By: Isabel Didrickson

Santa Cruz

He succeeds,
Rising on the face
Of the blue-green wall.

The gray-blue ocean
Met the misty blue sky,
I detected no movement

Closer to shore,
I saw a gradual swell.
Gently it rose and fell
Gliding towards its destination.

Eager youths, in the water
Watch with me. Waiting, waiting
For the perfect, precise moment.
The edge.

They paddle wildly, then
try to balance on the board.
Underneath the canopy
Of curling water,
Gliding for a brief moment
Along the wall, until
Billows of white foam
Obliterate the body.

At the same time
I hear
the roar
Of the breaking wave
Enveloping my senses
With its grandeur.

The foam floods to the shore
Fills my shoes.
I dash for higher ground
The water retreats.
Leaving bits of debris
From unknown places.

For several minutes
I gaze as more waves
Break and roar.
The force of the water
Is tremendous, but yet
It only comes so far.
We both know our boundaries.

Isabel Didriksen
2003

By: Isabel Didricksen
Santa Cruz

Gray-blue ocean
Meets misty blue sky
No movement detected
Across the great expanse

Nearer
A gradual swell
Rises then falls
As it glides to the shore

Eager youth
Watches with me
Waiting, waiting
For a perfect edge

Paddling wildly
He succeeds
Rising on the face
Of a green wall.

For a brief moment
Under the canopy
Of curling water
He sails

Along the wall
then
Billows of white foam
Obliterate him

In an instant
The roar
Of breaking waves
Envelop my senses

Foam floods in
Filling my shoes
I dash for higher ground
Water retreats

More waves
Break and roar
But yet
Only come so far

We both know our boundaries.

Isabel Didriksen
2009

Father God,
We love you today and are excited at the changes you will bring to our church in the coming year. Deacon elections are coming up. We pray that those you have chosen will find favor with those who are voting. Lord, clear their calendars and make this appointment possible. Bless them with wisdom and visions, Christ sized visions. Lord, please pick the agenda we are to follow on SUnday. If there are issues that need to be addressed, then may they be spoken of. Guide the meeting, keep us off of rabbit trails or detours that are not required. Keep us focused so that the meeting wont take long. Lord, Bless our church with spiritual growth. Use our church for a vessel of your choosing. May we be a light to our community. May we be a church that has a reputation of being hot, not cold or lukewarm when Jesus comes again. And if we as individuals or as a church or both are not in preparation for when Jesus comes again, convict us of it and get us back on track. We are moving out of Jerusalem, out of our comfort zone. As we move into Samaria and Judea, into the non comfort zone remind us that you are with us always. Open our eyes to the needs around us. May we not miss it, when you call us. Lord, bless our current deacons. Bless Pastor Ken and Pastor Tod and their families. Protect them and our church, shore up the strongholds and strengthen the fortress of protection around our church. Bless teh Grices. Bless Gordon with healing and Pat with provision, encouragement and whatever else the Grices need to bear through this. Bless all the needs in our church, spoken and unspoken. Bless our congregation this week, strengthen our marriages, protect and grow our children in Christ. Help us to grow spiritually, to make progress in areas we need to . Thank you Jesus. In your name we pray. Amen.