Living Water by Amy Nehrig

Surfing can be stressful for our family. I know that sounds crazy, but with the different skill levels, we all have an idea of what is best for the team. Everyone wants to go out to a different spot or go when it is most ideal for their schedule. Then there is always the brotherly love they show by dropping in on one another. This past January we had our RV set up at Bocas del Toro, Panama in an unreal spot at Playa Bluff. The huge January 2020 swell had just rolled in and the fights had already begun to break out in our camp. One kid wanted to surf out front, another wanted to take a boat to Carenero, and our littlest guy wanted someplace mellow. What started out as something that we all love and enjoy, quickly turned into a battlefield. No one was going to win so I made the call. It was time for a reset. I told everyone to grab a bodyboard and we were going to do some family bonding. Our crew reluctantly grabbed their bodyboards and fins. The grumbling quickly turned into one of the best days we had on Bocas. We soaked in God’s creation as a family and felt so rejuvenated by the beauty of the ocean. We experienced complete joy as we hooted each other on, caught epic party waves, and got pummeled by the shore break. 

How much is this like our everyday lives? We live in such a hectic time but God continues to give us beautiful gifts. Like my family did that day, we get caught up in arguing with a neighbor or someone who does not view things the way we do. We get so set in our own minds that we often miss what God is trying to teach us and miss out on His blessings. Ecc 3:12-13 says “there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.” God has gifted us in so many ways. Even if life doesn’t look the way we thought it would this year, even if we are experiencing financial hardships, health uncertainties, or strained relationships, God wants to pour out his blessing and joy onto you. Psalm 118:24 urges us that this is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!