Beauty in the cold & quiet

This week, I’ve found myself surrounded by beauty so grand it nearly takes your breath away…towering glaciers, still waters, and skies that stretch endlessly. I’ve walked on ice that’s been there longer than memory, flown over rugged peaks in a helicopter, and watched orcas dance through the ocean with awe. And yet, woven into all of this wonder is something bittersweet. Because this is my first cruise without Michael. 

Before I boarded, my heart felt heavy. The last time I was on a cruise, it was with him and those memories linger like shadows in the corners of this journey. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to go. But here I am, six days in, experiencing God’s majesty in ways I never expected. And in the stillness, in the icy winds and the echo of whale songs over the water, I miss Michael so deeply.

He would have been thrilled by every detail…the whales, the glacier, my excitement. He had this way of delighting in the way I would get excited over the smallest of things. He got me in ways that others might overlook or not understand. That’s the kind of love he gave. And as I stand here, wrapped in the chill and the quiet, I ache for him to see it all with me.

But then I remember: he is seeing it…all this and so much more. The God who painted these glaciers and commands the seas holds Michael now. He walks in beauty that far surpasses even what I can see with my own eyes.

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” And in this place, I feel that truth. Creation is singing, even through my sorrow. Even in missing Michael, I find peace in knowing that God’s handiwork is all around and that love never ends in Him.

I’m so grateful I came. Grateful for time with his family. Grateful to feel God’s presence in the majesty of this place, and even in the ache of missing someone so dear.

In the quiet, in the cold, in the reflection of blue on the iceberg—I miss you, Michael. But I know you see so much more now. And I will love you forever and always. 💙