The waves in our life

The above picture was taken from one my favorite beaches… Corona del Mar (or Crown of the Ocean). A similar view of this beach is painted as one of the murals inside the Newport Temple. The ocean is one of my favorite places on earth because of the beauty and the peace. I view the ocean with it’s waves to be very symbolic of things that happen in our lives. The waves have the power to give and to take. Seashell and other creations are left/given on the beach for us to admire and gather.. The waves also can take away anything left on the shores and pull it back into the depths of the seas.

Much like the ocean, my wife and I have experienced this giving and then taking away in our lives these past 3 months. As many of you know, we announced that we are expecting our 4th child. However, yesterday, on our routine, scheduled appointment, the ultrasound showed that our baby no longer has a heartbeat and has stopped growing. Normally the body would have miscarried the baby, but in my wife’s case.. she still feels all the symptoms of strong, healthy pregnancy which makes this a little more difficult. She is scheduled next week for the surgery. We both feel at peace and have received answers from our Heavenly Father to our questions. Although painful and difficult with any loss… we move forward striving to align our will, with His.

Waves: The Rise and Fall

Photo taken of waves from a lookout point over Crystal Cove Bay in

Newport, California on May July10, 2010

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

James 1:6

I am fascinated with the ocean. I love to walk on the beach with bare feet. I enjoy the sound of the waves and the smell and taste of the salt in the air. There is nothing more beautiful then a sunset over the ocean. The ocean has the ability to stimulate and fill all 5 of our senses....our sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.

The one sure thing about waves is the pattern or cycle: the building up, the rise and then the ultimate break, crash and fall. The wind and current causes the water to rise near the shore until the height of the wave along with gravity causes the wave to "break" or crash. Can the wave be a metaphor for our lives?... I am sure many of us have heard about the "pride" cycle. Humility and Repentance, Righteousness and Prosperity, Pride and Wickedness, Destruction and Suffering. The wave, like countries, institutions, and people, rises in majesty only to come crashing down. Most people live as if the "waves in their life" will stay constant.. as if the rise will continue on forever... Is it possible to avoid the crash? or is this part of our learning and experiencing all things here in mortality?