Cathedral of Trees

This past Saturday found us confined indoors, holed up against the perpetual wind and rain that had continued without mercy for days and days. Eating an impromptu supper with our friends Jason and Melissa, we all concurred that the rain must not beat us…it was high time we go adventuring whatever the weather. We were all intensely in need of some rejuvenation from God’s creation. So, despite the pessimistic internet forecast for the following day, we decided our Sunday would be spent tromping about Stanley Park (not really your typical park…more of a giant rainforest that dominates central Vancouver.) We planned to create our own sanctuary for worship amidst the trees by stringing up a big tarp.
As it turned our, the tarp was unnecessary: Sunday dawned bright and clear, for the first time in what felt like ages. With a packed lunch and Cora on our backs, we set out, first taking a bus into downtown and then, exchanging the towering buildings for almost equally towering trees, disappeared into the silent and empty paths of the forest. We walked until we emerged on the other side at a high lookout point over the bay. A violinist serenaded us with Handel, Pachelbel, and Bach as we found a little spot with a grand view for our picnic. Cora happily chewed on a carrot stick, having barely made a sound the entire morning except to chatter to herself a bit on the walk.
Mapping out another route to traverse back across the park, we set off again on another quiet trail. Midway, we foraged off the path a short distance in search of a little clearing in which we could hold our "church service". Sitting on plastic bags on still soggy logs, we began a meditative and worship-filled time. Reading portions of Scripture each in turn, punctuated by our four voices lifting up praise or prayers, or just simple periods of tranquil silence, we revelled in our cathedral of trees and in our creative Lord. It was beautiful: the sun gleaming down through the magnificent hemlocks and redwoods, our hearts tuned to His praise, and His presence more clearly felt than in even the grandest cathedral. At one point, we were surprised by two bald eagles soaring over our heads. Glorious. But then Cora decided it was time to get a move on, and she would have no more of this sitting in one spot after an entire morning of perpetual motion and stimulation. So, we packed up our Bibles and books and tramped back to the trail. Finally reaching the south side of Stanley Park, we began walking along the beach, the southern edge of the peninsula that makes up West Vancouver, and ended up walking all the way home, not arriving until after 6:00.
Dave and I made ourselves a pizza for dinner; a warm bath and Cora was out, leaving Dave and I to relax with a movie. We watched the BBC’s North and South, which I had borrowed from the library. After a few scenes we realized it must be filmed in Edinburgh, and soon a panorama from the top of Calton Hill over the whole city confirmed it. The rest of the movie, which we enjoyed immensely, it was fun to point out the different parts of the picturesque city we know so well.