Transcript:
You're looking at the South Pacific Ocean right there, as far as the eye can see. I'm just completely amazed...
...Back in Hawaii once again, it's a little earlier in the day than it was yesterday. We don't need the spotlight, which is exciting, but how about that view, though. Man, ocean for as many miles as you can count; as far as your eye can see, and that's what I got to wake up to this morning.
I'm just so thankful, just to have woken up and seen what I got a chance to see.
This morning we got our wake up call at 7 rather than 6:30, which is really late in the morning for y'all...(around noon)...but at 7 we were able to come out on the balcony and the sun was rising as we were stretching. My roommate's from Michigan State, but I like him anyways. And I got to see the sun just shining on the water, and to see it glistening off the waves and taking in a sight I've never seen before, and it made me appreciate this life so much. You know, I've been around for 22 years, and I know some of you have been around longer than that, but to think that after 22 years, God is still showing me something daily that I've never seen before is thrilling and amazing and encouraging to know that I haven't come close to seeing it all.
Mom, this is for you. I was a stubborn kid. I thought I knew the answers to the world when I was 8 years old. So for the past 14 years, I've fought with my mom, grandma, and dad about what I thought I knew. And see, God doesn't deal with that. My parents might let me win, but God shows you every single day that there are things you know nothing about. I'm just so thankful for that.
That ocean right over there...it's amazing to think of HOW BIG it is. I actually went in. I went in up to my neck. It's hard for me. I'm not a big fan of the ocean. I don't mind lakes, but a few years ago a baby bull shark kept hittin my legs off the coast of Carolina. I know it's weird for a 20 year old (at the time) to be freaked out by a baby anything, but now I view all oceans as "shark territory." But I overcame it, and Cook and I went out there and hung out and just had a fun time taking it all in.
Tomorrow, I go to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and I get to see the USS Arizona sitting under that vast body of water. And along with that, I plan on using the time I'm here to take in as many of God's miracles of nature as I can, because they give me an appreciation for things back on the mainland. You see, God created all these things, this ocean, those mountains, and everything that I can take in here, but He also created everything in South Bend too. They might not be as spectacular...to the naked eye...but I think we need to put on a pair of glasses where we look beyond what we see everyday. And when we're driving, we can see God in people interacting, and see God in animals running, and God in trees growing. And it's just a slap in the face that I have to come to "paradise" to find true paradise back home.
You see, Paradise is a life with Christ. Millions of people come to Hawaii and call it paradise, but not as many people can say that no matter where they are. We have that ability. We have the ability through Christ to stand anywhere in the world, at any stage of our life and find paradise, because we know someday we will find eternal paradise.
So there you have it. I have to run to Dave & Busters, but I'm gonna try to skip out early.
To everyone who sees this and my mom who reads the transcript. I love y'all.
Mahalo.
Bobby
