Nine Days, No Nights

Wow! What an amazing week I've had - the beauty, the work, the relationships. I'm ready to go back to Alaska. Because I didn't have computer access during my trip, I'll just log it all as I reflect on those twelve wonderful days.

Our trip begin rather hectically when, upon check-in at the Abilene airport we were informed that we did not actually have seats on the plane. The plane was simply too heavy and we were put on standby. In the end, Mom and Dad drove to Dallas while us kids flew with the bags and the rest of the group.

We proceeded to Dallas where we had the roughest landing I've ever experienced. Our group of thirty staked out a spot in which we could wait out our seven-hour layover. Eventually we boarded the plane and landed in Anchorage seven hours later.

Sunday morning we drove from Anchorage to Kenai for church. The Seward Highway (our road for the day) has been voted one of the most scenic drives in America. The mountains rise out of the sea and kiss the sky, filling the horizon.

Our group stayed with host families and we stayed with the wonderful Neil family. Sunday evening they took us four-wheeling. I had never done that before and it was a great experience, even if I did somehow manage to inexplicably break through a bright orange barrier. We drove through the woods, over hills, through creeks, into the mud and all the while we were looking ahead at the mountains.

We learned quickly that our slogan, "Nine days, no nights", was perfect. The sun set around 1 am and then rose again around 4 am. The three hours of "night" were more like dusk. In fact during the summer you can never see the stars because it doesn't get dark enough. By the end of the week we were all exhausted.

On Monday we began our work. A group of ten of us focused on clearing a prayer path. We cleared a quarter-mile trail, laid typar, and dumped 3 inches of gravel over the entire thing. Kudos to those people who pushed those 900 wheelbarrows full of gravel. I shoveled gravel and raked it out which was not a very physically demanding task, but one which took careful precision. One of my key objectives of this trip was accomplished during this time; I wanted to build relationships. I worked side-by-side with people from Highland as I shoveled gravel. But as I was smoothing and packing down the path, I bonded with a couple of the Kenai youth. Briana and Brittany are awesome and I loved our fun and deep conversations.

Also amazing was the food we ate. I can now say that I have eaten moose, caribou, Dall sheep and bear. We also enjoyed large quantities of salmon and halibut. One evening we went to a family's house and had shrimp, caught by them that morning. Talk about fresh seafood! Anyone who has been on a labour-intensive mission trip knows that the people who prepare food for the team are the some of the most important and most adored people around.

We continued working on the prayer path throughout the week while the rest of the group tackled various other projects. These included picnic tables, a fire pit, and a gazebo (fondly referred to as a gazilion as it was really more like a pavilion). Moose were everywhere - along the road, in the flats, in backyard - and one day we had a moose and her two calves walk through our site along the prayer path.

Wednesday evening we began our VBS - Arctic Edge. Those three evenings wore me out! We had eight preschoolers, three of which were special-needs kids. I had so much fun with these children but it certainly was exhausting. The other adults in my room were amazing and handled the children beautifully. The children kept coming each night, so I suppose we did a good job. By the time Sunday morning rolled around, the kids were clinging to us. When I asked a little girl where she wanted to sit during church she announced, "With you, by Trevor". What a wonderful thing to hear.

Saturday, we all went our separate ways to have fun (although I thought the entire week and even the work was fun). Our extremely generous host family took us halibut fishing. We fished out of Homer, stopping our boat about an hour from the harbor. Although we ended up with six halibut, I didn't catch a single one. However, I did pull up a giant cod. Reeling in 150 ft. of line with a 30 lb. fish struggling on the hook, while standing on a boat rocking on the ocean - well, let's just say I had a hard time with that. However, it sure was beautiful. Mountains and glaciers loomed on the horizon. Bald eagles soared overhead and sea otters floated beside us.

Sunday morning we said our goodbyes and our family headed to Seward. In Seward we saw bears - brownies as the locals call the Grizzlies - and more eagles. We hiked up to Exit Glacier, which is part of the Harding Icefield. Close your eyes and you are transported to a time of ice long gone. I could feel the chilled air off of the glacier's face, hear the melting water trickle down, and listen to the ice creak and groan.

Monday consisted of sea kayaking and a wildlife cruise. We kayaked around Fox Island in the cold ocean water. I have to admit I was a bit nervous but of course it was an experience a lifetime. A bald eagle flew by us almost close enough to touch. Starfish lined the rocks along the shore and puffins zoomed around us. Adorable and funny, puffins are my new favourite bird. One little puffin had eaten so much that he couldn't quite take off and fly, but instead bounced across the surface of the water. Our kayaking experience concluded with a delicious salmon bake on the island.

We then boarded a boat for a tour of Resurrection Bay. Dall porpoises escorted our boat, putting on a show as they swam under us and leapt into the air. Sea lions fought on the rocks and bellowed out warnings. By far the most stirring experience that day was the moment when the humpback whales surfaced. A mother, her calf and an "escort" were slowly traveling across the bay. Sleek grey bodies rose from the depths and jets of water shot through blow holes. What a mighty God we serve!

After our humbling experiences on the Kenai Peninsula, we drove to Anchorage on Tuesday and began our journey home. I was not ready to leave but I am ready to go back. Going from the upper 50's to 99 degrees was not pleasant. We went from saying "look, humpback whales" to "look, grackles". The mountains flattened out to plains and the ocean disappeared completely.

The beauty and love that I witnessed on this trip were truly awe-inspiring. Our God is awesome and powerful. He worked in spectacular ways this past week and I think it's safe to say that none of us are the same anymore.

In the words of the Blind Boys of Alabama (Everyone should go out and watch Brother Bear):

There's a bond between us

Nobody can explain

It's a celebration of life

And seeing friends again

I'd be there for you

I know you'd be there for me too

So welcome to our family time

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family spread out across the globe. This week I saw the love of Christ embodied in the welcoming hearts of the Kenai church and the serving hands of the Highland campaigners. Expedition Kenai was a roaring success.

I'm on My Way

Tell everybody I'm on my way

New friends and new places to see

With blue skies ahead

Yes I'm on my way

And there's nowhere else that I'd rather be

I figured these lyrics from the movie Brother Bear, in which the main character shares a name with the city that we are headed to, are a good way to describe my feelings right now.

I'm on my way now - boarding the plane to DFW, waiting through a seven-hour layover, landing in Anchorage and finally driving along the scenic route to Kenai. There really is nowhere else that I'd rather be. I have dreamed of the wonders of Alaska all of my life. To finally realize this dream is amazing.

We are partnering with Kenai Fellowship to put on a VBS and to complete some construction projects. I will be a part of the group clearing a prayer path. We will also construct a gazebo, put in a BBQ pit and picnic tables and create a cozy place for the youth to meet. In the evening, I will teach the three to five year olds.

That is the most daunting task facing me. I am planning the preschooler's hour in our VBS! Now, I've never done this before and I don't enjoy getting up in front of people. I keep telling myself that four-year olds won't care if I sing out of tune. I think the most important thing will be showing these children the great love of Jesus.

So now, I look forward to a life-changing experience. I can't wait to see how God will work in us and through us. And hopefully I'll get in a whale-sighting or two.

Superhorse

I'm sitting here watching the 133rd running of the Preakness Stakes. As I take a moment to enjoy one of my favourite sports, I shall also take a moment to indulge myself in a piece about my favourite animal.

What is it that draws humankind to horses? How can one horse draw the eyes of a nation away from a war or a depression? Seabiscuit did it. Secretariat did it. Barbaro did it. Only a very special horse earns the honour to be mentioned in the same breath as Secretariat or Man O'War. Only a Superhorse. And what a Superhorse Barbaro was. When this bay colt stepped onto the track, time stopped. All eyes latched onto him. People tensed as he waited in the starting gate. And when the gates swung open, everyone flew across the track with him.

Barbaro was a strapping two-year old ready to shake the foundations of the racing world. He was one of the best horses out there. And then came the Kentucky Derby - the first jewel in an almost unattainable crown. When the field broke, Barbaro was ready for the challenge. The horses raced to the finish, but none could keep up with the mighty bay colt. He won the coveted Derby by 6 1/2 lengths - the widest margin in sixty years. And he was still undefeated. Barbaro became only the sixth horse in history to win the Kentucky Derby undefeated and the first since Affirmed pulled the Triple Crown in 1978.

Suddenly, the Triple Crown was a possibility. Barbaro had taken a giant leap from being a bay colt with potential to a potential Superhorse. The next two races - the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes - became the biggest races in his life. Winning them would seal his fame as one of the greatest horses of all time.

Barbaro entered the Preakness as the heavy favourite. His owners, trainer and jockey believed in him. The country believed in him. Barbaro was the epitome of the thoroughbred horse - big, strong, fast and handsome. If any horse could do it, Barbaro could. He walked past the grandstand ready to run. With the amazing strength of a healthy horse, he broke early, bursting through the magnetic barrier. The early break did not injure the colt; he could still run. And then the field of horses broke together, with Barbaro in a good position. All eyes were on him as he bolted down the track. But after only a few steps, tragedy struck.

Barbaro's hind leg gave out on him, broken into over twenty pieces. Dreams shattered along with the colt's let. As Barbaro was pulled up, the watchful eyes in the grandstand filled with tears. All those watching cried out when the mighty horse faltered. Barbaro's race was over, his quest for the Triple Crown failed. His career ended, Barbaro would never run again. And so, the fight to save Barbaro's life ensued.

Once again, everyone watched and waited. One clear day, Barbaro stepped out of his ICU stall and into the sunlight. It seemed he could do it. Almost eight months passed, full of ups and downs. But once again, Barbaro faced a major setback. He developed laminitis in both front legs. On January 29, Barbaro awoke a different horse. He was in excruciating pain. This was too much. Such a brave horse could not be subjected to such pain. And so the painful decision was made to euthanize the colt. For eight months he had fought bravely through the pain. While it will forever remain unknown if Barbaro had what it takes to join the ranks of those elite few, we know that it was these eight months that truly made Barbaro a Superhorse.

It was not Barbaro's racetrack accomplishments that really made him famous. It was what came afterward. And this is why we are so acutely drawn to horses. Horses like Barbaro in particular. They have courage. They have heart. They persevere. Barbaro kept on pushing, even when he could barely stand. These magnificent animals walk right into our hearts and never leave. It is because they live to please. Barbaro's jockey put it nicely saying, "If tears could heal a wound, Barbaro would be healed by now." Unfortunately, no amount of tears can form a cure. But Barbaro can. He can serve as a shining beacon of how to persevere, how to keep fighting. For all of us. Barbaro displayed many of the best traits that can be found in this world. Maybe that is why one horse can capture the eyes and hearts of a nation. But one thing is certain - that is what makes Barbaro a Superhorse.

Great Plains, Great Cities

I sit out on the front porch in the dry Texas heat

And look out at the flowers and trees waving in the breeze

I think back to days long gone, lost to the urban world

A time when buffalo roamed the land and the prairie stretched on and on

Horses, wild and free, ruled this realm

No man set foot on this rugged land or marred its untamed beauty

But creatures passed unseen, unheard, drifting through the grass

Hawks called out, eagles soared, lions claimed their prey

And still this unhindered harmony, this majestic fruitful expanse

Held animals safe and plants unharmed from age to age

But this glorious land served as a bright and shining beacon

Men flocked from near and far to claim the fertile soil

Cattle thundered across the range and ate the grasslands bare

Homesteads sprung up and families settled

Fences enclosed the land

And so the Great Plains became great cities

Which I look out upon

And wonder if, a lifetime ago, this land beneath my home

Was a rolling sea, an endless stretch of golden prairie grass

"But there is beauty here, the beauty of space and of freedom, and the beauty of the wind feeling its way along the brown, grassy swells and ruffling the yellow ridges." ~A. C. Greene (on a plaque at Frontier Texas)

Hallowed be Thy Name

Brother Lawrence, a brother in a Carmelite monastery, authored The Practice of the Presence of God. Lawrence worked in the monastery kitchen where he turned even the peeling of potatoes into an act of worship.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the role God plays in my life. I have always had a difficult time envisioning how every little thing in my life can be for the glory of God. How do I worship Him through cooking and cleaning and studying? I'm still working on this.

At the beautiful Coventry Cathedral, prayer panels detailing a life lived for God are posted around the premises. It is the Lord's Prayer applied to all aspect of life. These panels form a sort of prayer and declaration of the way that I want to live out my life.

Hallowed be Thy Name in SUFFERING

God be in my pain and in my enduring

Hallowed be Thy Name in THE ARTS

God be in my senses and my creating

Hallowed be Thy Name in EDUCATION

God be in my mind and in my growing

Hallowed be Thy Name in COMMERCE

God be at my desk and in my trading

Hallowed be Thy Name in GOVERNMENT

God be in my plans and in my deciding

Hallowed by They Name in THE HOME

God be in my heart and in my loving

Hallowed by Thy Name in RECREATION

God be in my limbs and in my leisure

Hallowed be Thy Name in INDUSTRY

God be in my hands and in my working

Barukh attah, Adonai Elohenu

Blessed are you, Lord our God.

"I am the one," says Messiah, "I am the one who destroyed death and triumphed over the enemy and trod down Hades and bound the strong one and carried off humanity to the heights of heaven."

"Come then, all you families of humanity, and get forgiveness of sins. For I am your forgiveness. I am the pascha of your salvation. I am the lamb slain for you;

"I am your ransom, I am your life, I am your light, I am your salvation, I am your resurrection, I am your king."

The third cup, the Cup of Redemption, is poured with these words at our Passover seder. This cup symbolizes Christ's atoning sacrifice for us, the blood of the Passover lamb. Obviously we celebrate Passover in light of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. These powerful words struck me this time. Christ is the one. He is everything. Through him, and him alone, we live. What an amazing and profound thought! 

Passover began tonight at sundown. My family has helped coordinate a Passover celebration with another family for almost ten years. It was especially meaningful this year because I was able to share it with one of my friends I have met at ACU. She is such a blessing to me and it was wonderful to celebrate with her tonight.

Life Has Meaning Again

That's right. Life once again has meaning, Thursdays have a purpose ... The Office is back on. I was ready for the writer's strike to end as soon as it was announced. Almost five long months of waiting brought me to this day and it was awesome. I spent the day eagerly anticipating the return of this hilarious comedy. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. The Dinner Party made me laugh :D

Of course, several other factors contributed to today's high. I made it through my Major British Writer's test. I met some of the people I'll be living with next semester. Greek class was canceled. I had another wonderful HERO session. I shared communion with my friends.To top it all off I indulged in  a nice little episode of The Office. I suppose my life is pretty good right now.

That's what she said.