From Coast to Coast

God sometimes gives us new perspective just when we need it most.

“From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised!” – Psalm 113:3, RSV-CE

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The United States is an incredibly unique, diverse, and large country. The size of the country truly can’t be appreciated by simply looking at a map, but rather from traveling coast to coast. A west coast resident can go their entire lives without visiting the east side of the country, and vice versa.

I have been fortunate to have flown across the entire country several times. While the flights are long, it is exciting to travel. From these flights, I have come to appreciate that the size of the United States is massive!

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Where I was raised in Oregon, I lived less than 2 hours inland from the Pacific Ocean. Many cherished hours of my life have been spent walking along the coastline, admiring sunsets over the ocean horizon, and weaving my way in and out of coastal shops.

I have comforting and happy memories of the sounds of seagulls and crashing waves, the sight of kites in the endless blue sky, and the gentle feel of the ocean mist on my face. While I reside in the mountains currently, I am partial to a coastal Oregon summer.

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On a recent trip to Florida, I walked alongside the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. After spending all my life beside the Pacific, walking alongside another ocean was truly a treat. Sure, it’s just another ocean, but this was a fun and exciting experience. The Atlantic even appeared a different shade of blue-green to me than the Pacific!

While my husband and I enjoyed dinner overlooking the ocean, a funny thing happened: the sun was NOT setting over the ocean. Of course, I know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the same thing every day. Yet, it was such a new experience for me to witness the sky over the ocean slowly darken and the many colors of the sunset reflect in the clouds, without the sun sinking down over the ocean horizon.

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I imagine a life-long east coast resident would feel similar watching the sun set over the Pacific. When we are so used to seeing something from the same angle, we stop and look when that angle changes.

God sometimes gives us new perspective just when we need it most.

Psalm 113:3 says, “From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised!” Every day, from the morning sunrise to the evening sunset, there is opportunity to praise the Lord! And, no matter what view you have of the rising and setting of the sun, the Lord is present there and worthy to be praised.

From coast to coast, I have had the honor of witnessing the beauty of God’s creation. He is present to His creation in every gentle sunrise and each vibrant sunset. We have a truly beautiful world.

How amazing is it, that Heaven is even more beautiful than this?

In Christ,

Lauren