This post might get cheesy…

and almost unnecessarily so. But I’ve been feeling a bit reflective lately, so here we go.

This morning I woke up my nephew at 5:00 am. We packed camera gear and extra layers into the car, stopped at Kwik Trip for coffee, chocolate milk, and donuts, then we headed to the lake.

There is a spot my family likes to go to along Lake Michigan that, so far, not many people know about. It’s quiet and peaceful at any time of the day. (And no, I’m not telling you where it is).

We parked and set up our cameras along the water. Not long after, the minows started jumping. Yes, minows. I didn’t know they did that! There were little ripples everywhere from them breaching the surface. It added to the peacefulness of the morning.

It’s slow mornings like this that remind me of the importance of life; the privilege of life. To be able to wake up and enjoy God’s creation, the beauty of His morning artwork across the sky as the sun rises on a brand new day, brand new mercies.

The sound of water lightly lapping against the sand, seagulls calling to the shore, a soft wind gently curling its way around my legs and face, that’s wealth to me.

So here’s my admonition to you: wake up before sunrise. Bring coffee to the shore. Allow sand to get in your shoes and around your toes. Bring a blanket if it’s too cold. Life is short and demand for your attention is high. Allow yourself to recharge by the water. You won’t regret it.

P.S. My nephew took these photos and he was pretty proud of them. Getting to share this moment with him was a gift.