Water Gate

Four siblings and their families met to camp every year. They loved meeting at the spring; setting up their tents; spending time together; playing and laughing during their time together. The kids all mingled to the point one could not tell who belonged to who--they were family.

The spring branch was clear and consistently cold year round. The kids loved to wade--until their feet froze and challenged each other to great feats of daring. Of course it was also a natural ice box where they kept watermelon, cantaloupe and the like--which the muskrats loved to feast on as well.

There was a well-worn path along the spring branch leading to the spring itself and the mill. The wonders along the way were remarkable. The rock walls offered small pocket caves, cracks, and crevasses. Small lizards made their homes there, occasionally snakes would sun themselves, and the doodle bugs were an endless source of entertainment. Of course the mill at the spring itself was always a fascination--some days they would be grinding wheat or corn and the kids could watch all the machinery at work; and the store was a constant draw with cold pop, stick candy, toys, books, postcards, and a myriad of other things to draw one's interest.

This particular summer day the cousins were hot, thirsty, and nothing sounded better than to sit on the back porch of the mill, watching the cool water flow by, and eating old fashioned candy sticks. The kids raced off with money in their pockets--some along the cliff path while others went through the campground and picnic area.

Two of the girls--mouths watering in anticipation of the candy took the short cut along the earthen dam at the mouth of the spring where the mill wheel closed off the spring to power the grinding wheels. This was a grinding day and the gate was closed; the water diverted to the wheel. The gate was only about six feet wide and built of thick timbers taken from the wooded hillside around them. The huge timbers were at least a foot thick and were massive. Running along the path the girls came to the closed gate. Had it been open the water rushing through would have been terrifying, but with it closed . . . the girls carefully walked it like a balance beam and crossed the opening. It was exciting, exhilarating, and they got to the mill store before the rest of their cousins as a result. VICTORY!

Years later the cousins were talking of the warm memories created as they grew up; the antics of their parents--and sneaky ways to get them to do the hard work thinking it was all play--and the bonds it created.

"Do you remember when we walked the water gate to get candy from the mill store?"

"I still shudder when I remember it. We were crazy."

"Well I was just following you, but . . . we stopped off at Alley with the grandkids and were telling them all about our antics when we camped here. When I looked at the water gate and realized we actually walked across it--I thought I'd have a heart attack. If our folks had seen us do that . . . we wouldn't have been able to sit for over a month!"

"Why did we do that?"

"We were kids. Danger never entered our minds. NOW, I know that millions of gallons of water were rushing through that gate down the spring branch, but then it was just a path to where we wanted to go. We didn't know enough to be afraid."

Sometimes that is how life is. We don't know enough to be afraid. We don't stop to consider the consequences. We just follow the shortest path to where we want to go--rarely recognizing God's providence and protection. We think we have done it all on our own. Yet sometimes, as we reflect over life, we recognize God's presence.

Protector God, we so often overlook your love and guidance in our live. Help us to open our eyes to you; to acknowledge you; and to listen for your voice as we make our way through life. We thank you for your protection and providence when we "go where angels fear to trod" on our mindless wanderings. Draw us to you as we learn to love and see our world as you do--and when we reflect upon our past we thank you for always being with us--even when we walk a water gate. So be it. Amen.