Our first night at Algonquin Provincial Park came with some surprises. It’s true that all over our campground were posted signs warning against bears. We even received a long list of the do’s and don’ts of attracting bears, and anything else that could have come to their minds about these creatures.

That night, while I was in deep sleep, I felt our tent trailer began to tremble ferociously. It took me a while to wake up, but as the creaking and cracking noises continued, I gradually became aware that we quite possibly had an intruder.

What could it be?

It couldn’t have been a thief. A thief would be using far more stealth, and he wouldn’t have such a strong flashlight.

No, whatever was causing the trailer to bounce around wasn’t human . . . Could it be that we had a bear on the loose? Maybe even a grizzly bear? In our trailer?

Help!

But wait. A bear wouldn’t use a flashlight either . . . Or would it? After all it was 2:30 in the morning . . .

Even as sleepy as I was, I knew that a bear really would NOT use a light. It meant only one thing: The intruder was a human who wasn’t interested in stealth . . . Could it be . . . “Son, is that you?”

“Sorry about that! I am trying to catch a moth.”

“A moth? In the middle of the night?”

Finally he caught it in an empty water bottle. Don’t ask me how he did it. More than likely he stunned it so much that he was able to force it into the container. There’s no way I would have succeeded in such an endeavour!

It took me a while, but I did finally manage to put the strange encounter out of my mind so that I could fall asleep again.

The next morning, while eating breakfast, I noticed the water bottle with a moth inside. “You really caught a moth in the night?” I enquired.

“Yeah and now I’ll free it. That poor thing must have gone through some hard times!”

“Euh . . . He wasn’t the only one going through hard times . . .”

Life is full of surprises. Some good, some bad. As long as we can remain positive and focus on Jesus, we can face anything with a smile. After all, we are kingdom subjects of the Most High. We can live the way we were created to be. All thanks to our Heavenly Dad!

“Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best – the sun to warm and the rain to nourish – to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. . . You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity.” (Matthew 5:44-45,48 The Message)

Life would be very sad without a pinch of humor. Would you like to catch a moth in a tiny water bottle?

Rob Chaffart
Written on August 20, 2014

(To access the entire “Alive” devotional series, please click here.)