“Susan, Row Your Boat Ashore, Halle-luuuuu-jah!”

Well, yesterday was one more new adventure for me. It was so new it wasn’t even on my Bucket List. Wasn’t even something I’d considered to be on my Bucket List. But guess what! I got to write it on there then marked it off all at the same time!

Scotty told me Friday evening he was taking me on a surprise date for the day yesterday: destination? Unknown. My other instructions were to wear something comfortable. And I did.

We took our beach blanket and packed a cooler for a picnic, which is something we have never done before.

So, off we went with the top down on the Mustang and the wind blowing through what little bit of hair I have headed toward Johnson City. We continued making our way through Elizabethton after we made a few stops to use the rest room and get breakfast. I mean, we couldn’t have completed both tasks at one stop, right? Pretty soon you could feel the temperature begin to fall as we entered into NC but the sun remained warm, radiating my chill bumps. But the scenery, the mountains were simply majestic. Our God is a Mighty God, Creator, Painter, and Sculptor.

We eventually stopped, but where we were I had no clue. As we get out of the car, Scott tells me we are going to rent a boat. I was so excited! I asked, “A ski boat or a pontoon?” He replied, “A canoe”. I laughed. He smiled. I realized he was serious.

So, we took our cooler and our blanket and make our way to the dock. All the while I kept reminding myself I’d never done this before. I didn’t know what to do. I even asked Scott if we were going to take our cooler as I was afraid it weighed too much! He smiled and said, “Yes, it won’t sink the boat.” As if he read my mind!

The kind young man helped me get in the front. Scott got in the back so he could be the “stern”, having all the turning power. And, yes, our cooler made it on board, seated nicely between us, yet, not in reach. Oh, and our seats? They even had back rests, which was so nice. Once Scott was seated, the young man handed me an oar, and I quickly asked him what I was supposed to do with it. He laughed. I didn’t. So he told me to just put it in the boat, along with the two life jackets. And I did.

As we were pushed away from the dock, I went to turn around to talk to Scott and he quickly said, “Honey, sit down, sit still!” I didn’t know . . . it was amazing how much the boat turned to one side when I just turned around. As I quickly returned to my seated position, looking straight ahead, I’ll admit . . . my heart was racing after a near up close encounter with Price Lake.

But once I became more comfortable, in my canoe, on the water, I even put my oar in the water. Scott instructed me what to do and more importantly, what not do, like “don’t move.” As we were making our way around the lake we found the perfect spot for a picnic, but Scott was quite unsure we could dock the boat without getting everything soaking wet.

So we paddled on. As we made our way back, there was that same area, calling our names. I told Scott we could do it. I had no clue how, but I knew we could. So here we went. Our target? Between two big rocks. I thought how hard could this be? And you know what? We did it! And I couldn’t help but remember the tune to “Michael, (or in this case Susan) row your boat ashore, Halle-luuuuu-jah!”

Scott hopped into the water about knee deep, without turning me over, and pulled the canoe onto dry land so I wouldn’t get my feet wet . . . and, so the boat, I mean the canoe, wouldn’t float away. We spread out the blanket and had a very enjoyable picnic Scott had prepared for us, including a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers, olives, grapes and a big bag of Wavy Lays! As we enjoyed our picnic, we also had fun speaking, talking to passer-byers who were walking the trail around the lake.

Getting the canoe parked was one thing. Now we had to leave. I got in first while Scott pushed us out a bit before getting in . . . safely and without getting either one of us wet, once again. So, we continued to paddle around the lake before leaving for our final destination in Blowing Rock, NC. Again, a first for me.

Thinking back over our incredible time yesterday I thought about how my experience in the canoe is a lot like life:

·       When we didn’t paddle, the canoe began to drift.  

·       If we didn’t work together, it was more difficult to go the direction we were headed.

·       If I tried to turn around to see what was behind me, the canoe would begin to rock, becoming very unstable on the water.

·       As long as I was looking straight ahead, the canoe remained stable.

·       When other canoes were headed or crossing our way, we had to be intentional in our paddling to avoid any fender-benders, or in this case, canoe-benders.

·       While paddling along on smooth waters, we had to be careful of drift wood. Sometimes we could see it sticking up out of the water. Other times, it was very difficult to see until we were upon it.

·       I had to learn to trust the navigator, the one who controlled the rudder.

·       And finally, being open to new adventures? Makes life even better.

. . . Enduring, Encouraging and Everlasting . . .

Those are the words Scott included in his prayer, his blessing, yesterday at Bonefish Grill as we began celebrating our one year wedding anniversary a day early. You know us! We celebrate the day before, the day of and the day after! :) But seriously, Scott can pray the most beautiful prayers. I often tell him following his prayers how beautiful they are. He reminds me he just prays from his heart. But yesterdays? It was special . . . very special.

 As we sat there, outside enjoying the weather and beauty of the day, with a bit of a breeze (we even pretended we were at Wrightsville Beach), we began reflecting and talking about our first year. And as Scott described it, it has been “victorious!” And you know what? He is so right. This last year has been full of challenges, some more devastating than others, but through each one we came out victorious! We have endured, we have been encouraged and most of all we realize the love we have, and the life we live are everlasting.

Among the gifts Scott has given me in celebration of our one year anniversary, is a necklace with matching earrings and a bracelet symbolizing the Tree of Life. When I think of the Tree of Life I think back to the Bible to the tree in the Garden of Eden, which yielded food giving everlasting life (Gen 2:9; 3:22). Plus, it stood in the center in the Garden of Eden, reminding me God should be in the center of my life.

I also can’t help but think of the Tree of Life at the Animal Kingdom at Disney, the centerpiece in the park. The backstory tells us “once upon a time, no vegetation would grow on Discovery Island. There were no trees, no shrubs, no flowers, nothing. It was a barren piece of land. Then, one day, a tiny ant planted a seed and made a wish. He asked for a tree to grow – a tree large enough to provide shelter for all the animals. Magically, the ant’s wish came true and a tree began to grow -- and it kept growing until there was room beneath its limbs for all the animals from A (ants) to Z (zebras). And as the tree continued to reach for the heavens, the images of all the animals that took shelter beneath its shade appeared on its trunk, roots, and branches.”

But to me, the Tree of Life celebrates, life. And today, I celebrate my life, and thank God for sparing my life and allowing me to be victorious in the battle of breast cancer and to celebrate my life and one year wedding anniversary as the wife to Scotty Teague, my God-given love. Today, I celebrate my life as the mother to Austin, who continues to grow and become the man I pray he will continue to become.

The three of us have endured many adversities during the past year, but they have strengthened our faith and trust in God, as well as made us stronger, unshakable. We realize more than ever God’s love will sustain us and remain with us no matter what storms of life are sent our way.

Through our storms, we have been encouraged by His word, His promises and by the prayers and acts of support of our family and friends. And during our time of suffering, we realized we were “comforters in training" so we can comfort and empathize with others. The Bible tells us “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (Corinthian 1:3-4). To know God has a bigger plan for our lives than what we ourselves have in mind has been an incredible amount of encouragement when we have found ourselves in the darkest of valleys.

And finally, Scott and I know our love is everlasting . . . as children of God, our lives are everlasting. In order for something to be everlasting, you must have trust. And trust is what we do because of the faith we have been given. Love is meant to be experienced, not just understood. A hug, a kind word makes us feel good. Through our faith, we believe there is a reward for those who diligently seek Him, “Our ultimate reward is the revelation of our Father's everlasting love for us” (Hebrews 11:6). And for something to be everlasting, remember . . . it is never failing nor has an end.

Today as we celebrate our one year wedding anniversary I am grateful for “my” Tree of Life, as well as the year we were given . . . a year of endurance, encouragement and a confirmation of everlasting love and life.