It’s time for Vee’s January Note Card Party.
I’m going back to 2009 and our walks on the beach at Emma Wood in Ventura. While Dear and I were living in Camarillo, California we would get up very early on Saturday mornings to head north to Ventura for a walk at the beach. These shots are all from January 10, 2009. I’m adding a poem by Ralph Spaulding Cushman from his Hilltop Verses and Prayers.
The Secret
I met God in the morning
When my day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.
All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O’er a very troubled sea.
Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.
Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the Presence left behind.
So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!
A prayer of the fisher folk:
Help me, O God, for my boat is so small and Thy ocean is so wide! Amen
We are so happy to be back in Washington State but I do miss our early Saturday beach walks. Thank you Vee for hosting the monthly Note Card Party.
Photobucket replaced many of my photos with blurred out versions and photobucket stamped versions. They are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Hmmm, the power of the waves. No matter what buffets us if we are established in Him we can find our peace so much faster in those moments. Love the pictures.
The sea spray makes for stunning images. You captured it well. My favorite is the next to the last one. I like the poem, too.
The poem and note cards go very well together. Great shots of the water splashing against the wall.
Love your watery note cards. I’m visiting from Vee’s notecard party.
Hi Ellen,
Such drama in those splashing waves on the pier! The poem is delightful and a perfect complement to your invigorating images.
Poppy (via Vee’s)
Ellen such a beautiful post, both the poem and the photos. Using boat as a euphemism for life, the fisherman prayer at the end is perfect for me! Visiting from dear Vee’s party. xo
Elllen .. wonderful memories of Emma Wood make for a beautiful set of postcards. Love the poem, too.
Absolutely beautiful photography, notecards and poem. It reminds me of what I’ve always heard, “morning, when the sun is at its best.” You caught the sun at such a great angle!
Beautiful in every way Ellen! I could almost feel and hear the surge of the sea in your beautiful photos! Love the poem!
Such beautiful note cards…I’ll take a box. 🙂
Well done, Ellen !! Your photos remind me of Long Beach that I love … There is something about the ocean and the crashing waves that stir such deep feeling of worship!
Hi Ellen,
All your photos of the ocean are marvelous!! I love, love the poem and the fisherman’s prayer. So much symbolism associated with the ocean, isn’t there? Have a wonderful week!
Denise
What beautiful pics — and words! Thank you for sharing them today.
Love those waves crashing over the walkway! Beautiful words to go with them. How I would love to be able to walk on the beach in the morning, or anytime of day.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and your nice comment.
These are beautiful seaside scenes for notecards Ellen. I love the crashing waves. That poem sounds so familiar but I don’t know where I’ve read it before. Blessings, Pamela
The Secret says a lot simply and is an excellent complement to your photos and vice versa. I can see why you’d miss those walks.
Oh my goodness, Ellen…what breathtakingly beautiful shots and a perfect poem to go along with them. I feel closest to God on the beach…my note cards are about the beach too…Carolina Beach. Thank you for the blessing!
What a beautiful post! You’ve given us all the things we love…beautiful photos and an every more beautiful poem. I always feel in awe when I see the ocean. Your cards would be my favorite! Sweet hugs!
Wonderful captures of the power of the waves that complement the poem you shared so well.
Thanks for the heads up about the link on Vee’s note card party site. I appreciate it!
Just beautiful – both the poem and pictures.
I love this set of beautiful note cards! The poem goes well with them, too. I’ll take a set!
The beautiful California coastline! I grew up in So. Cal. and have friends who lived in Camarillo.
Deanna
Lovely.
I Love all your photos Ellen – lovely Note Cards.
The Fisher poem is gorgeous to read and ponder on while looking at each card,
Beautiful images to accompany such beautiful words! Thank you for these inspiring note cards!
I have seen some wonderful samplings at the notecard party today, but I can’t help but dub this one my favorite one of all so far. The photos with that wonderful poem are a perfect match. I really and truly love this post.
Ellen – these are just beautiful – and so appropriate just now as I consider the stormy waves pummeling my dear friend and her husband. She’s only 34 and had such a health scare over the weekend where they think she might have had a mini-stroke and are even now testing her for Lupus. This, on the heels of her praying for patience and for the Lord to draw her husband closer to Him. Well – nothing like stormy seas to make us cry out to God for rescue. These images and the verses you have so perfectly placed with them will inspire my prayers for her this week. Blessings!
Joy!
Kathy
Love that prayer of the ‘fisher folk’…and the accompanying note cards. Beautiful.
beautiful…especially the last shot!