chair to the Tennessee weather. The sun, the rain, the hail, the wind, the snow. All these things filled my chair when I was not the one filling it. And so last week I dusted it off, brushed away a few cob webs and bird poop, and brought it to the beach. When I set my favorite beach chair up in the sand it looked about the same, maybe a little older and a little worse for wear, but that's expected with anything  even favorite beach chairs. When I sat in it it felt about the same, for a couple of minutes. When I shifted my weight to look at a hermit crab that my wife saw emerging from the sand it felt different, then the seat ripped. It more than ripped, it tore completely in two. As my derriere hit the sand and my legs straddled the seat support bar I realized a couple of things. First I realized maybe I needed to drop a a few pounds and that in addition to starting blogging this vacation maybe starting an exercise routine would be a good idea. I also realized how silly I looked. Feet stuck up in the air, butt in the sand, looking to see if anyone saw this happen. But more than that I think God used this to show me a lesson. If I had put my favorite beach chair in the garage with all the other beach items and toys, including the other beach chairs, it would have been fine. It would have held me securely and comfortably and allowed me to enjoy family time on the beach. But I hadn't done that. I had exposed my favorite chair to the unnatural elements that it was never designed to endure for long periods of time, and then when I needed it most it broke. We all will face the harsh elements of different seasons, but we were not designed to weather them continuously. My chair looked ok, but it wasn't. The elements had taken a toll on the seam that held the fabric to the chair frame. Such a little thing, the seam. Almost insignificant. But the seam has a very important purpose. And when it broke its purpose was evident. Sometimes life seems to work on our frame, and our fabric. But the seam that holds us together is our faith in Jesus. That seam must be cared for and nurtured. Not because it is weak, far from it! But because I am weak. I pray that the seams of our lives, our faith, discipleship, love, compassion, trust, devotion, and worship stay strong and secure during the bad weather of life, and may those seams uphold us comfortably to enjoy the beach days of life. Grace&Peace!