April 4th: Paddle forward

The story...

I woke before my traveling partner on Cherokee Lake in the BWCA.  It took a lot of work to paddle and portage in the day before - I actually carried our canoe over the Continental Divide.  It was way worth it - beautiful and serene.  We were the only group camped on the secluded lake that day.  We actually trolled for, caught, and ate lake trout the night before.  It was a crisp sunny morning on the island - you know I was actually cold.  Yet, my morning hour was one of the best parts of this canoe-only accessed wilderness. 

Someone told me how surprised they were of what they saw and learned by focusing on one square yard of earth for one-half hour.  I invested the time, on this rocky island and was surprised and thankful for what I witnessed.  There's a lot going on around us that we aren't aware of.   I actually saw a bug die, disassembled by ants, and pulled down a hole into the earth.  The close observation seemed to fill in missing pieces of the bigger view of Cherokee Lake - what's really going on.

Take a paddle from the island we camped on.

Life's worked out in the present.  I hope that the only church in town would teach about what God's done, who He is, who we can be in Christ, and the reasons for our hope.  Yet, the group would primarily focus on working out their faith, walking humbly with God, in the present - in actuality.  How about taking another look around already?

Just for today...

"Today I'll be keenly aware of my senses. I will think about what I am experiencing at this moment. I won't let the beauty of this day slip by unnoticed." Courage to Change  (p. 95)

"A searching and fearless moral inventory helped me see myself in a balanced way. This humble and realistic view of my gifts and shortcomings helped me forgive myself and in turn forgive others..." Hope for Today (p.95)