by Pastor Dan Baumgartner

Long ago I had a friend

who could not believe in God.

Life had run him over and left

deep tire-tracks across

most visible parts.

Acid dripped unrestrained

from his words,

Until.

One day we canoed a few of the

ten thousand lakes,

surrounded by nine billion trees,

and more wildlife than Adam and Eve ever thought to name.

Paddled, portaged, paddled,

deeper and deeper into creation

so untouched

we scooped water

from the center of the lake

and drank it straight,

toasting as though it were

some jovial merlot

and we’d had one glass too many.

Perhaps we had.

My friend grew silent.

then murmured with odd reverence

“Surely this is God’s backyard,

and we get to play here awhile.”

 

I thought of him yesterday, years later

as I walked the s-curves

of Lake Sagatagan,

towards the lonely chapel

across the water.

Half an hour through the woods

I was surrounded by

friendly hoards of dragonflies,

paper wings

clapping like cellophane.

Two grey squirrels played

“catch me if you can”

up a slant broken limb,

and a serious blue heron passed me by, long neck tucked in,

its flight path a rush of air.

An orange and black butterfly

flew a drunken gauntlet,

somehow missing collision

with every dragonfly,

and a huge muddy tortoise,

encased in goo

sat pathside like a helmeted soldier

risen out of a foxhole.

At the boardwalk bridge, fish teemed in

the shallows and water gurgled

through gaps

in the soaked two-by-fours.

One loon at mid-lake called out

for friendship,

or romance or perhaps

just to call.

 

The cornerstone on the tiny chapel said

“Built 1915. Renovated 1943,”

but the smell of sticky paint suggested

recent work.

There was nothing inside,

no pews, no statues, no icons,

just open windows that

let in piney air.

I walked the dirty tile floor,

and since no human being was near,

I prayed.

Then prayed out loud.

Then spoke scripture,

then sang yes sang to the walls

which had heard so much,

and danced yes even danced.

When the “Amen” finally came,

I returned through

the backyard

eager to play once again.

 

Collegeville, MN
June 20, 2008