A Tumult of Adventure: A Passion for the Wonders of His Hands

I wonder how much we are robbing from our children of the knowledge of God, by not having them outside more—by not being outside with them—and experiencing the awe and wonders of His creation.

We probably saw a hundred of these

Have we ever wondered what God likes? What thrills Him? What He finds beautiful? What He loves to look upon? Are these things that should delight our soul also, therefore? Aside from His created peoples, and those who belong to Him that He sings over with delight, nature is the book that reveals to us His mind, His creative touch, His best (at least this side of heaven). Sure, to take it all in we’d need to travel from the plains of Africa to the steppes of Nepal to the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean; but there is plenty in our backyard.

We travelled north along the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, to the end of the road. Then we got on a boat and went another 70 or so miles north into the wilderness: snow-fielded mountain peaks, emerald waters and fjords, 200 foot waterfalls. Can you imagine the thrill our 14 year old had in taking the implicit dare to kayak behind a 150 foot waterfall—not actually knowing if it could be done? “Well, it was there to do, and there was only one way to find out!” A few moments of panic from everyone including the guide, and then out he came on the other side, having assessed victory correctly.

Of course, then we all had to do it – water pounding down so hard on our heads that all we could do was blindly strike out with all our force on the paddles and stay away from the rock wall on the other side. Only one word suffices – Exhilarating! Nothing like it in the world!

The guides told us all about how the (now called) First Nation peoples could read the plants, read the sea life, read the skies and the birds and the trees, knew the seaweeds. This was good for food; when this emerged, then this time was come and when that season came, they knew.

Collecting oysters that we later had for dinner; the seaweed can be broken open for a healing ointment, consistency similar to aloe vera

This mushroom, that looked like a fungus on the tree, could cure tuberculosis and many other ills. Carved and decorated and sent to Europe, the English thought it was wood for many years. Captain Vancouver came to this place of uncommon beauty and verdant wildlife and foraging but named it Desolation Sound, saying it was void of charm and provision. Must have been an overcast day. But common grace sustained these tribes under harsh conditions in some seasons.

ancient red ochre Indian markings on rock overhang

Easy to dismiss this as just their thing – they had to know, to survive. But my mind is perennially piqued by God’s answer to Job from the whirlwind, essentially this: “I’m not going to tell you why all this has happened to you and you don’t need to know. The next hundreds of generations, they’ll know. But you? You need to read nature; learn to understand something about me through what happens around you in the order and beauty of the winds, the animals, the seas. Wonders abound!”

And we let them sit inside and play video games. (Confession: we are a video-game free family.) The guides have worked for years with children and teens, introducing them to the wonders of nature around them and changing their perspective and their world in the process. We who love the Creator, do we instill a love for His creation in our own children? A passion for the wonder of what His hands have made, that changes their lives and their perspective? Surely this is a powerful accompaniment to adorn the gospel, knowing these things about the God we serve—in a small part, maybe, but nonetheless more of who He is and what thoughts He has had.

We met a science teacher from Toronto on another kayaking trip, through beds of twirling sea kelp and rainbows of sea stars, and then later boating by both humpback and gray whales. He loves what he does, but has a hard time interesting a generation that simply hasn't been outdoors climbing trees and finding frogs. He tries to take them camping, when there is enough interest. How much is our own fear of inconvenience contributing to our decisions not to enjoy God's playfields? After all, I spent the entire fishing trip terribly seasick; yes, we got sunburned; the car is rather a mess and the sea-washed clothes are piled high now. And how willing are we to let them jump into the lake with all their clothes on after a sweaty, hot hike and then get in on the leather seats, beach towel notwithstanding? How willing are we to let them jump 30 feet off the cliff into the ultramarine lime quarry waters, when my heart was in my throat and I had to force myself to shut up and not dissuade them. "Please just make sure you jump out far enough!!"