A 2-church Sunday morning and river views

We're late for one service Sunday and early for another.

At 9:10 a.am, we're at an established church, Kallispell Christian Center. We shake 6 people's hands coming in the door, a friendly welcome. The aisle seats are full, so we crawl over someone's knees to reach a middle seat in the last row.

They sing the song that's been ringing through my head for the past weeks. "When morning breaks and the new day's dawning ... bless The Lord, oh my soul..." I've heard that from Singapore to Indonesia to Seattle to Montana. Maybe it's the new "As the Deer" chorus for this generation? Love it, just like everyone else.

Zentangle 5

I pull out my sketchpad as the sermon starts. Even as a young child, I would keep my hands busy with a pen to be able to focus on the sermon. My mind settles, and God speaks to me through Kevin's words.

Kevin Geer, a former leader of Children's Ministry in our region, is the team leader at KCC. His new series is rooted in the Golden Rule, love others like we want to be loved (Matthew 7:12).  Kevin's transparent and humorous delivery keeps even the most staid pew-sitters chuckling and nodding along. It's an appropriate message for our upcoming family reunion. "Treat others like we want to be treated."

The second church is a branch campus model, Fresh Life Church. We arrive early at the live campus at The Liberty in downtown Kallispell. People mill about, going in and out of the theatre. A few of us old-timers slip into the foyer between children and young families. No one says hi as we head up the stairs to the balcony. We sit there by ourselves for the first 15 minutes, music pounding from the stage. Then a small herd of about 20 others spread out around us.

The sermon series is called Microphone: it's always on. Today's talk is based on Psalm 128. "The walls of a home are the microphone others see and hear. Each of us has a platform," says Pastor Levi Lusko, and marriage and the family are the center stage. He quotes scripture and speaks of the practical implications of finding a spouse and living out the good news in the greater community. "Love Jesus like crazy and live His life out desperately."

His language is colloquial. "We're all in the process of losing our good looks. ... Sorry to tell you this, but we're getting uglier right now," he says, speaking of the attrition of beauty. "Good looks" are a bad reason for choosing a partner. "Both partners occupy servant roles (Ephesians 5:12). Obey God no matter what the other person does... Christ didn't wait for us to become lovable. He died to make us lovable."

Swan River on a Sunday afternoon

He's a good speaker with high energy, and conservative in his theology. He uses pictures to describe his ideas. Murmurs of agreement drift up from the full main floor. We get three friendly nods and handshakes as we leave.

The cool thing about Church is that God makes Hi,self known in many ways. We drive to Bigfork in the afternoon. They're hosting an annual arts and crafts show. Between the morning services, the stunning scenery, and human creativity, God overwhelms us with Presence.

We spend the afternoon NOT working, driving through beautiful countryside and enjoying Bigfork. Their arts and crafts festival is excellent. We're not buying anything though; our house is being down-sized not upgraded. The pictures were snapped along the way.

---Tuesday.

Swan River shoreline: froth from the dam

We get bad news Sunday night. My youngest brother Will (50) spills off his mountain bike and breaks his finger, wrist, collarbone, and 4 ribs. He also punctures a lung. (Two of our boys had collapsed lungs. Not a happy recovery; usually the docs scrape the chest wall so the lung sticks to it and stays open in future.)

Not only will he not be at the family reunion this week, but Will has to stay in hospital while they reassemble him. We'll miss him! Luckily he's in Canada not the US: he won't use up his retirement funds on medical bills.

Shallow waters churn over the riverbed

My folks have set off from our place. They'll be our first arrivals tonight, after picking up Kirsten on a detour through Seattle. K flies home from MT on Monday. She has so much stuff that they can't bring any of the things we left behind. We'll rehome them in Seattle, with all the rest of our stuff.

I amazed by the water that flow swiftly over the Montana riverbeds. Ice-cold from glacier runoff, drop after drop speeds by, bounded only by riverbanks.

Human life is similar: we may be individuals, but our lives combine in history. If we live well, we contribute to the river of humanity. But when we're gone, few people remember our names or accomplishments. Only God keeps track. Pleasing him rather than trying to impress others seems a worthy way to live!

Read more:
*Thus says the Lord, "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?" Exodus 10:3 NLT

*All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. Psalm 86:9 NLT

*That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT

*All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 18:14 NLT

*Paul wrote: We may proclaim the good news in lands beyond you. 2 Corinthians 10:16 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Father we need you. We need you with us, beside us, and in front of us. We thank you for your guidance, your wisdom, and your direction. Help us in faith to always follow your lead.

Good and gracious Lord, we are in awe of your majesty! Your power combined with your compassion and forgiveness makes us want to proclaim your good news. Help us share your wonders with others. Amen.

1, 2, 3, 4 …. we're all in the river!

“We’ll take this one,” W points to the narrow yellow inflatable kayak, more of a canoe than a raft.

The beautiful Flathead River

My heart sinks. I remember a wild ride ten years ago, bouncing in a 10-person raft through stretches of the canyon we are about to paddle. The experienced river guides take the wider Sea Eagle and launch into the roiling current.

Several days before, W negotiated a calmer stretch of the Flathead River from Hungry Horse to Columbia Falls. “I had a blast!” he exclaimed, coming in from an exhilarating float in the yellow kayak. “It’s stable, fun to maneuver, and I hope you love it as much as I did.”

Wildflowers on the gravel bars

With two people, one sitting in the middle (me) and one in the back as well (W), the stability of the boat is compromised. My reaction as we hit the first rapids is that this is akin to riding in a tippy racing car – as the passenger. W’s every paddle thrust tilts the boat, sometimes sharply. It’s discomfiting.

Nope. Actually I’m gripped by sheer terror, swaying side-to-side on an uncomfortable sloping seat above an inflated floor. Nothing about this feels safe. We negotiate the first series of cascades, carefully following Paul and Cathy’s lead to the side. I start to breathe easier as we are swept downriver. There’s nothing I can do at this point. We’re committed, our lifejackets are buckled, and boat floats forward.

Colored rocks in the Flathead River

Sometimes it feels like we are hardly moving. The green glacier water shimmers between the iron and other minerals sparkling in the cliffs.

W points over the side, “Look below. You can see how fast we’re actually going.” Green, pink, burgundy, and black rocks rush underneath us as the swift current lifts us on its shifting surface. We avoid the pillows of water striking the upstream side of boulders.

Rapids around a boulder

“Let’s pull in and carry the boats through the next section,” Paul says as we approach a stretch of churning rapids. We divert from the main river to float shallow water streaming over a gravel bar. When we bump to a halt, I’m not strong enough to carry my end of the kayak over the rocky terrain. Paul banks their boat and backtracks several hundred yards to help W carry the kayak back to the river.

We relaunch and are carried swiftly away. A young buck, fuzzy antlers held still, watches us from the shore. The Blankenship Bridge drifts by overhead before the canyon narrows to an 80’ deep trench between sheer mountains. The stunning beauty has us gasping with pleasure. “Unless you want to go around and around, avoid those areas,” Paul points to large lazy-looking whirlpools. Apparently, when the water was running high a few years ago, a vortex sucked the front of a canoe straight down. Ugh. Not interested!

A few more bumps through choppy waters and we’re near camp. Paul and Cathy pull in ahead of us. Cathy makes the same wet exit I took yesterday. The fat sides of the Sea Eagle make for an unstable departure into knee-deep water.

Our style of dismount near shore

We start to swing toward the shore, W paddling on the right side. I back-paddle on the left to swing the kayak to shore. Except that he’s switched sides to push us closer in so we’re paddling against each other… while the current is taking us past the landing. I paddle on the right, then quit paddling altogether, and hope for the best. W jumps out to drag the boat in, stumbles on the slippery rocks, and tips us into the icy water.

“Is that your gear bag?” Paul points to the fluorescent orange pouch floating downstream. He, the only dry one, jumps in to swim after it. He snags the bag several hundred yards away and starts for the bank. Meanwhile, the kayak slips from W’s grip, the current catches it, and sweeps it away. The thin elastics of the paddle-straps snap off as the kayak freewheels toward Paul.

A runaway kayak

W’s shouts. Paul turns. Catches the kayak. Manhandles it to shore.

W and I have moved thigh-deep into the fast-moving stream, trying to capture the kayak. We struggle back upstream toward the landing, our Keens slipping on the silted rocks. If we lose our footing, we’ll be hauling ourselves out of the water near Paul. Cathy grabs my hand and pulls me to the riverbank.

We three are sopping wet, head to toe. It’s hilarious – a really ugly dismount with a happy ending. As Cathy and I trudge toward our cabins, trousers dripping through the campground, we laugh about the awkward finale. We agree that it was a fun ride. A hot shower afterwards is my best reward.

Tucked into warm clothing, I thank God for the beautiful surroundings. For safe travels on fast-moving waters. For a wonderful husband whose instincts are opposite mine in a crisis. For cold and warmth. For wet and dry. For senses created to let us fully experience the Creator’s inventiveness. God is good!

Read more:

*What god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours! Deuteronomy 3:24

*Christ was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory. 1 Timothy 3:16

Moravian Prayer: In the whole of creation and your actions throughout the world, we are blessed from the beginning until now. May we always trust in you. Amen.

Treacherous tranquility

Inflatable kayaks

Have you ever rafted a big river? The Flathead River washes swiftly over its rocks, carrying remnants of winter run-off and draining rainfall off the land. In places, the river seems deceptively lazy where only swirls of current hint of its power. In narrow passages, it churns and chortles with life.

Paul, an experienced Flathead kayaker, rafter, and now paddle-boarder, offered to take us downriver from camp to Columbia Falls. Of course we said yes!

Ready or not!

W inflated two of our three kayaks. He, Jonathan, Paul, and I carried them to the end of the road, down a sandy trail, and along the rocky shore to a little beach where we launched into the river. The current caught us … and we were off.

When you’re in the flow, travel seems easy and tranquil. Only the riverbanks, whizzing past us, confirmed our speed. We avoided the rapids on this first trip downriver. Paul also warned of another danger.

“See those trees on the sides?” he pointed to harmless-looking firs with heads or roots dropped into the water along the shoreline. “Four people have drowned this year, three of them with lifejackets on. Most drownings happen in the water swooshing under such trees. 

"Two-thirds of the tree is under the surface, and as a boat is swept sideways into it by the strong current, the occupants get knocked overboard. People get trapped underwater, snagged by branches and held down by the hydraulic pressure. Avoid tree snags anywhere you see them.”

Gravel bars in the Flathead River

Pulling up on a gravel bar, we consumed the sweet nectarines, chocolate peanut butter cups, and milk puddings I’d packed. Nothing tastes as good as a light feast in open air! A few drops of rain splattered us but the sun came out as we pushed our boats back into the stream.

At Columbia Falls, we pulled into shore between two boats, one a raft filled with teen and twenty-something boys drinking beer.

“They obviously don’t know the etiquette of the docks.” Paul noted. “Get into shore. Get out of the boat, and move out of the way so others can pull in!”

Nope, these youngsters had no clue or maybe they just didn’t care. Paul’s wife Kathy gave us a ride home in their pickup after W deflated the kayaks.

Floating the Flathead

I walked to the river the next day, admiring the view. Rafters and fishermen drifted quickly along on the green-blue water. Respect for the dangers of the ride makes it a safe adventure. It’s like the rest life: if we avoid the places those with experience warn about, we’re more likely to enjoy the journey and arrive safely at our destination.

Read more:

*A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 27:12

*Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love. Psalm 109:26

Paul wrote: We were afflicted in every way?—disputes without and fears within. But God, who consoles the downcast, consoled us. 2 Corinthians 7:5-6

Moravian Prayer: Your steadfast love gives us victory over fear and defeat. You console us when we need your guidance and insight. Preserve us, in your love. Amen.