IN THE SILENCE...

When August rolled around, I was feeling drained emotionally, physically and mentally, and I needed to get away for some quiet time. The weather this summer has been very nice for outdoor activities, so I decided to go camping on the August long weekend.

I booked a nice little campsite online at the Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park from Sunday, July 31 to Monday, August 1 -- see picture below:

I borrowed the tent from a friend and set up for a nice quiet weekend away.
I took along my Bible and a couple of books and a journal, but really spent very little time doing any of those activities while I was there.

On Sunday afternoon, I went for a walk (well, actually more like a hike) down the Little Falls Hiking Trail. As I was beginning the hike, I discovered a perfect photo opportunity - a butterfly on some thistle-flowers - and I got some really great pictures -- like the one below:

These kind of moments happened all along the way, which was really neat, because I was so very aware of God's presence with me and appreciative of the opportunity I had to experience the beauty of His creation.

The Little Falls trail was pretty steep (both up and down) in some parts, but after awhile I reached the place where it gets its name...a little waterfall and stream that feeds into the Kaministiquia River -- see below:

I chose this picture because of the light streaming down through the trees...the waterfall is not quite so visible, but the light in this picture made me think of God shining His light into our lives. The waterfall flows into a stream that runs downward and connects with the river, and so I took a lot of pictures as I went. This next photo is one of the little pools along the way, and it made me feel so quiet and serene -- see below:

I went looking for a retreat and I definitely found one. There was no one else on the trail (at least not when I was hiking) and most of the time I didn't even feel the need to talk aloud...I just reveled in the tranquility and the beautiful silence of knowing that I was communing with God as I enjoyed His wonderful creation.

The trail meandered along the Kaministiquia River for awhile, where I took a lot more pictures, and the one below is one of my favourites:

In the silence, God spoke to my heart and gave me the refreshment and encouragement that I had been seeking. Sometimes we fill our lives with so many things that we don't have time to just "be still and know that He is God," and I think that was what my spirit needed at that time.

I spent a little bit of time at the swimming area on Sunday afternoon and then returned to the campsite. I tried to read a little bit, but I was so tired (possibly from the fresh air and swimming) and I could finally just rest, that I crawled into bed really early and fell asleep.

The next morning, I awoke just after sunrise and spent some time doing devotions. Then I went for a little walk down the Mountain Portage trail and also took a few pictures of the falls -- see below:

All in all, it really was a retreat, and in the silence I was revived in body, mind and spirit.
I think this is eloquently expressed in many of the Psalms, but especially in Psalm 23, where David says:

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul."