God works in mysterious ways.

[Ereptor]

 I appologize for my recent obsene verbal obuses in my last post.  Hey everyone makes mistakes, right?  Anyway i find it hard sometimes to change my character in this game when i post from my real personallity.  And Cal if you forgive i would appriciate any grammitcal errors you can find.  :)   I sending this into a magazine called Guidepost which is a christian magazine like Readers Digest.  anyway, Enjoy

God works in mysterious ways.

When ever I heard of a story about God working in mysterious ways I always assumed mysterious meant obvious.  You know for example when a family is struggling and they receive an anonymous letter in the mail for the exact amount that they needed to pay their bills.  That just seemed so obvious to me.  Every Saturday night after church I grab my surfboard for an evening session at Ala Moana Bowls.  Surfing in the early morning and evening hours is always a unique experience; the wind dies down and makes the conditions a bit more favorable.  The rest of the world is sleeping and only those eager and dedicated enough are out doing something they love.  There is a kind of peace that the sun brings as it rises or sets.  This time was no different, at first.  My parents and my brother had decided to go watch me surf for awhile.  I gave them directions to where they could view me at the closest distance and reminded them that there was only about 30mins of daylight left.  My mom kindly reminded me that surfing in the dark wasn?t the best idea.  I kindly rebuked her idea back.

I usually say a quick prayer before I jump into the water.  Lord give me strength and keep me safe.  The first set of waves came in as I paddled out, and within 15mins the sun had set.  There were about 25 to 30 of us out there.  That is not always the case, but a swell had come in and everyone was trying the get the most out of the infrequent summer swell.  After the sun sets there is usually about another 15mins of light left during this time most people are catching their last waves into shore.  And for about 30mins I had been waving to my family with no recognition of my attempts to get their attention.  I was thinking they probably have no idea who I am in this crowd.  Darkness came in quick and leaving again the most dedicated few, or as my mom would put it, those of us without the use of our right minds.  The next big set had begun to come in.  An older man with a longboard caught one of the waves and acted like he didn?t see me as he dissented down the face of the wave.  I quickly yelled ?HO?, and he reacted by replying with a friendly ?HO? and swerving his board to avoid a collision.  Most longboarders know their boards can be deadly to anyone including themselves.  Their single fins can rip a board in half in a second if you are caught in their path.  In this darkness you can?t be to careful I thought as I ducked under the wave.  The moon had come out and shown a path of light down on the ocean.  I sat in the light thinking about how God represents the light.  A cloud soon covered the moon and we were in darkness for a minuet while the cloud passed.  I started thinking of what kinds of clouds I had in my life that would make it difficult for me to see the light.  

The moon soon came back as bright as ever, it can be almost as bright as day out there when the moon is full.  There were about 7 of us left out, then 5, and now just 3 of us remained.  The old man with the longboard and a young man about my age with a shortboard like my own.  I looked back up at the moon and I could see a huge formation of dark clouds moving in.  I thought this time we would be in darkness for more than a few minutes.  The old man found a wave and caught it in.  I had begun to look for my ride in when a voice in my head said, ?Do not leave your brother.?  I didn?t know how to respond at first.  I never used the word brother before so it was unusual. I sited I good size wave and started to paddle for it.  Again the words came into my head.  I let the wave go thinking, ?What am I doing that was my ride in!?  But the voice was still ringing in my head, ?do not leave your brother.?  I respond half laughing, ?Lord he is not my brother, my brother just left with my parents.?  Those words still in my mind I began to paddle as if in search of another wave.  My mind could only come up with one thing, maybe God was going to use me to save this young man from drowning, or worse?.a shark.  That word sent shudders down my spine.  Sharks are not uncommon in Hawaiian waters and evening and mornings are feeding times.  Burying that thought away in my mind I watched as the young man caught a wave.  ?Great!? I said, now I can search for my ride in.  But he kicked out and began to paddle back to catch another.  ?Lord how long is this going to take? I said, still sitting in the dark.  Another set had begun to roll in; I passed the first few waves until I saw the young man catch his ride in.  Finally, I sighed.

I sat alone in silence, the set waves had gone and I was forced to search in the dark for the odd wave that would take me in.  The silence was soon broken by my heart jumping as the water moved suddenly.  Probably a fish I thought.  The paddle in was not a short one and the pain medication for my bruised rib had been wearing off.   More movement in the water, at this point I am not sure how much my imagination was taking over.  Images of sharks had begun to fill my mind, fins appearing in every ripple of the water.  My search for a wave became more desperate.  Failing to catch some the smaller waves I began my paddle in.  My thoughts were filled with doubts of why I had done such a thing.  I then asked God as most do in a time of need.  ?Lord help me get back in alive, something is down there, please not a shark Lord, no sharks, I said through a smile and a nervous laugh.?   The pastor that night had mentioned something about a man in Vegas whom he had witnessed at a slot machine.  A beer in one hand and the lever in the other, he would do the sign of the crucifix drink his beer and pull the lever.  I called out to God, ?Why did you leave me in the dark for no reason??  Pain, panic and frustration filled my thoughts.  Then out of the dark a wave came, I caught it lying down.  Then as if on God?s command the moon shown again bright as day.  A voice came into my head saying, ?Just as you did not leave your brother, I will never leave you.?  I began to feel at peace.  I was not left in the dark alone for the sharks; God was by my side the entire time.  The wave had brought me most of the way in and after a short paddle I saw the young man getting out of the water and walking onto the beach.  ?Thank you Lord,? I said ?for teaching me a lesson and reminding me of your promise never to leave us.?  Hebrews 13:5 says, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."   I now know how mysterious God?s ways can be.  I think that this is beginning of many lessons I will learn from studying His word and living for Him everyday.  Now all I had to do was explain and beg for forgiveness from my mom for surfing to late.

[The Lady Shael]

 That's a brilliant story, Ereptor, it almost made me cry. It definitely deserves to be published in a magazine.  :)  

[Blackeyes]

 That was.....amazing! I couldn't believe you wrote like that . Well done. If they don't publish it. Then their nuts.

[Mark]

 That was very touching, Chis.  I think it would make the magazine.  Good job!

[calria]

Whenever I heard of a story about God working in mysterious ways I always assumed that mysterious meant obvious.  You know, for example, when a family is struggling and they receive an anonymous letter in the mail for the exact amount that they needed to pay their bills.  That just seemed so obvious to me.  Every Saturday night after church I grab my surfboard for an evening session at Ala Moana Bowls.  Surfing in the early morning and evening hours is always a unique experience: the wind dies down and makes the conditions a bit more favorable.  The rest of the world is sleeping and only those eager and dedicated enough are out doing something they love.  There is a kind of peace that the sun brings as it rises or sets.  This time was no different, at first.  My parents and my brother had decided to go watch me surf for awhile.  I gave them directions to where they could view me at the closest distance and reminded them that there was only about 30mins of daylight left.  My mom kindly reminded me that surfing in the dark wasn?t the best idea.  I kindly rebuked her idea back.

I usually say a quick prayer before I jump into the water.  Lord give me strength and keep me safe.  The first set of waves came in as I paddled out, and within 15 mins the sun had set.  There were about 25 to 30 of us out there.  That is not always the case, but a swell had come in and everyone was trying the get the most out of the infrequent summer swell.  After the sun sets there is usually about another 15mins of light left during this time most people are catching their last waves into shore... and for about 30 mins I had been waving to my family, with no recognition of my attempts to get their attention.  I was thinking they probably have no idea who I am in this crowd.  Darkness came in quick and leaving again the most dedicated few, or as my mom would put it, those of us without the use of our right minds.  The next big set had begun to come in.  An older man with a longboard caught one of the waves and acted like he didn?t see me as he dissented down the face of the wave.  I quickly yelled ?HO?, and he reacted by replying with a friendly ?HO? and swerving his board to avoid a collision.  Most longboarders know their boards can be deadly to anyone including themselves.  Their single fins can rip a board in half in a second if you are caught in their path.  In this darkness you can?t be to careful I thought as I ducked under the wave.  The moon had come out and shown a path of light down on the ocean.  I sat in the light thinking about how God represents the light.  A cloud soon covered the moon and we were in darkness for a minuet while the cloud passed.  I started thinking of what kinds of clouds I had in my life that would make it difficult for me to see the light.  

The moon soon came back as bright as ever, it can be almost as bright as day out there when the moon is full.  There were about 7 of us left out, then 5, and now just 3 of us remained: the old man with the longboard and a young man about my age with a shortboard like my own.  I looked back up at the moon and I could see a huge formation of dark clouds moving in.  I thought this time we would be in darkness for more than a few minutes.  The old man found a wave and caught it in.  I had begun to look for my ride in when a voice in my head said, ?Do not leave your brother.?  I didn?t know how to respond at first.  I never used the word brother before so it was unusual. I sited I good size wave and started to paddle for it.  Again the words came into my head.  I let the wave go thinking, ?What am I doing? That was my ride in!?  But the voice was still ringing in my head, ?Do not leave your brother.?  I respond, half laughing, ?Lord, he is not my brother; my brother just left with my parents.?  Those words still in my mind I began to paddle as if in search of another wave.  My mind could only come up with one thing, maybe God was going to use me to save this young man from drowning, or worse? a shark.  That word sent shudders down my spine.  Sharks are not uncommon in Hawaiian waters and evening and mornings are feeding times.  Burying that thought away in my mind I watched as the young man caught a wave.  ?Great!? I said, now I can search for my ride in.  But he kicked out and began to paddle back to catch another.  ?Lord, how long is this going to take?? I said, still sitting in the dark.  Another set had begun to roll in; I passed the first few waves until I saw the young man catch his ride in.  Finally, I sighed.

I sat alone in silence, the set waves had gone and I was forced to search in the dark for the odd wave that would take me in.  The silence was soon broken by my heart jumping as the water moved suddenly.  Probably a fish, I thought.  The paddle in was not a short one and the pain medication for my bruised rib had been wearing off.   More movement in the water, at this point I am not sure how much my imagination was taking over.  Images of sharks had begun to fill my mind, fins appearing in every ripple of the water.  My search for a wave became more desperate.  Failing to catch some the smaller waves I began my paddle in.  My thoughts were filled with doubts of why I had done such a thing.  I then asked God as most do in a time of need.  ?Lord help me get back in alive, something is down there, please not a shark Lord, no sharks, I said through a smile and a nervous laugh.?   The pastor that night had mentioned something about a man in Vegas whom he had witnessed at a slot machine.  A beer in one hand and the lever in the other, he would do the sign of the crucifix drink his beer and pull the lever.  I called out to God, ?Why did you leave me in the dark for no reason??  Pain, panic and frustration filled my thoughts.  Then out of the dark a wave came, I caught it lying down.  Then as if on God?s command the moon shown again bright as day.  A voice came into my head saying, ?Just as you did not leave your brother, I will never leave you.?  I began to feel at peace.  I was not left in the dark alone for the sharks; God was by my side the entire time.  The wave had brought me most of the way in and after a short paddle I saw the young man getting out of the water and walking onto the beach.  ?Thank you Lord,? I said ?for teaching me a lesson and reminding me of your promise never to leave us.?  Hebrews 13:5 says, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."   I now know how mysterious God?s ways can be.  I think that this is beginning of many lessons I will learn from studying His word and living for Him everyday.  Now all I had to do was explain and beg for forgiveness from my mom for surfing too late.

Wow, Ereptor!
As you requested, a few corrections...couldn't find more than 1-2 errors, though... (they're in bold)

[Badrang the Tyrant]

 Ereptor, that was a very touching story.  I had no idea you could write like that....

[Ashyra Nightwing]

 Wow, Ereptor. That was...incredible. The magazine has to publish it. If they don't, they are insane.

[Blackeyes]

 Did they publish it?