Big and Little Things

I woke up this morning with a thought; it was as though someone had spoken it in my ear.  Since Chris is out of town, I am quite certain that no one said it aloud, but it was there just the same.

God is the God of the universe.
He is the God of your home.

He is God of the infinite and unknowable.
He is God of the finite and familiar.

That's it.  That was the thought put in my head just before I awoke.

This set me on a path of thinking how sometimes I struggle to remember that God is in control of the big things in life: Will my children turn out okay? Who will they marry? What will I be doing in ten years?  Things like that.

But sometimes, and probably more often, I struggle with remembering God is in control of the little things in life: Why are we having so many car problems? Where is that library book? What should I do today?

Not sure why the thought came to me this morning. Maybe big, weighty events will occur today. Certainly little, seemingly insignificant things will occur. Either way, I think remembering that God is there and in control will be good for me.

Not All Puppies, Rainbows and Unicorns

Some weeks are harder than others, for sure.  This past week has been such around here.

On Thursday, Molly's car pretty much self-destructed.  We ended up having to replace both front tie rods, the radiator, the fan and a ball joint thingy (I am so not a car expert, but it all sounded bad!)

On Saturday morning, Chris got a call that his older brother Shannon committed suicide after a lifelong struggle with alcoholism and depression.

On Sunday, our Ridgeline was in an accident.

It was just one thing after another all weekend :(

Yet, through it all, God has shown himself faithful and good!  The PT Cruiser imploded at the Mall of America and not on a freeway, so Molly and Nina were both safe and unharmed.  Likewise, no one was injured in the accident on Sunday.

Even in Shannon's death, God has shown himself as a comforter.  Truthfully, for many years we have been expecting to receive a call that Shannon had died.  As sad as it sounds to those outside the situation, we are thankful that he didn't die homeless on the streets, but was living with caring people at the time of his death.

As I read Psalm 94 this morning I was comforted by these words, "When I thought, 'My foot slips,' your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul."    -Psalm 94:18,19

So despite the difficulties in which we currently live, we are hopeful and full of peace because God is just as much God in affliction and difficulty as He is when everything is puppies and rainbows.

How Did I Survive?

I've been going through a lot of old pictures the past few weeks, getting ready to put together a slide show for Nina & Molly's graduation next summer.  I know it's still a ways off, but come January (when the grand baby is due), I will pretty much be useless for anything but holding the baby!

Since both girls pre-date digital photography, I have to scan in pictures of them prior to about 2004.  Looking at all these old pictures, I am really not quite sure how I survived all the cuteness that was going on around here.

I have proof....

Yes, it is no small miracle that my brain didn't just explode from cuteness overload!

We Thrived

Not only did we survive our little wilderness adventure, we thrived in the wild.  It was yet another amazing time paddling, portaging, swimming, singing, eating, relaxing, and rock jumping.

Never has the Quetico heard so many Disney tunes, sung with so many different lyrics, at so many hours of the day!  We woke up to very loud loons most mornings, and went to bed to somewhat quieter loons each night. We watched a pair of bald eagles whose nest was just across a little bay from us. We ate lots of very tasty wild blueberries.  We paddled through rivers of lily pads.

We got many scrapes, cuts and bruises. We drank a lot of lake water. We laughed.  We slept.  We thrived!

My sister Deb and I talked a lot about how thankful we were that our mom began this tradition of going to the Boundary Waters/Quetico.  She had to be almost 50 when she started going in, and she proceeded to make trips for 20+ years.  I believe she was 71 when she made her last trip in.  Molly, Nina and I were privileged to take two trips in with her.  She taught us so much about how to thrive in the wilderness - how to eat well and pack light.  Because of my mom's adventurous spirit, Molly has now been into the Boundary Waters/Quetico FIVE times.  She was only nine when she went for the first time, and even then she was portaging Duluth packs. Now she can portage a canoe like a pro.

I am hoping this is a tradition that will continue for many, many years!

Home

Three tents, three hammocks

Lots of trees and rocks

And you should see their muscles now after the trip!

Free water massage

Looking down on our campsite - we're at the cleared spot across the bay

A little rock jumping after lunch

Our view every night

The happy campers waiting for our tow

And Away We Go

We head out early tomorrow morning for our little adventure in the Boundary Waters. 

Very much looking forward to getting away from the civilized world and resting my heart and mind.

We'll be out of touch until Monday evening.

So long.
Farewell.