How a weeks vacation helped me to slow down and savor.

“She had known happiness, exquisite happiness, intense happiness, and it silvered the rough waves a little more brightly, as daylight faded, and the blue went out of the sea and it rolled in waves of pure lemon which curved and swelled and broke upon the beach and the ecstasy burst in her eyes and waves of pure delight raced over the floor of her mind and she felt, It is enough! It is enough!” 
― Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse


We spent last week vacationing with friends in a big amazing house very close to the beach.  This vacation was different than all of the others we've ever taken. This time, we rested. We explored, we played hard and laughed hard. We also ate so much seafood! A coffeehouse in the next little town was the spot to grab some go juice almost every morning and a cult favorite donut shop, made pillows of heaven, fresh to order, could very easily packed a couple of extra pounds on this mama (blush).

Our son, being an only child (as am I) learned what it's like to have brothers last week. It was like a week long slumber party full of giggles and loud boy noises. Read nonstop F-U-N!

Each morning I would wake up and quietly get ready so as to not wake anyone. Then I would step out onto the sunporch off of our bedroom and sit in the morning sun listening to the surf, feeling the breeze, smelling the salty air.  I watched sparrows carrying food to their babies. The nest situated between wooden slats at the top of the porch. They didn't seem to care that I was there. Journal and pen in hand, I wrote. It was as if whatever had been locked up and stuck, sprung free like a broken dam.

My place of whitespace in the mornings, a view from the sunporch a little "beach art", great coffeehouse, and funky places to get seafood.

I sat and watched the clouds most mornings for inspiration. In awe of the wonder of God's creation and being able to be right in the middle of it all.
This time was pure uninterrupted whitespace bliss.

Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you 

Clouds.

Some loom heavy and grey pouring rain to nourish the earth below. Some grow angry and fierce making their presence known with rumbles of thunder and bright bolts of lightening. Some destroy communities, whirling and swirling, leveling everything in their paths.

the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.

Job 36:28NIV

I've become a cloud conniseur of late. I prefer the light puffy variety. Bob Ross would've called them "happy little clouds".
The coulds that move and shift in the bright sun against the bluest backdrop. Shape shifters. I could watch those forever.
Elephants, seahorse, faces, dragons, and my favorite, hearts.

Everytime I happen to catch a glimpse of a heart-shaped cloud, I always feel that it's a smile and a wave from above.

Linking up today with The Faith Barista

Blessings,