What Beach Glass Is Saying to Me

Sea glass, also called beach glass, is any glass that has eventually found its way to a body of water that has a sufficient combination of surf, sand, and stone to naturally tumble, smooth, and frost the shard into a genuine gem.” Sea Glass Journal.   While sea glass is processed by the salt water of the ocean, beach glass is seasoned by the inland lakes and waterways. For me, it’s Lake Michigan.

During this past summer, as I strolled the beach at Illinois Beach State Park, I spotted a few beach glass pieces as I stood on the old boat dock, gradually being overtaken by the water level in the lake. I had heard about beach glass a few years ago when a friend shared a photo on Facebook of some sea glass collected by a friend from the ocean.  Vacationing in Florida at the time, I dismissed it as sweet but just another thing to look for. I was busy collecting seashells. But now, here I am I was peering down onto the sand at three small pieces of beach glass staring back at me. I can’t resist climbing down from the dock, around the rocks to retrieve them.

From that moment, I begin looking for it everywhere. You’ll often find me walking along the western beaches of Lake Michigan, looking down a lot, sometimes sitting on a rocky beach digging in the sand like a little kid, hoping to find one of these shards of broken glass, tumbled by the waves, seasoned by forces of nature to appear jewel-like on the beach.

I can’t stop thinking about the words they say to me  These were items once valued for their beauty and usefulness, and treasured heirlooms displayed with care, now . . . 

shattered
and forgotten
discarded into landfills
tossed overboard
left on a beach as litter
lost in a
shipwreck

adrift in the lake
tossed and tumbled by waves
dragged through sand
dashed against rocks
the rough edges made smooth
original gloss worn to a
sugar-like frost

decades later, appearing jewel-like
among the stones
waiting to be plucked by
eager fingers
collected with delight
displayed with
care

This year
hung as decoration
on a Christmas tree,
reminding me of
another Tree
declaring the Good
News

the broken, now a thing
of beauty
to remind me
He does not
waste our suffering
when we cooperate with
him

Lake Michigan Treasure

and I remember
He makes all things new
if not here
in this life
then surely
in the
next.

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new. Also, he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5

Sometimes I write confidently of the things I believe to be true, hoping to encourage others. Sometimes I write of things only by faith, because on some days hope, based on my faith, is all I have. Sometimes I need others to hold it for me

You may not have much hope or barely hanging onto faith today as you read what I have written. Perhaps you need someone to hold your faith for you. I hope you have safe friends who will do the same for you as my friends did for me.

I’d love to hear from you no matter where you are today.
for more observations about beach glass, click here HERE

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