Heidelberg Catechism Question 27: What do you understand by the providence of God?

Answer:  Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty – all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.

Storm passes by on Kekekabic Lake

A violent storm – one which started the fire that affected our route days later – splitting and mostly passing us by.  Two days later getting camp set up minutes before the arrival of Forestry Service representatives who told us that Vera Lake, where we had just arrived, was closed due to that lightning-started fire, but since we were already set up and at the far end of the lake they’d let us stay tonight – when I was so exhausted I don’t think I could have traversed the 200-rod portage off the lake.  A fire that forced a route change that put us at a perfect site for the final night on trail – our first night with no mosquitos and a magnificent view of the Milky Way.  Even that no-bar fleeting signal that allowed a  cell phone call to arrange a pickup so we didn’t need a 3-hour paddle down a windy lake.  

Were those coincidences, or the action of His fatherly hand? 

I was quite ill when time came to get serious about packing for our trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota, my first trip to that area in many years.  Sore throat, a cough that had been going on for a couple of weeks, asthma symptoms the worst I recall them ever being.  For a couple of weeks unexplained fatigue by mid-afternoon on most days which left me wanting nothing more than to lay down and rest – which reminded my wife of her pre-heart attack symptoms.  It was so bad that on Saturday, Aug 25, a week before our planned departure, I sent an email to my trip-buddy, Dave, to let him know that I was a possible no-show, a serious situation for his trip since there were only three of us going. 

In Sunday School the next day my wife asked our class for prayer, explaining the situation.  That evening we had a “Shepherding Group” meeting, and once again I was lifted in prayer. 

I slowly improved that week, and while I still had the cough and was past ready for bed by 10 PM each night, by Friday when my wife delivered me and my gear to Dave’s house so we could leave early the next morning, I was feeling well enough to be confident that I would be able to make the trip.  This was especially true since Dave and his daughter, Bekah (our other trip partner), were quite willing to shorten the distance we traveled each day to accomodate me.  We headed out early Saturday morning, picked Bekah up, and were excitedly on our way toward Ely, Minnesota.

We drove to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on Saturday and spent the night in a hotel there, with a planned entry into the BWCAW on Moose Lake on Sunday afternoon.  When I got up Sunday morning, I took a “hit” on my asthma inhaler from habit, not because I felt I needed it. 

That was the last time I used the inhaler on our trip.

Ready for Departure from LaTourell’s

I did not experience ANY asthma symptoms during the entire 7 days on trail.  I had NO fatigue during the trip other than that which would be expected for a relatively out-of-shape 60-something desk jockey double-portaging his way through the wilderness.  After our last day of portaging, which covered 7 portages, including the steep 200 rod portage from Vera Lake to Knife Lake, I was feeling the best I had felt in months.  After dinner we had our first small fire of the trip to roast marshmallows (Who carries marshmallows into the BW?  They were wonderful!) and then stayed up late for a great viewing of the Milky Way.

Milky Way a couple of hours after sunset on Sucker Lake

Oh, and another thing – I woke up with a slightly sore throat.  This grew progressively worse as we returned south, and by the time we entered Tennessee again on Monday, I was glad Dave and Bekah had been willing to drive that entire day.  My wife and I had planned a couple of days visiting historic sites in Franklin, but I was so sick we cut our time short and headed back to north Georgia, where I went to a doctor for medication.  In church Sunday morning I had several folks mention that they had been praying for me during our trip.

Let’s see – got over the illness well enough to prepare for the trip; no symptoms of illness starting the day we got on trail; symptoms returning as we came off trail; almost disabled by the time we got back home.

Coincidence – or Providence?  I know what I think.

Sunrise in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness – Birch Lake