I don’t remember too much about the movie, A River Runs Through It, other than the myriad of fly fishing shots sprinkled throughout the movie. But the concept of the prevalence of water in my life really appeals to me. Mom and Dad will tell you that we took many detours on the way to the Feast various years because I saw a sign advertising a waterfall nearby. (And we found some really neat waterfalls through the years too!!) I remember a waterfall which almost caused a broken finger one year; while on choir tour in Switzerland, I glimpsed a long thread of a waterfall in the Alps. In my excitement to point it out to my seatmate, I quite forgot the window of the bus was in the way! But waterfalls aren’t the only vivid water memories I have. During the Feast ‘96, our family rafted down the Deschutes River in Oregon. And a rafting trip was my first real memory of spending any time with Ron. Unfortunately, my little brother drenched all of us and we were FROZEN by the time the rafting adventure ended that day - probably not a good first impression on Ron. But here we are all these years later, so it mustn’t have fazed him too much. Then, of course, reminiscing quickly brings thoughts of water fights (even one where an older cousin threw a bucket of water through the kitchen window in order to get me wet - oops!!), wading in ponds and creeks, and falling into (or being thrown into) various bodies of water. In any case, most all of the memories are fun and bring a chuckle. I guess it would only make sense that one of the summer jobs I held as a teenager was lifeguard for the Sioux City municipal pools. And it only follows that I was baptized in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida one Feast - in living water, so to speak.
Now that we’ve completely established my love for water, I’d like to talk a little about why that is. I love the sound of moving water - like the line from “The Sound of Music” - “. . . to laugh like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way.” The sight of water (lakes, ponds, streams, oceans) brings almost a childlike delight. Perhaps that’s because I grew up in Wyoming where water is so valuable - states routinely fight over how much water is allowed out of the various reservoirs all along the major rivers. (Did you know that the mighty Colorado River, which roars at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, has so much water taken from it that it trickles into the sand about a 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean and never reaches the coast?) I like drinking water - in fact, the sweetest water in the whole world is found in the Sandhills of Western Nebraska. And if you’re laughing at me calling the water sweet, then you’ve never experienced really good water. In 2002, when I took the boys out to visit my grandmother, I carefully guarded one thermos of water all the way back to St. Louis, so Ron could experience Sandhill water again. There’s nothing like it - absolutely nothing!! And I like how water feels!! Ron will tell you that, when the boys were little, I would routinely climb into the wading pool with them and didn’t mind too much that they splashed - although I’m not telling them that!! (Maybe I shouldn’t be telling any of you!) And I love the smell of rain!
Although we’ve covered the senses of experiencing water, I feel that the root of my love for water goes a whole lot deeper! I think it touches on the spiritual aspect. I think it has to do with the water which will make the desert bloom. (Isaiah 35:6) I think it has to do with the River of Life, which flows out from the New Jerusalem, between the trees whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22). I think it has to do with Jesus Christ, who is the Living Water and that anyone who drinks from Him will never thirst again! (John 4) And as I love all of the experiences of water, I love the experiences of Jesus: I love hearing about Him, talking with God in prayers, reading His word. I love seeing Jesus in the creation around me, in His people, in the actions which are godly. I love tasting and seeing that He is good. His mercy endureth forever!!! I love feeling the comfort of Jesus, the many promises He bestows - like He’ll never give us more than we can bear, that He will never leave us or forsake us. I love the fragrance of Jesus, the sweet smelling savor of the sacrifice of the saints - the many times that people have helped me because they love Jesus.
Nevertheless, I must confess to you that the one aspect of water that I do not like is the rain leaking into my home. And I suspect that as a maturing Christian, there are aspects of my life where I have not completely subjected my life to the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ. While I am not comparing completely surrendering to Jesus Christ to an annoying leak, I am aware of the resistance within the old man against everything Christ, just as I resist the invasion of unwelcome water. I struggle to give a problem to God - and leave it there. I take it back and fret and stew. I struggle with being completely at peace no matter what happens.
Nevertheless, just like memories of water permeate my past, I want Jesus Christ to permeate my past, present and future - all of my life. I want, so to speak, a River to run through it.
Now that we’ve completely established my love for water, I’d like to talk a little about why that is. I love the sound of moving water - like the line from “The Sound of Music” - “. . . to laugh like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way.” The sight of water (lakes, ponds, streams, oceans) brings almost a childlike delight. Perhaps that’s because I grew up in Wyoming where water is so valuable - states routinely fight over how much water is allowed out of the various reservoirs all along the major rivers. (Did you know that the mighty Colorado River, which roars at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, has so much water taken from it that it trickles into the sand about a 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean and never reaches the coast?) I like drinking water - in fact, the sweetest water in the whole world is found in the Sandhills of Western Nebraska. And if you’re laughing at me calling the water sweet, then you’ve never experienced really good water. In 2002, when I took the boys out to visit my grandmother, I carefully guarded one thermos of water all the way back to St. Louis, so Ron could experience Sandhill water again. There’s nothing like it - absolutely nothing!! And I like how water feels!! Ron will tell you that, when the boys were little, I would routinely climb into the wading pool with them and didn’t mind too much that they splashed - although I’m not telling them that!! (Maybe I shouldn’t be telling any of you!) And I love the smell of rain!
Although we’ve covered the senses of experiencing water, I feel that the root of my love for water goes a whole lot deeper! I think it touches on the spiritual aspect. I think it has to do with the water which will make the desert bloom. (Isaiah 35:6) I think it has to do with the River of Life, which flows out from the New Jerusalem, between the trees whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22). I think it has to do with Jesus Christ, who is the Living Water and that anyone who drinks from Him will never thirst again! (John 4) And as I love all of the experiences of water, I love the experiences of Jesus: I love hearing about Him, talking with God in prayers, reading His word. I love seeing Jesus in the creation around me, in His people, in the actions which are godly. I love tasting and seeing that He is good. His mercy endureth forever!!! I love feeling the comfort of Jesus, the many promises He bestows - like He’ll never give us more than we can bear, that He will never leave us or forsake us. I love the fragrance of Jesus, the sweet smelling savor of the sacrifice of the saints - the many times that people have helped me because they love Jesus.
Nevertheless, I must confess to you that the one aspect of water that I do not like is the rain leaking into my home. And I suspect that as a maturing Christian, there are aspects of my life where I have not completely subjected my life to the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ. While I am not comparing completely surrendering to Jesus Christ to an annoying leak, I am aware of the resistance within the old man against everything Christ, just as I resist the invasion of unwelcome water. I struggle to give a problem to God - and leave it there. I take it back and fret and stew. I struggle with being completely at peace no matter what happens.
Nevertheless, just like memories of water permeate my past, I want Jesus Christ to permeate my past, present and future - all of my life. I want, so to speak, a River to run through it.
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