River Reflections


 

August 31, 2010 09:27

This diary began more than three years ago and later became quiet after a futile transglobaal flight to Boston from Korea. Today I opened it to discover how much has happened since my last days in Korea.


At this time I place the thoughts of others that have touched my life.


The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.



Considering the fact that I'm now finished with the primary story about kayaking a glacial river convergence and the dangers, terrors and spiritual transformation, I find the following story about a young woman's personal moments of terror in a river kayaking incident to be uniquely interesting.

Rescued

Lauren nervously yet excitedly hopped into a one-person kayak for a white-water rafting experience. After strapping herself in, she headed down the river with a group of kayakers and guides.


Lauren became even more nervous when she laid eyes on the falls ahead. Suddenly, as the kayak tossed and turned in the white water, it flipped over. She had been instructed on how to get out quickly if this were to happen. But she became disoriented as she hung upside-down in the water and couldn’t find the release bar to get out. She knew she couldn’t hold her breath much longer and thought she would soon be in the Lord’s presence. Then help came just in time and she was saved. Lauren was very grateful for her rescue from physical death.



  

Why God lends me life.

This little girl from one of my Korean classes could communicate in English fluently. In her eyes I could see a love and compassion that eventually brought about a wonderful meeting with her parents. The love her mother and father had for her was intense, stable and secure. In here eyes was reflected the love of her family and the society within which she was born and grew.

I have recently returned to the west, and in the last year I have discovered many children in this country her age do not have the same light of love I have seen in the eyes of Korean children. It is astounding to find that many people in the west think they live at the apex of human social development; there is a pathetic pride among westerners that makes them think they are better than any other nation on earth. This pride is the reason permission has been given to take whatever action is necessary to protect the children of the west. 

Pride comes before a fall and now the meek of the earth take up positions as they assume responsibility for the weak and powerless.


 

September 3, 2010 06:49

Today is the beginning of a short vacation, one that people look forward to but as it was for me in Korea, a lonely time,  it remains the same here in the west, meaning vacations are simply times away from the children that give me reason to remain in this world. So with this vacation my heart turns to look back to my place of birth on a small island in a glacial flood plain. 

The battle I deal with is whether my desire to return is selfish or simply in keeping with the directive to love my Father with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. With three days of isolation, I have no desire to sit behind a computer but to be out in the last warm days of this year. 

I am considering going back to camp one more time; to sleep under the stars and hear the waters flowing by. Every body needs to be loved and feel the warm embrace of the One who loves them the most. However, this place I desire to go is the same island I wrote about in the story of the Convergence; it means I would have to risk my life to reach this island because, as the story makes clear, the island sits in the middle of a river filled with many dangerous factors. It would not be an exaggeration to say that one must risk their life to reach this island but no other island will do. 

I could say that I have gained some experience having come and gone through the many death traps, but the fact remains that experienced gained has been gained when the river had a particular character in an every changing environment; what I became experienced with two months ago may be very different now. The river may be much colder due to the longer nights, it may have higher waters which would leave no landing area for my kayak.  But as the old story goes, my father came walking out amidst the fearful waters and asked me to come to Him; if I keep looking at the fearful surroundings, I will surely fail but if I can keep my eyes on Him I may yet be able to reach His waiting hand.

I have no idea if there is any purpose in writing words here. When life comes down to living for vain hopes that something you do may help another through a medium where you never see or hear from those who may read your words, it just serves to make the real touch of my Father something worth risking my life to have. I simply want to feel His amazingly mysterious healing embrace that lifted me from this world of broken dreams.

September 4, 2010 09:25

Yesterday was wonderful with the chance to share the river story with children and again so many could see immediately how my Father cared for me and who He is. Yesterday was also the last day of school for three days with no work currently scheduled for Tuesday, the first day back. 

Yesterday was also my first attempt to return to the glacial river since the days in the convergence. Judging from what I remembered about what I saw during the efforts to escape on the third day, I was able to locate a way to the river by a very rough and dangerous road through the thick back woods that brought me right up to the side of the river; what I saw was fearfully awesome, the river had changed.  Though the river presented its unquestionable "One Way" trip potential, I did see something off in the distance of the river and that was the island where I had stayed for three days.

I learned yet another important lesson about life and departure and that is, looking at the river as a flow of time; from one's birth to death there is a season and time for all things. My initial entry into the convergence which was very much like an entry into death, was a late entry and with all people who cling to life the process of death will be painful and tumultuous, However, yesterday as I stood before the awesome current that can't be opposed, my first view was one filled with fear and nervousness with the thought of slipping my kayak back into these waters. However, just a short walk down the river and I noticed that the power flow headed directly for the island. I would be possible to entry the river with my kayak and reach the island but the now highly elevated level of water and awesome power of the flow would make any attempt to leave the island very difficult. 

Father has set a time and that is a joyful thought, and He has set a way that involves no struggle of battles with unknown currents or submerged forests and sandbars; it's a straight shot with a smooth ride to a place my heart had dreamed of and just tow months ago was able to enter a bliss, joy and peace I have never before experienced in this world. Can't wait!

New photo will be put in Chapter 13 soon that reveal the river as it is now in the fall as well as its immensity and power.


The next major writing if it is the right action, will be directed at resolving the Far East connection to all of what is happening in US immigration challenges and the twenty five years spent helping these kind people. Something is going on in this country and no power can stop what has been started. I'm here for one reason and that is to facilitate acclimation to the new a an ancient system and  their present position as influential new "landlords."



September 5, 2010 09:16

What happened in the convergence continues to have a major influence in my life. My ability to respond to matters that touch my life are perceived through the mind and eyes of The One I met on the island. The usual vexatious sound of skateboarders out my window at ten at night no longer keep me awake but now these sound come to me as comforting sounds of young boys striving to make the most of their confined life in a lonely arctic city  The clatter and roller sound mixed with their voices that congratulate and encourage other neophytes to the sport are as soothing to me here in the city of Fairbanks as the sounds of the river was from the island. I become more aware of the convergence of daily life and those caught in its unseen currents. 

September 6, 2010 10:18

Last night while running I had a chance to read the story about the convergence. I made it to chapter 8 and realized that what I had been reading is not something from my own thoughts. I was reading the story as if I were hearing it for the first time as if I had just acquired the story from a friend and began to read it. Slowly I'm beginning to understand what is happening.

My recent return trips to positions up stream from the convergence have presented me with an awesome view of the glacial river that both strike fear in my heart and yet also present a very tempting desire to travel a path I better understand. From this point on the events on the island though wonderful and mystical can become a distraction from what I must attend to with my companion I met there. Desiring anonymity due to human nature's propensity to describe an individual by physical appearance rather than the more essential traits of character and personality, honoring this request is essential.


September 7, 2010 21:02

Whatever happened in the convergence is something incredibly intense. I didn't detail my encounter on the island because Who I met returned with me. It is a true statement to say that I never survived the events of the convergence.


 

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