of Sand, Sunsets, Surfers, & Shoreline Surprises!

(I actually didn't intend for the title to be an alitteration...but that's just the way it turned out! haha!)

This Saturday I enjoyed sleeping in. And as I woke up, I found myself terribly "homesick"...for camp. It's the end of staff training week there. And many of my friends are there. And I somewhat feel that I should have been there too...knowing that I "could have." Earlier this spring I had an opportunity to apply and be the chapel coordinator - using part of it for 2 credits of a senior project. But for a variety of reasons, I had to say no. Then later that week, God provided me with this incredible opportunity to come out to Cali for my internship. And I knew it was all in God's will.

But even though I am here, in gorgeous California, sometimes I can't help but miss what I could have had this summer - another summer at camp, with the best people, in the best place (yes, even surpassing Cali...) for the best purpose.

However, despite my somewhat "home"sick mood, I gathered up my beachtowel, sunglasses and book, and headed out the door for an afternoon on the beach - something I will never take for granted here.

I pulled up to the harbor's sandy beach, took off my flip-flops and rolled up my jeans, and walked upon the sand. There really is no feeling like walking on such fine sand. Not to mention that my mother's words "The sand is actually a great exfoliator for your feet," kept playing through my head. [ My feet are now quite soft :-) ]

I threw my beach towel down here the shore, put in my headphones and read the last 4 chapters of my book (which left me in a cliff-hanger...thank you very much, Karen Kingsbury...now I have to not-so-patiently wait for you to publish the next book in the series.)

After I finished my book, I thought that nothing sounded better like getting up and walking along the shore. It was then that I came upon my first washed-up jellyfish! (No, I did not step in it.) According to the guy standing near it, it was the biggest he'd seen in years. It was clear with maroon streaks in it. It was also very cool.

By this time, it was getting time for some supper. So I headed out and stopped by to get take-out Chinese. I figured there'd be nothing better to finish off the evening eating Chinese take-out ...taking it out to the beach. (Surprised?)

I sat upon the beach, opened up the box, broke my chop-sticks from their "one" into "two" and dug in, watching the surfers try to catch some waves. To the front-right of me, the sun glowed a resilient yellow/orange and the blue/green ocean before me crashed its white waves. After taking possibly two bites of my beef & broccoli, I looked out towards the horizon, and something caught my eye. I thought I saw a fin. My initial terror of thinking it was a shark turned into much less worry after I realized that the other California natives who were also watching the area would probably have seen something if it were. So I dismissed it, thinking I was seeing things.

I kept watching, though, and shortly after, it was unmistakable! I saw a fin! but it wasn't a shark's fin. It was a dolphin! (I would add another 500 exclamation points after that one, but I figure that will take up too much space for one sentence in one blog.) As I kept watching, they would jump out of the water. Unmistakably dolphins. As in TWO! It was exciting, exhilarating, and (ok, I'll not continue my alliterations), BREATHTAKING. As in when they would jump, a small gasp of excitement would come out of my mouth, followed by exhaling squeals and laughter. It was an incredible sight. They would jump out of the water, or poke their heads out of the water...flipping and swimming around. All of this playing against the surfers catching more and more waves as well as one of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen here!

At the beginning of the trip, I prayed that God would provide me with seeing dolphins. :-) And that he has. It didn't happen on our road trip, although he gave Chelz and me a sea lion. But now he's given me a dolphin sighting!!! I drove home smiling, laughing, and praising God for his creation!

Of course, there had to be a down-side. I had left the camera at home. Stupidly, I thought I wouldn't need it. And of course...I did. I was rather upset I couldn't capture it on camera! But after coming home, Brenda said I will probably see more. I'll have to be prepared next time.

All I can pray now, is that when I get to my "open water" dive after I've completed my dive training...that I wouldn't see any (dangerous) sharks.