There is a steam, a
creek, that has been an integral part of my life. Its name is Ontelaunee which
in the native tongue of the Lenni Lenape translates to “little maiden”, and
indeed some places the authorities haphazardly identify it as the Maiden Creek
instead of Ontelaunee. The Ontelaunee has many places named after it. There is a
township, construction company, now-closed high school, lake, park, rod and gun
club, grange, and even a hotel bearing its name. Of course there are roads aptly
named Ontelaunee Trail, Ontelaunee
Drive , Ontelaunee
Road and Ontelaunee
Street . Similarly there is a township, road, bait
and tackle shop, farm supply store and small village using the name, Maiden
Creek.
Prior to a few
months ago, I have always lived where the water running off my roof drained
into the Ontelaunee. At that time, my wife and I were contemplating moving and
several of the prospective homes were not in the Ontelaunee’s drainage basin.
For some reason, that bothered me.
I have lived on
both sides of the Ontelaunee; my mother was born on one side, my father on the
other - the same with their parents and grandparents. I have farmed, had jobs,
taught school and attended church on both sides. I have canoed on it, skimmed
stones on it, fished in it, picnicked next to it, and crossed its many bridges,
one being a wooden covered bridge. I even know of places where there are
remnants of suspension cable bridges that pedestrians used to traverse the
creek years ago. I have walked across it, fell into it, swam in it, and
shoveled snow off of it to play ice hockey. I have carefully driven across it
with both tractors and pickups. From it, I collected fishhooks and sinkers from
exposed snags during extreme drought. I have made love on both sides of it.
I have trapped
along its banks and hunted both sides. I have shot rabbits, pheasants, and
turkeys near it and have seen a bear close to it. I have shot deer on both
sides, some that were wet from crossing it – one that jumped back into it after
I shot it. Whether an overstatement or not, indeed the Ontelaunee has been an
integral part of my life.
Geographically, the
Ontelaunee is a long, major tributary of the Schuylkill
River which empties into the Delaware in Philadelphia ,
then Delaware Bay and the Atlantic . By now you
should have concluded that the Ontelaunee is in Pennsylvania . It is a water source for Reading , Pennsylvania and
many localities downstream to Philadelphia .
Yes, the stream is
a water source, but is that the only water we need? Is that why I have this
emotion for this mostly tranquil, but sometimes torrential stream of water?
There is absolutely a water that we thirst for, that nourishes and sustains us,
that brings us peace, and that is the spiritual water that Christ Jesus provides.
I hope all of you accept His water and drink so that you thirst no more. It
will be life changing.
At this writing we
have now moved, and to a home that does not drain into the Ontelaunee. And you
know what? Nothing dramatic or
catastrophic has occurred as most of you would have thought. Now, the
realization for me is that we must not get hung up or emotional about mortal
things. No matter where we would have moved or whatever endeavor we chose to
take, there is a constant that never leaves us – the love of Christ and his
care and provision for us.
