Riding the Rapids Backwards

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. The last place Debbie and I lived was a small town called Brookneal, Virginia. The Staunton River flowed through it. For many who may look on a map yours may say the Roanoke River but actually there is a small stretch that is properly named the Staunton. It was named after a protection force that covered a stretch of the river protecting the settlers from Indians. It is a beautiful scenic part of the river where the water flows at a fast clip. People will usually put their canoes or kayaks in at Long Island, Virginia and float down to Brookneal. There is one day a year when the whole area seems to come out and have one big “Fun Float Day.”

I had the opportunity several times to take a kayak down the river with people who were experts and kept me out of trouble in the rapids and shoots. I found that it wasn’t too difficult most of the time if you simply paid attention and used a little common sense. However, Debbie and I wanted to join in on the fun and decided to borrow a canoe and go with another family down the beautiful stretch of God’s creation. We didn’t seem to be having any problem until we got to the first major rapid. I stayed back and let David and Cindy show us the line to take. I found that “driving” a canoe with two people was different than maneuvering a solo kayak and we found ourselves sideways against a rock with all the force of the rive trying to move us and the rock. Everything I tried seem to tip us over just a bit farther. If it had been just me I would not have been worried but Debbie is a survival swimmer (just good enough to save herself if she is in trouble) and I was afraid that if she went into the fast running water she would panic.

Realizing that everything I tried was getting us into more trouble I decided that we needed to let the water carry us around the rock, even though it was be backwards, and try to save the situation later. We both pulled up oars and I gave a little push to move the center of the canoe off the rock and the water took over. Needless to say there was no opportunity to “right” ourselves and we somehow shot the whole rapid backwards. Luckily there are no fronts and backs on most canoes so it did not know the difference.

We arrived at the end of the rapid dry and upright. I was laughing, Debbie was big eyed and David and Cindy were amazed. To make a wonderful long story bearable and short we ended up doing this in every rapid but one which says a lot about my ability to drive a canoe.

Sometimes you just have to let go and flow with the river. I have found this to be the case in my spiritual life as well. Sometimes God works so powerful and out of the ordinary that my own attempt to maneuver the rapid is futile. I find myself against rocks and doing everything I can just to stay upright. It is in those times that I just lift my paddle and “let go and let God.”

Most of the time I do not like loosing control of my life, but there are those times that God reminds me that ultimately I am not in control, and it is in those times that I ride the river backwards and feel most free.