This is Delicate Arch (Arches NP) from the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint, about a km away. The arch looks much more humble from this distance. Without any reference point, it’s not obvious that it is about 5 stories tall.
At a far distance, it is easier to the “big picture”. And the big picture is important, but can hide a lot of important details. I can assure you, it looks far different standing up there looking down through the arch toward this point.
This is a photo from Bruce Point in Bryce Canyon, which is technically is not a canyon since it was formed by weather erosion rather than a central stream. The exposed layers of rock are about 100 million years old. In nearby Zion National Park, the exposed layers are 140 to 240 million years old. The exposed layers in the Grand Canyon are 200 to 600 million years old. There are shared layers between these parks, creating what is called the Grand Staircase. You can look out over the Grand Staircase from a spot in Bryce Canyon called Yovimpa Point.
I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of something being 100 million years old. How much harder to grasp the concept of God being truly ageless.
This is the Virgin River, in Zion NP. It is not easily seen in the photo, but the Parus Trail can be seen beside the river. While I stand here admiring this view, it is likely someone on the trail below is also enjoying their view, though it is very different from mine. Different even though we are not so far apart. A vivid reminder of how we each experience the same situation so differently.
This is the Three Gossips in Arches NP. Sometimes I have to question the names given to rock formations. It is easy for me to imagine three people huddled together. Not sure why they are “gossiping”. I guess it is more interesting than just calling the formation “Three People”. I was trying to think of what I might have called this formation. I rejected Three Musketeers, Three Amigos and Three Stooges. I decided I liked the Three Tenors. Singing definitely seems more positive than gossiping.
Which brings to mind The Ignatian Presupposition: “It should be presupposed that every good Christian ought to be more eager
to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it.”
Come and behold the works of the Lord, the awesome deeds God has done on the earth. Psalm 43:9
(Photo: Delicate Arch, Arches NP)
This photo was taken during our trip to Zion NP in 2020. I read recently that Zion had over 5 million visitors last year. It is easy to see why this park is so popular. Angel’s Landing (this hike) and The Narrows are two of the most famous hikes in the country.
The name Zion is a reference to a holy city or simply to holiness. The national park is definitely holy ground where God can be seen in so many ways.
This photo was taken at Arches National Park of an area called the Fiery Furnace. It gets its name from the fiery red appearance at sunset. Not only is it dramatic from a distance, it is dramatic to hike through with numerous sandstone arches including the Walk Through Arch, Crawl Through Arch, Skull Arch, Kissing Turtles Arch, and Surprise Arch. To limit the impact on the environmental, a permit is required for access to the Fiery Furnace (or you can join a ranger-guided tour).
Creation, amazing up close or far away.
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 is from Arches National Park, near the end of our week in Utah. We had hardly seen a cloud in the sky prior to this day. The clouds started moving in by the end of the day and we saw little sun the rest of the week. Despite the clouds (because of the clouds?), there was a spectacular sunset this night.
This year certainly had its share of “clouds.” As we come to the end of the year, I can’t help but view the COVID vaccine as a spectacular “sunset” for 2020.
This is a photo of the Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. The distance, just above and to the right of the Arch, you can see the Washer Woman Arch (I’m not making that up). I’m often amused by the names given to natural features. I couldn’t find anything official explaining the name for the Mesa Arch, but I assume it is because the arch is on the edge of an area resembling a table (mesa, in Spanish). The Washer Woman Arch is a little bit more creative for a name. But with a little imagination, you can see a woman washing clothes in the formation.
We are called “children of God.” Perhaps an even bigger stretch of our imaginations.
Signs Along the Way 