The Heavens Declare His Glory

This post title is from Psalm 19:

The heavens declare the Glory of God

The skies proclaim the work of His Hands.

The story of our experience with the Northern Lights is really quite funny.  If you read our Dempster post, you know that we saw a pale green beam over our campsite in Inuvik and were delighted to know that it was the Northern Lights.

Until Eagle Plains... when our new-found Swiss friends showed us fantastic photos of Northern Lights that they had seen the night before.  David and I had slept right through them.

Two nights later, a gentleman in the campsite next to us at Tombstone offered his photos of the aurora borealis that he had captured the night before... again, David and I had slept right through them.

The morning after our first night in Muncho Lake, a delightful Swedish couple told us about their seeing the Northern Lights.  The following night, another camper told us about his experience and that he had seen them about 10:30.  We set the alarm but saw nothing.

Each night, if one of us woke up, we would peer into the night sky to no avail.  We figured that with our sleeping patterns we were simply destined not to see the Northern Lights.  That is, until Wood Buffalo...

On our first night at Little Buffalo River Campground, I got up around 2:30 and peered out the camper window.  As most of you know, I can't see diddily without glasses, however, I can certainly distinguish light and color... and I saw green lights dancing across the sky.  I grabbed my glasses and woke David.

We climbed out of the camper, gazing up at brilliant skies.  Although the temperatures had dipped into the thirties, we were so amazed that we hardly noticed the chill.  The skies had become alive with Northern Lights.

It is impossible to explain them in words.  The closest I can come is that they were like crazy, out-of-control rainbows.  They arched across the sky, dancing and shimmering, swirling and twirling.  They would ebb and flow in shades of brightness.  Some times there were two bands, others only a bright beam shooting over the full moon and shimmering stars.

I can only offer these two-dimensional photos as a feeble attempt to explain the moment.

And how do I explain the feelings that we shared?  It was as if we were the only two people on earth (truth is, we probably were at least the only two people within a thirty mile radius!).

We stood like children, dressed in our pajamas, amazed and awed at this incredible sight.  Tears burned my eyes.  We told each other that this was enough... to be blessed so completely was more than we could have ever asked for and almost more than we could stand.  The words to an old song bubbled to the surface, and we began to sing...

Why me Lord, what have I ever done

To deserve even one

Of the pleasures I've known?

Tell me Lord, what did I ever do

That was worth love by You

Or the kindness You've shown?

(Why Me, Lord?  by Kris Kristofferson)

Thank You and bless You, our Amazing God!