The Day of the Starfish

Some day this week... late in the week, Brian asked if I wanted to slip away to the beach. Just he and I, and the girls. Of course, I said yes. Not exactly thinking of all that goes into the packing, laundry, traveling, etc. Just knowing, the fun had at the beach will most definitely ALL be so very, very worth it.

I always check the weather before I pack for a trip....well almost always...(you see where this is going...) I didn't check the weather. Not sure why. Wasn't thinking, just packing. I packed the girls and my bags for the weather we have had recently. Gorgeous and 75 degrees.

It's not 75 degrees here in Georgetown. More like 55-60. whoops.

So the girls have worn jammies under their clothes everyday. Tshirts and shorts. Double whoops.

Of course, they don't care. The golf cart rides are cool, but we are snuggled up. We sit in a big pile of girls with blankets covering us tucked in around our shoulders. It's inevitable, the baby is in need of a nap when we are on our golf cart ride. So, she sucks her thumb and lays perfectly still. Her warm body pressed against me, keeping us both warm. Meanwhile, the girl who ALWAYS wants to be firmly placed in the middle of things, (you guessed it, EVELYN) is kissing and hugging the almost-asleep, warm baby.

There is a stretch of beach around the corner from the house. In my opinion, it is some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in SC. It's a quiet, tucked away, wilderness of a beach. The houses are long behind us as we walk. It is undeveloped acres of white washed sand, dunes and those gorgeous bleached trees. Is it Cypress trees?The cool breeze off the ocean puts Brian and I in a trance. We lay in the sand. Not so much with the girls. They are busy. Collecting. Viv is hanging out with us in the sand saying 'ma-ma, da-da, and Uh-oh'. They bring us stuff to examine.

'What's this Mommy?'

'What's this?'

And they bring us gorgeous Starfish in all shapes and sizes.

There is a certain time, in the early Spring, when Starfish show up on the beach. In DROVES. Our visit this weekend has fallen during that time. They are everywhere. This cute lady was walking on the beach holding her treasures. Good thing the girls brought their sandcastle bucket. They are going to need it for their starfish.

~

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed

a boy picking something up and gently throwing

it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, 'What are you doing?'

The youth replied, 'Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.'

'Son,' the man said, 'don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and

hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a

difference!'

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.

Then, smiling at the man, he said…

'I made a difference for that one.'

~

Her homemade cross and 'Starfish House'.

Sometimes I think of the movie Dirty Dancing when we are here. Because, the whole time I'm here it seems a little surreal. Kind of old fashioned. But that's not the right word. That sounds too negative. And it's anything but negative. Maybe simple is the word. But no, that's not the right word either.

CHARMING.

THAT is the word.

It's so amazingly charming.

For instance, our last night, there was a beachside party. Complete with a band. I love a party with a band. Brian loves the food...Crab dip, Sushi and filet. They played shag music. All the old people are dancing everywhere. Everyone is dressed cute.

And Brian and I are shagging. We each have a baby on the hip. Dancing with a baby on my hip...smiling across at Brian, who has a little one on his hip. It just seems charming to me. Carlisle is off dancing with 'a new friend!' A little girl that she's just met. Evelyn is so happy with the party she's kissing Brian square on the mouth over and over until he's laughing. And off they go in search of more blueberry cobbler.

Evelyn quote:

Brian just asked the girls if they wanted some strawberries. Evelyn said, 'Yes, I want some.'

Brian said, 'Ok, let me cut em.'

She said, 'Ok, will you cut the seaweed off?'

Emergency Telephone Numbers
When -
You are sad, phone John 14
You have sinned, phone Psalm 51
You are facing danger, phone Psalm 91
People have failed you, phone Psalm 27
It feels as though God is far from you, phone Psalm 139
Your faith needs stimulation, phone Hebrews 11
You are alone and scared, phone Psalm 23
You are worried, phone Matthew 8:19-34
You are hurt and critical, phone 1 Corinthians 13
You wonder about Christianity, phone 2 Corinthians 5:15-18
You feel like an outcast, phone Romans 8:31-39
You are seeking peace, phone Matthew 11:25-30
It feels as if the world is bigger than God, phone Psalm 90
You need Christ like insurance, phone Romans 8:1-30
You are leaving home for a trip , phone Psalm 121
You are praying for yourself, phone Psalm 87
You require courage for a task, phone Joshua 1
Inflation's and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone Mark 10:17-31
You are depressive, phone Psalm 27
Your bank account is empty, phone Psalm 37
You lose faith in mankind, phone 1 Corinthians 13
It looks like people are unfriendly, phone John 15
You are losing hope, phone Psalm 126
You feel the world is small compared to you, phone Psalm 19
You want to carry fruit, phone John 15
Paul's secret for happiness, phone Colossians 3:12-17
With big opportunity/ discovery, phone Isaiah 55
To get along with other people, phone Romans 12
ALTERNATE NUMBERS
For dealing with fear, call Psalm 47
For security, call Psalm 121:3
For assurance, call Mark 8:35
For reassurance, call Psalm 145:18