Aiming to go to our prayer cottage,
Our place by the sea
It is hard to reach today
The four a.m. moon faint,
Barely visible reflected in the sea.
The journey feels like forever
I wheel wounded body and soul
Both giving up on me.

I cannot wheel myself further,
No closer to where I want to be,
I call out to You Jesus
Do You see how much I need You?
Will You rescue me?
Even as I think to call out
The thought awakens in my mind,
"Try again to reach me."

In amazement I am here
Outside the Cottage-by-the-Sea,
Wheeling closer, down to the shore
While physical exhaustion drips away
The breeze from the sea fills me.
The tide is high and crashing in,
Sweeping away and sweeping in,
The shoreline by the sea.

The cares of this earthly life
Recede in my heart You've given me.
Your voice speaks in my ears,
Reminding me of what's vital
Of what really needs to be.
My eyes close so I can listen,
Truly hear what You are saying
Here by the Cottage-by-the-Sea.

Hands clasp onto mine.
Pulling me to run beside You free,
I feel Your scars from the nails
O this moment of the sweet-by-and-by
For Jesus' hands have me.
Time slips by as He walks
And I follow without fright
Along the beach by the sea.

He speaks to me in earnest
Waves pouncing at our feet by the sea
I can feel sand between my toes
The toes of both feet as it
Gently occurs to me,
There is only one leg
On this wounded body of mine
Even here by the Cottage-by-the-Sea.

Laughter, joy, amazement erupts
I hear Jesus' laughter next to me
One day, like now, in His presence,
I will walk, rejoice, even dance
Beside Heaven's crystal sea.
Regardless of all of Earth's troubles,
Its miseries and darkness
In this moment I am free
Walking with Jesus
As we laugh by the sea.

---dfav
5/24/21