Socks, Dolphins, and Fish Tacos

"Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin…or a kind and loving gesture…or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort. Not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs...an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters…and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause."

This is a quote from the movie Stranger Than Fiction, which is also the title of one of my first posts, about this movie and the concept above. Thinking over this past weekend, I felt a smile pull at my lips as I recalled those nuances and subtleties that were sprinkled across three days to serve a much nobler cause.

Friday, to start, was a friend's birthday party...more akin to the birthday parties of elementary school with good friends and games; as opposed to the typical loud, drunken, stupid-fest that we so unoriginally participate in as we grow up. Not that the occasional dance-party laced with alcohol isn't fun, but there's something lovely about a pure, unadulterated hang out with pizza, cake, and party games. And I'm not sure if I need to say much more than this: men and women in their mid-20's playing at a park, sitting and standing on opposite sides of two bedsheets hung over a rope between two trees, throwing balled-up socks at each other until it all became so pointless that we were laughing at how competitive and fun throwing soft objects at each other could become.

Saturday was another simple day, yet filled with many pleasure and subtle joys. An early morning surf with a friend, and though we lovingly referred to it as "Lake Newport", there were a few good practice waves for me to briefly stand up and attempt dropping in to, and lots of time to lay around on the board, enjoying the small but calming waves. A few dolphins also swam by to our delight, and the rare ability to enjoy the water and some brief conversation instead of being pounded by waves made it one of those special surfing days in my mind.

The rest of my day was just my kind of afternoon...breakfast at Charlie's Chili...a casual walk down towards Balboa, then back the other direction past the pier...a stop in a donut shop for a Hawaiian Hazelnut Coffee, reminding me of a coffee I drank in Hawaii, which just seemed so appropriate at the beach...a jaunt down to the water, observing other beach-goers set up with tents and enough food for a week, and then a trip down the pier and a conversation with a guy doing some fishing. I would say for me, one of my greatest "subtle encourgements" is the beach...it's like a happy, mini-vacation filled with the sound of crashing waves, warm sun, and wind blowing through the palm trees. And nothing like the souvenier of a sunburn to make you feel like you've fully enjoyed the outdoors.

Saturday night I had the pleasure of going to church with a friend, followed by dinner at Wahoo's (which totally went with the beach, surfing theme of the day). Good conversation, girl-time, and the bright smile and encouragement of one of my newer friends was a huge blessing. Sunday was even more of that, a delicious lunch and drinks with a friend, and a day of rest, reading, and conversation. Friends, talking, people to spend time with...especially in the face of a difficult time in life, are perhaps the biggest, most sugary-sweet "Bavarian Sugar cookie" that God can serve us.

I didn't do anything particularl extraordinary or impressive this weekend, but all those little accessories to my days truly served a much greater purpose - healing, refreshment, and the reminder that it is God in all of those seemingly insignificant moments, joyfully blessing us, repairing hurt, preparing us for all that he has in store, and making each moment worth living because He is there.