Sermon writing this morning, VBS this evening. In between, a boat trip on Lake Norman.
Lake Norman, was created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy. It is the largest manmade body of fresh water located in North Carolina.
Lake Norman is sometimes referred to as the "inland sea" of North Carolina; it offers 520 miles (840 km) of shoreline and a surface area of more than 50 square miles (130 km2)
Today has been a glorious day and yesterday evening friends at church who live on the lake and who have a boat called and suggested that today would be a perfect day to go on the lake. And so it proved to be.
Our friend grew up on a farm part of which Duke Energy purchased when the plans to flood the area were being put in place in the late 1950s. Our friend’s father agreed to let Duke Power (as it then was) have the piece of land in exchange for another piece of land. This was agreed and our friends’ house now stands on some of that land right on the edge of the lake.
Our friend explained that through the fields given to Duke Power, a small stream ran. The stream was so small that it was easy to step across. Yet that stream now flows into the lake. The dam was completed in 1963 and the Catawba River started to fill the lake. It took about a year for the lake to fill apparently.
The whole point of the lake was in assisting in providing electricity. Initially through a hydroelectric station at Cowans Ford but also in supplying water for the Marshall Steam power station (a coal fired station) and also for McGuire Nuclear station.
Initially people came to the lake and set up tents and caravans. But over time these have been replaced with many large houses. The area is favoured by the NASCAR drivers and the wealthy. In the 3 hours we were on the lake we hardly saw any ordinary houses as it were. And according to our friends, there are only one or two places where the public can get access to the lake.
We were on our way back when we came across someone on a broken down Jet Ski. In fact there was one person on the ski and two in the water. The Jet Ski had run out of petrol. Two of the three came aboard the boat and the third person and Jet Ski were towed back to our friends' house where the jet skiers were supplied with a gallon of petrol. They were about to go on their way when one of them asked for our friends’ names and phone number so that they could pay for the petrol. Our hosts said this was not necessary but the young people should “pay it forward.”
As stated all this week nothing much about VBS. However, I am going to mention a funny incident this evening involving Tom (in case I forget.)
Tom had been persuaded to take part in a sketch in which he would play a game show host. Every answer to every question was supposed to be “pray” or “prayer”. The four panellists (all church members) comprised the stereotypical American tourist; a sports fan; a guy who loved himself and a woman who was a scientist. It was after asking the scientist a question that Tom’s faux pas took place.
The scientist gave a very complex answer at the end of which Tom said “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about” Cue sharp intake of breath and much sniggering from the kids (“Did he really say ‘hell’”) Tom had no idea what he said was wrong. It was only afterwards that the meaning (in an American context) was explained to him and he was embarrassed. But two ladies at the church who are heavily involved in youth work told him not to worry. And in fact Tom has gained a lot of respect from the youth group!
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