It was a beautiful drive, past the turquoise, fast-moving waters of Glacier Creek.
There were countless streams that meandered down from snow-frosted mountains and swirled amid autumn hues.
Unfortunately, as we neared the mine, we had to stop because the three-mile gravel road to it was closed due to heavy rains and wind storms that had occurred during the previous week. However, I was able to take some pictures of the old buildings that still exist in this historic mining town.
Over time, Crow Creek Mine has produced over 45,000 ounces of gold, and it's still far from depleted. The exciting news is that the mine is open to the public to pan, or, more commonly, to use metal detectors, to find gold at a minimal fee. It is not uncommon for people to discover quarter-inch diameter nuggets weighing about a quarter ounce. A few even have discovered nuggets weighing up to a full ounce. Upon hearing this, my husband instantly got the gold fever and was eager to walk up the three miles of gravel road to get to the mine, but I sensibly talked him out of it. (I was glad I didn't know him in the gold rush days!)
When I was a girl growing up, my family often camped in Osooyos, BC, at Haynes Point Provincial Park Campground. One summer evening when I was twelve and we were holidaying there, a Native American came to the campground to speak to those interested about the Native American culture and history in the area. My twin brother and I eagerly attended the meeting. We learned about Native American hunting tools, and how Native Americans made and used bows and arrows to hunt animals, including fish. The speaker even showed us his collection of arrowheads, which Native Americans had carved out of stone, and that he himself had found along the lake's shore. However, disappointingly, most of his were damaged with chips along the edges. At the end of the meeting, he told us that people can still sometimes find one today.
Well, that statement caught my attention! I love finding things! I was so eager and filled with such excitement at finding one myself that I hardly slept that night. At the first sight of dawn, I got up, snuck out of our trailer, and briskly walked in the quietness of the morn to Haynes Point. When I reached my destination and looked down at the millions of pebbles and rocks on the beach, my heart began to sink at the realization of the extremely low probability I had of finding one. Then I thought about God and my hope rose. He knows where each arrowhead remains on the beach! So I prayed to Him to show me where one was.
You may not believe this, but when I opened my eyes, God directed them to a perfectly sculptured black arrowhead lying among all those rocks and pebbles, close to shore and in plain sight of me as if no other rock existed. I was ecstatic, not because of the arrowhead I held in my hand, but because God heard a young girl's prayer and taught her a lesson she has never forgotten! I ran as fast as I could back to the camp and woke every one up to tell them the news! "God answered my prayer!!! I found an arrowhead!" (The Native American wanted to buy it from me later when I showed it to him.)
Unfortunately, a few years later, the arrowhead was stolen out of my jewelry box, with only the paper wrapping left behind. (One of my brothers, who was very proud of that arrowhead, had shown it to his wayward cousin, who later stole it.) Even though I no longer have the arrowhead in my possession, its memory will remain with me forever.
I haven't changed much over the years! I still believe in the impossible with God! And I am not afraid to ask God for anything.
However, God gives us things that are much better than arrowheads, or pure gold and sterling silver.
My gifts are better than gold,
even the purest gold,
my wages better than sterling silver!"
Proverbs 8:19 (NLT)
These gifts are His Word; His never-ending love; His precious, sacrificial Son, Jesus Christ; the forgiveness of our sins; His Holy Spirit who resides in each of us when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour; our adoption as sons and daughters into His marvellous Kingdom; the promise of eternal life; wisdom; healing; and the freedom to communicate with our Heavenly Father at any time and place.
Let us each get excited about searching for the things of God — much more than searching for earthly things!
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