Field of rapeseed/canola near Leon, Spain

Let the heavens be glad and earth rejoice;

let the sea and what fills it resound;

let the plains be joyful and all that is in them.

Then let all the trees of the forest

rejoice before the Lord who comes,

who comes to govern the earth,

to govern the world with justice and the peoples with faithfulness.

Psalms 96: 11–13

This photo was from our recent visit to Cuyahoga Valley NP. The only reason we had gone hiking this weekend was because we had scheduled an interview for our global entry pass, in Port Clinton on Sunday. We figured that if we were going that far we might as well make a weekend of it and do some hiking. You can imagine our surprise when we got an email early Saturday afternoon that our interview on Sunday had been canceled. We decided that God must have known that we needed to get away for a weekend!

As I look at this photo, I can’t help but wonder exactly why these birds are sitting on the back of this impala.

I’m sure my own behavior can be just as mysterious at times. But God knows our thoughts, intents, and desires.

Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. Psalm 139:1-4

This is a photo of Grinell Lake in Glacier NP. One of the first things that I noticed about the lake was the striking color. It looks unnaturally green. I came to find out that the color is typical of lakes fed by glacier run off. Rock flour, or glacial flour, consists of fine particles of rock, generated by mechanical grinding of bedrock by glacial erosion. Because the material is very small, it can become suspended, making the water appear cloudy, also known as glacial milk. (Thank you Wikipedia)

To me, this is a wonderful reminder of some of the ways that God works in our lives. Similar to being “gold tested by fire,” being rock ground by a glacier is sometimes a painful experience. But the result is a work of beauty.

This is another photo of Fire Wave rock in the Valley of Fire State Park (Nevada). One of the things I like about this particular photo is the dramatic contrasts seen, within the rock and between the rock and sky.

Life is full of contrasts. Sometimes we refer to them as up and downs or highs and lows. Sometimes we refer to them as differences of opinion. Some days are easy, some days are hard.

Lord, let us be thankful for the contrasts in our lives.

If a picture is worth 1000 words, what about a video? I have a short clip from our recent hiking in Cuyahoga Valley NP. The sun was reflecting off the water, causing shimmering at the right.

The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! Num 6:24-26

As I have written before, my word for the year is home. When I saw this crab in Jamaica, I thought to myself – he always has his home with him! Which makes me think – How can we always bring home along with us?

When they travel, children often bring a stuffed animal a stuffed animal or blanket that is a reminder of home. When I travel, I usually call home every evening to keep in touch with what is going on at home.

If the Kingdom of God (heaven) is our true home, how can we always have part our true home with us? Certainly one way is through prayer. Another is reflected in our parish theme for the year: Living Heaven on Earth. Let us “think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and act like Jesus.”

There are many things I like about this photo, but it would not have the same effect on me without the two trees. There would still be the orange sky, the reflections on the water and the strangely shaped clouds. But the two trees really draw my attention. Even one tree would not have the same effect.

Many things occur in pairs, but what comes to my mind is husband and wife. I have been blessed to have Marylynn as my wife for nearly 35 years. I can see how God has brought us together to bring out the best in each other. The “picture” of my life would certainly not be the same without her.

I am fascinated by birds. A few weeks ago, I was watching a bird that was absolutely stationary in the air. While I was amazed that the bird was able to do this, I couldn’t help but wonder why was she just hovering high in the sky? I’m not even sure what species she was because of how high she was. The two thoughts I had were 1) looking for fish (she was right over the coast line), 2) because she could. I mean, it must be thrilling to soar in/through the air!

There are times in life when staying still is an accomplishment.