ReCreation Ministries Experiences "Screwtape in Person"

Tom Key performed "Screwtape in Person" in yet another of his unique and riveting one man shows.

Hosted by Sandy Springs Christian Church, OWLS and, at our invitation, a group from ReCreation Ministries were treated to a rather unusual program (for a church anyway) as the devil was invited to take the podium on Friday evening, September 18, 2009 and tell his side of the fight for souls. Tom Key played all the characters in his adaptation of C.S. Lewis' well known "Screwtape Letters" which helped reveal the wily ways used by Satan and his army of fallen angels to keep as many people as possible from spending eternity in Heaven.

Heritage Preparatory - Middle School Experience on the Toccoa River

The whole crowd used the swinging bridge where the Benton MacKay Trail crosses the river to study the trip's most challenging series of rapids.

The August 21, 2009 trip taken down the Toccoa River by the Heritage Preparatory School’s middle school students and teachers was not only a time for fun, fellowship, and the bonding which comes through shared experiences and especially challenges; it was also a time for personal growth and education. It was particularly a time to learn about communication, how it’s done, and its importance in achieving both personal and corporate goals. Students and faculty learned about communication with each other and communication with God – especially how He communicates with us through His creation and our experiences in it. We also looked for ways the Lord communicated lessons about preparing for the upcoming school year and preparing for the rest of life.

We are all familiar with Psalm 19, Romans 1, and other parts of scripture which tell us that creation has been revealing its maker and His attributes since the beginning of time. We often acknowledge that God created not only the physical laws, like gravity and thermodynamics, which govern the physical world but also the spiritual laws which govern our spiritual lives and our relationship with Him; but it was a little bit different for some of these students to realize that a big part of God’s character and attributes are reflected in the plans He has for our lives and that the “living parables,” which He allows us to experience every day, can teach us how He expects us to live.

The river had been low for quite some time and, even before the adventure began, God proved His faithfulness in answering our prayers for rain by bringing regular rainfall almost every day in the week leading up to this trip, raising the river to an almost perfect level for beginning paddlers and to its highest level in more than a month. Not only that, but the day of the paddle was clear, relatively cool, and absolutely beautiful. The restful sound of the rain all through the previous night made it easy for my two helpers/safety boaters Kelly and Shannon and me to have everything set out and ready for the arrival of the rest of the group long before the scheduled 10 am launch time. Since the rains had started almost immediately after I received Dr. Owens’ email notifying me that he was praying for rain, it was wonderful to have him volunteer to give our pre-launch prayer for our safety and thanksgiving for all we had and would experience.

It took me a while to figure out how to get all the canoes we needed to the river. Now I had to unload them all.

One of the first things I pointed out to everyone during the pre-launch safety briefing was the all too common mistake of resting one’s paddle across the gunnels while moving through a rapid or just downstream. In spite of this warning, I saw numerous examples of students doing this, sometimes combined with a white knuckled grip on the gunnels as they moved across shoals and drops. Others may have avoided resting their paddles on the rails but still managed to keep them at such a low angle that all they could do was splash water rather than fully wet the blade. Some were lucky and made it through unscathed. Others were introduced to a new version of a lesson originally taught by Jesus about the importance of stewardship and proper use of the blessings we are given. When resting on the gunnels or used inefficiently, the paddles do no more good than if they had been left on shore. White knuckles and splashed surface water are simply signs of poor stewardship and, just like the servant with one talent who had it taken from him, a number of participants had their paddles taken from them as they found their canoes washed into rocks or logs by the river currents. We can only reach our goals when we make every stroke count. Contrarily, poor stewardship of our God given skills, time, and other assets allows us to be swept along by the currents of daily life into the deadly strainers of the world.

Another corollary to the lesson of the unused paddle which we discussed was the importance of having a common goal whenever two or more people need to work together. This takes a common vision, a workable plan, and clear communication of that plan. Sentences heard like, “Let’s go around that rock!” do little to avoid problems because there were lots of rocks and most had more than one side by which they might be passed. Others learned that words like RIGHT and LEFT needed to be interpreted clearly since to some people RIGHT means “go to the right” and to others it means “there’s a rock to the right.” I guess it’s pretty clear what the results were when the bow paddler decided to pass a rock on the right while the stern paddler passed it on the left.

We discussed the way the river forced us to realize the importance and relationship of both short term goals and long term goals. As we studied the choices which lay before us at the launch site, we realized that there were many fine short term choices to be made but not all of them, if chosen, would allow us to easily continue our downstream voyage. Likewise, making a decision about school or about life with only our immediate comfort or success in mind might impede our ability to achieve our long term lifetime goals. Many of the students suggested rightly that perhaps the best course of action was to paddle upstream a short way, against the current, so they could be better lined up to take the path which allowed easier passage all the way through the rapid. Likewise, we must often make more difficult decisions or take a more challenging route if we are to achieve our long term lifetime goals.

As we worked our way downriver, each team of canoeists picked the route they thought best.

During our stop at Rock Creek some of the students looked at a very special material I showed them. Some of them guessed it to be old tree bark and others thought maybe some of Shannon’s red hair. These fuzzy delicate strands were actually some of the fibers from a throw rope like the one used to free the boat which became stuck about 45 minutes later in the Class III rapid just below our stopping place. The obvious lesson to learn from this is that there is strength in numbers and that we can do much, much more with the support of others working together with us toward a common goal. This lesson clearly reflects God’s Word where Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us that “a cord of three strands is not easily broken” but a deeper and probably more important fact is learned as we study how these rescue lines are put together. There are strands made of extremely strong fibers which are nearly impossible to stretch or pull apart. These strong fibers are also very dense and surprisingly so subject to abrasion that they are almost useless by themselves in a rope. Other lighter and weaker fibers are woven around the stronger denser fibers when the rope is constructed. The result is a rope that not only can pull more than a ton without stretching but one that can stand being dragged across rocks and will float on water. Romans 12:4 and 1st Corinthians 12 are but two wonderful examples of how the body of Christ is just like that rescue line, many different people with different attributes working together for the common goal of His glory and His pleasure. This same lesson had been taught all day long as participants experienced the way the paddlers in the bow used one set of skills combined with a different set used by the stern paddlers to work together to maneuver the canoes around hazards and safely downstream.

Everyone took a much needed break from paddling to cool off when we reached the intersection with Rock Creek.

Even some of the teachers enjoyed the rope swing at Rock Creek!

Many of the strainers we encountered during our excursion stretched almost completely across the river. Some of them were already clogged with a collection of driftwood and river debris which had become entangled in them after floating aimlessly downstream. On at least a couple, we spotted snakes waiting for an easy victim and all of these strainers spelled danger and destruction for anyone not being careful to choose the safe route around or through them. What clearer analogy could there be than this to Christ’s warning, as He spoke to the multitudes during His “Sermon on the Mount” saying, “Broad is the way that leads to destruction, but narrow is the path that leads to life.”

“Who has ears to hear, let him hear.” One lesson, upon which I hope all the students have had time to reflect, is that of our responsibility to others. During the safety briefing, I told everyone that they were responsible for the canoe following them, that they were to stop and wait if they ever started to get out of sight, and render any kind of help they could while remaining safe themselves. On three or four different occasions before our stop at the swimming hole we pulled over to let everyone catch up, only to discover that the fifth or sixth canoe in our group hadn’t been seen by the one behind it for quite some time. Before our hike to the swinging bridge, we discussed the importance of being a reliable leader and example to those who will follow. When we got to the bridge, again the line had been broken by those not looking after the ones who followed and about half our group missed a crucial turn along the trail. After negotiating the rapids below the bridge, we regrouped and headed on downstream to a revised take-out location. Again, when we got there, we had a steady arrival of eight or nine canoes and then nothing for quite some time. I don’t remember who said it but I do remember hearing someone say, “They were having trouble back there so we just went on around and downstream to catch up with the others.” Please folks, if the entire team doesn’t reach the goal, it hasn’t been accomplished. If we are all only looking out for ourselves, we are not acting as team players. It makes no difference whether that team is your class, your school, your company, or the body of Christ. It is our duty to support each other however possible and encourage each other without ceasing.

One of the students reminded me of an important lesson that I had been ignoring through most of the day. I thought I had prepared for everything that I had any control over. I had experienced safety boaters in place to help as necessary down the river, I had pre-arranged alternate take-out locations, I had studied the river conditions with local paddlers over the last few days, I brought not one but two separate kinds of snacks for everyone to have if they got hungry during the day, and I had brought a sealed container to help protect everyone’s lunch on our way down the river. Then I ended up beating myself up mentally all day long over the way I let myself get distracted (by a tree that had shifted across the river during the night’s rain) and left the lunches safely in the container – on shore. Somewhat thankful that everyone had been offered the snacks, I still felt the tension every time someone asked about lunch or said they were hungry. Then, when we finally took-out at the end of the day, one of the girls came up to me and mentioned what a blessing it was to have her supper waiting for her right there on the side of the river. Yes, the snacks became lunches, the lunches became dinner, and God is good – all the time! How could I forget that “all things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Of course, it was Jesus Himself who said, “I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and wary, and hast revealed them to the children.” (Matthew 11:25)

Paddlers4Christ Daytripping on the Cartecay River

We ended up with eight in the P4C group paddling the Cartecay at moderately low water on Saturday the 8th of August: Pop with his son Ian and his friend Doug, Jason, Sean, Kelly and his friend Anita (alias Capt. Granny), and me (Ben). We looked forward to sharing the river and the Living Water with the others we would meet and the Lord responded by bringing about a hundred middle and high school age kids apparently getting in one last splash before returning to school.
It was great for so many of us to finally be able to place a face with a name, especially Jason who travelled all the way up from Florida to spend the day with us. The weather was absolutely wonderful, especially with the shade provided by so many riverside trees, and the water level allowed us to easily converse while making our way downstream.


Here are the eight paddlers that comprised the Paddlers4Christ contingent on the Cartecay River, Saturday, August 8, 2009. From left to right are Ian, Ben, Pop, Anita, Sean, Kelly, Doug, and Jason.

We started our trip down the river with Pop leading us all in a prayer of thanks for the day, our fellowship, and our salvation and a request that we might be able to lead people to the Light of the World through the day's paddling and our lives.

Although we were able to offer some help and lots of encouragement to others on the river, Kelly spent most of the day giving lessons to and playing tug boat for Capt. Granny and Pop and Ian were kept busy helping Doug empty water out of his kayak.


Kelly, along with the rest of our crew, gave tips to Anita and soon she was able to get her S.O.T. moving downstream rather than from bank to bank.

It really got kind of funny for some of us to watch Doug as he seemed a bit slow to learn that maybe God was trying to tell him that smoking was a bad idea. He couldn't seem to be able to do without a cigarette but, every time he lit one up, it was only a matter of seconds before he found himself upside down in the river again. This happened so many times, we all lost count!

The crew with the Water Shed were delightful in their cheerful conversation and the efficient way they ran shuttle. The same can be said for the "Dogs by Donation" folks. Their attitudes and character all made it easy to feel good about making the donations it will require to keep these services available to paddlers on the river.

One last comment about the day - of all the hundreds of people on the river: tubers, kayakers, IK paddlers, S.O.T. paddlers, swimmers, etc., I was the only canoeist seen all day long. I sure hope other open boaters out there will show up next time to show what paddling is all about .
Join us next time for a great day of fun, fellowship, and praising the Lord on the river!


After a little coaching by Kelly and encouragement from the rest of us, "Captain Granny" was enjoying the whitewater like a veteran paddler.

Mother-Daughter Daytripping on the Hiwassee

Some last minute Mother-daughter requests and last second preparations allowed us to provide a day of excitement and bonding on Tennessee's Class II/III Hiwassee River. This run near Reliance, TN is known for its cold, crystal clear water which flows over numerous shoals and ledges. The participants on this trip wasted no time getting intimately aquainted with the rocks or the cold water and all agreed that the excitement of tandem canoeing the Hiwassee was more than they expected. Here is a photo of one dry-haired mother-daughter team only seconds away from their first swim of the day:

but not their last.

Total tally for the day: 1 lost paddle, 2 lost water bottles, 1 soaked watch, 1 broken gunnel

Boy Scout Troop 87 Etowah River Overnighter

July 18 & 19, 2009 - twenty Scouts and Scouters from Troop 87 sponsored by Roswell Presbyterian Church enjoyed a fun, sometimes challenging, but leisurely paddle through the Dawson Forest section of the Etowah River.



7:15 AM at the Hwy. 9 Put-in as I start untying and unloading the canoes and gear.

For many, this was the first opportunity to paddle moving water and, for a handfull, the first time to paddle period.



Fun on the Etowah River





The course downriver had been blazed for us by Doc Stevens on Thursday as he wielded a saw, removing limbs and tree trunks from dangerous strainers which had been created or relocated by the past week's storms.


With a little help from my friends - everyone got under this riverwide fallen tree.

We quickly made camp upon our arrival at the waterfall which allowed plenty of time for the boys to discuss the Canoeing Merit Badge requirements, learn the various strokes, and put their new knowledge into action. Scoutmaster Stewart only half-jokingly commented that this was the first time he could remember setting up his tent in daylight.


We made camp beside this waterfall and slept to the gentle sounds of the stream.

Cooling off in the river right below our campsite.

Attentive students!

More attentive learners!

Even the adults sat and listened carefully!

Practicing canoe-over-canoe rescues

Learning to re-enter without capsizing the canoes

Trading places & learning balance

Everyone agreed that the weather was absolutely wonderful for paddling, although several thought the night got a little cold fro sleeping comfortably. I guess that was just another reminder from our heavenly scout"Master" that we should "Be Prepared." We stopped for a brief Sunday worship led by Jack, the Troop 87 Chaplain, on the river just upstream from Radioactive Rapid with a closing thought shared by everyone that with every thorn there is also a rose. Most of us found the roses too numerous on this trip to even consider the thorns.

We arrived at the designated take-out point literally minutes before some of the parents arrived to meet the boys. Like the Colonel on the A-Team - "I just love it when a plan comes together!" All in all a great time and we all talked about doing another trip together soon. I know that I'm looking forward to it!

Teamwork + Common Goals => Success!

Father-Son Experience on Alabama's Choctawhatchee River

Unlike the other trip reports, where I compose all the comments, on this one I have just copied an email from one of the participants. I hope you enjoy reading his take on this adventure which took place July 10 - 14, 2009 and included snakes, alligators, egrets, herons, lightning bugs and, on one night, low flying night-vision equipped helicopters buzzing our campsite.

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A great time of father & son bonding!

Dear Ben:

I want to thank you for the absolutely splendid trip we had on the Choctawhatchee River with me and 12 year old Matthew.

You distinguished yourself before we ever got on the river by making a number of accommodations to my unpredictable and constantly mutating schedule – with changes in the number of days, time of departure, all of which caused you to change the trip planning, food planning, etc.

Your accommodations and flexibility were superb.

Happy campers? You bet!

Of course, one of the goals of this trip was to give Matthew a great outdoor experience, to introduce him to canoeing, to build his self confidence and to enhance the father-son bond. You succeeded admirably! On each one of these goals, we realized what we wanted – culminating in Matthew’s solo paddle all day on the last day, including following your expert instructions through the strainers. And amazingly – he listened, something that he may not have done had his father been the instructor.

Matthew's first day solo paddling - in the Bluehole Sunburst.

Ready to take a well deserved break at the confluence of the Little Choctawhatchee and the Choctawhatchee River.

In our time together, I certainly sensed what I take to be the results of 30 years of your experience in the outdoors with such a variety of venues and kids, as you explained your background to me. Your ease at camp, your ease on the water, your beautiful balance between forthright instruction and gentle encouragement with Matthew (and me!) all have been honed, I think, through your years doing this work. I think you are indeed a treasure.

One of the many creatures that shared the Choctawhatchee with us 7/10 - 7/14/09.

In fact, I think you might be hiding your light under a bushel. I know how diligently you are working on OWLS with the inner city kids – what a marvelous ministry. But I think your talents are so broad and deep that you would do well to serve other communities. I’m thinking of church groups, community-based groups, outfitter stores that offer outings like the one we were on. Your special touch with adolescents is quite rare – as most people will avoid that age group because the kids are so (appropriately) difficult. I think there are an increasing number of schools – especially private schools – that offer “real life,” practical experiences for their students. They should hire you!

The soapstone walls of the riverbank continually flowed with water, creating these "fernfalls" rather than ordinary waterfalls.

And by the way, I appreciate you providing such superb equipment and food – it certainly made our life easy to just follow your “what to bring” instructions – and then enjoy ourselves.


Making camp as the sun drops below the horizon.

It was particularly fun to do an exploratory trip with you, as I understand this was your first trip down the Choctawhatchee – a most beautiful and remote area. I was able after the first day to disconnect completely from the onslaught of work and things at home, and get a true mental rest and physical workout.

Yes, dads can still enjoy rope swings too!

Thanks again.

Cordially,
George

"Paddling With a Purpose"

Reading and Responding to This Message is Crucial

UPDATE: My sincere thanks go out to those who faithfully contributed their prayers and monetary contributions in conjunction with this year's canoe-a-thon. My prayers also are lifted to heaven for all those who, due to the unrest in our economy, felt that they could not help sustain this ministry this year. I assure all of you that the vision of the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School will remain clear through it all and we will continue to trust the Lord as He shows us ways to impact others through OWLS programs. Since OWLS is a year-round operation, funding is an ongoing need. I strongly encourage all of you to join those ministry partners who pray for us regularly and make monthly contributions to sustain this ministry. - Ben
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Perhaps the most important thing you can do this year for the OWLS ministry and for the disinherited inner-city kids we scholarship on numerous adventures each year is to support my participation in the "Paddling With a Purpose" canoe marathon, being held this year on the Current River in MO, July 21 - July 30. With your help and that of the friends you encourage to partner with us, the funds raised during this epic journey will determine our ability to meet the programming needs for the remainder of the year.

By now, you should have already received my email explaining the various ways you can partner with me in "Paddling with a Purpose": Paddling your own boat and raising sponsors for your physical efforts, Contributing $X.00 for every one of the 125 miles that I will paddle, Organizing a team of supporters to pledge contributions and prayers for this event, Sharing the news with everyone else on your email list, etc. If you didn't get that email or cannot locate it now, please send me an email (BenSimms@aol.com) requesting it NOW, before any procrastination has a chance to interfere. As we are warned in Galatians 6:9-10, it is crucial at times like this that we do not grow weary in doing what God has called us to. I cannot do that without your help. Thank you and God bless you! - Ben

Worship, Paddle, and Camp on the Nolichucky - April 17-19, 2009

Brandon at Big Rocks. Hey, doesn't it work better with the boat on top of the water?

The April WPC on the Nolichucky River with Paddlers 4 Christ was absolutely fabulous! Sounding somewhat like a soundtrack from the musical "Oliver," many of the participants reportedly had been heard singing "Rain, Glorious Rain" as bucketfulls fell on the days and weeks before the weekend but then stopped just long enough for us to enjoy our choices of runs on good water before raining again on our way home. God is so good!

Our group of 19 divided up into three parties paddling different stretches of the river. Several opted for a rather relaxing trip by just putting in at Sawmill and paddling the river down to our camp at Big Rocks and spending the rest of the time in camp, tending fires, fellowshipping, and enjoying the beauty of God's creation and the soothing effects of the river's flowing water.

Some paddled that section as a warm up and then joined a few others on a descent of the Nolichucky Gorge led by Wes Bradley and "Wayner" Dickert.

Scott enjoying his Viper on the Noli.

Four of us, Britt Lassiter, Andrew "The Author" Smith, Rob "Chicago" Wilkinson, and myself, Ben "Flowmaster" Simms took the longer Class II, III paddle by putting in at Chestoa and paddling all the way down to Big Rocks. At every rapid or bend in the river, Andrew enlightened us with detailed descriptions, nearby attractions, and the history of the area. He has paddled this river literally hundreds of times and written a guidebook which I believe he must have recited in its entirety to us as we paddled.

Taking a lunch break on a river left sandbar, from left to right: Britt, Rob, and Andrew with their kayaks. I, as the only open boater (canoeist) in our group was relegated to picture taking.

For our Sunday morning worship, Wayner delivered a thought provoking message from God's Word just as was expected after hearing him at several "River of Life" services up at NOC.

Special mention must be made of Cheryl Killman who did almost all the planning for this WPC and unfortunately ended up only being able to paddle a short distance due to a combination of leaky raft and the time it took to get her back to the campsite. She took most of the photos during the weekend and, as usual, always put forth a joyful attitude regardless of the circumstances.

Rob, by the way, earned the persistence award by driving the 11 hours it took him to get from Chicago, IL down to Jonesboro, TN. He sent us back a long message of thanks and praise, starting out with, "I had an awesome time paddling and was really encouraged to be paddling with other Christians." Then adding, "I enjoyed seeing God's creation and talking to Ben, Britt, and Andrew." He finishing up by saying, "It was great to meet other (paddlers) who love Jesus and (I) want to say I had a great time and I hope to make it to another WPC."

Thanks Rob! I pray that everyone had a great time and a Godly time during this beautiful weekend and I know we all hope to paddle with you again soon.

Spring Break Adventure in the 10,000 Islands

We've returned from the Spring Break '09 trip and it couldn't have been much better! If you missed out on this trip and want to be sure space is available for this trip next year or if you want to join us on any of our upcoming adventures, don't wait to contact me to register or schedule a custom trip for you, your family, or your group. (BenSimms@aol.com)

While we are never really certain of what our Creator will show us on any particular trip, some of the things we remember about this one were the unbelievably fantastic weather, the manatee swimming right up under one of our canoes, the ospreys warning us away from their nest, the porpoises racing in circles around us and then jumping for the sky, sand bars with so many fiddler crabs that the entire surface seemed to move, a bull shark sharing a quiet cove with us, colorful sunrises and sunsets, pelicans everywhere, sandbars covered with birds and sandy beaches with nothing but the finest white powder sand, mangrove trees growing so close that even the fish and crabs sometimes had trouble working their way out, sea shells everywhere we turned, ducks, cormorants, egrets, herons, and many more birds that we are still trying to identify.


Egrets were seen tending their young, catching fish and rodents, and flying high overhead as we traveled the Blackwater River out to the Gulf. Nests were built on signposts and treetops; wherever they felt they could be safe and see the approach of any possible danger. The Bible tells us to soar like the eagle and it's no wonder why these big raptors are often mistaken for just that.


Birds of a feather usually flock together but there were those rare occasions where pelicans and cormorants would share the same roost.


We couldn't escape the watchful eye of this pelican as he allowed us to scare up a meal or two for him in the protected lagoon he seemed to prefer.


We launched from Collier-Seminole State Park, located on Royal Palm Hammock, which is the site of the largest grove of native Royal Palms in the country.


The porpoises seemed to enjoy playing with us as they would sneak up and surprise us by blowing air and making sounds that reminded us of a horse's snort. Several even performed some aerial maneuvers such as high jumps, flips, and their own version of the belly flop.


Royal Palms are known for their distinctive green headstalks and consistently shaped tops.


These red mangrove trees were right in front of our base camp location and provided a great example of how the 10,000 Islands are continuing to form with each passing year.


Here is a view of the same trees from my tent at low tide with the customary orange Florida sunset.


This photo shows just how clear the water in the 10,000 Islands and Rookery Bay area can be. It has the same appearance as some of the springfed freshwater Florida streams.



One last shot as we finished taking down the tents and packing for the paddle back home. Beach camping just doesn't get any better than this!


We had a driftwood fire to sit around each night and discuss all the days sights and lessons.

On the way past Turtle Key, I shot this photo of side-by-side black (on the left) and red mangrove trees. Notice that the red mangrove has the distinctive prop roots whereas the black mangrove has smaller air roots somewhat like the cypress knees we were more familiar with.

God has done some amazing work in sculpturing landforms in the area, both for our delight and for our challenge. This sandbar was about 1/2 mile long and the tide was still over two hours away from complete low tide. Rather than portage the fully loaded canoes over the rough sand and shells, we elected to explore another hidden bay in search of a short cut. It was shorter but, in the process, we ended up paddling in about 5" of water over some very sticky mud for about an hour.

Although we often imagined ourselves as being alone, we had to admit that we were always being watched.

The protected waters of the tidal river basin were glassy as we paddled back up on a rising tide.

Caving Trip to North Georgia

During the weekend of January 24th, I caught up on my 2 hour per week commitment by accompanying an active group of Boy Scouts on their exploration of several caves including Pettyjohn's, Howard's Waterfall, and Tumbling Rocks. We were inside all day but, by the time we climbed back to the surface, our clothes showed proof that the rain outside had worked its way down into the caves.

MLK Weekend - Canoe-Camping in Ocala

Over the long MLK, Jr. weekend, January 16 - 19, a group of 21, mostly members of Men's Fraternity in Atlanta joined by family and friends, enjoyed camping and canoeing with OWLS in Florida's Ocala National Forest. We operated out of a base camp set up at Fore Lake, just off Hwy 314, which allowed us to reach the Silver River and Juniper Springs access points with very little effort. Friday evening when most of our group arrived was on the chilly side, reminding us to thank God for our warm sleeping bags and the gift of fire.



Saturday morning, was spent enjoying breakfast, checking out gear, waiting for the few who had opted to stay in a motel the previous night, and telling tales about other people and paddling trips we had enjoyed. After everyone had assembled, PFD's were distributed and tried on for size, we said a prayer of praise, thanks, and for safety through the day, and then we headed over to Ray Wayside Access to the Silver River.



Last minute safety review and pre-launch prayer at Ray's.



Unloading the canoe trailer went smoothly and everyone was quickly headed down the canal to meet the Silver River where we would paddle the five miles upstream to Silver Springs. These springs gush forth 550 million gallons (over 2 billion liters) of crystal clear water every day creating the largest natural artesian spring formation in the entire world. The waters of Silver Springs and the Silver River are so transparent that this has become a favorite location for the filming of underwater scenes in many movies and television shows, most notably Tarzan and SeaHunt. In fact, the Rhesus monkeys which populate the jungle-like surroundings are, by most accounts, descendants of escapees from the filming of the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movie series.




While most visitors to Silver Springs go there to ride the glass-bottom boats, visit Ross Allen's Reptile Institute, Deer Park, the antique car collection, or even play at the Wild Waters water park, we all agreed that the best part of the paddle was the travel up the river. It was here that we could see so much of God's creative genius and also acquire a better understanding of our place and His plan for us.

After reaching the Springs, we noticed the sun sitting lower in the sky and the wildlife, particularly the many alligators, starting to become restless as it neared feeding time for them. We judiciously made our way back downstream, up the canal, loaded up our gear, and headed back to camp, where we enjoyed huddling around the campfire while waiting for the genuine low country boil to get just right for our consumption.



After such a busy day, eating and discussions soon gave way to checking our eyelids for leaks. Saturday night was comfortably warm compared to the previous night and everyone slept comfortably until daybreak.

We started Sunday morning, of course, with a fireside worship service with several members of our party leading discussions and reading Bible passages concerning the Lord's use of parables, creation, and our experiences to teach us things He knows we need to understand, drawing strongly from Romans 1 and Psalm 19. Some of the living parables observed and discussed included:
1.) The “Laodecian Syndrome” as demonstrated by that uneasiness when we are not fully in or out of our canoes.
2.) The wide and narrow paths as illustrated by strainers across the wider river.
3.) The universality of God’s laws as seen in the rain or the flow of water downhill.
4.) Our need for a Savior related to our need for our PFD’s.
5.) Our place as members of Christ’s body illustrated by rain, springs, tributaries, etc.
6.) The armor of God as it relates to the paddler’s outfitting requirements.
7.) Encouragement, Teamwork, and Goalsetting as these relate to tandem canoeing.
8.) Importance of seeking the good and making every effort count re: paddle strokes.
9.) God’s untiring grasp of us as we consider the unrelenting grip of the alligator's bite.
10.) His lighting the way for us and His showing navigators the way with the stars.



Much of our worship time was spent pondering parable of the "Living Water" as we discussed the triune nature of God as displayed in the immense hidden resource of the underground river, the springs which show us the power and character of that otherwise hidden resource, and the stream banks which channel that refreshment and power right to where it is needed. We also noticed how, even though the water may be right at our feet, many will choose not to drink from or cool off in it's regenerating flow.




Following are just a few photos of some of the participants on this outing:


Three generations of Turner in one canoe!


The other two Turner boys paddling Juniper Creek.


Proof that "Yours Truly" really does go on these trips.


Clay and McClain Bradley heading to Silver Springs.


The Ritchie girls on the Silver River.



Todd and Preston Blair getting the requisite whistle before launching.


Bob and Jackie Tolford (w/Big Red) at Ray's Wayside.


Ron and Griffin Holmes assist in unloading and staging the canoes.


Vicki and Jackie reflecting the sunshine back at us in Silver Springs.

Ross Bickers waits to lead the charge up the river to Silver Springs.


Joel, Aaron, and Zachary heading up the Silver River.


Todd and Preston are all smiles as they search for the monkeys of Silver River.


Ron Holmes wins the undisputed title for the "I'd do anything" award as he searches for Griffin's lost glasses.


Griffin looks back toward the camera as he starts down Juniper Creek.


Bob was moved to play "How Great Thou Art" for us during a pause in our paddle through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness Area.


Tom, Ron, Tim, and the boys watch as a couple of kayakers move out ahead of us.

And, of course, most people look at this blog to see photos of some of the abundant wildlife we encountered while paddling thorough the streams of Ocala National Forest. The following are just a few of the literally hundreds of pictures we took during the trip. I trust you will enjoy what you see here.

You're Invited!

More and more people every month are finding out what a rewarding change of pace participation in an OWLS adventure can provide. Whether just for yourself or with a group of friends and family, the many trips we have open to everyone can provide a chance for spiritual renewal, strengthening family bonds, encouraging friendships, opportunities for outreach, or an adventure eco-tourism vacation experience you'll want to share with everyone.



In just a little over a week about 20 people, most members of the Men's Fraternity at Atlanta's Church of the Apostles and their sons, will be canoeing and camping with OWLS in the Ocala National Forest. We will paddle the Silver River, Juniper Springs and Creek, and the Ocklawaha River before returning home. Be sure to check back soon for a detailed trip report.

Our Presidents' Day weekend was holding hopes for a snowy experience as we backpacked some of the higher elevation trails in the Carolinas - until I realized that this was also Valentine's Day and that I had Jury Duty that Friday. Oops!



For Spring Break, we will return to the southwestern gulf coast of Florida for an awe inspiring 6-Day adventure canoe-camping the uninhabited 10,000 Islands region of the Everglades. Here's an introductory paragraph from our information sheet:

"Explore the 10,000 Islands section of Florida’s Everglades with the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School on one of our more exotic adventures, as we canoe freshwater swamps, tidal rivers, and brackish estuaries on our way to the pristine white sand beach paradise of uninhabited gulf shore keys. Paddle through a maze of islands and mangrove estuaries, looking for dolphins, manatees and pelicans. Seek out white ibis, blue herons, pink spoonbills, and a colorful variety of other birds in this sub-tropical world where air plants and unusual flowers thrive. Visit one of the largest remaining stands of native Royal Palms and then the National Wildlife Refuge where endangered birds, alligators, manatees, and other creatures may be found. Join us on a trip you are sure to treasure the rest of your life!"

If you want full details or want to reserve some spots, get in touch right away as group size is limited and deadlines are imminent.

Also, please help the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School and our work with inner-city teens by sharing this information and the link to this site with all your contacts. It makes a much bigger difference than you might imagine.

Odds and Ends at Summer's End

Following are a number of photos taken during other miscellaneous outings this summer and early fall. Some are identified and others are left for your guessing. I hope you enjoy the photos. If you do, why not come along with us sometime soon?

Thankfully it usually takes many seasons before we have to retire a boat, but retirement does come regularly to several each year. Much like the rotting wood of a dead tree gives life to a new seedling, this kayak still lives on in the repairs it enabled which allow us to use others even longer.


Providence Canyon - little wonder why this modern phenomena is also known as Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon."

Over 300 feet deep and caused by erosion over a period of less than 50 years!

Hikes along the streams of North Georgia always have a way of providing relief from the summer's heat.

Possibly the Chattooga II at low water.

My favorite plant to avoid in summertime.

Exploring the "South Metro 'Hooch" and its surprising beauty.

Discussing plans for the new county park during our lunch break along the Chattahoochee with the Southeastern Sense of Place Institute.

The Great Blue Heron is one of our regular participants on all river trips.

God paints His own "stained glass" along Amicalola Creek as fall makes its appearance.

Middle School Odyssey Trip for Hill Country Montessori

If Ayn Rand had written her own version of Lord of the Flies, the final work would very likely have been a perfect retelling of the Odyssey Trip for the Hill Country Montessori School. Unlike any of the other adventures we have been asked to plan for groups, rather than focusing on God, His character, and His plan for us, this group actually asked me to avoid discussing Him. Well, as Jesus is quoted in Luke 19:40, if we don't speak even the stones will cry out His praises. It may not have been the stones but God did show Himself in the storms He brought this group, both figuratively and literally!


Pre-launch safety and other important trip details are given due attention by most (all but one) participant.

On the afternoon of July 28, we finished setting shuttle, packing the canoes, and set out from the boat ramp at Chickasaw Trace on what was supposed to be a five day journey down the Duck River. The intent was to help the students bond as a team and challenge themselves with new experiences and, with a cooling swim in the river and a relatively easy paddle, when we stopped to make camp that first night, it looked like everything was right on track. After a quick lesson in how to set up the tents and deal with bathroom needs, everyone ate their fill of a good hot chicken, rice, cheese, and vegetable meal, discussed our plans for an early start the next morning, and retired for the night in our tents.


The hot summer days made an occasional cooling dip in the water almost irresistable.

The following morning I had breakfast prepared by 6:30 AM and the middle school girls and their teachers were up and packed just as planned. The boys, on the other hand, showed absolutely no desire to exert themselves in the least. After much too long a delay, apparently expecting others to pack their gear for them, they complained that the breakfast had been packed away before they were ready to eat, and then only halfheartedly moved to put their gear in the canoe I decided to put the two of them in together. I sent the others on ahead so they wouldn't have to paddle so long in the heat of the day, certain that these young men would jump into gear in their effort to outdo or at least catch up with the girls and everyone else. Was I ever wrong!

Two computer crashes after entering all the sordid details has saved you from reading about the miriad of problems caused by the lack of teamwork and the self-absorbed attitudes shown by some members of this group. The remainder of the trip left no doubt that, when God and the purpose He gives is removed from life, the result is a collection of meaningless actions without any real purpose. If you really want all the minute-by-minute, blow-by-blow details, give me a call and we can discuss it over lunch.


Clifford, who runs the "Sense of Place Institute" demonstrates his excellent sense of place when it comes to tent site selection .


It took an act of God but finally we got to see the kids working together as a team.

July 2008 Paddlers 4 Christ WPC on the Duck River

My calendar had July 9 - July, 20 2008 scheduled for the July P4C WPC. For those who aren't familiar with the notation, P4C stands for Paddlers for Christ which is a group of Christian Paddlers who desire to find opportunities to share the "Living Water" with others as they paddle and fellowship in various locations. WPC stands for Worship, Paddle, and Camp which are the three major focuses of these P4C fellowships. While most WPCs are only over a weekend, particularly with the increasing gasoline prices, requests had been coming in for longer periods of time to be devoted to these opportunities combined with more unfamiliar rivers. Summer vacations and Tennessee's Duck River seemed like the perfect combination for answering these requests. Also, since the next OWLS outing was tentatively planned to take place on the Duck River, this gave me the chance to scout out the best sections of the river for that trip, locate potential campsites, and discover any river hazards we needed to avoid.

As it turned out, this WPC made the record books in three different categories. It was the longest timewise with 11 days, it was the longest in terms of river mileage at 177 river miles covered from initial launch to final take-out, and it was the smallest turnout of any uncancelled WPC, particularly if you consider the average number of participants per day paddled.

The Lord was my constant companion and encourager along the way and He regularly brought others alongside to make the trip easier and more pleasurable.

The first really neat example of this was, on Day 1, about a mile or so above the first dam I would have to portage, I came upon Brian Wofford, a teacher at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, and a couple of his kids. Brian had heard of OWLS and been studying our programs to see how they might enhance what he is doing with Project WILD, the Webb School's outdoor program. They were a lot of fun to talk with and a great help in negotiating the portage around the Lillard's Mill dam.

Not only did they help carry my heavily loaded canoe around the dam but the following morning Brian met me at a bridge farther downstream and helped me relocate my car in a safer spot farther downstream.

As I landed at the Shelbyville dam, the blessings came in the form of a number of the town's homeless men. They showed lots of interest in my "expedition" and then offered to help me portage around that dam. One of them, which I turned down, even suggested that I should stop over for the night at his campsite under the next bridge.

It wouldn't be right to enter this trip report without mentioning Doug Murphy, Director of the Tennessee Duck River Agency, who helped make this trip possible in numerous ways. He encouraged me time and again by showering accolades on his river. He provided detailed maps and information concerning access points, portages, mileage, and other crucial data. He offered to provide quick response in case of emergencies. After a very expensive and exasperating day including having my car break down and having to have it towed to Columbia, he also bought me lunch and helped me set shuttle in Centerville where I finally took out.

It was a long trip and toward the end my goal turned from enjoying the scenery and marking potential campsites to making more miles each day and getting back home. I was able to accomplish my goal of determining the best section for the upcoming "Odyssey" trip and plotting enough campsites on my maps to offer the kids plenty of flexibility during that trip.

Below are a few of the many photos I took during the WPC. I certainly hope you make the next one with me!

The upper sections of the Duck River were often lined with rocky bluffs.

Some of the riverside bluffs were deeply undercut providing comfortable sheltered campsites.

Other bluffs were pockmarked with cave entrances. Some were dry and others, like this, had small streams of water flowing out of them all the time.

This Great Blue Heron seemed to stay just ahead of me throughout the entire trip. He always saw me coming long before I spotted him, making photographing him a real challenge.

This little fellow and several of his older relatives were my companions during the first few evenings on the Duck River.

Most of the older bridges have been replaced with new concrete structures but, in many locations, the old steel frames of the original bridges remain like giant erector set projects.

The deer were everywhere along the river and I spotted several of them each day.

Spotting a family of Bald Eagles near Williamsport and following the big male for another mile or so downriver was really exciting.

When approaching shoals or one of the dams, the river often took on a mirror-like appearance.

The mussels found in the banks and along the gravel bars grew to 6" or more in size. If the water was a little bit cleaner, each one would be a meal in itself. There must have been lots of chubby Indians living along this river in years gone by.

A week on the river without a mirror and without anyone telling me what I looked like can create some pretty scary results.

At my final takeout, in Centerville, TN, just down the road from Grinders Switch and 177 river miles downstream from Normandy Dam where the trip began, it's just Minnie Pearl and me.

Paddle GA 2008 on the Flint River, June 21 - 27

Just as in previous years, the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School was represented in Paddle GA 2008 by a flotilla of canoes, kids, and mentoring adults. Unlike other times however, this year the number of participants and the organizations served changed so many times that I often found myself cycling wildly between not knowing if we would have enough boats, tents, and other gear to not knowing if we would have anyone at all.

Without mentioning specific names of the youths, some of the ministries and churches which had kids which were and then were not participating were Lindsay Street Baptist Church, Sandy Springs Mission, Peachtree Presbyterian, Techwood Girls Ministry, Christ Church, Perimeter Church, ReCreation Ministries, and the Salvation Army. By the time we arrived for on-site registration on June 21, we were still trying to figure out who was using whose prepaid registration and whose meals they would be eating during the week. Even after the final registration we had changes as participants altered their schedules and, in the case of one challenged young lady, had to be hospitalized on their way to our campsite.

With the low and slow water, the days were difficult and hot but, with the addition of each little tributary, just like additional members joining a team or workgroup, as we made our way downstream each day's paddle was a bit easier than the day before.

Discussions of the area's previous inhabitants, their use of the resources, and their interaction with each other (both ethical and unethical) demonstrated how people really haven't changed at all over the years but also how God provides all that we truly need. Now if we could only somehow allow everyone to capture Paul's ability to be satisfied with any situation in which we find ourselves.

Some of the discussions I had one-on-one with some of the kids were pretty different from what I usually experience. Statements like, "None of this is real. I and this world don't really exist. My mind only dreamed all this up." or more mundane topics like the intricasies of operating a group home for kids and incorporating foster children into a home can certainly get your mind off the tedium of flat water paddling for longer than you might imagine.

Despite the struggles of Paddle GA 2008 - 95 miles on the Flint River before the last day of the trip, at least seven people had already made tentative plans to be part of the OWLS flotilla in Paddle GA 2009 as we paddle the Broad and Savannah Rivers. I hope you will contact us soon to join in as well. If you can't join us, be there in spirit by sponsoring one or more impoverished youths who would otherwise have to miss out on this adventure.
The buzz among the paddlers was that shirts would be produced that said, "I Walked the Flint, Paddle GA - Drought 2008." Yes, as a result of the extended periods of drought we had had, the water level was very low. Everyone, myself included, had to walk some of the route, especially in the upper stretches.

Eli, Brad, and everyone else for that matter enjoyed escaping the summer heat by cooling off in the swimming holes we found all along the way.

"Look out below" as Ashleigh enjoys a cooling leap from one of the many rock outcroppings found along the Flint River.

Here Warren helps identify and count the fish, snails, and other creatures found in the river. They were particularly interested in seeing some of the indiginous Halloween Darters which provided the basis for some mighty strained humor during the week.

This picture of Lizzy and Ashleigh being followed by Christy and Vicki, as they paddled by some of the wide Flint River sandbars, must have been taken around midday on Day 3 of Paddle GA 2008.

The "Dripping Rocks" waterfall was a pleasant side hike for those of us who figured hiking in the woods made as much sense as hiking down the river.

Vicki and Lizzy paddle intently as they finally find some deep and fast flowing water.

On day three of the trip, a number of us stopped along the way to tour the mock-up of a Creek Indian settlement as it might have appeared in the days of local Indian Agent and trader, Benjamin Hawkins.

Here is Lizzy giving it her best as she tried to duplicate the flight of the birds who easily soared from the rocks and trees along the Flint.

Looking like something reminiscent of a commando training maneuver, Leonard and Warren tried to sneak up on me as I photographed the others.

Ashleigh, Christy, and Lizzy provide a lovely backup trio to the lead singer, Eli, as he enjoys his moment of fame leading everyone in several Karaoke tunes.

Brad and Warren approach the "finish line" after spending a week together paddling the old reliable BlueHole canoe.

Eli (and I'm sure - although his arms were probably too tired to show it - Leonard) celebrate their approach to the final boat ramp at the end of Paddle GA 2008.

Here's a shot of those in our group who made it all the way down the Flint River, shortly after our final take-out in Oglethorpe, GA. From left to right: Christy, Brad, Warren, Eli, Leonard, Emma, and Ben. (Not here at the final day's take-out were Anne, Allison, Bath-Shebba, Victor, Mahogany, Ashleigh, Lizzy, and Vicki.)

One of the most memorable experiences for some of the OWLS group was being able to see, meet, talk to and eat with former GA governor and US president, Jimmy Carter, at the "River's End" celebration.

Kayak Camp at Buffalo Mountain

June 1 - June 6, 2008 I answered the call to help introduce a special group of boys and girls in Buffalo Mountain's Kayak Camp to whitewater kayaking. The camp theme for the summer was a direct quote from John 7:38, "If you believe in me, streams of living water will flow from within you" and kayak camp provided many wonderful opportunities for discovery, investigation, and discussion of the "Living Water" (Holy Spirit). Our experiences on the river mirrored the Bible studies done back in camp and everyone grew closer to the Lord and to each other as we noted how God's love for us was revealed at every turn.

Some of our time was spent fitting kayaks to campers and developing some familiarity with the Jackson Kayaks on and around the camp's pond but most of our time was devoted to paddling in moving water on the Nolichucky River which flows nearby. The Nolichucky, like most southeastern rivers, showed the effects of our lengthy drought. Since several of the kids were not comfortable with either their wet exits or rolls, and since the water was relatively low, we aired up an inflatable raft, placing it in duty alongside the kayaks, providing a change of pace and a moving playground as we made our way downstream.

Here I am in the big green Jackson Super Hero which I paddled all week long at Kayak Camp.

Jess Christian, shown here making good eye contact as she helps a paddler learn to roll, has directed Buffalo Mountain Camp's whitewater paddling program for a number of years and her love for the Lord, love for the sport, and love for the kids shows in everything she does. It is always a pleasure working and/or paddling with her.

Canoes for Summer Camps for the underprivileged

Once again this summer, literally hundreds of underprivileged and inner-city kids had the chance to try their hand at paddling, learning to communicate with each other, and determine their destination as the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School made our tandem canoes, kayaks, and Sit-On-Tops available to a number of summer camp programs. Sometimes only 12 or 16 at a time but often 30 or more boys and girls would eagerly fill the boats and race across the lake or down a river.

English Avenue Community Revitalization

On May 10th the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School was pleased to be part of the 150+ volunteer force which responded to requests from the English Avenue Community Development Corporation to work on eight specific problem sites within the neighborhood. Our specific area of concern was to clean weeds, bottles, cans, wire, drug paraphernalia and other debris from around an abandoned and boarded up apartment project at 744 North Avenue. It was hot, dirty, and difficult but, at the end of the day, the impact of our labors was evident. As a matter of fact, it was our site that was chosen to be featured in the organization's followup newsletter!

OWLS Coastal Island Adventure with Sandy Springs Mission

The Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School owes thanks to quite a number of individual people willing to share their blessings so that the Spring Break retreat provided to the middle school and high school youth of the Sandy Springs Mission might be the effective, thoughtful, and fun time that it was. First of all Chip Drury and his family for making their unique properties available for our use, to Chuck Stutsman and the boys of Scout Troop 40 in Mountain City for lending OWLS their cargo trailer so I could round up all our remaining mountain bikes, to Buz Stone and the other members of the Lake Rabun Foundation for purchasing that trailer for the Scouts and then letting me know of its availability, to Mike Timma who volunteered to pull that trailer back to Atlanta from the coast and, even though that eventually became unnecessary since nobody volunteered to pull it down, still drove over from Jacksonville to fellowship with us and spend time discussing some key spiritual matters with the kids. Esther and Elsa came along to chaperone and mentor the girls. Then there are the faithful ministry partners whose regular monetary contributions help keep the OWLS ministry going by providing the funding we use to provide these learning experiences. I'm sure others will come to light as I write this entry into the blog and the greatest thanks of all goes to our Lord, our Creator, and our loving Savior who allows OWLS to be used for His glory and to show others how to spread the Light of the World wherever they go.

This is what "Jed Clampet" Simms looked like April 9, 2008 as I finally headed out Wednesday afternoon for Laurel Island after working for a couple of days, disassembling the bikes so they would fit in the bottom of the canoe trailer, packing tents, food and other gear all the way to the roof inside the car and then putting the kayaks on the roof. I got lots of incredulous looks on the way down but miraculously didn't lose anything.

Pastor Felix Lora drove the bus down Thursday morning with all the kids aboard, making a stop on nearby Jekyll Island so everyone could stretch their legs on the wide beaches and cool off in the sea. Felix later told me that some of the kids had expressed surprise at the saltiness of the sea water. This demonstrated once again how experience truly completes the education that is only started in a typical classroom. I took that time to unload the boats (with help from Jim on the last few), reassemble the bikes and check their operation, unload and spray down the bike helmets, hang up all the PFDs and paddles, begin setting up tents, do some litter collection, run to the store for some of the food and fish bait that wouldn't fit in the car on the way down, lay a few logs in the fire pit, and start preparing the chicken, rice, and vegetable casserole and the beef stew I brought for everyone's dinner.

About 6:30, April 10th, the bus pulled into our campsite at the end of Laurel Island and out stepped Felix, shortly followed by Johnny, Natalia, Pamela, Esther, Jesus ("Chucho"), Leonel ("Chuchito"), Jiselle, Esteban, Alvaro, Jenny, "The Siamese Twins" Damali and Tito, Rubi, Jose R., Ednand, Elsa, Bryan, Antonio, Emanuel, Juliana, AJ, Jose, Enmanuel, Evelyn, and Luis. The boys jumped into helping complete setting up the camp and the girls surveyed the area and lined up for the blessing and dinner, followed shortly thereafter by the boys. It always amazes me how these kids can eat and the complements they give my cooking. After allowing seconds in an orderly fashion, I opened up the leftovers for anyone who wanted them and hardly had to clean the pots afterward. I also realized right away that keeping them hydrated might be an issue on this outing since they couldn't seem to make themselves drink the strong smelling coastal well water, even when mixed with PowerAide or lemonade mix. I must confess my disappointment when I think about the money needlessly wasted on bottled water due to finicky taste buds.

After dinner, a number of us went over to get the fire started and, in keeping with Felix's stated theme for the retreat of "Being an Influencer," discussed how the various pieces of wood would share the heat they had with others around them, influencing them to also burst into flame and spread the warmth to that many more. They indicated they saw the application of how the influence they had on those around them would eventually spread to many more people and how much more beneficial it would be if that influence was warm and loving rather than cold and cruel.

Felix took the last bit of afterglow to try his hand at fishing and soon had his first of many fish on the hook.

Here is a picture of Felix showing off his first fish in front of the Laurel Lady, a beautiful Chris Craft reportedly built in the 1920's.

Kids always enjoy poking sticks at a campfire. It is such a relief when the campfire is surrounded by sand and we don't have to be concerned about starting a wildfire with all those sparks. How I love beach and sandbar camping!

We all woke up to a very foggy Friday morning. Visibility was realistically only about 30 feet! Right after a breakfast of French toast and bacon, Felix led everyone in a time of Bible Study and devotional discussing what it means to be an "influencer" and the importance of keeping with our God-given purpose of being the "Salt of the Earth."

After the devotional, we divided up the group and traded turns at paddling and biking. The wide waters of the coastal rivers might have been intimidating but the weather was beautiful and the wind was rather mild. We did have a few of the guys discover firsthand what can happen to a boater when he paddles the shallows on a falling tide but they were shortly back afloat and the mud will eventually wash off. Thank goodness the way they influenced others was to demonstrate the sticky, uncomfortable, messy situations that result from taking the wrong path with the result that the others stayed in deeper water. The tandem canoes also gave each of them chances to feel the influence of the other paddlers, the wind, and the current on the boats. These feelings created conversations (and some slight arguments) over the positive or negative influence each was having and also comparisons of what happens to people who just go wherever the winds or currents of society make travel easier for a time, in contrast to those who have specific goals and take the appropriate strokes (or actions) needed to efficiently reach those goals.

Felix and the girls take a break on the main road through the island during their time on the bikes. Some of the many issues we always have to deal with when biking can also be the source of parables expressing the importance of our part as members of a team or the Body of Christ. So many little parts seem so insignificant and yet, when removed from the whole, the body cannot function properly. Take a tube out of a tire, a bolt from a clamp, or a link from a chain and the negative influence of that missing "insignificant part" is felt immediately. Conversely, when replaced, the bike (and likewise the body) can function as was intended.

Everyone seemed to enjoy fishing! Even when I was too tired to take another step, I could look toward the dock or the edge of the island bluffs and find scenes like this of the kids and Felix pulling in fish and crabs.

Sometimes the crabs took some retaliatory action as proven by the blood you can see on Felix's thumb in this photo.

Friday night, with the aid of Don Drury's gas burner and Mark Drury's extra large pot, along with some helpful reassurance from Cicero, I did my part to get everyone in the proper coastal mood by cooking a low country shrimp boil. As everyone scooped up the spicy shrimp, corn, potatoes, carrots, celery, crawfish, and even Felix's crab, I was pleased to hear more praise for the cooking and the God who made it all possible.

Mike Timma who I met through our Paddlers for Christ group arrived just in time to enjoy dinner with us and then spend some real quality time with Alvaro talking about our assurance of heaven, what part God plays in that, and just how much of a difference our efforts and hard work play in the process. Without realizing it, Mike did a wonderful job of introducing Felix's devotional the next day which included the fact that we are all sinners and yet we can, through God's grace, continue to be the Salt of the Earth.

Saturday morning, after a quick breakfast and hurriedly packing all our gear (with lots of much appreciated help from Mike), we headed over to Jekyll Island to hitch a ride on the Miss Lillie Carol for our ride across St. Andrews sound to the island where we would spend the rest of the day and the night. The photo above is of the first half of our group waving to the others as they made the trip to Raccoon Key. Some of them told me that this was the first time they had been "on a boat out in the ocean."

Raccoon Key was a private hunting and fishing preserve for many years and its attraction for wildlife is quite evident today. With a combination of fresh and salt water ponds, reeds, grasses, wildflowers, and even a few trees, it is home to entire flocks of Blue Heron, White Heron, Egret, Ibis, Cormorants, Hawks, Red Winged Blackbirds, Anhingas, Mallards, Coots, Black Ducks, and the usual Seagulls, Sand Pipers, Pelicans, and other birds commonly found along the coast. Four legged animals we noticed were numerous relatively small lizards, Alligators, Raccoons, rats, and mice.

Looking carefully at this picture you will notice one of the rare times Tito was able to be found apart from Damali, although I'm sure she was nearby on the shore waiting for his return. In the background is the famous Cumberland Island.

The refreshing ocean water was lots of fun and most of the kids apparently preferred swimming to showering in the "smelly" water even though Don had convinced some of them that there was a major shark danger in those waters.

When not swimming or playing in the water, the beach provided a great place to enjoy the sun, build sand castles, and build friendships.

Here's another shot of the sand castle engineers working together. Note that Damali has caught up with Tito on shore again.

We should probably call this photo "With a little help from my friends" since it took several friends to pull him out after breaking through the crust into the muddy ooze below while chasing a ball into the ocean. As the tide continued to run out, it looked as if we could have walked across the sands for a quick visit to Cumberland Island.

Here's Felix during Saturday evening's devotional in the lodge at Raccoon Key. See if you can make out the impressive duck and fish mounts on the wall behind him. Yes, we did do some fishing while at Raccoon Key also.

Here are the few, the strong, the brave who accompanied me to the beach to light our driftwood bonfire so the others could find their way to us. We had many more in our company when we started our hike out to the beach but the masses turned back when they began to notice the quantity of red eyes watching us as we slowly made progress between the ponds.

Once again realizing how the fire demonstrates the influence each of us has on those around us, we pulled up some logs and sat down to see what God might have in store.

As our eyes adjusted to the darkness we saw the clouds moving across the night sky, noticed a shooting star, and then entered a conversation dealing with knowing which way to go, how to find Polaris, the North Star, and how God has, from the beginning of time, provided us with everything we need to make the right decisions and become the people He wants us to be.

We also reflected upon how easy it was to see after we had spent some time in the darkness and how God might want us to realize how unaware we can become of sin if we spend to much time surrounded by it. It is the "Light of the World" which we need to see everything as it truly is.
Here are the rest of the boys and girls, traveling in a tightly packed group with Felix, like a giant centipede, on their tour of the "Red Eye District," searching the darkness with their flashlights for the alligators which are much easier to spot now than during the daylight. With the weather rapidly warming, we probably could not have safely done this in another three weeks or so, as the mature alligators would be nesting and becoming aggressively protective of their territory.

This is what the kids learned to look for in the water as they walked around the island together. More importantly, they learned to look underfoot and nearby for the tire-tread appearance of an alligator basking in the sunlight.

This was taken as we shared stories and fun while our driftwood fire slowly burned down during our last night together on Raccoon Key. Once again we realized that God was providing us with what we needed to stay warm and enjoy His creation. There wasn't anything in this fire that wasn't found washed up on shore or growing on the island.

Our Sunday morning worship included a responsive Bible reading by Pamela, the song "Lord We Lift Your Name On High" accompanied by yours truly on a twelve-string guitar loaned to us by Don, and a message by Felix dealing with patterns, history, habits, and how we don't need to abandon our heritage but do need to break destructive patterns we may have grown up with.

As we waited for our ride back across the sound, some of us sat and talked, others sat or lay down and rested, and others took the time for one last walk on the beach. Continuing the devotional topic somewhat, several of us sat on the dock and discussed our past and how it affects our ability to be a positive "Influencer." As I listened to the boys, I was drawn to pick up one of the many plain, unattractive oyster shells lying nearby. I reminded the young theologians that it isn't the fancy conch shells or even the sand dollars which usually make the most difference. Instead it is the unseemly oyster which often contains the valuable pearls. In the same way, God looks deep within us and sees a far greater worth than can be seen by those just looking at surface things. Furthermore, the pearl is a response to some bit of dirt or irritation entering the life of that oyster. In the same way, our past, even our mistakes and sin, can be transformed by God to make us even more able to glorify Him.
The last of our group approaching the Jekyll Marina safe and sound on the Miss Lillie Carol, at nearly 4 PM, after delays caused by Coast Guard inspections, low engine oil levels, fuel shortages, and the Sunday schedule in general. It was pretty obvious that Felix would not be making his originally planned 7 PM arrival back at the Sandy Springs Mission. I think that makes our record 100% for them returning late from OWLS adventures.
Here is one last shot of most of our group before boarding the Bluebird for the long ride home. I'm sure it was hard to get up the next morning and be excited about going back to school. But then again maybe not - they probably have more to talk about concerning what they did during Spring Break than anyone else.