Traveling has its ups and downs. Most likely the corrupt is Dengue Fever, a tropical virus past through the pesky mosquito. Me and 9 other people from the trip to Haiti seemed to have been struck by that same darn mosquito. This weekend was the worst with a fever, muscle aches, headaches, and bloody noses. Fortunately though, I think I have passed through the valley of shadow of death and getting closer to the quiet streams.
Last night I was getting antsy after being sickly for so long and needed to get out of the house and connect with God. I grabbed my Bible, journal, ipod and headlamp and went down to the shore. The grass was still damp from the rain. I stood for a moment looking out at the black water and felt drawn to take the kayak out. I don’t think I have ever gone kayaking in the dark before but it seemed like a good way to shake off the lethargic haze my body had been submitting to.
So I embarked with my headlamp and ipod leaving behind the Bible and journal. With worship feeding my ears I gently paddled out onto the still lake. The thought crossed my mind to stay close to the shoreline in case I lost balance. But after a moment I was bored and wanted to venture out of my cove. So I paddled onward out of the cove into the vast expanse of liquid darkness.
I was singing along to some worship recorded back in the past but enjoying it as though it was happening at that very moment in time when I saw the sky light up. Lighting. My heart jumped a bit. That thought came again. Maybe I should get closer to shore. I lingered and watched another flash across the sky. It seemed to be in tempo to the music.
I scanned the sky and checked the wind direction. Looked like I was safely upwind of the storm. I was oddly drawn to get closer. I began paddling to the far end of the lake where the storm seemed to be hovering over land about 2 miles away. The music was getting louder and I was too. Singing my lungs out because there was no one around to be embarrassed of.
The concert of lighting was growing as I paddled in to center stage. There were stars directly above me but in front was a grand show. Burst of light lit up the billowing clouds. Streaks flashed down to earth temporarily blinding my eyes. I dare not venture any closer or become one with the ensemble. I began to back paddle reestablishing a comfortable safety of margin. The storm subsided along with my heartbeat.
I was soon drawn to a dark patch of land were no lights flickered. Paddling to the looming trees I wondered what might lie on this foreign land. Was it an island? It was too big to tell. The kayak beached on the flat sandstone. I stretched vertical and pushed though a thicket of branches to find a pine needled covered trail. Did it end to someone’s house or did it make a circle on a desolate island?
The explorer was coming alive as I trotted down the trail. It felt like I was now apart of a divine adventure with God guiding. After a quarter mile I came to a sign marking my spot on a nature preserve peninsula. There looked to be miles of trials. Following a trail along the shoreline I made my way wielding a stick out front to keep the spider webs from sticking to my face. Though it was dark and I had no idea where I was really going I felt an immense peace over me.
I purposely had left my watch back home. How long had I been hiking for? Maybe 2 miles. Seemed like a good distance. I turned around and headed back only to be encounter with a large orange moon rising just over the tips of the pines across the lake. Praises flowed off my lips like a warm breeze as I gave thanks for such a thoughtful and majestic God.
I reached my kayak with the thought that something still needed to be done before floating home. Baptism. Bare, I slipped into the cool lake and fully submerged. All the looming thoughts and feelings of tiredness and sickness were washed off as I broke surface tension. Made clean and whole again I paddled home rejuvenated.
God all wants to connect to us in personal ways. I love nature and God knows it. What do you love? Try connecting to God through it. Maybe it is art, dance, music, study, people, service or something else God has naturally wired you for.
