Ode To The Ouachita

I confessed recently to a church group of my long standing love affair with the Ouachita River. The grand old river, as it winds its way through Arkansas (past Arkadelphia) and Louisiana (through the middle of Monroe) is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. After our meeting, Dr. Trey Berry, history prof at Ouachita Baptist University here in Arkadelphia, gave me a copy of his new book, The Forgotten Expedition, 1804-1805, that details the Dunbar-Hunter exploration of the Ouachita. I'm still working my way through the book--and am thrilled to know of others who so love the river as I do.

For the near sixteen years we lived in Monroe, LA, I fished the river almost every week--not attempting to take a lot of fish but loving every minute of exploration, learning, and intrigue. I learned a bit about its ways, its eccentricities, its angularities, and grew to appreciate the river as a part of God's gift to us.

Nearly ten years ago, I wrote a poem entitled, "Ode To The Ouachita." It expresses a bit of my feeling of appreciation for the grand stream. The ode is below and I hope it touches you.

ODE TO THE OUACHITA

River, I sit and watch
As your waters pass me by.
They run swiftly on,
Never to come this way again.

For ages past they have flowed
And cut a crevice in this lovely land.
And in my heart.
River, you are my friend.

I give thanks to our Creator
Who has made us, man and river alike,
Who in His eternal wisdom
Demands of us mutual respect.

Yet, river, you are not forever.
One day your waters will flow no longer.
Your currents will cease.
The life you are will end.

But I will live on.
When your waters dry up and become as dust,
When the sun burns up and the stars become but cinder,
I will live on.

Perhaps the Gracious God
Who provides all our needs in glory
Will in His eternal wisdom
Redeem also the river!

“Because the whole creation itself
Will be set free from its bondage to decay
And obtain the glorious liberty
Of the children of God.”
(Romans 8:21)

Blessings! Have a great day.

lm

Settling In.

Life for me has come about as full circle as it can come--and I am beginning to settle in to my new home. You see, I now live thirty miles from the place I was born. I returned home after being away for thirty-one years. Brenda and I moved from Arkansas in 1975 in order to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. In 1986, after several years of study, pastoral work, and teaching, we moved to the Parkview Baptist Church, Monroe, LA. There we would stay for the next fifteen and one-half years. For the next four and one-half years, we served the First Baptist Church of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Now, since mid-December of '06, I serve at the First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The circle seems complete-and it feels good.

We have been many places and done lots of wonderful things in the past thirty years, and I give thanks for each event and every moment--but coming home has done something inside me I did not anticipate. I have discovered that the spiritual life, and the callings of God upon our lives, is indeed related to physical surroundings. Even as I re-read the paragraph above, I am reminded of how intricately our personal histories (including our walk of faith) are interwoven with particular events, people, and circumstances. And in particular places! Perhaps that's why, in Old Testament days, pillars of rocks were erected at places were significant spiritual encounters occurred. The rocks became catalysts for memory--and memory is indeed a tremendous resource for great living.

I sense now, more deeply than ever, the hand of our gracious God who guides our ways. That's not to say that we are puppets on a string, acting out the impulses of Another apart from our decisive involvement. Not at all. But in fact, there is a Companion who walks beside us, and before us, and who leads us in ways that we might never have chosen for ourselves. But in those ways, grace has risen to bless beyond our wildest imagination.

I would be interested to hear what others have to say about the places and times of our lives. Any responders?

Talk later.

LM