Parakalein

Were arrived on the remote blueberry island on the St Croix River in Maine 3 miles from St Stephens, NB by boat.  An island bequeathed to the heritage of Debbie's Maine family heritage, especially infamous Flip.  The first woman Maine Guide and premier fly fisherperson!  Baileyville, ME is the address.  The location is "God's country" preserved from al the modern comforts of home that only seems to create discomfort in peoples lives.  We see more and have less.  We want more but need less.  With tongue in cheek we say "less is more" but we live as if "more is more is more is more and so on and so on.

The camp had been boarded up for 10 months.  We chased two bats out of the porch then the next day noticed one was caught in the wood stove.  We set it free but it stayed in the camp so we had to catch and set it free.

Coincidently I was reading a book, Heaven on Earth in it the Talmud Sanhedrin, 98a was quoted:  A rooster and a bat were waiting for the light.  The rooster said to the bat, I await the dawn. But you, why do you want the light?  .  He had a chapter named, "Bats and Roosters".  The author stated that roosters crow at the first light of day as they welcome the light.  Bats on the other hand say, "What is the big deal".

I was reminded of the expression of running like a"bat out of hell" and wondered why they were so content to be in total darkness.  As night fell and darkness put us all to bed I imagined that this is what it used to be like.  Total darkness.  No light for us to see things of the day that lead us into the darkness of night.  The bat caries a powerful message of heaven to me.  A message I only got her in the middle of no where, God's country.   The bat sees nothing.  Imagine if all the temptation of the day that cary me into the night of the soul were not visible to me.  If I were blind to all the subtle lures of sin for a season, or happiness for a moment, what would life be like.

Like a "bat out of heaven"I would walk by the light of the inner world of God's love and grace free of the sight that sees with prejudice, disdain, despair and disappointment.  In the darkness all I would see is the God of all and be silently comforted by the Shepherd's presence no matter what and loudly praising God from whom all blessings and burdens flow.  I would see not what i do not have and want.  I would see God in the thick darkness and be comforted. (Exodus 20:21)

So walk like a "bat out of heaven" and be comforted always regardless of anything.