We startled a bald eagle during our hike along Lake Michigan last Sunday.
It was a large adult, hard to tell whether male or female. We estimated the wing span at well over six feet across. Females are actually the larger bodied of bald eagles, so a more experienced bird watcher would have known for sure.
After only a few graceful sweeps of powerful wings, the eagle settled into a gently banked glide. I was too slow with my camera to get the shot, but we figured she would swing back toward shore.
For the next 10 minutes or so, we watched this beautiful creature ride the wind.
Not that you could see the wind. Since she was rising up over the huge lake, there were no trees swaying or limbs bending to add perspective. There was only the slow spiraling path of this giant bird, wings extended and locked. She flew on and up, with confidence and purpose unknown to us.
Although unseen, we could easily trace the busy air currents around her. The eagle would bank and slowly spiral up, like someone ascending the nearby lighthouse staircase. Then she leveled out until the next updraft took her curving up and up and up.
Soon she was disappearing from view, a hundred yards up, two hundred yards out over the big lake, then further, a black cursor being typed across the backdrop of clouds. Then she was gone, only an unseen trail of wind-crafted spirals left in the sky.
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8
What do you believe?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
30 years ago - Guest Blogger's Ferry Story
In response to my last post about the car ferry, an older gentleman sent this response. Read on to learn the Spiritual connection of the two posts. I call these types of events, "divine appointments."
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From the Guest Blogger:
"It was a fall day and my Mother and I were heading north for a relaxing weekend. We left the city at noon, and soon decided to break away from interstate traffic and take the car ferry river crossing instead.
We found ourselves peacefully alone as we left the interstate, and the rolling wooded bluffs were beautifully dressed in brilliant yellows and reds of autumn. All of a sudden our privacy was invaded by one, and then two-then six cars bumper to bumper headed in the opposite direction. We were about five miles from the Ferry and I guessed that these cars must have just left it from the dock on our side of the river. That meant it would leave without us because of where we were.
In past visits to use the Ferry it seemed that I always arrived at the landing just as it was leaving, or it was on the far shore. I could not really remember being able to just drive up to the ramp and board the Ferry without waiting.
Then I remembered I had heard someone say the Ferry was equipped with a C.B. So I reached for my C.B. mike and called out "Break 19 for the Ferry Captain, I'm on the south bank five miles out, do you have a copy?" A voice came back, "Yes I do, what are you driving?!' "A Nova with a small utility trailer" I answered.
The voice came back "Yes I have room, where are you now, what's your 20?" I responded, "I am on top of the bluff and I can see the wayside and the drive to the dock."
Again the voice came back, "We have room for you, we are waiting, come right on aboard."
We turned the corner and drove onto the boat landing road. There was the Ferry fully loaded, except for one spot on the left side. Without hesitation I drove up the ramp and onto the Ferry. I could see the Captain, the person who had been only a friendly, responding and an encouraging voice just minutes before, smiling down on me from his control room. I gave him a wave and, as I stopped my car and turned off the ignition, the gate of the Ferry closed behind me, and we were on our way.
It was a most pleasurable ride across the big river. I watched the roll of the waves, and scanned the colorful wooded shorelines. Happy children were excitedly running about the deck as smiling parents relaxed and watched in perfect peace. It was like the world had come to a full stop and we were in a place all our own away from the pressures and rush of every day life. I thought, "Perhaps heaven might be much like this." And not too many miles away the interstate traffic was flying away at it 55 MPH plus clip.
As I leaned on the rail, my Christian background caused me to reflect a bit deeper into this beautiful moment. In a sense, my callout on the C.B. to the Ferry Boat Captain was not much different than a callout to God. I had been in this same situation before, arriving at the dock just as the Ferry was leaving the shoreline.
Unfortunately, I arrived without the proper equipment or preparation to call out to be taken along…and I had been left behind.
I could not see the Ferry this time, yet I had the faith it was out there somewhere and close by. I was truly blind, yet I could see. There was an opening for me, yet it was for me to take advantage of it. I decided to ask, and I received. I was called aboard because I believed and let it be known that I wanted to be taken along. Then, I was able to witness the beauty around me, and the happiness of those that were already aboard. We were no longer strangers; we were friends on a friendly sea.
And it all happened because my Mother and I choose to leave the fast lane, the main stream of life. We had decided to turn off, stop, and smell the roses along the way:
Praise ye the way of the Lord.
----------------
Guest Blogger ? My Dad, writing 30 years ago about his own encounter at the car ferry, traveling with my Grandma, now passed on to Jesus. Seems it's a message that God doesn't mind telling more than once...
What do you believe?
----------
From the Guest Blogger:
"It was a fall day and my Mother and I were heading north for a relaxing weekend. We left the city at noon, and soon decided to break away from interstate traffic and take the car ferry river crossing instead.
We found ourselves peacefully alone as we left the interstate, and the rolling wooded bluffs were beautifully dressed in brilliant yellows and reds of autumn. All of a sudden our privacy was invaded by one, and then two-then six cars bumper to bumper headed in the opposite direction. We were about five miles from the Ferry and I guessed that these cars must have just left it from the dock on our side of the river. That meant it would leave without us because of where we were.
In past visits to use the Ferry it seemed that I always arrived at the landing just as it was leaving, or it was on the far shore. I could not really remember being able to just drive up to the ramp and board the Ferry without waiting.
Then I remembered I had heard someone say the Ferry was equipped with a C.B. So I reached for my C.B. mike and called out "Break 19 for the Ferry Captain, I'm on the south bank five miles out, do you have a copy?" A voice came back, "Yes I do, what are you driving?!' "A Nova with a small utility trailer" I answered.
The voice came back "Yes I have room, where are you now, what's your 20?" I responded, "I am on top of the bluff and I can see the wayside and the drive to the dock."
Again the voice came back, "We have room for you, we are waiting, come right on aboard."
We turned the corner and drove onto the boat landing road. There was the Ferry fully loaded, except for one spot on the left side. Without hesitation I drove up the ramp and onto the Ferry. I could see the Captain, the person who had been only a friendly, responding and an encouraging voice just minutes before, smiling down on me from his control room. I gave him a wave and, as I stopped my car and turned off the ignition, the gate of the Ferry closed behind me, and we were on our way.
It was a most pleasurable ride across the big river. I watched the roll of the waves, and scanned the colorful wooded shorelines. Happy children were excitedly running about the deck as smiling parents relaxed and watched in perfect peace. It was like the world had come to a full stop and we were in a place all our own away from the pressures and rush of every day life. I thought, "Perhaps heaven might be much like this." And not too many miles away the interstate traffic was flying away at it 55 MPH plus clip.
As I leaned on the rail, my Christian background caused me to reflect a bit deeper into this beautiful moment. In a sense, my callout on the C.B. to the Ferry Boat Captain was not much different than a callout to God. I had been in this same situation before, arriving at the dock just as the Ferry was leaving the shoreline.
Unfortunately, I arrived without the proper equipment or preparation to call out to be taken along…and I had been left behind.
I could not see the Ferry this time, yet I had the faith it was out there somewhere and close by. I was truly blind, yet I could see. There was an opening for me, yet it was for me to take advantage of it. I decided to ask, and I received. I was called aboard because I believed and let it be known that I wanted to be taken along. Then, I was able to witness the beauty around me, and the happiness of those that were already aboard. We were no longer strangers; we were friends on a friendly sea.
And it all happened because my Mother and I choose to leave the fast lane, the main stream of life. We had decided to turn off, stop, and smell the roses along the way:
Praise ye the way of the Lord.
----------------
Guest Blogger ? My Dad, writing 30 years ago about his own encounter at the car ferry, traveling with my Grandma, now passed on to Jesus. Seems it's a message that God doesn't mind telling more than once...
What do you believe?
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Two Will Reach the Ferry and One Not
We ate lunch at the little diner across from the ferryboat pier. The big Great Lakes boats were swallowing about twenty cars per trip, plus a few bike riders and hikers. Cars and SUV's were lined up about a quarter of a mile waiting their turn to cross.
It was fun to watch all the activity from our table near the big picture window. Some people were trying to catch a quick meal before the next boat arrived. From our vantage point we pieced together some of the dialog unfolding on the sidewalk outside. Young couples and families were debating their options. Go inside and chance it? Or stay near the pier and be ready to go?
Our waitress caught on to what we were doing and shook her head with a friendly laugh.
"You wouldn't believe how some people act when they're caught inside and the boat is loading."
And how was that, we asked?
"Well, some people just run out of here without eating and say they changed their mind. Some ask us to package it up, to go."
"But, the loading doesn't really go that fast," I reasoned, "surely they can judge the boats arrival time and know whether there's time to eat or not."
"That's just it," she gently instructed me, "they don't know. How many people have timed a ferryboat for sure? And the other cars will drive right past their car on the dock and leave them for the next round. Don't think they won't."
People scurrying about to make sure they could board a boat to an island they would return from in a few hours. Jogging back to their cars, running to the ticket window. It seemed comical to us, in part because we could so easily gage the movement of the ferryboat and the number of cars to be unloaded, then loaded.
The end was clear and definable. But the people on the dock couldn't see the whole picture.
The Bible tells us that there will be a clear and definable end of time.
God has the only vantage point from which to judge exactly when this will actually occur.
But there's no need to scurry about.. Jesus taught that anyone believing on His name as God's Son would depart with him and arrive in heaven. You get the ticket, AND...you can continue with your everyday activities, even coffee at the diner, until He's ready.
But like that world weary waitress, I've a feeling that God see's many people trying to cut it too close on the dock.
"I'm not quite ready to decide on Jesus yet. Maybe one more meal, one more belief system, one more peek at the ferryboat to be sure."
The time will come. Two will be on the pier, and one in the restaurant. Where will we be?
Matthew 24:39-44 (NIV)
That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. [40] Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. [41] Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. [42] "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. [43] But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
What do you believe?
It was fun to watch all the activity from our table near the big picture window. Some people were trying to catch a quick meal before the next boat arrived. From our vantage point we pieced together some of the dialog unfolding on the sidewalk outside. Young couples and families were debating their options. Go inside and chance it? Or stay near the pier and be ready to go?
Our waitress caught on to what we were doing and shook her head with a friendly laugh.
"You wouldn't believe how some people act when they're caught inside and the boat is loading."
And how was that, we asked?
"Well, some people just run out of here without eating and say they changed their mind. Some ask us to package it up, to go."
"But, the loading doesn't really go that fast," I reasoned, "surely they can judge the boats arrival time and know whether there's time to eat or not."
"That's just it," she gently instructed me, "they don't know. How many people have timed a ferryboat for sure? And the other cars will drive right past their car on the dock and leave them for the next round. Don't think they won't."
People scurrying about to make sure they could board a boat to an island they would return from in a few hours. Jogging back to their cars, running to the ticket window. It seemed comical to us, in part because we could so easily gage the movement of the ferryboat and the number of cars to be unloaded, then loaded.
The end was clear and definable. But the people on the dock couldn't see the whole picture.
The Bible tells us that there will be a clear and definable end of time.
God has the only vantage point from which to judge exactly when this will actually occur.
But there's no need to scurry about.. Jesus taught that anyone believing on His name as God's Son would depart with him and arrive in heaven. You get the ticket, AND...you can continue with your everyday activities, even coffee at the diner, until He's ready.
But like that world weary waitress, I've a feeling that God see's many people trying to cut it too close on the dock.
"I'm not quite ready to decide on Jesus yet. Maybe one more meal, one more belief system, one more peek at the ferryboat to be sure."
The time will come. Two will be on the pier, and one in the restaurant. Where will we be?
Matthew 24:39-44 (NIV)
That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. [40] Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. [41] Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. [42] "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. [43] But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
What do you believe?
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