This is a photo of Devils Tower in Wyoming. As I’ve noted before, I was first aware of the formation through the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). If you are not familiar with the movie, aliens were using it as a hidden base.
Thankfully, we don’t need to look for a “hidden base” to have a close encounter with God.
This is Gibbon Falls, located beside the main road in Yellowstone National Park. It is one of the smaller falls in the Park and yet, still beautiful and magnificent.
It is easy to compare ourselves/our lives to others and feel lacking. Better to appreciate the unique beauty that God has given each of us.
This photo was taken one year ago at New Smyrna Beach. For me, that week marked the beginning of the pandemic. I was already following what was going on in other parts of the world in since early February. But that week in March, life as we knew it changed.
It has been striking to hear numerous reviews of the past year, often from very different perspectives. In many ways, it feels like life is finally returning to “normal”. I realize we’re not there yet and it may be difficult to know when we are there.
But I find great comfort in comparing the pandemic to other cycles in life – one sunrise to the next, the four seasons, the succession of generations. And God is present in each.
This is a photo of Mt Rainier from our trip 4 years ago. The mountain certainly makes for a striking image. One reason is that the peak is so much higher than the surrounding area. As I understand it, this is expressed as the topographic prominence which is over 13,000 ft for Mt Rainier (most in the contiguous US).
We are called to stand out. To be a city on a hill. How? Through our love. Love of God, love of neighbor.
This photo was taken at Capitol Reef National Park on the Cohab Canyon Fruita Overlook Trail. I almost laughed when I came over a small ridge and saw the path going ahead. You don’t usually see it so well marked out on a rocky surface. More often, all you have is a single cairn as seen in the lower left.
Similarly, there are times in our lives when the right decision seems clearly “marked” and other times more trust is required that we are following the right “path.”
This photo was taken in December on my third visit to these falls in 6 months. There was a striking difference in the water between the visits. In the summer, there was lots of water which was very clear. In the fall, there was almost no water flowing over the falls. The third visit found plenty of water, but it was very muddy.
I find these changes to be a metaphor for the ups and downs we experience in life. Water can represent so many different things: joy, peace, love, hope to name a few. It is important to recognize that in the “seasons” of life, each of these will be available in different ways and varied amounts.
I’ve been using photos from our trips out west over the past 4 months. Which have been very inspiring for me. Using photos from around Dayton is just not as inspiring. It is so true that we take for granted what is familiar to us.
This photo was taken in our front yard. That night I looked out and was struck by the sky. It makes me wonder how many times I’ve missed the beauty in my own “front yard”
Signs Along the Way 