I woke in the predawn and laid snugly in the bag listening to the irregular pat of light rain falling onto my boy scout tent. Soon there was enough light to entice me to open the flap and look out onto the sodden vista, low clouds raining on placid water far as they eye could see down a long, water channel flanked by treed, steep slopes below the thick grey cloud cover. Time passed, but the light grew not much brighter. There came down the channel a faint humm that grew more pronounced, muffled echos softened by the fluff of clouds and forest and drop-mottled lake surface. And the faint, white dot in the distance grew to be seen throwing a wake. A single diesel.... on the verge of being a yacht..... It came steadily on at 8 knots, maybe 2 thousand RPM until it was a hundred yards from the beach, when the steady engine was cut to idle and the hull of the 34 foot, old Mainship settled into the water forward and continued in toward the beach at about two or three knots. I noticed through the glare of the sky reflecting windows that it was a girl driving the boat. A brunette, hair parted in the middle. Idling the last 20 feet from shore, the boat was nicely beached by the bow nestled in the beach sand just off to my left forty feet away. The pilot was alone and when she jumped up on the gunnel and made her way forward along the house to deploy a bow ladder I caught a glimpse of a pair of mirthful eyes under her Gilligans hat. Hi, Grandpa!, she called as she lowered the ladder off the nose of the boat. Hey, there Jesse-girl, I said as she scrambled down onto the beach with me and gave me a big hug. She had grown into a fair maid, sunny faced and bright of soul and mind. It was the old Denjim or a replica, only everything worked pretty much like it was supposed to. The diesel range was keeping the boat dry and snug. The smell of bacon and coffee permeated the boat, and soon Jesus was aboard. Jesse had fixed us Crawdaddy and Oyster and cheese omlets with a healthy side of bacon, and a half dozen butter crispy-fried smelt. Milk and orange juice and water to drink. She led us in prayer, Father, thank you for this wonderful meal and wonderful friends to enjoy it with. I said Amen, and then Jesus and we dug in. Jesus and I cleaned up while Jesse pulled the bow off the beach and began a 9 knot run down the long lake. It was about 9:30 AM and Jesus and I were on the flying bridge being pelted by storm rain and lake spray. The waves were higher than the bow, cross-cutting the rollers coming out of the west on a 60 knot gale. It reminded me of Rosario Straights west of Deception Pass in the spring storms. It was wild and refreshing.... and then, it was time to go. Jim, we are going to fly off faster than superman. Your parade is warming up. I answered, Yessir, and we took off like rockets over the scape travelling about three thousand miles in less than a minute to land without trauma on a starting point. There musta been millions there one each side and behind me and Jesus millions more! Before us gaped the gates of the city, and inside it there was no shadow. Every brilliant color; It was motionless and silent. The mid morning sun lay upon us with its steady comforting warmth. A trumpet sounded somewhat distantly. and then a brass band started in with a crescendo and a roar of cheering vibrated the walls of the city, and an overarching voice of an Arch-Angel peeled forth, Behold James M. Mathis, Man of God! and Jesus and I stepped off side by side. Jesus, I thought, these folks get wilder than girls at a Beatles concert.... Everybody in heaven cheering for me and Jesus.... wow! Well, I cant really put it to words, completely what it was like when we reached the throne-room of God Almighty Father in Heaven, because words fail like the laws of physics break down in a black hole. That one about reverence and awwwe. Thats a fact. Unapproachable Light, a minor attribute. Were I not clothed in the blood mantle of Christs atoning death I would have vaporized in His presence. His Holiness is a Consuming Fire.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 04:34:54 +0000
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