"Get up! Get up! A bear is in the camp!  It charged Kate!" Peg shouted at us.  Jana and I were still attempting to catch a few zzzz in our little tent somewhere in the middle of the Boundary Waters in Quetico National Park. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Waters

 I was 15 years old, and there were 9 of us women/girls exploring the glory 

Eileen setting up for dinner

of God's pristine creation as we paddled and portaged our 75 lb aluminum canoes with thanks to a wilderness program of Camp Menno Haven in Tiskilwa, IL.  http://mennohaven.com/ There were no motorized boats, only our little buckets powered by our muscles; no flushing toilets, only a hole in the ground dug each day with our latrine shovels; no comfy beds, only our sleeping bags on the hard soil beneath our flimsy tents;  no restaurants, grocery stores, kiosks, or trading posts, only the food and toiletries we carried. For the ten days we paddled the lakes, we saw two other groups of canoers, and "Grizzly Adams" in the yellow canoe. That was it. Oh, and this was in the ancient days before cell phones. 

Peg's turn to relax

     Back to the story: A bear in the camp? Right! Jana and I were certain this was a ploy to get us moving, but none the less we got up. We had pitched our tents on a thick bed of moss 50 yards or so away from the main campsite. Sounds of yelling were heard almost immediately as we headed through the woods to the fire ring. Running to join the cluster of campers, our fearless leaders described what had happened.  As they were beginning breakfast preparations, a black bear came in and snagged one of our food packs. Kate saw it and ran toward it yelling at it to drop the pack. The big black creature complied, gave a low "woof" and headed for her! The bear remained just yards away munching our breakfasts, lunches, and supper in the brush at the edge of the lake.  (I recall one of my friends asked me how the bear was able to open our food containers....TEETH!) :) 

Skinny Me

     Me, oh, my! You've never seen a camp break so quickly as we threw everything into our metal boats and hit the water with a mighty splash. We were able to recover some of our items, but now our food supply was sorely lacking.From whence would our sustenance come?  We survived; rationing, grumbling, and sharing.  

     I still have my dad's pocketknife my mom insisted I take for protection. Uh huh. For years after this event, I had nightmares of bears; I suspect watching the movie Grizzly http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1008968-grizzly/ prior to my adventure was not wise... 

This week Brother Mick's message is called, "Water, Water Everywhere" with texts from Isaiah 55:1-9, Psalm 63:1-8, and I Corinthians 10:1-13. In his presermon notes Mick states, "The call from our passages for today reminds us to turn again and again to the source of sustenance which is God our creator."   

Here is a link to the bulletin for details. http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/bulletins/current.pdf  There are also meaningful Lenten resources available on the literature rack for our use. 

There will be singing at 9am in the Rec room. I'm excited about the elective options for Sunday school for the month of March and encourage all of us to stretch and grow with a variation from our norm. Therefore, we will not be meeting in the Upper Room this month

-Network: the Right People, in the Right Places,  at the Right Time

-The Naked Anabaptist: The Bare Essentials of a Radical Faith

-Beyond the Present Time--the usual class material 

Some of you begin your spring breaks this weekend. Enjoy and be safe! 

Prayer for today:  Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink--even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk--it's all free! Isaiah 55:1 Creator God, you invite all of us to your table full of goodness, mercy, and joy. We can lay our stuff on the doorstep and sit down at your table to be filled and healed. Some of us have some major stuff happening in our lives, and we aren't sure if we can trust you with it.  Help us, Lord!  Mercy! Grace! Peace! These come from You!  Fill us with your Spirit fruit that as we are healed, we can then share of your table with our neighbors and friends, even our enemies. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. AMEN. 

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too! 

Love and Light, 

carol  

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference! Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend." jd