A week in Paradise

Last week Casey and I spent time with family friends in Barbados.  Casey and his sister hadn’t been in over 14 years so it was neat to watch both of them reminisce throughout the week.  Long story short, Casey’s step dad had a foreign exchange student that came to North Carolina and stayed with his family years ago.  Skip and Angela kept in touch over the years so now it’s like having family living in paradise.  I’ve had the honor of meeting and “liming” with several of the “Bajan’s” before now but it was nice to see Barbados up close and get to experience the culture first hand. 

Our week long trip was non-stop and there were many luxuries to our stay since we were close with the “locals!”  We spent an afternoon on a “speed” boat, snorkeling and swimming with sea turtles; we visited a local yacht club and snorkeled around ship wrecks.  Casey and I were able to visit some local bajan eateries with fresh fish and hot bajan pepper sauce.  Our family was able to tour a cave over 160 feet below ground, try out our expertise on paddle boards and even eat dinner fixed from a 5 star chef, Nick King, after a day of touring the island.  Talk about having the royal treatment for a week.  Not only are the beaches some of the most dramatically, gorgeous that we’ve ever seen but the people that we were able to spend our vacation with are true, genuine and loving in every way.  

On top of experiencing a new culture, fantastic food, unforgettable time and memories shared with family and friends, we were able to experience some life altering moments on our trip that I never want to take for granted.  I found myself several times standing or sitting, wanting to soak up every second, wanting to absorb every minuscule detail because I just knew that the beauty that I was experiencing in that moment was a gift from God. 

There were many mornings, I would just sit on a sandy step at the edge of the beach with a bible in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, reading the gospel and feeling the beauty of creation around me.  I’d look down the beach one way and see an older gentleman fishing with a net and was reminded of Peter.  A fisherman by trade but a fisher of men, walking with Jesus.  A few minutes later, I would stare out at the blue water, changing hues and shades every second, glimmering in the sunlight as if it were coated in diamonds.  Down by my right foot, I would see trails left by a sea turtle the night before; as she had moved down the beach looking for a place to lay eggs.   I have always felt a strong connection to Christ when I am surrounded by nature, but this trip was taking that connection to another level. 

It’s when you find yourself watching a sunset over Caribbean water, thinking about a broken world that can portray colors only seen in that moment in the sky; that you are reminded of how close God is.  He is a big God and a powerful God and He can handle everything that we give to Him on our best days and on our worst.  I was reminded of our big God watching the sunsets. 

It’s when you find yourself two feet deep in water, floating across reefs watching tiny fish, thousands of them swimming in and out of rocks.  Fish with stripes and spots, some with bright yellow and some with a deep shade of blue.  It was in those moments, that I was reminded of how much our God cares.  He cares about the little moments, those times when we’re overwhelmed and we can’t feel His presence but He is there, holding our shoulder, grieving with us but encouraging us all the same.  Watching the fish reminded me of just how much our God cares.

Throughout the week our family would watch sea turtles come and go on the beach, looking for places to lay eggs.  They came out of the water like mythical creatures; one minute it’s a simple wave pattern and the next, this creature from under the water, creeps up the beach with a mission.  We’d watch them for hours, move from spot to spot and eventually lay a nest and then with such great detail, cover all the evidence, slowly returning to the water.  One day, we had the opportunity to return new hatchlings to the surf; watching these tiny turtles slowly maneuver over sand and then quickly be washed away was something I thought I would never experience.  During an afternoon swim, a few of us were able to gear up and snorkel with a small group of turtles.  Watching them glide under the water, much more gracefully than they move on land was breath taking.  All I could think during those moments with the sea turtles was “thank you Lord, thank you for this moment, this treasure, and this opportunity to witness your creation.”  To be able to hold a turtle the size of your palm and then touch the shell of another as she swam in open water was a true blessing.  As funny as it may sound to some, those turtles reminded me that even though we may not experience certain things outside of the pages of a book or the images of a photograph; it doesn’t mean that they’re not there.  We trust the articles we read and the images that we see on programs to portray reality of events and we have to trust and believe that it’s the same with scripture.  I won’t ever experience the events that took place thousands of years ago, captured in the Bible but I can trust that they did occur and that just as miracles happened then, He is the same God now as He was then and miracles can happen today.

As you can tell, it was an amazing trip.  Casey and I are so thankful for the moments we shared and the memories we made.  We left content with the agenda we held while we were there but with heavy hearts, leaving behind people that we had grown to love and were accustom to visiting daily.  Simply put, we left a small part of us there in paradise and we cannot wait to return. 

I was able to share some moments with you tonight, without pictures but the highlight of our trip came towards the end of the week and took our breath away completely.  Casey and I found ourselves standing in a spot where I can only imagine God was standing there with us.  I just cannot share that experience with you until I have a picture to share with you also…. So keep checking back.  I hope to sit down tomorrow and write out the words on my heart from that encounter. 

With love and God’s blessings, Good night.