See

Lighthouses don't dot the landscape of central Kansas. My "skyscrapers" are windmills and grain elevators.

But for Thanksgiving, we visited our son, Brent, who is pursuing a master's degree at the University of South Carolina. Before we joined him for our shrimp and grits Thanksgiving meal in Columbia, we did some sightseeing in historic Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C.

One of my favorite stops was Tybee Island, a few miles from Savannah, where we watched the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean.

The day before, we had climbed the 178 stairs to the top of the Tybee Lighthouse. Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th Colony in 1732, the lighthouse has been guiding mariners' safe entrance into the Savannah River for more than 270 years. While it's been rebuilt a number of times, a lighthouse has been a constant on the landscape.

We hadn't specifically planned to go to Tybee Island, but when I saw the brochure about the lighthouse in our motel lobby, I asked to go.

There's a mystery to lighthouses. We envision the beacon of light leading boats to safety. We imagine the lighthouse keeper dutifully climbing the circular staircase to keep the light shining and protect sailors from crashing on rocky reefs.

In the light of day, you don't see the bulb and the glow until you reach the pinnacle of the lighthouse. But it's there, ready to shine when the day turns to night.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Soon after we returned home from our trip, I opened an email Advent devotional from Guideposts, which made me again think about the lighthouse:

Vision. That's what faith is all about - vision to see beyond the bleakness that surrounds us to the brightness of better days; vision to see the possibilities, and not just the problems, in people. Vision to believe ... and wait. If you are struggling with an "unanswered" prayer, take heart. See God bending toward you in love. Then believe that He is working on your behalf - because He is!

God is like that lighthouse. When we were at the top, we had 360-degree vision. The view stretched for as far as the eyes could see.

He's always there, shining his Light. He will open our eyes. Whether we are about to hit the rocky reefs or are sailing along on calm seas, He is there. We just need to look and truly see.

***
Vision in the Kitchen

You've heard that carrots are good for eyesight, right? So here's the food portion of Food for Thought this month. I eat plenty of carrots, but, unfortunately, they don't seem to be working on me. But it's a tasty dish anyway.

Roots at 500 is better than the photo looks, I promise. It's chockful of root vegetables - russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, beets and, yes, carrots. Enjoy!