Mary Pat Johns, Victoria Advocate, 10/17/21
Gotta love getaways! My husband and I recently took advantage of a short trip to South Padre Island. This past summer was so busy, we despaired of going anywhere, but once we’d made reservations at our favorite resort, we both breathed deep sighs of relief.
As we drove across the Queen Isabella Causeway, the sea gleamed turquoise blue with small white caps. Long walks on the beach, the ever-changing colors of the sky and ocean, and visiting a few favorite haunts all spelled rest and relaxation. We ate at new restaurants, dropped by Sea Turtle Inc. to see the latest rescue turtles, and took a sunset cruise. We had the best seats on the boat when a couple of dolphins swam along beside us in the boat’s wake—so close we got splashed while they played in the water. The grand finale was an air show happening on another part of the island. We watched the aerial acrobats from our spot on the water, fireworks and all. So much fun.
As pleasant as all that was, my favorite highlight proved to be a sand sculpture contest. The first night we walked on the shore, an enormous sandcastle popped up on the beachfront of a neighboring hotel in a matter of hours, advertising many of the local landmarks. In the next three days, other sand sculptors joined in with vast piles of sand and oodles of creativity. A local or two competed, but the majority of the participants had plied their trade all over the world—nomadic life must be a pre-requisite for embracing the artistic world of sand.
It was fascinating to see how the artists persevered through several small rain showers and one day of heavy thunderstorms. Their collective laidback attitude made an excellent point. Why fuss when something is entirely out of our control, like the rain?
It became my mission to check the different stages of development, sometimes twice a day, in between walks on the windy beach. Surprisingly enough, I found I enjoyed the process more than the actual results.
One woman created a sandy tribute to SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aspirations in Boca Chica Village in Brownsville. The Starship rocket and its boosters were the main attraction, with program trademarks sprinkled throughout the sculpture. Some finished products fell in the whimsical category, and others made vague political points about the effects of COVID.
My preferred work of art, aside from the SPI banner, was the giant face of a man looking toward heaven. The one-word title of the piece was “Fallen.” The man’s expression was poignant, brimming with profound meaning. The artist captured the perpetual state of every human who has ever lived. We all fall short of the glory of the One True God.
It’s also what sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Most religions are about how man reaches out to God. In other words, man does all the work. But the essence of Christianity is how God reached out to man. He knew we could do nothing about our plight, so He made a way. I Peter 1:20 says God chose Jesus as our ransom long before the world began.
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we no longer look to the heavens in despair. Instead, our relationship with God is restored. Of course, we still have a fallen nature, but the spirit of God comes to live inside us—hope for our best life in the here and now and eternal life with God.
Unlike the sandcastles, that truth won’t wash away. It lasts forever.