Awhile Away

My dad used to love going out to the pavilion in the evening to watch the ducks and the geese and the fish and the frogs and whatever else would happen by. The pavilion is pretty much enclosed in glass windows on three sides and open on the eastward side. Dad would sit by the window which was about five feet from the water's edge. On the west side by the steps that go up to the loft he hung a framed picture of the words to the old hymn, “I Love to Steal Awhile Away”. 

The first verse goes like this;

I love to steal awhile away

From ev'ry cumb'ring care,

And spend the hours of setting day

In humble, grateful prayer.

Those words came to mind as I was thinking back on a little canoe ride I took on Sunday.

I haven't been canoeing much this summer. For the most part, it's been intentional. I quit my part-time job last spring, trying to make Keen and Bright our full-time gig. To do that, we felt that I needed to put some sweat equity into making our place a little nicer looking and conducive to having people over to blow glass. I've been building a little cabin for our glass and supplies, and we've been having a steady flow of people coming to blow glass. Knowing that it would be a busy summer, I decided that I wouldn't fish much this year. For me, fishing and canoeing go hand in hand, so if I'm not doing one, I'm probably not doing the other. So I haven't been canoeing or fishing much, other than in my dad's pond.

I am planning to take some time to bowhunt and I'm really looking forward to that! Bowhunting wouldn't be so easy for me to let go. Getting things done now allows for time in the tree later.

I got my hunting license a couple weeks ago and when I did that, I finally got my fishing license too. Better late than never.

Sunday evening the kids were gone and Jenelle wanted to go on a longer run. Since I finally had my fishing license, I decided to take the canoe out for a paddle. I put my canoe in the back of the truck, grabbed a paddle and a fishing pole and in fifteen minutes I was on the water. I live so close to the Savage, it's a shame that I haven't been paddling more. The sun seemed too hot and bright for fishing and so I paddled up around a little peninsula and up into a cove where the sun wasn't hitting the water. I fished a little bit but mostly played around with a bunch of small fish that were swarming around the canoe and in the seaweedy stuff. I caught two little fish but was more into looking at everything than fishing. I paddled up the little stream that fed the cove as far as possible and then got out and walked around. Everything was so beautiful! The bright red cardinal flowers were so vibrant! The burbling brook, the whitish bark of the cottonwoods, the dark green of the rhododendron, all made for the most peaceful place ever. I couldn't help but to take a little time to thank God for everything! It felt good to give him all the cares of the world and to just breathe in his beauty! And that got me thinking about Dad's song. 

Sometimes it's a really good thing to steal awhile away. 

And I sure do hope to do more of that soon.

Hope you take some time too!