Bailey's Dream

Every so often Bailey makes a statement that just takes my breath away.  Bailey is my nine year old daughter. The other day she says to me, "Mom, I had a dream last night.  I was sitting in front of two doors and I was suppose to choose one of the doors.  The first door was silver and it held all the money and silver you could ever want or need.  The second door was brown and held a lifetime supply of chocolate.  I just stood looking back and forth at the two doors.  Finally I just sat down, staring at the doors, trying to figure out what to do.  Then I finally asked, "Are these the only doors?  Isn't there any other choices?"  Then another door popped up in front of me.  The door was white.  It was the door to heaven."

Wow!  I was speechless.  Even though this was just a dream, I cannot imagine any adult or child that would not have jumped at the chance to pick a door with no questions asked.  I know I would not have thought twice about it.  Wisdom comes from the mouth of babes.

And isn't that what life is all about.  Choices.  We all have the choices before us but how often do we look for another option.  The easy road lays before us and we walk that path way too often.  When a fork comes in the road, we take one of the paths, not daring to veer off the road all together into uncharted territory.

But I think sometimes God wants us to veer off the path, to ask for a third or hidden option.  Not taking the options before us, but calling out for His divine intervention.  Asking God, "Isn't their another choice?"

Bears in the not so wild

One of the most amazing things about Alaska is the abundant wildlife. Moose come in the yard to graze on the vegetation. Traffic comes to a screeching halt to allow the caribou to cross the road. Bears graze on grass, fish in the rivers, and swim in ponds while people walk by without even noticing them. Eagles soar over head and nearly drop to their deaths during mating season. Dall sheep graze close to the roadways. Beluga whales, seals, and otters play in the bay.  Not a day goes by that we do not see some amazing type of wildlife up close and personal.

My son, Coty, took a picture of this beautiful bear.  It was grazing in the grass right beside the road.  Cars drove past it without even knowing it was there.  I saw her first.  Turned my car around and pulled up right beside her.  Coty rolled down the window to take a picture.  (such a cheechako thing to do)  The bear slowly munched on the grass moving closer and closer to the car.  Coty spoke calmly and quietly to her trying to coax her to look up.  Finally, she raised her head and looked straight into the camera lens and directly into my oldest child's soul.  Such a beautiful, amazing animal standing not even a full arms length away.  She gazed quietly at Coty and then dropped her head and went back to eating.  We pulled away and left her in peace.

It was an amazing few minutes and a memory that will last a life time.  A moment etched into our very fibers of being.  Not the first bear we have ever seen, nor the last one.  And yet, I doubt any other experience will surpass this moment when bear and boy gazed into each others eyes.