Sand



     Our senses were soothed with the sound of waves crashing behind us and the touch of a gentle wind blowing around us. We lay on our bellies in the sand soaking up the warmth of the sun.  This is how my best friend and I spent part of an afternoon on our holiday.
     I like textures, to keep my hands from the sand was difficult. I held a dry mound of it in my hands for awhile, gazing at the tiny individual grains.
     God cares. He made each and every grain of sand, each and every star, each and every human. He takes care of the tiny details. All those grains of sand, I imagine He knows where each one came from. Every star, He puts each in it's perfect place. All people, the ones who have lived and the ones who will, we are His treasure. He loves us most, more than anything else He created. Think of it, all the beautiful landscapes, in the waters, the jungles, the deserts, the prairies. All the beautiful creatures, the lions and bears, the clown fish and jelly fish, the butterflies and dragonflies, the flamingos.

     "What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries."

Matthew 10:29 MSG

     "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

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     I am grateful for my life, for the life and love that surrounds me, and for the love and perfect plans of God.

Stars

     It was a long car ride and I had the back seat to myself. The darkness surrounding and the constant soothing hummm of the car made me sleepy. I laid back, legs squished, neck laying quirky. I looked up, and there were the stars. I watched, sleepily. No matter how far we travelled, on this long straight road, the stars never moved.

     Out there space goes on forever. And we are here, on this tiny earth. It became clear:

"I'm so small."

    

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     I am grateful for my life, for the sunset out my window, for the song floating up to my room from the piano below, for my family, and for the mercy and love of Jehovah-Rapha.