Notes from the Northland

Monday, August 23, 2010

Tettegouche arch falls into Lake Superior

The much photographed Tettegouche Arch has fallen into Lake Superior.

Located on the north shore, 30 miles north of Two Harbors.

this photo taken in 2007 of local kayaker's

going thru the arch

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Pruning with Purpose

Letting go isn’t easy—of our expectations, our timelines, our future. It sounds crazy to suggest letting go of our future, but the truth is, it doesn’t belong to us. The part we have to play in the way our lives will unfold is to put our days into God’s hands—and we can only surrender them one at a time. As much as we’d like to sometimes, we can’t rush them or slow them down. I’d love to experience joys in slow motion and trials with my thumb on fast forward.

But I’ve learned that I can learn the most when life gets difficult.

I’ve learned that God is always about changing me, not the people around me. No finger pointing allowed in our walk with Him. The people in our lives belong to Him, not us. We are called to love them and trust Him.

I’ve learned that God seems like a silent partner at times, but it’s often when we’re being pruned for the production of more fruit. Even then He’s as close as ever, trimming things we didn’t think we could let go of but needed to; holding us tightly when the pain felt unbearable; and waiting to reveal to us that we could not have bloomed as abundantly without the careful work of His hands.

And I’ve learned that the revelation brings rejoicing.

We could not love so fully, trust so completely, or live so joyfully without the process of the ‘cutting away and letting go.’ What God removes from our lives He does so with purpose, and He will always, always follow it with a greater harvest of good things than we ever thought possible.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.
JOHN 15:8 NIV

~Bonnie Jensen

Monday, August 9, 2010

My Annual Visit with Rachel

Rachel has come for a summer visit by herself this our 13th year! We love to drive up the shore, watch movies, drink tea (too hot this summer for hot tea for me!), visit and laugh! God has been so good to bless me with her!

Rachel on the South Shore of Lake Superior

We are having lunch at Emily's on the North Shore!

An old 1 room school house on the North shore that was built in 1912!

The School Teacher Miss K welcomes you to first grade!

This will be her 4th year teaching in the St. Paul school district.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

2010 Mt. Tabor Bible Camp Reunion Take 4

Camp Activities

Beautiful Camp Hiawatha on Deer Lake

Kids love to play in the sand and water

and adults love to watch them!

Game time!

We had 20 children 11 and younger and 29 adults that came to camp for at least part of a day! A great time was had by all and God met us there! God is so so good!