O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch. Psalm 5:3
Photo: Sunrise at Galina Breeze, Jamaica
Monthly Archives: August 2020
Steam
This is another photo of the Grand Prismatic hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. From this angle, the main thing visible from the spring is the stream rising. I like how the steam seems to merge with the clouds in the background. Which I suppose is literally what happens (eventually).
We are told we are dust and to dust we shall return (Gen 3:19). Since our bodies are about 50-60% water, maybe a more scientifically accurate statement would be we are water and to water we shall return.
Danger
This is a photo of the waves at Virginia Beach on the evening we arrived. It may not be obvious from the photo but the waves were breaking directly on the beach. That was the case throughout the week and is typical for the area as I understand. Some days, it was actually hard work just trying to get beyond where the waves were breaking. More than once I was knocked over by the waves and before I could get up, pushed down by another wave. It seems ironic that the most dangerous place to be may have been standing in shallow water.
Risk is not always where we think it is in life. Sometimes, when we think we have the most control is actually when it is most dangerous!
Joy
We have been regularly seeing a male hummingbird in our backyard recently. Each visit is brief but brings us joy. It makes me wonder about our brief “visits” bringing joy to God.
(This photo was actually taken at my daughter’s house)
Great Salt Lake
This photo was taken while hiking in the Wasatch Range just east of Salt Lake City. The view is of Antelope Island which sits in the Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake is a remnant of Lake Bonneville which once covered over 22,000 square miles (about the size of Lake Michigan). There are three rivers that more than 1 million tons of minerals into the lake each year; water only leaves by evaporation. Consequently, the lake has a higher salinity than the ocean. It is tempting to think of the lake as unable to support life due to its high mineral concentration, but it contains brine shrimp and supports millions of various birds.
The lake’s size fluctuates substantially with variation in the rainfall. In 1963, it reached its lowest recorded size at 950 square miles, and in 1988 the surface area was at the historic high of 3,300 square miles.
I see so many parallels with our lives. We receive so much from others. What we take in is what we have to give out. We provide much more support to others than we could imagine. Our ups and downs are largely a result of our circumstances.
Hot Springs
One of those many amazing aspects of Yellowstone is the connectedness of the geothermal features. This is a photo at the Mammoth Hot Springs. The water here comes from the Norris Geyser Basin, about 20 miles away. The water carries calcium carbonate which is deposited as the water cools.
In a similar way, God is continually shaping us.
Searching
This is another photo of the Horseshoe Falls at Caesar Creek. I had never heard of this spot until recently and now I’m seeing and hearing of lots of people visiting there. It is less than a mile hike to get there from the parking area, so I wouldn’t consider it remote. On the other hand, it is fairly removed from the more popular spots at Caesar Creek, so you are not likely to find it unless you set out looking for it.
I’ve learned that one of the biggest factors in a hiking trail being popular is word of mouth. Of course, these days the Internet magnifies word of mouth. All Trails is an app we like to use when searching for a new trail.
There are numerous web sites, blogs and newsletters that can serve a similar purpose for our spiritual lives. May this blog be serving that purpose for you!
Isolation
This photo was taken in the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Virginia Beach) last month. The egret (just left of center) had attracted my attention. I wonder, do birds experience isolation? If so, is it something they seek or something they avoid?
For people, isolation can be helpful or harmful. Or both at the same time. So many people are experiencing isolation right now due to the pandemic. Some are comforted by the experience but many are discomforted. I pray for God’s peace for everyone experiencing isolation.
Ordinary
When I saw this Prickly Pear Cactus, I was struck by how “unusual “ it looked to my eye. Ironically, it didn’t even really catch my eye until almost the end of our week in Virginia Beach. Ironic because it was literally right beside the driveway where we were parking the car.
How often do we miss something that is “right under our nose?” That is a great way to think about seeing God in the ordinary. Seeing what is really right in front of us.
Signs Along the Way 