TREASURED ISLAND, PART TWO (APRIL 13 - 28, 2017)

The second half of our five week visit to Wyndham Ocean Ridge Resort on Edisto Island, South Carolina was a time of  rest and relaxation.  While on the remote Island we had no ground transportation, so the entire time was spent enjoying and exploring the amazingly beautiful and quiet piece of ground surrounding the resort.  We found biking/walking trails cut through the jungle-like landscape.   We found local restaurants like "Whaleys", "Pressleys at the Marina", "The Sea Cow", and "Finns". We found board walks along the tidal creek.  We found miles and miles of deserted beaches just waiting for our footprints to appear only to be swallowed by the restless ocean.  We found ourselves and each other.  And we found signs of "HIM" everywhere we looked.

It's been five weeks; thirty five days, and I know that some of you are saying "I bet you're glad it's over and that you can get back to the "real" world."  Well, I'm not so sure that we didn't find the "real" world, and we have already reserved eight weeks here next spring.  It is not a place for everyone but, for Sherry and me, it is a place that calls us back time and time again.  It calls us back from the edge of busyness to the center of peace.

We were blessed, for the final three days of our time on Edisto Island to be visited by Bryan and Rosie Solomon as they made their snowbird return journey from Florida to Indiana.  We have known them for over 50 years starting when we were all freshmen at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois.  Although ministry assignments kept us separated for most of those 50 years, we managed to stay in touch and every once and awhile vacation together.  Long time friends (not OLD friends) are the best.
We spent those three days remembering days gone by and wondering what the future will hold in the years to come.  But mostly we just enjoyed the moments together playing card games and taking in all the beauty around us.  Naturally, we had to do a sunset or two!

REFLECTIONS

Life on an island is pretty much reflective of our life on earth.  On an island there is a completion, a beginning and an end, a place to watch a sunrise and a place to watch a sunset.  I found this week that, although I totally enjoyed the sunrise and the sunset places, the bulk of my time was spent somewhere between the two. 

I also found out in talking to some others visiting this island place that what for me were incredible walks through the jungle were times of miserable conflict with flying insects for others.  What for me were valued walks down peaceful beaches were times of seeing dead jelly fish and not enough beach access points for others.  You get the idea, right?  Life, like an island, is pretty much what we choose to make it.  We decide how we handle the good with the bad.

As for me, I choose to focus on all the benefits that the creator of my island of life has provided.  Has my life been perfect?  No!  But it has been blessed.

As for me, I choose to always enjoy the immortal sea and her never ending waves.  I chose to enjoy the limitless sky and the unreachable horizon.

As always, on an island or in life, I believe that the best is yet to come.

TREASURED ISLAND, PART ONE (MARCH 25-APRIL 12, 2017)

Today marks the half way mark of our five week stay on Edisto Island, South Carolina.  This quiet, out of the way, peaceful place has been our refuge from time to time over the past thirty some years.
It is a point of land nestled on the Atlantic Ocean between Charleston, SC and Savanna, Georgia.  It is a sliver of majestic trees, breath taking marsh, out of the way beaches, golf, and a few good local restaurants (Oh wait...there is a "Subway" here now.)

It is the place where Aaron was chased by a alligator, Andrew broke his collarbone biking, and Autumn.... well Autumn just fell in love with everything about the place.  Family memories hover around every bend of the tree lined lanes, the swimming pools, and the mini-golf.  All four of our grandsons spent their "special 5 year old vacation" here with Grandfather and Grandma Sherry.

Now Sherry and I are here as retired folks.  But for the first week we were not alone.  Autumn managed to persuade her family to join us for their spring break (She also managed somehow get here with her family for three out of the four boys "special vacations").  We made the 16 hour drive through the night with that awesome family and completely enjoyed their time with us.  They were days filled with laughter and fun.  Table games, beach time, bike riding, dolphin watching, and Gator finding filled the time.
They were pleasant days that will be added to the memories.

The last twelve days it's just been the two of us.  But what great days they've been just doin' 'bout nothin'.  I've fished some, walked a lot, set in the warmth of the sun and watched it come up and go down (you can do that on an island).  Guess that's why some call it...."Ed is slow" Island but that's OK by me.

Lord willing we'll return again next spring and do it all over again.  Please don't tell anyone else about this special, semi-secret place.  We want to keep this best kept secret place in South Carolina to ourselves.  Shhhhhhh!


REFLECTIONS

We live in a busy, hurry up, do it now, glitter and glitz kind of world.  The more showy, the more spectacular, the more exciting, the more busy places, seem to get all the attention.  We rush off to "vacation" in places like Las Vegas, Orlando, and Myrtle Beach and we come back home in need of a vacation.  We pound our way through the work week to get to the weekend and then spend the weekend running here and there looking for a bigger thrill than we managed the last weekend.  WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN, to find a time and place to just unwind, to enjoy the landscape and the so many amazing things that the Lord has created.  We need "Edisto Moments", "Edisto Days", "Edisto weeks".

Even the creator needed a day off and in His wisdom told us that we, too, need a Sabbath; a day of rest.  For me...if I must chose between Myrtle Beach and Edisto Island, I say "give me "Ed Is Slow" Island and a peaceful sunset every time.