This past month Alanna and I were gifted a trip we will never forget, one that we’ve dreamed of for many years.  We went on a cruise to Alaska.  We flew into Seattle, boarded a ship and cruised up the coast past Canada and into Alaskan waters.  As we made our way up the Alaskan coast we made stops in some of the port towns.

We stopped at Icy Strait Point, the former Salmon cannery town of Hoonah, Alaska where we took a kayaking excursion through their port in hopes of seeing whales. No such luck.  We saw eagles, crab fisherman and had one sea lion swim along with us.  We also went to Skagway where we hiked up to Dewey Lake and then to Ketchikan where we took a jeep up the mountain to a glacial lake, canoed across the lake and walked a nature trail in the 30+ million acres Tongass National Forest. However, nothing compares to the morning spent in Glacier Bay.  The vastness of the mountains and the glaciers moving down them towards the ocean was breathtaking.  We were fortunate to witness one of the glaciers “calving off” and splashing into the water.  As it did you could hear the “white thunder” of the roar of breaking ice and splashing water. I do admit I did get to do a little hunting.  I spent countless hours leaning against the ship’s railing hunting for any sign of whales.  I would get so excited every time I saw a water spout, a tail or back of a whale. At one port I watched 2 separate pods of Orcas with their tall dorsal fins swim through the bay.  They truly are majestic animals.

Psalm 98:7-8 says, “Let the sea and all that fills it, the world and those who live in it, resound.  Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains shout together for joy before the Lord,..” The earth really does cry out to the majesty and glory of the Lord.  His creation is a constant witness of His power and love.  He has created this earth and placed us in the beauty of the garden to care for it and to walk with Him in the glory of this natural sanctuary. I could not help but praise the Lord time and time again. 

There was another remarkable experience of the trip.  The people watching.  We enjoyed listening to the Native Alaskans as they told their stories and the history of their people.  We enjoyed getting to know the seasonal workers who worked in Alaska for the summer and warm weather states for the winter. And then there was the international flavor of the ship passengers and crew.  Our fellow shipmates were from all over the world: The USA, Germany, England, Australia, Philippines, Japan, South Korea and many other places. It really was fun to listen to all the languages being spoken at one time in such a confined place. 

As I witnessed the beauty of God’s creation in others I was also reminded that verse 9 of Psalm 98 says, “for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world righteously and the peoples fairly.” Romans 8:18-22 speaks of creation waiting in bondage eagerly awaiting the Lord’s return and the redemption He will bring.  The glaciers, as beautiful as they were, are constantly moving and coming apart.  They are moving at a rate of up to 16 feet a day towards the sea.  What we see today will be gone tomorrow.  So, it is with our lives.  Today will be quickly gone and we too will stand before the Lord. Today is the day of salvation.  Take time now and go to our “How to Be a Real Hunter” Page and make sure you’re ready to set sail into eternity. 

In Christ,

Kyle