The Canoe Ride, April 28 Daily Reflection

Ethan standing by the canoes

During our camping trip recently we decided to venture out and go canoeing; 2 canoes, 4 kids, 2 parents, and 4 miles down the Red River, 2 hours and lots of memories. We have been canoeing with our children before but this was the first time we had to take two canoes, one parent with two children in each canoe. Teamwork is an important element in life that is often overlooked but it is very noticeable in a canoe.

In a canoe one person steers it and the other just helps to move it. In my canoe we were not working in unison and therefore we went backwards, in circles and slowly down the river. My husband was very good at giving instructions to our daughter on how to paddle in unison and they went straight rather quickly. I however, ran into logs and trees. We had a great time and luckily the canoes never tipped over completely. Although at two different times I thought we were going over!

Are you a leader whom instructions come easily to, you don’t mind steering the canoe?  Are you the person who likes to listen to the instructions and just follow them so you can continue down the river? Are you the person who refuses to listen to the instructions tries to go your own way and goes in circles? Are you the person who says I give up and lifts up your paddles and just drifts down the river?

It is important to know what type of person you are. The better you know yourself the more comfortable you become in this life. Then when you are in a team situation you can go to the front of the canoe or the back or just sit in the middle and watch. God has given many of us the gift of following with a happy heart. He has given a minority the skills of leadership that should be accepted with humility and not arrogance. When you look within and find out who you are then the river of life is much easier to canoe down.  Don’t fight who you are and the gifts you have been given but embrace them, use them as a team and enjoy the ride.

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