Born in the Sign of Water

I’ve had this song stuck in my head now for about a week, actually just one line of that song. It’s from my childhood, a song by the Little River Band. It’s called Cool Change. The line I keep remembering says “I was born in the sign of water, it’s there that I feel my best, the albatross and whale they are my brothers.” I don’t remember much of the rest of the song, but this one line had meaning for me when I was younger and it still does today. While a strong Christian, I was born in the sixties and my “sign” is Pisces. Most of the time I could be thought of as a fish out of water. I long to be in the water. I spent hours as a child in the waters of Lake Michigan and the Gulf of Mexico in Florida. My parents say that they would have to pull me out of the water, blue, because I just didn’t want to leave it. I was a swim instructor and life guard all through high school and college. It’s how I put myself through college. I’ve done my best thinking in the water. In college I use to keep a kick board with a notepad and pen at the end of the lane and would write all the outlines for my papers while swimming. Over the years whenever I really needed time alone with God I went to the hot tube. Each morning I spend most of my shower time in prayer. I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten to rinse my hair because I was so caught up in prayer. There is just a part of me deep inside that longs to be in the water. It is where I hear God the clearest.

This past week I had the pleasure of spending my 50^th birthday praying in the Gulf of Mexico. There is such a peaceful feeling when you are surrounded by water; knowing that you are loved by the Creator, maker of all this water. Riding the waves I felt lifted up by God, light as a feather (the salt water helped), and gently brought back down to reality. In the shower I feel a connection that I am at my most exposed self and able to just bow before God and his glory; to be used by him without any of the interruptions of life. Daily I feel blessed, washed clean, and baptized in the grace of God. I may not spend hours swimming anymore, but I love walking in the rain, singing in the storms, and splashing through puddles. Lord, you are my living water. The waters I long to embrace, to wrap around myself, to cozy up to, and to become one with. Lord, I live in you and you live through me. Without you I can not exist. You fill me up, keep me alive, and flow out of me to others. I thank you Lord for searching me out, connecting with me, and bringing me life. May your love flow out of me like a river so that others may be blessed as well. I pray this in your son’s name, Amen.