We were camped for one night on an island on big kekekabic lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness. The scenery was beyond what words can ascribe to natures raw beauty. High cliffs and rock areas as large as a small town lined the edges. 100 yards out from the north island side found 180 feet deep of crystal-clear-lake trout fishing water.

The next morning the winds came up as we packed up camp to travel another 7 lakes with portages in-between. The four of us gathered on the island edge to study the fast whitecapped waves between us and the closest shoreline where we planned to go. The stretch of water we needed to cross was in a wind tunnel. We couldn’t see them well so everything looked ok from our island. “I think we can make it” said our young and somewhat experienced canoeist. “It looks doable” said my teen age grandson. We looked at my newly retired neighbor to see what he thought. “I am going with the opinion of the one who has led groups up here over 70 times” said my neighbor looking at me.

I looked at the treetops swaying wildly in the wind and felt the crosswind gusts. we were protected on our side of the island. I have been in this position before and chose wrong. “We have a little less than a mile of wind tunnel that we are crossing by the time we are to the next portage. Each canoe has about a 50% chance of making it without tipping in those waves. Maybe.” I said. “The water is cold enough, so you have about 10 minutes to rescue yourself before your muscles do not work anymore. If one canoe tips the other canoe will want to rescue them. It’s almost impossible to rescue in these waves, then you have 4 people in the water too far from shore to make it. As long as we stay on the island, we have a zero percent chance of tipping. That’s” my opinion ” I said. My Neighbor spoke up, “I’m trusting the experienced opinion”; the young guys nodded yes.

After a late afternoon meal, the wind died down and the waves were much lower, slower and less angry. The waves were still white-capped when we shoved off. The portage was straight across from us, but the waves were still to big to be side swiped in a canoe. The plan was to go at an angle into the waves until midway across the highest section of waves. When a lull in the wind gusts died down, we would turn the canoe around to angle across the wind tunnel and ride the waves toward the portage.

Even with less wind and smaller waves, we all felt the adrenaline of the rough water and building courage of navigating properly. Thankfully the big waves had turned into big rollers that propelled our canoes forward rather than washing over the end of the canoe. After we made it to the portage, each guy made it known then and later around the fire how grateful we didn’t try to tackle waves three times higher than what canoes could safely handle. “How did you know the waves were so big? They didn’t look big to me. I don’t think I could handle any bigger waves than the smaller ones after the wind died down,” said our better experienced young man. I told him a couple other stories about myself tipping canoes in those kinds of waves and lived to tell.

Nature in the raw is truly ruggedly beautiful. Beyond description. We found a campsite out of the wind. Grateful. God’s handiwork is so awesome and overwhelming that how could we not experience God by experiencing nature? It’s a common misconception voiced around the campfire. Nature settings are like being in God’s 3D art gallery.

God’s clues are so many! One can experience peace in the gurgling brook and the morning sunrise. One’s smallness is real also in the mysterious aura felt around the evening fire as the wolves moan, the frogs croak and a large animal walks in the water. There are (quite sure) a zillion stars out there to be viewed from ones tent site. I love natures clues.

Natures sense of peace is between the storms. God’s peace is in the midst of the storm. 

Visit the wilderness enough and one will experience all that happens in nature. A beautiful sunrise in the east may lure you into the middle of a big lake while the western skies may prepare the storm of the century. I have a hundred stories where “mother” nature does not care about us. But, God cares.

 Nature is not tame and from all indications neither is God.

If you want to meet God, in nature or right where you are now, just ask. God will meet us anywhere. He is God and calls the shots. Consider what He has promised in scripture.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

There’s so much more if you care to look it up!

I love getting into nature. I still see it as God’s living room (my thing I guess) and I meet him there but only because I have a relationship with my creator. It’s my most important relationship. We talk and I listen as well. There is much to see, hear and understand. Peace comes from God and not nature, but what a great back drop for allowing God to work on this scruffy specimen of a follower of Jesus. What a great place to fellowship and dine, in God’s living room.

Gary