Exhale–breathe in Canada!

Last autumn, my oldest daughter (13) announced after she’ed finished reading the Canadian West series by Janette Okes that she wanted to go to Canada–she wanted to see the wilderness that the pen had described so beautifully. She began to dream about someday making a trip to Canada and seeing for herself all that was laid out in the pages of a book.

God knew her dream, He knew her heart needed to mend, and He knew she needed to go to Canada. Young girls can be cruel, mean spirited and they can inflict wounds on another’s heart that leave deep scars. Scars never totally fade away, a remnant will always remain, but time can soften and smooth them to barely visible. My girl had these scars, scars that needed to be smoothed.

Autumn folded into a new year (five short months) and God orchestrated a trip to Canada. Sunday morning I open my church bulletin (Mother/Daughter Retreat to Canada) and my heart thrills for my girl…YES…we will go!

Months we plan, prepare, and dream–passports, photo ID’s, fishing licence, mosquito nets, and much, much more. June 13th we stow gear and luggage into trailer, pile into vans, and head north. We travel through the afternoon and into the night arriving in Canada as the sun was rising. We stop for a quick breakfast and continue north for about seven more hours. We arrive at Prairie Bee Lake and begin transporting our belongings into fishing boats–our welcome party a band of hungry mosquitoes. Once our boats are loaded we women are given a lesson on how to operate an outboard motor (Boat Driving 101) and after all of five minutes of training we are off on a seven mile ride across the lake to our campground–the scenery was breathe taking. Boats are unloaded and supplies are carried to our cabin’s and we exhale, breathe in God’s country. Prairie Bee Camp

No… phone/cell, internet, computers, video games, television…just quiet. We did have lights and hot water but no electrical outlets which meant no hair dryer, curling iron, etc. None of those things were missed. We had peace, tranquility, rest, community, fun, rejuvenation, and the Lord.

My girl bloomed on this trip…soul restoration was had. She and the others girls fished, hiked, fellowshipped, played a multitude of games, painted a fishing boat…

We women learned how to fish and yes, we caught fish. My girl caught twelve fish the largest thirty inches long. I, however, only managed to catch one, but it was a twenty-three and a half inch pike.

My Girl

God’s handiwork was all over this trip from the scenery to the fellowship. My dearest friend (since we were nineteen) and her daughter were able to accompany us…another blessing from the Lord. With the modern conveniences stripped true rest and peace were achieved.

My pike was on this stringer My Girl and IMy girlfriend and I, and our girls 

Blessings, Kasey

P.S. If you ever venture to Northern Canada in the summer don’t forget your mosquito net.

Linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker & the Five Minute Friday writers today! Your invited to come over and read some of their amazing words?