But before I go...this is my all-time favourite “God-moment”. This really happened about 30 years ago when I was working as a camp counselor at a residential children’s camp. Some may scoff and question all they want, but it still brings a surge of delight and joy to my heart to remember it. In my book I call it “The Last Word”.


It was still dark. And way too early. And bitterly cold.

I groaned into my pillow as I thought of the long walk down the path from the cabin to the kybo (Camp Quin-Mo-Lac’s word for bathroom). How I longed to stay snuggled up in my nice warm sleeping bag. But the call of Mother Nature was too persistent and dragged me out of bed.

I stumbled down the dark dirt path, still groggy and half-asleep, and finally made it to the girl’s bathroom. I must have dozed off in there because when I came back out, light was beginning to touch the horizon. The sounds of dawn so sweetened the morning air on my walk back along that path, that when I got back to the cabin, I decided to just sit on the steps for a moment longer.

The birds twittered and sang back and forth to each other, the trees rustled gently all around me, and the loon on the distant lake trilled its comforting presence.

The morning dew sparkled like diamonds on the air, splintering light through the spider webs spun into the tall grasses just across the path from me.

The morning rippled and shimmered with quiet splendor and whispered good morning deep into my heart as I sat there, soaking in the glory and beauty of watching this new day come to life.

Finally, I tiptoed back into the cabin and snuggled down into my warm sleeping bag. Just as my eyes closed, I whispered, "Thanks, God, for letting me see all that.”

And without missing a heartbeat, as clear as the morning sky outside my window, He whispered back, "I just wanted to be the first to wish you a Happy Birthday.”