What a Day at the Beach !

On our trip to Florida we had many wonderful and amazing experiences. But this one is one of the strongest in my mind.

We were at Siesta Beach in Florida. It is one the world's best beaches. Fine powder white sand. Beautiful clear blue water.

It was the fourth day of our vacation and late in the afternoon. It was the first time that Triece and I actually got into the water. It was a touch chilly but soon our bodies were used to the water. Stan retreated to the beach to lay in the sun. Mom was sitting near the life guard shack visiting Dad's cousin Gertude.

Our first neat experience was when Triece was standing in the water and a flock of hundreds of seagulls soared round and round and round Triece. I knew that she was feeling blessed in this moment. (Seagulls are her sign from her son, Jeremy)

As we stood in the water we could see people farther out standing on a sandbar. There were several dads with their children playing out there. Triece and I decide to go to the sandbar too. It was several yards out. The deepest spot we went through was up to our chins and then we were on the sandbar. We were standing in water knee deep. About that time the dad's and their kids went back to the beach and Triece and I were the only ones out there.

I had a water camera and took a couple of pictures of us. We were enjoying the view out there. I was just about to tell Triece when we were here with Cindy, Tadd and Kayla that Stan and Cindy were out here on a sandbar finding sand dollars and Stan felt a little creeped out because he felt like it was a good place for sharks. I was looking around and thinking about that and I was just about to tell her that and say we should go back to the beach. And then....Triece said, "Tell me I am not seeing what I'm seeing" As I looked where she pointed I saw a big dark spot under the clear water probably 40 feet away. My mind said it could be sea weed..... No. My mind said it could be a school of fish.....NO. Triece was waiting for me to tell her it was okay.....it was not what she thought. But as it came closer I knew it was a shark. It was a big shark. It was about 5 feet long. Moving slowing with it's tail moving back and forth. It moved parallel to beach. In the chin deep water we had waded through. If we had been in the water we would have not seen it, but since we were standing on the higher sandbar we could see it swimming closer to us. It stayed under the water.... 30 feet away...parallel to the beach.

My mind was thinking....how could you get help from the life guard....it would be too late. I could see my mom and reached up to wave my hat at her..maybe get some attention....then I thought I better not move at all...do not make any noise.....the shark moved closer...20 feet away...parallel to the beach.

I thought I brought my friend to Florida and I can't let her get bit by a shark. I took one small small step in front of her.

Triece said "What do we do?" I said "Act like it is a big dog and Do not move"

I started praying "Dear Lord Jesus...Dear Lord Jesus...." over and over.

Then it got straight in front of us....between the beach and the sandbar.

10 feet away.

And then my prayer became "Dear Lord Jesus Christ...Dear Lord Jesus Christ" as the shark made a direct turn and came toward us. Seriously...I could not believe this was happening. Triece was silent the whole time. We were standing arm in arm, close as can be. If the shark bit he would get both of us. I told her to pray. She was silent.

The shark was 3 feet in front of us...still below the water....coming straight at us. The dark shape was before us....it's nose was blunt....the body was flat and so wide....it was a bull shark...they are known to bite....I nudged Triece with my elbow and said "Pray with me...."Dear Lord Jesus Christ....Dear Lord Jesus Christ......" It moved a little closer...I nudged her harder.."PRAY" Together with eyes wide open never leaving the dark shape before us we prayed "DearLordJesusChristDearLordJesusChrsit"

The shark finally turned and started swimming parallel to the beach again...back in the chin deep water.

We stood in place. I was now praying "Dear Lord Jesus...Dear Lord Jesus" not so much for Triece and me but for others on down the beach.
Neither of us had screamed out "SHARK !!" Do you alarm others playing in the water? Would anyone believe what we saw?

We still stood quiet on the sandbar...praying that no one got bit. Lord, please don't let a child get bit as we watched and did not warn others. As the shark swam away from us we watched it until we could no longer see it under the water. I continued with my prayer until I felt the shark must have gone on by the others in the water.

Then we knew we had to go back across the channel of water that was chin deep to go back to the safety of the beach. Triece and I held on to each other as we moved as quickly through the water as we could.

When we got to the beach we told others we saw a big dark shape under the water. A group of women said that dolphins are seen out there often. At first we let our minds relax and think we were out there with a dolphin. And that would have been neat. We even went back into the water. But as Triece and I talked about it we knew for sure that this was a shark. We were close enough to see it because it came close enough to see us. Dolphins and sharks move differently. Dolphin tails move up and down. Shark tails move back and forth....YES IT DID. Dolphins have to come up for air about every 10-15 minutes. Sharks do not....IT DID NOT...not once come up for air.

I wish we knew how long we watched the shark....it seemed like a long time...it seemed like a short time....it seemed like TOO much time.

I cannot believe that happened. I cannot believe I was in the water with a shark looking at me. It was an amazing adventure with my friend beside me. Since no one got hurt I am happy to have had this WOW experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Thank You...Dear Lord Jesus Christ....for keeping us safe.

This is not the actual shark we saw.... I had a water camera but was not going to raise a camera over my eyes to take a picture....I was not going to move at all. This picture is off the internet and looks like what we saw. The fin was always below the water as it moved along the sandy bottom.

What a day at the beach!!!!

Julie's Benenfit

What a wonderful experience to be able to help with a benefit for Julie.
It took so many to make this one of the best benefits that people have seen.
It took a planner, a note taker, a cordinator.....Thank God for her.
It took donation getters.....Thank God for them.
It took donation givers....Thank God for them
It took basket makers....Thank God for them.
It took food planners and servers...Thank God for them.
It took runners for supplies....Thank God for them.
It took set up and take down people ...Thank God for them.
It took sellers and buyers, or rather, givers...Thank God for them.

But all the planning and doing would not have been successful without all the friends and family that showed up to support Julie.....Thank God for them.

The benefit would not have been one of the best without Julie...she is the one who all the people showed up to help....the one who people were inspired to give $18,000 to. ....Thank God for Julie.

It took the leader, the girl with the smile, the inspiritation...Thank God for Julie.

You have blessed Julie with family and friends.....Thank you God.

What an amazing experience to share with so many different people.