my beach

Even the dried saltwater on the stones…

/ jill autrey dorman / Leave a comment
green grass during sunset

Photo by Nathan Cowley

 

Every part is beautiful.

Every wave is different.

Every seashell my passioned treasure.

Every color of blue and green soothes my soul.

There is music in the rolling of water to shore.

The seagulls sing harmony in a minor key.

The eastern morning sun rises like Heaven’s coda.

The sunset in the West a goodnight lullaby from God.

I kiss the sea oats whispering secrets to the dunes.

I love even the dried saltwater upon the pathway stones.

I am a Texas girl through and through,

but my Florida beach is the place I have to return to.

A tether, a life line in it’s order to refuel and renewal.

Just me, God, and the salty sea, my triage

It is all a gift of dreams to me that I gratefully adore

The Song

/ jill autrey dorman / 2 Comments
woman holding a moon

Photo by Ruvim 

The sea grass sways like a waltz that makes a pathway  to the dunes.

Her body casts a shadow beneath a snow white moon.

The warm breeze smells like a salty seaweed lullaby.

The tall sea oats whisper in  tempo with their peaceful sighs.

She follows the resounding song that leads her to the shore

and wonders how the ocean seems to know that she has been here before.

She is welcomed to the water and the sand soothes her aching feet

and she marvels at the miracle where sky and ocean meet.

She kneels in the warmth of this waltz and says a grateful prayer

then she is dancing once more to the Song of The Holy Ones’s love and care.

Exposed and Authentic

/ jill autrey dorman / 3 Comments
brown sand

Photo by Miri on Pexels.com

 

The salty air lay thick upon my skin.

Laughter in the village sings so sweetly.

Never does a hard day meet me here,

when I walk by the sea in God’s keeping.

 

This beach helps me see outside of my self,

and find The One who is the Hope of all things.

Exposed and authentic the waves hit my feet,

with no fear of the dance tomorrow will surely bring.

 

I will sing in this His cathedral

of sky and sand and sea.

I praise The Holy One who cannot be undone

and give thanks as He walks here with me.

In the Eyes of It All

/ jill autrey dorman / 2 Comments
photo of person covered with brown textile

Photo by Noelle Otto

 

I don’t know where you went when you left me.

I have to believe you were sure you had to leave.

People always seem to have to be, have to go, have to hear what someone else has said.

The Truth running away like a spool of thread.

Still, I remember it felt like drowning in a rip tide.

There is a sadness in the end, in the eyes of it all.

I am much the stronger for it but I don’t wait for your call.

The Shell Seeker

/ jill autrey dorman / Leave a comment

 

 

brown sand

Photo by Miri

Standing on the highest sand dune people moved back and forth on the ground below.  She no longer has their youthfulness of an unlined face but she knew she finally possessed the joy of ageless Grace. The pilgrimage called her to this beautiful place. The wind and the sun an old friend on her face.

Now she is the shell seeker in the wide brimmed hat, as a child playing in the sun she’d laughed at people like that. She remembers younger  days when she grew weary but now the days of peace are what linger here.  Emotions don’t obey the rules they are the heartbeat in being human.  Like waves reaching the shore emotions can be kept for a moment but are better when given away.

The shell seeker’ s eye remains clear and adept while watching the children play. She knows that life is not going back but more of giving it away. The Truth is, life consists in learning and loving well with Grace underneath God’s sun.  To remain whole in the midst of life’s ups and downs, to surrender all secrets and lies is anointing oil to the soul. To shed insincerity and live in the present, the waves echo behind her now compelling her to go on.

Emmet

/ jill autrey dorman / 3 Comments
green grass during sunset

Photo by Nathan Cowley

 

The daybreak drizzle has moved out to sea.

The dawning clouds are steel gray.

The wind is about 10 knots up from the Gulf Stream.

Nations have risen and fallen, two world wars, more political unrest, man has gone to the moon and the World Wide Web has come along, but nothing much has changed on this little wedge of the island.

The tide goes in and out.

The gulls and cranes still swoop and dive and the dolphin still dance. The beautiful gold sea oats continue to hold the sand dunes together…
But now you… have been born!

Your little smile, your hands and feet have changed everything.

I cannot smile without you.

There are very few words of wisdom I will give you as you grow up and let me into your world of sticks, and bugs, and rocks.

You will sleep the sleep of the blessed each night and when I get the chance I will tuck you in.

What I will do my grandson is love you. Love you unconditionally with all of my being and spirit.

Long after I am gone I will still watch over you and love you with a love that has no end.

The daybreak is clearer now, the sea breeze cleansing. The wars and internet have no meaning to me now.

The tide is a beautiful dance and all of God’s creatures perform just for you.

The sand dunes are for you to climb and my whole world is golden.

The Quiet Side, A Different Peace…

/ jill autrey dorman / 3 Comments

I

two boat on ocean during golden time

Photo by Skitterphoto

 

The North shore of my piece of sugar white heaven faces the sound (Bay) side of the island.

The three mile bridge stands sentinel guard and my  small bay is dotted with white sails stirring my heart.

The bridge that brings me home to my nautical world.

The smell of fish and salt is a soothing balm to a weary girl.

The hermit crabs do a miniature square dance that leads them safely home.

The Sandpipers play hopscotch in the tide pool foam

The Gulls swoop and squawk over schools of fish and bones

There is a different peace on the Sound, the quiet side.

It always feels like the end of the day here where the tired come home to rest.

Like a sweet baby’s coo the waves lap upon the shore.

The “Quiet Side” is what the locals call the back door.

And are happily living and dying on this island right here.

 

 

 

 

 

The River of Mercy (the infinite flow of God’s Grace)

/ jill autrey dorman / 2 Comments
woman on body of water

Photo by Daria Sannikova

We lost all of the image of God when we were found  outside of His Holiness. We are born rationalizers, barterers and liars.   Yes we are all created in His image just as he says but Sin’s first act shattered that mirror image inside of us, at least until such a time as we receive the Power of the Cross of Jesus to regenerate us, to rebirth us from our darkness into His perfect light!

It doesn’t take much to look around us and see these powerful tools of the deception of Sin.

  • Rationalizing our need for redemption and need for God By using our intellectual achievement or even our good morals or religion.
  • Bartering  with The Holy as if He could be bought with our arrogant rhetoric of being self-sufficient, mantras of our feeble idolatry of self love, celebrity, money, or even good deeds.
  • Liars- we are all in darkness and deceived by our own Sin some even professing a form of godliness but do not Honor God as our Lord, not do we give Him thanks.

 

Sounds bleak doesn’t it? However, we have been given The Good News. We have been given infinite Grace flowing in the River of Mercy so that we might repent and obey to be Reborn into the Image of God in all His Goodness and power!

I am learning that the River gets deeper not shallow the further down stream I go. I am depending and counting on the fact I have been born again by the Blood of Jesus Christ and I have nothing to offer Him and  never did but here is the beauty of the Truth of God’s plan to bring us back to Him in every way… The beauty of The Gospel is this: His love and Grace and all that implies is freely given to all who will receive it.

 

I have seen the River of Life and Mercy

A crystal clear river flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb

All who come to this river will be clean and whole

All burdens washed away, no more sorrows, tears, or death…

Revelation 22

A Wild Joy

/ jill autrey dorman / 2 Comments
grayscale photo of person standing on seashore

Photo by Engin Akyurt

 

Hours will bend

as words pour onto paper

 

Long day’s journey

salty is the flavor

 

White sails billow

the gull cries for favor

 

I think I’d like to be alone

but time can turn the tables

 

A Wild joy takes me over

The Holy hovers just inside

 

A Wild joy is my lover

ever changing with the tide

 

 

Drift off into the opioid of sabotage…

/ jill autrey dorman / Leave a comment

 

grey cliff beside ocean

Photo by Simon Clayton

Do not let me go to sleep and drift off into the opioid of sabotage

Sin and persistent failures a cunning addiction 

I grow weary of all the brutal truth of how one must guard the deep longing of their heart

For I wander high upon the cliff and the sea glistens enchanted below

I envy your assurance but  find mine for my self

Though I am anxious to arrive I wish the journey to an end

A silence I cannot hear whispers of  the Living Water where there are no dangers hidden

 

“…if you would ask him he would give you living water…(John 4:10)