I am on a patio at 6:34 AM enjoying the sights, the sounds and the smells of Playa Del Carmen Mexico. Sunrise was amazing with all the shades of blue green water that a person could drink in. The birds are singing, the sound of softly rolling waves breaking on the beach and a warm south breeze is hitting my face. I love Mexico, it’s not just a nice place to visit, I could live here

It is now 6:54. My wife is wandering the sand searching for me, I called to get her attention. 7:02 and we are enjoying morning coffee together with the rising sun. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. Louis Armstrongs famous song and iconic voice keep ringing through my mind this week. “I see skies of blue, and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night, and I think to myself what a wonderful world.”

Day 5

It’s now day five and I am in the same chair enjoying the same sights and sounds I have enjoyed for the past 4 sunrises. We went snorkeling yesterday in a few cenote’s. The limestone formations, the fish, the sunshine, the water and time with my wife was wonderful. Louis is still being hummed in my heart,”I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom, for me and for you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

I am soaking in the sun. I am soaking up life. Excuse me for a moment while I get my sunrise latte and banana muffin. The resort staff are working hard to make our stay wonderful. The Mexican’s are a kind and friendly people, I really love them. They greet you with a smile and a hola all day, every day. I can hear Armstong singing again, “The color of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces of people going by. I see friends shaking hands, sayin’,”How do you do?” They’re really saying’, “I love you.”

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

My vacation meditatation

As a Christian I believe God is good and does good all the time. There is no darkness in him at all so I can trust that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. With whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

My senses are on overload here in Mexico. God is so good to me; he is so good to us and this is never going to change. His good hand is everywhere I look in all that I see, in all that I taste, in all that I hear, smell and experience. Vacation has been refreshing! God has provided all things for me to enjoy, and I think to myself, what a wonderful God.

Yesterday we snorkeled  in a cenote that had an opening in the ceiling. The hole was perhaps 4 foot across and allowed the sun to come into the cavern. The sunbeam was simply amazing to behold as it cut through the darkness into the water and danced on the limestone floor below us. I thought of my boy Jacob as I put my hands and feet into the light that looked as if were angels dancing for Jesus. God gave me this to enjoy too. And I thought to myself, what a wonderful world- what a wonderful creator.

Life is good but life is not always pleasant. Children are a blessing from God and sometimes God takes our children away to be with him. Mexico is reminding me of all the good things God has provided for me to enjoy and of my beloved son whom he has taken away. Though terribly painful, but in a much lesser degree than Job experienced, I must respond the same way he did to the loss of my child. He lost all his children and in deep grief he lamented, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) God is worthy to be blessed in our pleasures and in our pain. Regardless our circumstances, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:3)

God gave me 22 good years of joy with my boy. Jacob isn’t my creation he is a creation of God given to me to enjoy. I enjoyed his life thoroughly but like a sunset his life disappeared behind the horizon. With every sunset there is the hope of a sunrise. I look ahead with the psalmist who said the following.

Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. – Psalm 30:4-5

There is a sunrise coming, my son will rise again and we will dwell in a place where the sun never sets. “And the night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light and they wil reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)

Adios my friends, I am going to the pool!