The Boulder Jumper

It was a sunny day on the drive back from Santa Maria, California. I had been visiting with my kids. It was always hard leaving them. We never seemed to have enough time together, but I was learning to cope with it.

I found a little hideaway where I would often stop and take a break from the drive. There is a park south of Santa Barbara across the freeway from the Big Yellow House Restaurant. It was a nice little spot. The park was nestled high above the beach overlooking the ocean. You could see almost a hundred miles in either direction. After sunset, the oil platform lights looked like diamonds set in black velvet water. The sun sparkled through palm leaves and sage brush that shrouded the long inclined path to the beach.

When I reached the beach, I was surprised to see hundreds of large boulders all over the place. They protect the beach from erosion during the winter storms. Instead of trying to climb over several hundred yards of boulders, I found a little secluded place close to the bank on the rocks at end of the path. Several people came and went without noticing me and that was just fine. I enjoyed the solitude and the rhythm of waves, but this day was going to be different, a special delivery was on its way.

After a while the last person left the beach. I was getting ready to leave as well and then it happened. A father and his son walked down the path. The father was a young man, strong and tall. His son was blond headed and not more than four or five years old. He barely came up to his dads belt. They walked hand in hand up to a big boulder. I almost laughed when the little boy threw his head back to look up at the huge stone. I couldn’t hear exactly what he said, but it was something like, “Wow dad thats a really big stone, how are we going to get to the ocean?” His dad just smiled and said, “No worries son, I got this. Want to go for a ride?” The father swooped his son up in his arm and climbed the first boulder. Then leaped from one boulder to the other. I can still hear that little boy’s laughter with each leap almost screaming with delight. There was no fear, just pure joy and the kid loved it.

When they leaped to the last boulder closest to the ocean, the father put his son down and sat down beside him. He then began to point out at the ocean and talk to him and point some more. Then they just sat together and looked at the ocean and took in the sites. After a while, the father put his arm around his son pulled him close and kissed him on the head. This was such an intimate moment. I almost felt as if I were intruding. A little while longer they got up and bounded back to the path, but I lingered a few more minutes to regain my composure.
As I waited, I felt that still small voice begin to speak to me. He said, “I am your father and you are my son. Your life seems strewn with boulders that you can’t climb, but don’t worry I am bigger than all your boulders. I am going to hold you and lift you up and carry you over all the obstacles in your life. Then at the end of it all, I am going to sit you down beside me and show you all the wonders that I have done. So don’t worry about how big the boulders are just hold on tight, trust me, and enjoy the ride.”

copyright 2014 Ed Thomas

A REDEEMING SUNSET

I just drove frantically through a rain storm on the 101 Freeway. They don’t happen often in Southern California, but it didn’t matter to me. I had to be at the Ventura County Court house to file for bankruptcy. The words “granted” by the judge did little to comfort me. I found a phone booth to call my ex to make sure I had all the credit card numbers to legally file. I could feel my blood pressure surge when she said, “You know what? I don’t like your attitude and you aren’t going to see the kids this Christmas.” With that she hung up.

My whole life was crashing down around me. I lost everything: my wife, my kids, my job, and now bankruptcy. There was nothing left. I dropped the receiver and just stood there and broke down. I was so stressed and emotionally broken I could barely think another thought, but then I looked up. The storm had passed through Ventura by now and I saw the sun setting over the ocean. Something inside moved me to go and watch.

I turned South on Seaward Avenue and zig zagged down the road to the beach. I painfully remembered being there with my kids when they were small, enjoying the beach and the pirate ship with the swing. But that was all over now. I made my way down to the beach. The fall air was fresh after the rain storm, but I didn’t really notice. The lifeless boulders were strewn all over the beachfront. They were standing guard against winter storms and unwelcome intruders. They were coldly indifferent to my presence, so I just picked one and sat on it. It was like being at stadium with thousands of empty seats and having to choose one. I wasn’t looking for a crowd anyways, I just needed to be still. I felt so utterly broken, beyond repair, a complete failure at life.

My soul felt crushed within me as cold as the rock I sat upon, but my attention was drawn again toward the sea. There is something about the powerful rhythm of the waves that is so comforting. There is an invisible, irresistible force that restrains the mighty power of the breakers that crash on the shore. They humbly obey His command, “This far and no further” they do not transgress their boundary…they never change. They constantly speak without saying a word.

The storm that passed through earlier caused a freshness in the air and cast a brilliant ruby red glow from the sun. The waves spread and amplified the hue of its light. As each minute passed the brilliant red expanded like a thick blanket that covered the whole ocean. I had never seen such an incredible display of beauty. As I watched, the ocean became luminescent red. I could see in the distance a small black speck. The waves kept their constant rhythm. Each wave seemed to wash over my soul with the warmth of its color. I could not stop myself from saying, “Lord thank you for the beauty of this sunset”, and again I said thank you. I quietly began to praise Him for the beauty of His creation.

This scene somehow began to make sense to me. My sin and failures, though overwhelming to me, were but a speck in the ocean to God. He is the redeemer. His blood has prevailed over all sin and all failures. I again began to praise Him for the greatness of His love, mercy, and grace to me. In the privacy of this moment, I began to worship Him quietly in a song from my spirit and began to raise my hands. If I didn’t praise Him, I was sure the rocks would have cried out. Something incredible was happening almost imperceptibly at first, but then more clearly. I realized that as I thanked and praised Lord, I became less anxious, the stress and despair that I felt lessened. As praise and worship filled my heart all the other stuff was drained out. At this moment I thought I heard someone playing Amazing Grace on a saxophone (my favorite instrument). I said to myself, “All of this and musical accompaniment, too?! Lord you are to much!” I just continued to praise the Lord and enjoy the music. I then saw a man walking down the beach playing the sax. He turned and began to walk back up the beach where he came from. I jumped up and made my way over the boulders to the beach and ran after him to thank him.

When I caught up with him I thanked him for playing Amazing Grace. I told him he would never know how much it meant to me. He looked quizzically at me and said, “What song?” I said, “The song you were just playing. It was beautiful Amazing Grace. He responded, “I didn’t know that’s what it was. The melody just came to me.” I was shocked, “You mean you not a Christian?” “Oh no”, he said, “I just liked the melody.”

Can God orchestrate a sunset and musical accompaniment to comfort one of His wayward sheep? Well, He did for this one and I am forever grateful.

(True Story)  Ed Thomas