A Sacred Place

Picture this: Leaving "the world" behind, slowly winding your way along a narrow forested path, which leads to a "Heaven on Earth" peaceful place, where family (including CZNS!) awaits your arrival. Glorious sunbeams shine down between and on the trees, the brilliant green leaves are infused with it's light and sway gently in a breeze overhead. Birds sing above and around you, the creek gurgles along, your children are excited and getting along, and your Steven Curtis Chapman CD gets to the song Speechless - as if right on cue. You crank up the volume as the orchestra swells and pure joy fills your veins, brain, heart, soul. (and this time, your kids just smile instead of making fun of you when you sing along)

lyrics to Speechless:

Words fall like drops of rain, my lips are like clouds
I say so many things trying to figure You out
But as mercy opens my eyes

and my words are stolen away
With this breathtaking view of Your grace

and I am speechless I'm astonished and amazed
I am silenced by Your wondrous grace
You have saved me

You have raised me from the grave
and I am speechless in Your presence now
I'm astounded as I consider how
You have shown us a love that leaves us speechless

So what kind of love could this be

That would trade heaven's throne for a cross
And to think You still celebrate

over finding just one who was lost
And to know You rejoice over us

the God of this whole universe
It's a story that's too great for words

and I am speechless I'm astonished and amazed
I am silenced by Your wondrous grace
You have saved me

You have raised me from the grave
and I am speechless in Your presence now
I'm astounded as I consider how
You have shown us a love that leaves us speechless
we are speechless

Oh, how great is the love

the Father has lavished upon us
That we should be called

the sons and the daughters of God

We are speechless
We stand in awe of Your grace
so amazed
We stand in awe of Your mercy
You have saved us
We stand in awe of Your love
from the grave
We are speechless
Oh, we are speechless in Your presence now
We stand in awe of Your cross
we're astounded as we consider how
We stand in awe of Your power
You have shown us a love that leaves us
we are speechless
speechless
We stand in awe of Your grace
We stand in awe of Your mercy
I am speechless
We stand in awe of Your love
We are speechless
We stand in awe of Your cross
We stand in awe of Your power
We are speechless
We stand in awe of Your grace
We stand in awe of Your mercy
We stand in awe of Your love
We are speechless
We stand in awe of Your cross
We stand in awe of Your power

We are speechless

I wrote the following for my "descriptive paragraph" for an English class:

At least once each year, hopefully on a clear summer night, I quietly paddle out on the pond at Camp Nauvoo. After a year of stress and rushing, and hopefully fun and accomplishment, my children and I escape to the peaceful hallowed grounds of the camp to commune with each other and with nature and with God without distraction. Then late at night, after the children are settled in our tent, I escape to my beloved pond to reconnect with myself. No one sees me or even knows I am there except the crickets and the caretaker’s faithful old dog, Max, who sits by the water’s edge ready to protect me should anything so vicious as a skunk or raccoon enter the camp. Patting him goodbye, I carefully, quietly, step onto one of the small flat Huck Finn type rafts and settle myself, sitting cross legged in the center. Using a long thick branch, I silently paddle and push myself away from the dam, which creates the pond from that part of the creek, and make my way upstream, gliding under the footbridge, and a few hundred feet up the creek. The mild exercise feels good and the cool night air and summer smells and sounds are invigorating and so relaxing all at the same time. Sporadically, berry bushes hang a spiky branch over the water’s edge offering plump juicy fruit. I hear the sound of occasional frogs and constant crickets and of rushing water in the distance, from ahead as the creek makes its way over and between the large smooth boulders up ahead, and from behind me as it spills over the little dam and continues happily on its way toward town and civilization. Tall majestic trees reach up toward the heavens and out toward each other and shield me from the modern world out there, somewhere, forgotten more and more the farther I escape into my peaceful place. A narrow squiggly strip of sky and brilliant stars is visible between the branches along the length of the stream. When I reach the boulders, I stop my rhythmic rowing, lay my stick next to me and lay back on the raft, my lower legs and feet hanging over the edge in the crisp cool water. I let the gentle current drift me back downstream as I stare at those beautiful diamonds in the sky. The wooden raft is cool and a little wet against my back and its strength and dependability cradle me as it gently rocks and turns a little on our way. Sometimes I hum or softly sing a lullaby to myself, always I pray, thankful for the beauty in the world and the chance to escape to it. By the time I glide back under the footbridge, where the creek opens wider and the deeper pond begins, my troubles are long gone, or at least shoved off the raft and not allowed in that sacred place. As I come out the other side of the bridge, the wide opening in the trees provides a leafy frame to a huge picture of the sky which seems to suddenly explode with brilliant stars. In awe, I lay there staring up at them until it feels I have been lifted right up there among them. Tears always flow then if they have not begun already. After some time, I lose track of how long, I finally guide the raft back to the edge and step off, my sea legs a little wobbly on firm ground. Whispering good-night to Max, I return to my children, ready to be a much better mommy.