Little House on The Beach…
I’ve always admired my oldest son’s ability to start a conversation with… well anyone. As the saying goes “he knows no stranger.” While on our family vacation to the Outer Banks, NC this month, my son and I sat on the deck of the large, commercialized vacation rental we were enjoying with the family. We admired the little house on the beach which was situated behind us. The little house on the beach was a small one level, one-room cottage with a small porch and no air conditioning. We talked about how, in reality, this was the ultimate vacation bungalow. The memories it must hold and the stories that could be told…
To my surprise, my son came to me later that evening to tell me that he walked over to the little house on the beach and talked to the owners – a retired gentleman and his 96-year-old father. To no surprise, my son talked to these gentlemen to glean a better understanding of the little house on the beach. This vacation “home” was purchased in 1952 by the gentleman’s grandparents. He spoke of how different things were back then at the Outer Banks. He pointed in the direction of where a gas station used to be and talked about how much bigger the beach area was back then. He shared how over the decades he and his family have been approached by numerous individuals and agencies wanting to buy their little house on the beach [to build a big fancy rental house], but folks could never pay what their family vacation home is worth [to them].
He leads me by still waters… Psalm 23:2
Watching these two gentlemen sitting in plastic chairs on the front porch of this beautiful home watching vacationers pass by on Beach Road brought a smile to my face. I could not only see their peace, but I could feel it. As my son demonstrates time and time again, a simple “hello” goes a long way. Taking just a few minutes of your time to get to know someone can go a long way. Everyone has a story and someday their story can impact yours.
As we begin the summer season, I welcome you to invite friends or family members to attend worship service with you, whether in-person or online. How great is it to have the option to attend worship service with loved ones remotely – from virtually anywhere! And, what better way to attend church while on vacation than worshiping with us online.
I look forward to worshiping with you each week and moving forward in our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world – together, we can.
Blessings,
Tonya