Vinson - Life Is Better at the Beach

LIFE IS BETTER AT THE BEACH

2016 by Thomas Nelson

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked CEB are taken from the Common English Bible. Copyright 2011 Common English Bible.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version). Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from New American Standard Bible. Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible. Copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-8968-9

ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-8548-3 (eBook)

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Contents

Yawn. Stretch. You sit up and smile. The sun is beginning to stream softly through the windows, and the sea breeze flutters the curtains. Its time to wake up.

Mornings at the beach are completely different from everyday mornings at home, arent they? When youre on vacation, mornings have no sense of urgency. Alarm clocks arent blaring, lunches dont need to be packed, and no appointments fill your agendaunless you count slowly sipping coffee with your loved ones or teaching your little ones how to jump the waves.

Waking up at the beach means you wake up smiling because theres an entire day to be enjoyed, and its beckoning you to dive right in.

You may wonder, Is it possible to wake up smiling in my everyday, non-beach life? Life at the beach seems so easy, while real life has so many more demands. Rest assured, it is possible to wake up smiling, regardless of your location. Whether youre waking up at an oceanfront estate or in the suburbs of Chicago, you have one great promise that can bring great joy: the Lords mercies are new every morning.

God wipes your slate clean time and time again. With the sunrise each day, you have the blessed assurance that He loves you. He gives you a fresh start each day, for all the days of your life.

If you can remember that great promise when you wake up in the morning, your day will start off on a positive note. No, you cant forego your daily responsibilities. Kids still need to be carpooled, work still needs to be completed, and cars still need to be fixed. But with the morning comes a new beginning, a genesis. And thats enough reason to smile.

BECAUSE OF THE LORDS GREAT LOVE WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS .

LAMENTATIONS 3:2223

A grateful heart is a happy heart. This old adage rings true even today. At the beach its incredibly easy to cultivate a heart of gratitude. Your toes sink deep in the sugary sand, the sun shines bright overhead, and you take a nap on the screened-in porch. Even a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches tastes good after a day at the beach.

Being grateful comes easily when youre enjoying a relaxing vacation. The hard part is being grateful once the vacation ends.

After you clean the sand out of your sandals, your sunburn begins to peel, and everyday life resumes, its easy to see the difficulties and annoyances. But reflect, for a moment, on how your life would change if you chose each day to have a grateful attitude.

Look around right now. Is your refrigerator fully stocked? Thank God for His provisions of groceries, the money that paid for your food, and even the transportation that took you to the grocery store. Can you hear the birds singing outside? Thank the Lord for His creation and that He cares for the lowly sparrow, and even more for you. Are you protected from the outdoor elements? Remind yourself to be grateful for your home and the safety it provides.

Once you begin to have eyes of gratitude, it will become a habitone that tunes your heart to sing a new song.

Whether youre watching the sunrise while standing on the shore or driving to work, breathe out a prayer of gratitude. When your alarm goes off in the morning, let your heart rejoice in a day full of unexpected graces and gifts. When you sink into bed at night, reflect on how the Lord sustained you throughout the day. Be mindful of the blessings in each day, and your heart will be transformed. A grateful heart is a happy heart indeed.

When youre vacationing at the beach, do you wake up and think, This is going to be a terrible day,