jessicaschaubbooks

There’s no place like the beach. Something about the constant wind, sand between my toes and (if I’m lucky) the sun bronzing my skin…ok, usually burning me J “Going to the beach” is the statement that screams vacation, hooky, and mental-health days. My son sleeps well when the sound spa is set to the ‘waves’ setting.

As I rocked Nate last night, we listened to the waves from his sound spa and I realized that many things in my life that ebb and flow. I have really good days and not so great moments. For stretches of time I can eat healthy and exercise often until I am distracted by the demands of parenthood. There are weeks when prayer is constantly in my heart and on my lips and weeks when I try to drive my world and end upside down in the gutter. There are times when my stories seem to write themselves, but lately I’ve been unable to even scratch down a shopping list.

I could blame the change of seasons. The slowly emerging summer awakens the gardener in me and I spend more time outside toiling in the dirt than I do crafting a story. Lame excuse when the weather is rainy, when the kids are in bed and the stars are on guard duty and I still am not writing.

Perhaps it’s more to do with that spring cleaning need to get into corners and organize closets…yeah, right. I don’t even dust. That’s not it.

I tried to settle my mind by giving in to the block, telling myself that taking some time off from writing is OK…not just OK, but necessary. I read a book. I read another book. That helped.

And then it all came together in the quite moment I shared with my son, during a ten-minute escape from all duty when my only job was to cuddle and love my sweet boy…I’m ebbing. The flow will come when I seek solitude, find comfort, give a little of myself and focus on what I’m really meant to do. I remembered all the beaches I had visited in my past, realizing that even within the boundaries of that forever vacation state of sand, in that place where land and water meet, there are rules to follow:

• Stay out of the water if the undertow is too strong.
• Wear sunscreen or you’ll develop skin cancer.
• Drink water or you’ll dehydrate.
• Wait an hour after eating before you swim to avoid debilitating cramps.
• Stick together in the water and know that if you don’t pay attention, the waves will carry you away from the ‘home’ blanket.

I can stay away from temptation when it is strong by relying on prayer and friends who want me to succeed.

My sunscreen of choice is Scripture – blocking all the burning negativity with SPF (Son-Provided Forgiveness!) of 100%!

I will drink deeply the Living Waters. I will wait calmly for God to answer my prayers so I don’t dive in too quickly and drown.

I will stick close to my Faith, my Family and Friends who share my faith and I will reach out to those seeking something more, sharing my ‘home’ blanket and being ready to feed those who are hungry and listen to those who are lost.

Well, look at that! I wrote something – the first something in over a week! And it all came from a sound spa, holding a sleepy toddler and keeping my ears open for inspiration.