And standing
tall at the edge of it all This was recently presented to my parents on their 50th Wedding Anniversary, a testimony to my three brothers and two sisters, all very different, but loved just the same. What an inspiration my parents have been, a fine example of love and commitment, just the way God said it should be!
If I could paint a portrait of our family
I’d begin with a vast green ocean,
deep enough to hold all the joys and sorrows that we shared;
wide enough to embrace all the memories of our experiences to come.
The surface would depict the beauty of flowing white-capped waves
rolling playfully in a steady race towards the welcoming warm
sands of an outstretched beach,
and occasionally pounding against the jagged rocky shores.
Below the surface can be found a variety of creatures,
each one as beautifully different from the next -
some gliding effortlessly amongst the magnificent colors of
the coral reef we call change,
Others hiding from all things bigger than them in the shadows of
the deep ocean floor,
and some riding high atop the crest of the biggest wave as it takes them swiftly and eagerly
through their incredible seasons of life.
And standing
tall at the edge of it all
is our lighthouse we call home.
The exterior has been proudly weathered against countless storms,
and the inside is always aglow with the love of the keepers within.
The door is always open,
and a beacon of Light is always shining bright,
to guide us safely home.
Thank you, mom and dad, for allowing us to swim freely in this
big scary ocean we call life,
for throwing us a life preserver when we were too tired to tread the waters alone,
and for providing the encouragement we needed
to keep jumping back in.
You have truly been a vessel of strength
and a safe harbor of love.
Becky