Lessons learned from the beach
We built sand castles today. I'm glad my crew was still willing to do it - I don't think I'll ever grow tired of drizzle castles and beach moats.
We were at it for the better part of an afternoon. Topped off riding the waves and reading on the beach. I learned a lot from today's activities and thought I'd share.
1. Building a pretty castle is insufficient - it needs to be protected from the sea by deep moats and wide walls. After you spend all that time decorating it, you really hate to see it swept away in 5 minutes .
2. If you spend all your time building the walls and digging the moats, though, you run out of time to build a pretty castle. And pretty castles are nice.
3. It's very helpful to build castles in pairs.
4. And it's a lot more fun.
5. You can waste a lot of valuable time debating castle plans. Better to just get to work building.
6. Wondering what passers-by think is also a waste of time. In reality, they're probably not even paying any attention to what you're doing. They're too busy thinking about what they are doing.
7. Comparing your castle to the one down the beach is a waste of energy.
8. Additional input is wonderful. Unless you get too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
9. Building lots of walls is a good idea. One layer after another. Insulation.
10. It's very gratifying to watch your work withstand the assault of the sea. Especially castles that don't look like they're gonna make it and are even labeled "lost causes".
11. I get tired building sand castles.
12. When somebody that's already finished with their castle comes over to help you, it's very encouraging. Especially if their walls are positioned in a way that lends some protection to yours.
13. You can spend all your time documenting that you're having fun via instagram or you can just have fun.
14. Sooner or later, the waves are gonna win. Trenches and thick walls can hold off the attack for a while. Our construction lasted over 30 hours and still counting! But sooner or later, every sand castle falls. So be sure to have a lot of fun in the building!
15. The real fun is the work, not admiring the finished product.
16. Building lives, or parenting, is an awful lot like building sandcastles. Except that the waves don't always wash all the evidence away.
17. While I love building sandcastles, I've decided I'd rather build lives. On The Rock.
But I learned a lot about the latter from the former...............
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it
Matthew 7:24-27
We built sand castles today. I'm glad my crew was still willing to do it - I don't think I'll ever grow tired of drizzle castles and beach moats.
We were at it for the better part of an afternoon. Topped off riding the waves and reading on the beach. I learned a lot from today's activities and thought I'd share.
1. Building a pretty castle is insufficient - it needs to be protected from the sea by deep moats and wide walls. After you spend all that time decorating it, you really hate to see it swept away in 5 minutes .
2. If you spend all your time building the walls and digging the moats, though, you run out of time to build a pretty castle. And pretty castles are nice.
3. It's very helpful to build castles in pairs.
4. And it's a lot more fun.
5. You can waste a lot of valuable time debating castle plans. Better to just get to work building.
6. Wondering what passers-by think is also a waste of time. In reality, they're probably not even paying any attention to what you're doing. They're too busy thinking about what they are doing.
7. Comparing your castle to the one down the beach is a waste of energy.
8. Additional input is wonderful. Unless you get too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
9. Building lots of walls is a good idea. One layer after another. Insulation.
10. It's very gratifying to watch your work withstand the assault of the sea. Especially castles that don't look like they're gonna make it and are even labeled "lost causes".
11. I get tired building sand castles.
12. When somebody that's already finished with their castle comes over to help you, it's very encouraging. Especially if their walls are positioned in a way that lends some protection to yours.
13. You can spend all your time documenting that you're having fun via instagram or you can just have fun.
14. Sooner or later, the waves are gonna win. Trenches and thick walls can hold off the attack for a while. Our construction lasted over 30 hours and still counting! But sooner or later, every sand castle falls. So be sure to have a lot of fun in the building!
15. The real fun is the work, not admiring the finished product.
16. Building lives, or parenting, is an awful lot like building sandcastles. Except that the waves don't always wash all the evidence away.
17. While I love building sandcastles, I've decided I'd rather build lives. On The Rock.
But I learned a lot about the latter from the former...............
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it
Matthew 7:24-27