See the World

I will be in Pickle Lake, Ontario, for the next 10 days or so, participating in the Vacation Bible School Marnell directs.  I’m looking forward to stepping out of the country for a few days and observing what has become a yearly tradition of his. He packs the van with young volunteers and drives with them 22 hours north. 

“How many years have you been doing this?” I asked him as he packed this afternoon. 

“Started in ’98 and missed three years,” he said.

Pickle Lake, according to Google Maps, is the farthest north you can go in that area and have year-round roads. 

Marnell’s niece, Audrey works with my buddy Sarah at the Baker’s Nook where I go for pancakes Thursday morning. She has been to Pickle before, and warned me, as Marnell had, about the black flies. 

Okay “Have you ever been bitten by those big ones that draw blood?” I asked her, remembering his words. 

“Oh yes,” she said, “but last year they weren’t too bad.” 

I have an air freshener hanging in my car that no longer has the slightest bit of scent. It’s faded too. Yet, I keep on not taking it down. 

Its made of a stiff cardboard-like something in the shape of a camper, and says, “See the World”. 

I’ve looked at it as a symbol of travel and adventure… of course, you need to travel to see the world, yes? And people often do that in campers.

One day I looked at it and saw the multi-colored flags decorating the top of the camper, and the design painted on the side, and the curtains and potted flower in the small window. And I realize it looks more like a permanent home for someone than a recreational vehicle. 

I wonder if “seeing the world”  to the person in the camper isn’t seeing the beauty and possibility in the world around you, wherever you are. 

I wonder if “seeing the world” is something you can fail to do, even if you travel a lot. 
I wonder if “seeing the world” to the camper’s owner means being grateful for what you have and using those resources– whatever they are!– to bless the people around you. 

 Are we supposed to be grateful for everything? According to Betsie ten Boom in The Hiding Place, yes, as she thanked God for the fleas in her concentration camp. Weeks later, they realized they had extra freedom to share the Gospel in their unit because the guards did not want to come in.  

I want to see the world this week, and not just because the wheels of the van are turning.  I want to see the beauty in the little things. 

(I wonder if it’s okay to hope that God doesn’t use the black flies to assess my gratitude!)

I hope you see the world this week, wherever you are!

Note: I will not post the typical Saturday blog, but may post along the way.