“You put your left foot in; you put your right foot in and then you shuffle all about.” This dance is no Hokey Pokey; it’s a dance with serious moves, one that every beach lover should know. It’s the Stingray Shuffle. You beach bums out there know what I am talking about. It’s the shuffle you have to perform as you enter the water during stingray season. It’s really quite easy. If you don’t know the shuffle, allow me to give you a dance lesson. Here’s how you do it. Just shuffle your feet back and forth on the ocean floor when you get into the water, which warns the rays you are there. They will clear out.

One summer during a trip to Florida, I had to dance many times as I entered the water. The little stinkers were everywhere. My husband, with some very practical advice, suggested that I consider wearing water shoes. But, no, this gal couldn’t bear the thought of a beach trip without the sand between my toes. So, I passed on his sensible suggestion, as I without good sense typically do, and took my chances. I think I was looking for a good excuse to do some dancing. The waves can draw you into that sort of thing.

The water was calm and clear so I could easily see the activity on the ocean floor. The stingrays were quite fascinating. As I shuffled in, I saw a stingray dart out from near my foot. He scurried away, but settled just a bit away within eyeshot. I watched him bury himself in the sand. It was quite an incredible scene. He nestled down packing the sand on top of him. If I had not watched him bury himself, there would be no way I would have been able to see him. I walked up to him and shuffled again. Off he went doing the same thing. I played like this for quite awhile. It was so intriguing. Stingrays are impossible to see when they decide to burrow themselves in the sand. They are hard enough to spot when they are exposed because they are the exact same color as the ocean floor. I just had to sharpen my dance skills and shuffle the rest of the trip.

Several years ago we took a trip to the Cayman Islands. We went on an adventure to a place called Stingray City. We took a boat ride many miles out through the ocean. Suddenly we saw a sandbar and there were hundreds of stingrays, big stingrays I might add, swimming around in the shallow water of the sandbar. Legend has it (and according to a website) that many years ago local fishermen stopped in the area to clean their daily catch. The fishermen discarded the unwanted fish parts into the water which attracted hordes of Southern Stingrays to the area. As the fishermen would arrive the Stingrays would gather awaiting their free meal. The Stingrays began to associate the sound of a boat engine with their free meal. Eventually local divers realized the rays could be fed by hand and were docile.

The southern stingrays are located in the shallow waters of the northwest corner of Grand Cayman’s North Sound. It is just inside a natural channel that passes through the barrier reef and consists of a string of sand bars that crosses the North Sound from Morgan Harbor to Rum Point.  The area is a popular attraction where the rays are found in abundance and visitors can feed, pet, and interact with the animals.

Of all the experiences I have had in my lifetime Stingray City makes the top of the list. We jumped in the water and suddenly there were hundreds of stingrays swimming with us. We could pet them, feed them, ride them or just stand and watch them as they captivated us with their beauty and grace as they would fly through the water. It was a little unnerving at first, because the expectation was that we were swimming with demons with barbs. Those demon barbs had serrated surfaces like bread knifes that could stab us releasing harmful venom. Or, if attacked near a vital organ could cause death. We were not at Sea World where the barbs on the rays are clipped. No these guys were barbed, and through a freak of nature, they were not armed for harm. They were ready for action, but not the expected kind. They were hungry for gentle interaction. They felt soft to the touch and after being in the water for awhile, I totally forgot I was swimming with what could be deadly creatures. They were gentle, kind, breath taking creatures and I was caught up in their majesty.

My experience with the stingrays reinforced the magnificence and creativity of God. God revealed himself to me through this phenomenon of nature. In those moments I had fellowship with God and I experienced him in a unique way like never before. He gave me a picture of himself, of his power, of his greatness, of his friendship and of his trust.

Who is this God who chooses to create the ocean and stock it full of the most interesting creatures? He did not have to give us such diversity, but He is such a creative mastermind that His gift to us from the ocean and nature in general had to be packed with variety and creativity to stop us in our tracks. I am intrigued by his creation, both big and small.

God has left evidence of Himself in the world He has created for you. Creation is one of God’s ways of communicating himself to you. There are five “nature psalms” in the Bible. They are found in Psalms Chapters 8, 19, 29, 104 and 148. Go to the book of Psalms this week and pick one. You might consider reading one of these as you watch the sunrise or watch the sun set. If you are really lucky, you might have the privilege of sitting by the ocean while you read a nature Psalm. Perhaps you will be vacationing in the mountains. Enhance your experience with the mountains through an inspiring word. In your own back yard, consider reading while you watch a butterfly do her thing or you listen to a gentle rain. Or read a Psalm and then simply marvel at your child and celebrate how she is wonderfully made. Treasure the fact that God chose to create her and chose to give her to you. While reading, my guess is that God will reveal himself to you and touch your heart so you will discover something new about him. All you have to do is look for him. I promise, he is there waiting to extend his heart, his hand and all of who he is. Take him in and rest in the creator today. The music of his love just might move you to praise him with a dance.