By PATTIE MIHALIK

newsgirlcomcast.netEmotional bubbles from deep within escape my lips in one single word of praise. OOOOOHHHHH.It's more like a long intake of breath, but in a profound way, it's prayer.I am a solitary worshipper at the edge of the sea, caught up in one meaningful moment. I realize deep within this is not just a typical beach experience. It's a true worship service.I didn't expect this Sunday sunrise service when I climbed a sand dune far from home instead of climbing customary church steps.Yet, here I am, feeling a oneness with the creator, learning what true worship means.Dawn is still new enough to bathe the earth only in softness. There is but a single beacon of light, yet its brilliance is intense, its power is overwhelming.The Light draws me in ways I don't fully understand. What I do understand deep within me is that the Light is the power behind life.I have seen seashore sunrises many times before. I have watched in fascination as the sun seems to rise from its ocean bed.I have marveled on countless mornings as a new sun paints the welcoming sky with a red and gold paintbrush.Today is different for me in that there seems to be a strange, mystical power about the Light.The sea obeys the Light, shimmering in its presence, softening the sound of the waves. The sea understands that silence sometimes can say everything.It is then that I know I am in the midst of a worship service too meaningful for words.Normally, during any church service, I have a lot of silent conversation with God. I talk. I listen. It works.Today, something else is at work. I feel more than just the beauty of the setting. I feel a strong communion with the creator.There is no need for words. I have no litany, no petitions, no formal prayer. My song of praise has never been simpler:Thank you. Thank you from the depth of me.Sometimes I pray with a lot of words. Too many words. But there are profound moments like this when I know two words are all I need.Thank you.When an appreciation for life and the beauty of this world need to be acknowledged, a heartfelt thank you says it all.As I sit in front of the sea, I think about my life. I think about the mountains I've climbed and the valleys I've weathered.Every life has those peaks and valleys. Sometimes surviving them is a minor miracle. Sometimes it's a major one.I think of the miracles in my own life and a profound sense of gratitude fills me.Sometimes, instead of letting life go by in a rush, it's good to take a good long pause to reflect where we've been and to appreciate the roads we have traveled.Today is that time for reflection. I do a lot of reflection in my life. But today, this time in front of the sea brings new revelations. Most of all, it intensifies my gratitude for life.When I think about the richness of my life I reflect on the blessings of family, both those who are with me and those who have passed from this life.They may be gone, but their goodness and the love they showered on me remains inside me. Thinking of the lives of loved loves who passed before me helps me remember I come from strong stock. Sometimes that gives me strength when I need it. Today, it gives me immense gratitude for all that was showered on me.I have always enjoyed walking in old cemeteries, especially those that have tombstones with epitaphs.If epitaphs were still in fashion, what message would I leave behind?As I sit here on the shore washed in my own sea of gratitude, I think my epitaph would be: She appreciated all of life.A few sandpipers come by followed by a lone pelican and some gulls. I appreciate the uniqueness of each one as they search for their early morning breakfast.There is a peace here that adds to my contentment as I conduct my own little worship service.During this worship service, I sing a silent song of praise, praise for life and for all of creation.Just as I eat to nourish my body, I go to church each week to feed my soul. If I were home now instead of enjoying a faraway respite, I would be listening to Father Jerry's message, applying it to my own life. I always walk away from church knowing how much I have gained from being there.But today's solitary service at the edge of the sea reaffirms something I have long believed."Church" that starts in the soul is the most powerful of all worship.