O, Minnesota!

My home and native land! My trip to the Boundary Waters (which did include a very brief stop in Canada, the original "home and native land") was better than anything I could have imagined. My father-in-law said I wouldn't be able to handle it, but I had one of the best times of my life.

My crew of six kids, another adult leader and our guide paddled across some of the most unspoiled wilderness in the world. We carried packs weighing anywhere from 60 to 110 pounds; we hoisted canoes on our shoulders and hiked through miles of trails, including a winding, unmaintained trail, or "bushwhack"; and we spent countless hours lounging on the shores of our campsites. Our highlight was spending time at the campsite at the end of the bushwhack that gave us the view of the gorgeous sunset below (followed by the most glorious night sky I've ever seen; we could see the Milky Way).


I've always said that I like to vacation as God intended--in a busy city, preferably in a 5-star hotel with room service. But I have a new-found appreciation and awe for spending days at a time in God's glorious wilderness. I didn't wear deodorant, take a shower or even use soap for five days; I cleaned dishes with moss and dirt; and I hiked for hours at a time with packs and canoes that weighed nearly as much as I do. And I loved every moment of it.

Aside from the personal empowerment of the week, I also experienced a rare moment in the teenage world--the breaking down of social walls and the dissolution of cliques. The kids in my group couldn't have been more different. Three of them are too-cool-for-school kids and the other three are band nerds. They were thrown together as near-strangers, regardless of the fact that they've been in the same youth group for years. By the end of the week, the traditional high school social walls all but crumbled. They gave each other nicknames, invited each other to participate in activities around the campsite, and even voluntarily mixed it up when it came time to decide who would paddle which canoe each day. When all the kids said good-bye to each other at the airport this afternoon, the cool kids and the band nerds sought each other out for one last hug.