A few nights ago our family went by Saylorville Dam to see the spillway in action. It had been opened in order to control some of potential flooding in the area, and what a powerful sight it was. We walked back and forth along the railing, often getting up close to the mouth of the opening where the water was rushing in violently. It is hard to describe what we felt; it was one of those “had to be there” kinds of experiences. To be sure, it was loud. Fierce. Scary. Silencing. Humbling. Inspiring. Memorable.
As I stood near the opening, watching massive amounts of water rush in and crash round and round, I commented to Julie in a scream that seemed like a whisper, “If I had to face those torrents and try and survive, I’d be toast.” She nodded and grinned agreeably, raising her eyebrows to indicate she’d rather not dwell on what that experience might be like.

But linger on that picture is exactly what I did. And in those seconds before we headed back to the car, my mind began . . . well, just watch the video and you’ll see what I was thinking.

Funny how a simple visit to the spillway can end up being a moment of worship.