Advent Devotions

Today’s author is Prince of Peace member Karen Carr.

Almost every day my husband and I walk Coco, our little dog, to the river and back. How fortunate we are to live near so much beautiful water. We start at the top of Minnehaha Falls, travel down the first set of stairs [if there aren’t too many others traveling up those steps] and walk along the delightfully rambling creek. There are several old brick foot bridges we pass on our hike to the great Mississippi where we cross the creek on a wooden bridge. 

The south side of the creek is what we call the challenging side made up of mostly earth and a long, newly installed, metal pathway that ends short of the next path onto this trail filled with boulders and trees and tree roots but very narrow. The challenging section is where there is barely any foothold along the path, so that if one were to slip, they’d fall off the edge, at least five feet of rough, steep terrain and into the creek.

At the point toward the river my husband once overheard children tell their Dad that they wanted to go on the ‘cliffs of death’ when he asked them to choose their path to the river and they chose this south side. Sometimes I hold my breath as I step carefully but quickly along this very narrow section. My favorite little tree stump creates a sort of handle mid-trek. We do prefer the challenging side on the way to the river and then we loop back on the slightly less interesting wider road for the return trek.

Many times on this walk we’ll encounter a great blue heron standing with their legs in the creek, elegantly seeking a fresh fish dinner. A precious few times we’ve witnessed mealtime and watched in awe as the graceful bird plucked tiny fish into her mouth and jostled it down her neck.

This year more than once we’ve been followed by a coyote, probably protecting her den of kits. Unnerved but excited we come home with stories for the neighbors about the beauty of the coyote’s steely gaze while we moved our little fox-looking dog safely into our arms.

We’ve seen a Barred Owl floating through branches, once it flew suddenly from the shore of the creek and into the treetops in front of us. More often the bird will be dozens of feet from the ground standing on a branch already when we spot it, though the tree’s brown, gray, and tan lines blend perfectly with the owl. 

When we check the creek for fish we’ll rarely see a large carp, but it’s always worth taking the time to look. We’ve seen snapping turtles, muskrat, a fox snake, and even a mink over the years. Of course too many birds, chipmunks and squirrels to count. What a gift. Each day, each time we walk, we are surrounded by God’s natural beauty.

From Ordinary Blessings: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Everyday Life by Meta Herrick Carlson

For Returning to Nature
The stillness is alive.

At first,
My senses drown in her ingredients.
I’d forgotten how to measure and mix,
To taste and feast out here.

But soon
I am only steps on the root-lined path,
Strokes in the cool, dark waters,
Pedals pushing round and round.

My breath is hot
And then my body remembers 
How to move with grace,
How to drink in a scene,
How to move into the panorama.

A lonely loon calls out.
I’d like to think her song is for me.
It’s familiar forgiveness, and
I have been claimed once again.