Friday, January 13, 2012

Found on the West Coast





Look closely at this picture and you'll notice that I took part of the sky to make the header for my blog.

I took this picture in Lincoln City, Oregon in June of 2007. I had an opportunity to study at Western Oregon University for four weeks. I grew professionally during that time, learning from the country's leading experts in the field of deafness, hearing loss, and rehabilitation. But oh my... the things I learned personally were far greater.

My husband, always up for adventure and travel, flew out to stay with me for almost a week of my time there. We celebrated our third anniversary while he was there. I took this picture after our anniversary dinner. I had never seen anything like it. The beach was wide and full of this beautiful driftwood - and then that sunset.

Sights like that call out a deep sense of peace. And rest. Maybe because I know only Someone with higher ways and higher thoughts could have created such beauty.

My husband and I spent a lot of time traveling the Pacific Coast Highway later that week. It remains one of the best trips we've taken. But you know what I remember most about the time he spent with me?

The realization of how well my husband knew me. The kind of knowing that showed itself in seemingly small ways - yet my heart overflowed.

I was staying in a dorm while I was there. Four people to a suite, 4 small bedrooms, two bathrooms, and kitchen/living space. I had brought just few things to make my weeks there a tad more homey, but not much. One day while I was in class my husband went shopping and bought me candles, a few kitchen items, and (get ready - this is the big one)...

foaming handsoap for my bathroom.

Yes, my heart melted at handsoap. Why? Because I had never told my husband I preferred foaming handsoap. I just bought it every now and then. The kind with pretty flowers or other designs that matched the bathroom decor. He just noticed over the course of three years that I must like that. And when he saw my dorm room bathroom void of anything "pretty" with only a small bar soap by the sink - well, that just had to be fixed.

I cried. Not that day, later after he flew back. After I realized Who else really knew me.

So this knowing called out a deeper Knowing in the three weeks I had left in Oregon. I spent some of the most precious time with God. I read Captivating:  Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge. Oh my... I never knew how perfectly designed I was in His eyes. I never knew the life saving power I could have in my husband's life. I honestly had never considered how much I was Loved - Perfectly Loved. And in all of this Love I was Known and I was Found.

Found lovely
Found complete
Found accepted
Found in His image

Oh how my soul was flooded with love, peace, and rest - such sweet rest in knowing what He really thought about me.

And then I thought about my husband and how much he knew me and cared for me. And I was overwhelmed with the sense of being loved like Christ loved the church. Through handsoap of all things!

So I called my husband from that tiny dorm bedroom and I gushed about what I was realizing. How God loved me and created me. How divine the marriage relationship truly was. How much I needed his love. And that he was truly loving me God's way.

So this Finding started a while ago - long before the Friday I mentioned in my first post. I'm sure as I think about this more I'll begin to see the path this Finding has taken throughout my life.

And then one day, I'll know even as I am fully known. But until then... oh how exciting all this Finding is going to be.

Do you remember times when you've been Found?

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