Cracker Jack

Flying out of the Portland Jetport, I was seated next to a fellow from Caribou, Maine, who was on his way to Maui. Caribou is one of those remote places that you "can’t get to from here". Other than a stint in the Army down in Texas, Jack had never been out of northern Maine, and had no desire to travel. He loves the wilderness, and longs for it when he isn’t there. Jack told me about his woodland adventures. Northwest of Caribou is Eagle Lake. On Eagle Lake is Pillsbury Island. On Pillsbury Island there lives a fabled ten-point buck. For you city folks – a ten point buck is a large deer, maybe about 25 years old, with ten sharp pointed antlers crowning his head. You don’t live long as a deer in Maine and not learn a thing or two about who to avoid, and how to stay alive. Jack told me he owns a photograph of himself, on his knees, holding a cracker in his lips, with that ten-point buck nibbling on that same cracker. Picture that. There he was, sitting next to me, headed to paradise, and he was longing for the Maine woods and the wild magic of being in the presence of a breathing beauty. What do you long for? What does your soul crave?

Let’s Pray: Dear God, my soul longs for You. Feed me. On my knees, let me nibble on the bread that satisfies my soul, let me drink of the water that cures my deep thirst for You. Amen.

Today’s Thought Is: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for You, O God.”

Source: Psalm 42:1 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for You, O God.” NLT