Bears, Deer and a dragonfly

I know I am priviledged. I know I am special. When I begin to have a pity party over what has been handed me the past few years, I get frustrated and slightly angry and then I go to the cabin. God seems to have given us that place not just to bless others but to be a calm in the world that petrifies our hearts. I can lie on a hammock and watch the lake. I can paddle aimlessly around on the paddle boat and fish; rather catch and release! I can sleep under the vaulted ceiling with the rain keeping a beautiful tempo on the roof. I can make couscous and salmon and no one says, “yuck”. I can eat popcorn and drink diet coke and feel as if the world is in sync. And then there was this weekend. Perhaps because of all that’s happened with Covid, it was just different.

I love Black bear. My father raised them. My younger brother, who I was going to enjoy cabin time with, grew up with the babies drinking out of a bottle and running around in our home. I just about got a new hood ornament, and probably a new car! A black bear ran out in front of the truck and trailer in front of me and not sure why they didn’t hit him and not sure why I missed also. He lumbered up the hill as brakes were causing cars to create patterns not normally used on the road. He was oblivious to the world around him. He was oblivious to the fact he almost caused a huge wreck on Wisconsin 35 south of Frederic. He lumbered off, and he was fairly big for a black bear, without a care in the world. I was a bit jealous: not of the little incident but that he worried not about anything.

I drove back to the cabin Sunday after a short jaunt to town and had to slow for a deer and fawn. She stood tall, smelling and taking in the world around her as the world sped by with black tires, exhaust and music blaring. The fawn stood by her side not a care in the world. They both looked at me as if to say, “hi, how is your day going?” It made me smile from the bottom of my heart.

I sat in the sun after a good nap, simply enjoying the beauty of the lake when a dragon fly landed on my leg. At first, I brushed it off. Then another one came and I let it just sit on my knee. Not a care in the world could stop this beautiful creature. It flew around, stopped again and as it sat on my knee I heard the hummingbird drinking out of the feeder.

Jesus reminded us that we are God’s creations. He compared us to the grass in the field, the beautiful wildflowers. The Psalms declare the handiwork of God by his creation. I sat and marveled at how simple the world is when you look at the beauty of God. How complex the world becomes when we look at ourselves. The flowers that I left to bloom when I mowed, were now lifting their red and yellow flowers to the sky. It was almost as if they were praising their creator with arms lifted high. When I look at the flower and it’s intricate design, I see God. When I look at the lake and the clouds, I see God. Then, I check on Facebook or the news and see what man has done.

I think I will go back to watching God and listen to the frogs. There is something about creation that is soothing and renewing. “Be still and know that I am God” doesn’t really apply to nature, as his presence in croaking, chirping, and whatever you call the Loon call. And yet, it’s beautiful and it’s a gentle reminder that God is. And I am so thankful I have a place I can be reminded. Job 12:7-9 ⁷“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; ⁸or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. ⁹Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?” Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the fish, and the whooping crane , loons, Bald eagle that eats the loon eggs, black squirrel, and the beaver.