Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sunday by the Sea

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."
~ Psalm 46:1-3

When I was glancing through the Psalms for a possible verse for today's post, I came across the ones above, and I just knew they would fit well with what I saw and learned yesterday. I spent my last full day in Texas visiting the island of Galveston with my cousin Virginia and my uncle Wes. I had such a delightful time with them! (The picture above is one I took of the Gulf of Mexico.)

Virginia knows so much about the history of the area, and she was telling me about the hurricanes that have hit Galveston. Hurricane Ike caused a lot of damage to the island when it came through, and the sea wall doesn't offer much of a barrier anymore should another hurricane hit directly.

While the island sees a lot of tourism, and I found it to be quite lovely, some buildings show obvious signs of hurricane damage. I couldn't imagine living in Galveston, knowing how close that beautiful, dangerous water would be to wiping everything away.

But no matter where I am, waters will "roar and be troubled," whether those waters are actual waters or the "waters" of different life issues. But God will always be a shelter, a refuge that will not be wiped away by those waters. The waters will not hurt Him--in fact, He is in control of them. So when they hit, may we cling to Him, trust in His steadfastness, and know that He can use those waters for our ultimate good.

To end this post, I'd like to share a video/photo slide-show I put together from my last full day in Texas. This video doesn't show all of the family that I spent time with this Thanksgiving break, but it gives you a small glimpse of my adventures. Enjoy!

6 comments:

Renee Ann said...

Cute video! Looks like you've got some sweet family members in Texas. Now I bet you're eager for Christmas break . . . with the cat and presents and pretty picture window . . . Nice profile pic, too!

Amber Holcomb said...

Renee Ann,

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D

I definitely have some sweet and hospitable family members in Texas, and I made some wonderful memories this Thanksgiving break. It was so good to see them again!

And yes--I am certainly eager for Christmas break! I'm glad you like the new pictures, and as for the one above it makes me eager to see home again! "I'll be home for Christmas!" :D

Thanks for the comment!

~Amber

Julia M. Reffner said...

What a wonderful verse in light of the holiday season. Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, and just think a few more weeks and you'll get a more extended time with them. :)

I also like your background. Your kitty is adorable. :)

Looking forward to your blog party.

Amanda Stanley said...

Oh Amber, this is beautiful! I read it yesterday but didn't get a chance to comment. Love that scripture, especially since I currently find myself in the midst of some roaring, troubled waters. I love what you said here: "But God will always be a shelter, a refuge that will not be wiped away by those waters." Amen! I needed that more than you know. Thank you, my friend :)

And, I'm so happy you had a great time with your family in Texas! Thank you for sharing all those great pics with us! It all looks so beautiful down there, especially the Gulf of Mexico- which looks so nice with your post here :)

Prayer & Blessings,
Amanda Stanley

Amber Holcomb said...

Julia,

Aren't those verses wonderful? I remember learning a song for them when I was in Sunday School as a young girl. :)

I had a delightful time with my dad's side of the family in Texas! They are so sweet and welcoming! I'm actuallly going back home to California to be with my parents, sister, grandparents, and uncle for Christmas. (I was with extended family for Thanksgiving break, which was so great!) You're right, though--I can't wait to go home soon!

Gald you like the background! :D I have to say that the particular kitty in the picture is my sister's (I'm sure she wouldn't want me claiming her cat!). ;) That's Muffin Man in the picture; my cat is Mr. Murphy. Both are too cute, though!

And I'm excited about the blog party, too! :D

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Amanda,

I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through a rough time, although I am thankful that the Lord was able to use my post to be a comfort to you. It is amazing how He can work through us in ways we can't even imagine or comprehend! :)

I definitely had a wonderful time with my family in Texas! I'm so glad you enjoyed the pictures. :) Isn't the Gulf of Mexico gorgeous? And it was such a beautiful day to see it! :D

My mom thought the same thing... She guessed that my experiences by the Gulf of Mexico would end up in my "Sunday by the Sea" post, and she was right! ;) It fit so well!

~Amber