Serenity

The fifth wheel is packed and ready and we will soon be on the road to our little place of serenity in the north woods. We've been going there a long time. I remember the first time I visited Sugar Island. We went with our dear friends, David and Carolyn Miller. They now own the property right next to us and Dane and David will spend hours in the coming days attempting to entice fish onto any variety of baits in their tackle boxes.

Back to that first time...........Carolyn and I each left our babies of about 9 months behind with Grandmas. David's 55 chevy had car trouble on the way up and we arrived on the island in the dark. Back then Sugar Island was lit at night mostly by God's stars which are magnificent, but not light enough for a frightened young woman whose been fed people- eating bear stories all the way up. Yes, there are bear on the island but I've yet to see one. I'm always looking the wrong way and miss them. And they tell me the moose couple and their young are much more to be feared than the bear.

Now back to that first time.......two young married couples, a tiny, tiny vintage Scotty trailer, two little babies left back home, no electricity, an outhouse for personal needs, and not near enough chocolate chip cookies to soothe the homesickness. My words as we finally left the island that year (1967) was "if I ever get off this island alive, I'll NEVER step foot on it again!"

It's now 43 years later and I've gone back often. As I re-check packing lists and to-do's for those last minute needs, I can hardly wait to return to my little place of serenity. A number of years ago, God orchestrated an opportunity for us to purchase one of the lake lots. We now have running water, electricity and a beautiful fifth wheel that contains every thing I could possibly need for camping. When our son visited us and I mentioned camping, as he sprawled out on the comfy couch, he said "OK Mom, let's get serious! This is NOT camping!" He was remembering the early days of 5 young children on the lot with no running water, no electricity, an outhouse and "joy bucket" as Dad called it in the tent at night. One year it rained so hard the tent filled with water and we woke up to soaked sleeping bags and pillows. The children loved it.... getting to fish in David's boat, our annual trip to the local Pizza Hut, the camp fires, with s'mores and pie irons and our annual trips into Canada to see God's wilderness and beauty.

So again, God has graced me with a time to rest my mind and body as I hear the loons calling and watch the bald eagles fly in and out of their nest just across the water. I'll sit on my dock, across from the Canadian mountains and create things with my hands while I rest my mind and listen to God speak His words into me. I am blessed. Little did I know that first year at Sugar Island, the story God would write through me and the love relationship that would grow between me and the island. I go again open to what God has planned for the next stories He will write through me.

And if God is generous, maybe the men will catch some fish for us to enjoy.........and if not, we'll soothe ourselves with our annual trip riding the ferry to the mainland to enjoy a cheeseburger and fries at Clydes or a triple waffle ice cream cone at the local fudge shop while we watch the big ships go through the Soo Locks on their way to the big water.