In the Mist at Niagara Falls

The highlight of our family summer vacation trip to Canada was our visit to Niagara Falls, which actually consists of two falls: American Falls and Horseshoe Falls.

From Falls Avenue, the view of the falls is spectacular, impressive, worthy of its fame in every way.

One could stop at the ledge and be satisfied with the experience. Like the observation deck of the CN Tower in Toronto, there is something breath-taking just to behold one of the wonders of the world, even from a safe distance.

But when we saw a boat below the falls that actually took you closer to the falls (Maid of the Mist), Geoff and I decided to make a ride on Maid of the Mist our vacation splurge.

And it was truly amazing!

Getting that close to the falls requires some preparation (you have to wear a rain poncho),
respect for the boundaries (close up, but not under the falls), a willingness to pay the cost (waiting in line and the admission fee), and takethe risk.

Very few people have survived encounters with Niagara Falls or its rapids. One was a 63 year old woman who went over the falls in a barrel to gain fame and fortune. She got neither. The other was a seven year old who fell accidentally into the river upstream from the falls and was actually rescued by crew and passengers of the Maid of the Mist back in 1960.

The whole experience reminded me of how often I am tempted to approach God. I can be very satisfied with encountering God from a respectful distance. He is breath-taking and glorious—the Wonder of the Universe. His awesome power and flawless perfection is worthy of honor. But it is also intimidating. Worship that recognizes all that He is can seem like all that is safe or expected. But it is distant, and not only does my heart long for me—so does His.

So He provided a way, the Cross of Calvary, not the Maid of the Mist. Instead of a rain poncho, the blood of Christ provides the grace for access into the very presence of God, the “mist” of His Spirit. And it is amazing!

Getting that close to God is an invitation extended to all who come under the blood. Christ took all the risk and paid all the cost on the cross, but you have to take the trip.

After salvation, I can get “on the boat” any time and access His throne, but sometimes in worship, I content myself with a view from the ledge: acknowledging His power and station, but not really entering into “the mist.”

The trip to Niagara Falls reminded me that to truly experience God, I need enter the mist of God’s Spirit. There is no waiting. You can go there in personal worship or in corporate worship, but only you can make the trip! And in the mist, it is truly amazing!

Lost keys/rest in the OBX

Last week, our family traveled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a memorable beach vacation. Home to several historic lighthouses, the Outer Banks is also the location of the Wright Brothers legendary flight on the dunes of Kitty Hawk. Although my parents live just a few hours away near Wilmington, this was the first time our family had visited the OBX - as it is referred to there.

We arrived Friday evening, hopeful and excited, but uncertain about the weather. Like Birmingham, they had been experiencing some drought, but were expecting a bit of rain. Since Sunday was supposed to be clear, we decided to get breakfast out Saturday morning and do some light sight-seeing till the skies cleared.

Geoff and I always rise an hour or more before the kids, so we grabbed our essential cup of coffee for a morning walk on the beach. It was actually sunny out, so we retrieved our sunglasses from the car and headed out. The beach was lovely; the temperature mild. Not the humid muggy conditions we were dreading for the middle of summer.

Unlike our walks on the Gulf Coast beaches, shells were few; instead, the tawny shoreline was lightly littered with a few crab remains and skate egg cases - black plasticky-looking pockets with horned corners, often referred to as a "mermaid's purse." A few folks were already out, stationing their beach chairs in their ideal spot. Perhaps this will be a day for the beach after all, I thought.

Back at the motel, we roused the children for a trip to a local pancake house only to discover that the car keys were missing. They were not in Geoff's pockets. They were not in the motel room. They were no where to be found.

Oh, no! They must have fallen out on the beach! Three of us retraced the morning walk, scouring the sand for the keys and asking around to see if anyone had spotted them.

Nothing.

By now it was late morning. The kids ate the breakfast items I had brought while Geoff called roadside assistance. Bottom line: a local locksmith would not be able to duplicate the key; the closest dealership was in Virginia and wouldn't be able to look at it until Monday (after it was towed today).

Long story short: Geoff's parents mailed us my set of keys (which arrived Monday morning within an hour of our check-out time). Meanwhile, we rented the last available car on the entire island within minutes of the dealership closing! And the rental place was less than a mile away, which was good since Geoff had to WALK to it!

All in all, we still had a wonderful vacation. God provided all that we needed, including spectacular weather (high 70's and low humidity; sunny skies; gorgeous sunsets). We saw all the lighthouses we had hoped to see: Currituck, Bodie Island, and Hatteras. We made it to the ferries to get off the island on schedule and ate some amazing seafood along the way.

Living spiritually in the midst of this drama was not getting angry over the lost keys, placing blame on Geoff for losing them or on me for not bringing my set of keys on the trip. It was tempting to take the frustration of the loss and focus that on each other. But we chose to give each other the grace that recognizes that we are all human and that sometimes things don't happen like we planned.

So, instead of anxiety and tension over lost keys (they're still in the OBX!), we enjoyed rest
and made great memories together in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.