BWCA, School of Law... Law of the Harvest that is.

In the writing of the renowned C.S. Lewis, he refers to this life as but a shadow of that which is to come. Lewis believed that this life is only the title page of our existential storybook with chapter one starting just after death. This life being but a small moment and testing grounds for that true grand story that awaits.

Last summer I accompanied a group of young men from church to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).  This 4 day excursion or "Summer School of Life" into a preserved nature area  would teach us the law of nature, including the law of the harvest.  "As a Man Sows, So Shall He Reap."

Like many things in life, the law of the harvest can be whatever we make of it. Our friend or our enemy. The woods are a great place to learn and grow.

A trip with young men like this demands a certain level of focus and preparedness. Understanding this can be critical to trip success and even safety.

image from 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Waters_Canoe_Area_Wilderness

Some may say it is in these moments where, "things just got real!"

We worked with the young men on pack lists, skill demonstrations, gear checks, and water safety training. This preparation began 3 months before the trip was to begin. It was quite the undertaking but enjoyable.

We had a range of skills across the group. Some boys knew exactly how to prepare while others requiring extra support. Leadership placed priority on those in that second group to be sure to set them up for success. We provided them the tools they needed.

This preparation doesn't guarantee success or even cover all the potential conditions that we could find up in that rugged land to the north. The other leaders and I worked hard to empower them with a framework of knowledge. This framework would lead to better educated decisions, helping them cultivate their righteous agency.

As leaders of the young men in our congregation, we were hoping to have the trip teach some life lessons and trigger some self-reflection. 

Having to prepare, learning and developing skills, understanding situations and figuring out how to play the cards dealt, perseverance to overcome, the thrill of doing something difficult, and learning to enjoy the journey.

The trip delivered on all accounts.