My World View
June 26 2024
God is Creator and Redeemer. God cares for his creation. God loves each individual person. We all desperately need God’s love and redemption.
Is one wise who trusts in God?
Increasingly, I am perplexed by human behavior, my own included.
Aspects of our culture seem irreconcilable with my world view. Evolving morals and changing philosophies astound me.
What percentage of us accept the concept of intelligent design?
Is Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever?
Why have societal standards changed so incredibly in our lifetime?
How can people of faith condone slavery, colonialism, drug abuse, gun violence, human trafficking, abortion, starvation, etc.?
Why do people create and consume untruthful, violent and pornographic media?
What standards and beliefs have guided your life, and which have you discarded along the way?
If not all, many of us disregard God in our daily and lifetime pursuits. Outcomes of an atheistic, agnostic, sinful or amoral lifestyle include fear, despair, self-centeredness, unfulfillment, depression and crime.
I implore you, and I rededicate myself: Focus your life on God’s goodness and love!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits… Psalm 103:2
Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me… Isaiah 46:9
I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. Psalm 143:5
I attend church and listen to Christian music to remind me of God’s love and goodness.
I compile Gratitude Lists to maintain a spirit of thankfulness to our Father.
I explore nature to connect with our Creator. Indeed, I best remember God when I immerse myself in nature.
Sensing the beauty and aroma of flowering plants
Hearing birdsongs
Marveling at a waterfall
Gazing through darkness at stars in the heavens
Sheltering from a thunderstorm in a fragile tent
Experiencing positive emotions that nature showers upon me
We must remember to remember.
“Remembering God’s goodness moves us to respond to our world in hope rather than fear. Remembering God’s love for us fuels our love for others. The discipline of remembering inspires us to act. Throughout the Bible, God’s people are exhorted to place their trust in him and join him as he restores and redeems our world.” Bethany.org.
Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:5-10
Apostle Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, declared “…we are God’s handiwork…”
When I read the word handiwork, I think of art. Music symphonies, ballet performances, novels, poems, paintings, sculptures and photographs are handiworks of flawed individuals who create and perform them.
What about the handiwork of God?
Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:4
Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11
Father, we desperately need your love and redemption. Thank you for caring for us again today. Your creation is amazing. Your creatures are magnificent. Your provision for them, and for us, is wonderful. Restore to us the joy of your salvation. Help us learn to trust and obey you.
Ever-Changing Wonders
February 2 2024
I observed an awe-inspiring sky this Friday morning.
I arrived at Ijams Nature Center early enough to witness the sunrise. By the time I reached the riverfront, the brilliant orange sky I had seen while driving had faded. Now, gray clouds obscured my view of the eastern horizon.
On this occasion, I missed the best part of the wonder we call a sunrise.
By 7:30, the sun was a few degrees above the horizon, and it shone faintly through scattered clouds. It was a compelling if not spectacular sight, and generated this thought:
Behold the ever-changing wonders of our God!
God is not a photographer. God is not a painter, although I sometimes refer to him as the Master Painter. His works of art are ever-changing. They are more like a video than a still photo, yet no 3-D surround-sound film could fully capture the awesome wonders of creation.
I have visited Ijams Nature Center early morning many times, and no two sunrises are alike.
I've heard and I believe that every snowflake has a different geometric shape. Certainly, every human being is different. I presume that every creature is unique, whether mammal or reptile or fish or fowl or fungus or microscopic organism.
Being human, I was disappointed this morning.
Later, when I was at a high point on Tower Trail, I saw a grand vision of early morning sky through trees mostly barren of leaves.
From that slightly higher elevation, I glimpsed the sun just above the river, and my soul rejoiced!
Praise God who created the heavens and the earth!
Praise him for glorious sunrises and blue-sky days. Praise God, also, for dark clouds and storms that come into your life.
God makes songbirds sing and squirrels scamper. They delight me even at home, and especially outdoors.
God made the skunk I saw on trail this morning. That unique mammal is among his finest creations, although I presume she lives a rather solitary life.
Eons ago, God created the rivers and streams that flow through East Tennessee hills and mountains.
God grows the glorious wildflowers I have observed at Ijams Nature Center, and which I will enjoy again when Spring returns.
God, keep my eyes and my soul open to you. Help me truly appreciate the wonders of your creation.
Behold the amazing and ever-changing wonders of our God!
Finding Grace In Nature
November 4 2023
I find God’s grace in nature.
When I situate myself in God’s creation, I experience marvelous wonders that lift my spirit. When I walk beside his streams or atop his mountains, I feel connected to God himself.
Don’t take my word for it. Ponder what others want you to know about nature.
I will lift my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle
Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God…I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles. Anne Frank
There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul, and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations. Washington Irving
Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Rachel Carson
Jesus taught us to consider the birds in the sky and wildflowers in the field, and to be confident that our Father cares for us. (See Luke chapter 12)
I find God’s grace in nature. I pray the same for you.
Thank you, gracious father, for allowing us to experience your marvelous world. Birds and flowers remind us that you care for us. Thank you for inviting and welcoming us into your presence. Gladly we come; we are at home!
Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 CSB
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
September 23 2023
I hiked sections of the Appalachian Trail a dozen days this year. Many occurred during AT Vista, sponsored by Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Here, for your edification and enjoyment, are some of my 2023 AT discoveries.
I reconnected with friends and met some eccentric thru hikers.
“Chaplain Steve” looked like he had backpacked for months and moved at the most leisurely pace of any hiker I ever met.
The “Cookie Lady” lovingly bakes a cookie for thru hikers who stop by her cabin just off the AT. She blessed our group of day hikers with a delicious snack also.
A Vol For Life owns a private plane and two classic cars, each painted orange and white. For his miraculous tale, watch the six-minute video, Alan White Faith.
Warren, now a rotund man, completed all 2200 miles of the AT eighteen times, and created Appalachian Trail Institute to help others prepare for a successful long-distance hike.
A Catholic girls’ basketball coach loves people and sports films and, of course, basketball. She consistently demonstrates fruit of Holy Spirit including peace, gentleness and kindness.
I learned some interesting facts and one fantastic theory.
I tend to think the Appalachian Trail has always been available to hikers. In fact, the vision that became the AT was proposed by Benton MacKaye in 1921, and its first iteration was completed in 1937, just twenty years before I was born with hiking in my DNA.
Besides MacKaye, countless others deserve credit for developing the Appalachian Trail.
Individuals including Arthur Perkins, Myron Avery and Representative Daniel Hoch.
Members of trail building and maintaining clubs like Carolina Mountain Club, Smoky Mountains Hiking Club and Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club.
In 1968, only twenty years before my sons were born, Congress passed and President Johnson signed the National Trails System Act, making the AT a scenic trail under federal protection.
In recent decades, federal funding enabled the purchase of land so up to 500 feet of forest are protected on both sides of the trail. A worthy use of tax dollars, considering the benefits of spending time emersed in nature. And considering all that private citizens contribute to the 14-state enterprise. In 2022, more than 4700 volunteers devoted 200,000 hours to improving the trail.
The fantastic theory: Our Appalachian Mountains are version 2.0. The first range of mountains completely eroded over eons, creating lands now known as the Carolinas and Florida, among others. A subsequent episode created a second range of mountains in our part of the world, which initially reached an elevation above 30,000 feet and have since eroded to less than 7,000 feet.
That is my recollection of a geology professor’s mind-boggling theory shared during an AT Vista hike. Other geologists concur with this theory.
I am not convinced geologists know all they espouse. I am convinced the Appalachian Mountains display some of nature’s greatest wonders. Explore them on the AT whenever you wish!
Dog Days of Summer
July 2 2023
Believe it or not, this over-the-hill hiker can learn something new.
For example, I learned that American naturalist John Muir was born and lived eleven years in Scotland. I presumed wrongly that Muir hailed from the Sierra Nevada region of California.
Muir’s love for nature was cultivated by his grandfather who took him on walks around Dunbar Scotland beginning at age three.
Similarly, I was mistaken about the “Dog Days of Summer.”
I grew up thinking the phrase referred to hot, humid and mostly miserable Summers I endured living in East Tennessee. My misconception was influenced by the behavior of Laddie and other dogs I observed lazing about, panting and scratching at fleas.
Indeed, Laddie was less playful in Summer. I attributed his listless behavior to the phenomenon neighbors called, “The dog days of Summer.” I reckon my neighbors were as ignorant as I regarding the origin of the expression. It was all the excuse I needed to be lazy like Laddie, until Mom stirred me to action.
Learned as I now am, I know the phrase pertains to the stars. According to History.com, “…it’s a throwback to the time when ancient civilizations tracked the seasons by looking to the (night) sky.”
You can read more about The Dog Days of Summer. For now, suffice it to say…
· The constellation Canis Major features a bright star, Sirius, which in Greek mythology was the hunter Orion’s dog.
· In Latin, Canis Major means “Greater Dog.”
So, now you know.
Summer is a season for camping with family and pets, preferably in the woods away from RV lights and generators.
Summer is ideal for finding a dark sky and gazing up at Sirius and other brilliant stars and constellations.
Take advantage of longer and hotter days to swim, watch fireflies, complete long hikes and enjoy other outdoor activities reserved for midsummer months.
The Dog Days of Summer are NOT a time to be lazy, for you or your dog. They are an opportunity to energetically explore your world and become intimate with some of nature’s amazing wonders.
Explore Nature; Enjoy Summer!
Lead, Follow or Go Solo
May 14 2023
I sincerely appreciate and admire my hiking friends! We share wonders, values, challenges and memories that are vital and greatly treasured. I anticipate and relish each day we spend together exploring nature. Selfishly, however, I enjoy hiking most when I go solo.
I decide multiple times each month whether to lead a group of hikers, follow the lead of a hiking friend, or hike alone. Decisions about leading, following or going solo are very important. Each option offers advantages and disadvantages.
A hike leader is responsible for planning the hike and arranging logistics; setting the pace; staying on trail (not always easy); and pointing out special features and potential hazards. A hike will be leisurely, strenuous, informative or another style depending on the leader’s technique.
All others in a hiking group are followers. Benefits of following include less responsibility; choosing who to hike close to (which determines conversation while hiking); and, within reason, setting your own pace. One who takes lots of photographs or needs frequent rest stops should follow rather than lead a group hike.
Going solo is a totally different experience. I know hikers who never hike alone. Some park rangers and many search and rescue experts warn against hiking alone, due to risk of injury and limited ability to obtain help if needed. Absent the security of a group, a solo hiker’s difficulties will be magnified if lost or injured, or if weather conditions turn harsh.
I concede that risks are higher for the solo hiker. Yet I often explore nature alone, and my rewards are immeasurable.
Hiking alone is ideal for working through anxieties, formulating plans and assessing progress.
Solo hiking is an unmatched spiritual experience. I pray ardently and honestly when I hike alone. I perceive God’s inaudible voice more clearly when I situate myself among His creation.
Invariably, I experience joy when I explore nature alone. Whereas I sometimes allow conversations with fellow hikers to produce stress.
Being alone in nature is indescribably good, uplifting, informative and character-building.
Read “When I Walk Alone,” a poem I wrote about solo hiking.
Which is the most significant decision you make about hiking?
Do I really want to hike?
Will I be spontaneous, or will I plan my hikes in advance?
How many miles, over what terrain, and how many hours will be required to return safely?
Is the weather forecast acceptable given my hike plan and hiking ability?
Will I lead a group, follow a group leader, or venture out on my own alone?
These and similar questions are important, and I urge you to carefully consider them each time you hike.
My experience convinces me the paramount decision is whether to lead, follow or go solo. All other decisions depend on that over-arching choice.
My Familiar Life
April 20 2023
Explore the world OR Bloom where planted?
My stomping grounds are Southern Appalachia and Cumberland Plateau near my East Tennessee home. I have little desire to travel to other regions of our country, much less foreign lands.
I miss the world’s greatest wonders by staying close to home. Yet I prefer the here and now. Nearby wonders never cease.
I am content with my familiar life.
My best days include a phone call from David or Jonathan. I long for the next visit with my grandchildren.
I attend basketball games. I am getting better at disc golf. I watch reruns on free TV and stream Braves baseball games and 60s Gold music. I often review photos on my Galaxy S20.
I dream less about retreating to a mountain cabin.
I appreciate the picture window at Little House Under the Maple. Cherished artworks adorn my walls and furniture. I enjoy working in the yard.
I join friends and sing familiar refrains at church most Sundays.
I am less adventurous during this season of life.
I drive alone to remote trailheads less often. My circle of hiking friends grows more intimate.
Camping in the Falcon is my preferred vacation. Visiting with family members takes priority. I am learning to throw pottery.
I know where to catch a splendid sunrise and see wildflowers and fall colors.
Well-worn paths soothe my less restless soul.
I have released most regrets from my foolhardy past. I live a full, blessed life.
I need not venture far to experience God’s glorious creation. Sufficient to each precious day are the wonders thereof.
Here and now. Close to home. I enjoy my familiar life.
Celebration of Springtime
March 2 2023
Photographs published here at InMyTreks prove I enjoy nature all four seasons of the year.
Most people in Appalachia say Autumn is their favorite season. I am different; I love Springtime best!
I encourage you to explore nature and enjoy life during this glorious season. Consider these superlatives that make Spring my most enjoyable time of year.
Milder temperatures and longer days
Plentiful rain that enhances streams and waterfalls
Joyful bird songs fill the air early mornings
Abundant wildflowers, flowering shrubs and budding trees
Myriad shades of green, especially when deciduous trees produce new leaves
The ubiquitous, omnipresent miracle of new life
Some of my commendations for Spring compare it to Winter or Summer. I love Autumn somewhat less because Winter follows. There is much I love about Winter, yet barren trees, lack of flowers, frost and ice dampen my mood some days.
Not so in Springtime. There is little, if anything, I would change about Spring. What a glorious and uplifting time of year!
God knows best, but if I created Paradise, it would be Spring all year long!
An Update: In my New Year blog, I committed to hike more in 2023. How am I doing?
--I hiked thirteen days in January. My longest day hike was ten miles.
--During February, I hiked seventeen days. My longest hike was thirteen miles.
I am proud to have hiked 30 out of 59 days and walked near home for exercise most other days. However, I want to push myself to hike more miles in a single day. That is my commitment for March and future months.
How are you doing so far in 2023? Are you exploring nature and enjoying life?
Joyful New Year
January 3 2023
This week I replaced my 2022 paper calendar with a 2023 calendar that features nature photography. Yesterday I made my first significant hike of the new year: A seven-mile loop in Daniel Boone National Forest that features a geologic wonder called Natural Arch.
At the beginning of each new year I contemplate how life can be better. I remind myself that life is a gift our Creator intends us to enjoy. After giving the matter much thought, I resolved to hike more and thereby to experience more joy in 2023.
I walked about two thousand miles in 2022, and some of my treks are evidenced by photographs I posted at InMyTreks.com. I want to complete even more long hikes this year. By doing so, I will inevitably experience more joy.
Long hiking days take me into nature where I enjoy marvelous sights, sounds, smells, feelings…altogether wonders.
When I look closely at nature, I observe intricate designs, infinite shapes, ranging textures and myriad colors in a solitary place.
When I walk among God’s creation, I feel welcomed by his creatures, connected to God Himself.
I am no spring chicken! At age 65, and with joints and tendons that have endured six decades of active use, I realize that hiking is now more challenging. I must push myself to complete trails that a decade ago were not so difficult. At least, I perceive them to be more difficult now.
During our hike yesterday, my friend reminded me that motion is lotion for the human body. The more we move, the better our bodies function. Invariably, an active lifestyle results in better mental and physical health.
I can attest to this fact proven by researchers including University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing:
“Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes (us) feel better emotionally, it contributes to (our) physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the production of stress hormones.”
I resolve to hike more and thereby to experience more joy in 2023. Whether you prefer short or long treks, I hope you will join me in hiking more during 2023. Enjoy!
Early Morning Walk With A Friend
December 5 2022
A friend and I walked together this morning.
My friend is Ijams Nature Center, a nature park in the heart of Knoxville beside the Tennessee River.
Today was the first time in weeks I walked early morning at…rather with…Ijams Nature Center.
Because I sleep later and sun warms the earth as the morning goes by, nowadays I most often begin my treks mid-morning.
This morning reminded me why I enjoy walking early in the morning.
Many avid walkers work full time and do not walk before starting work on a given day. Retired folks like me typically choose to walk later in the day when conditions are more pleasant. Therefore, when I walk early morning I usually have hiking trails and even greenways to myself. That is an advantage for one who prefers the solitude of walking alone.
Of course, walking early morning frees up the remainder of the day for necessary and enjoyable activities.
This morning I walked with Ijams for two plus hours and finished by about 10am. This allowed me plenty of time to be productive in other ways.
Before returning home, I approached staff at Ijams Nature Center about donating some of my photos for use in social media, to produce a 12-month calendar, and in various other ways. And I purchased a few inexpensive, nature-oriented items from the gift shop.
After arriving home, I added today’s featured photo to InMyTreks.com, and I began to develop a new collection for my website that I call PhotoArt. Please take a look and let me know if you like my PhotoArt offerings.
An early morning walk always makes my day go better. It makes me more productive and joyful.
Have I convinced you? Will you try walking to start your day?
Find a place like Ijams Nature Center to walk early mornings. If you walk there often enough, you will begin to think of the venue less as a place and more like a friend.
We all need a friend to walk with daily. A friend like Ijams Nature Center. She is a dear friend to me.
Nature Remains the Same
October 4 2022
The more things change, the more they stay the same. If you don’t like the weather, stick around; it will change.
You have heard cliches like these. Perhaps you have commented to friends that life constantly changes. True enough.
Seasons change
Plants and animals live until they die
Some fungi have a life span of less than seven days
Entire species have become extinct
Realities like these prove that nature changes, right?
I say the intrinsic goodness of nature remains the same always. The vitality, variety and infinite value of nature never end. The cycle of natural life goes on perpetually.
God envisioned, spoke into existence and forever nurtures nature. Be confident in nature. Come what may, nature remains the same.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Lao Tzu
“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” Aristotle
“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.” Vincent van Gogh
“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” William Wordsworth
Summer Hiking
July 6 2022
Disadvantages outweigh the advantages of hiking in Appalachia during the long summer season.
Heat and humidity are almost unbearable. The risk of sunburn increases. Thunderstorms often threaten. Bugs are a nuisance, as are spiderwebs across the trail. Some of my hiking friends take summer off to avoid snakes.
Advantages of summer hiking are fewer but significant. More hours of daylight allow for longer hikes. Twice I hiked sixteen hours and forty miles in a single day.
Stream crossings that would be painfully frigid in other seasons are welcome and refreshing in summertime.
At the right time and place, summer fruits are ripe and ready for picking. I most often encounter blueberries and blackberries while hiking in summer.
Yesterday at Seven Islands State Birding Park was a prime example. Countless blackberry plants beside paved trails were heavy with both red and ripe fruit.
Now and for a few more days, hiking at Seven Islands will be lip-smacking good. Especially early morning when heat and the threat of a storm will be lesser concerns.
Maybe I’ll even wade the French Broad River next time I visit Tennessee’s first birding park.
Bikographer’s Debut
June 30 2022
Today I became a bikographer.
Who knew a hikographer could also be a bikographer? But then, all it takes is a bike.
I chose this day to ride my bike rather than hike. I left home close to 6am bound for James White Parkway where I took sunrise photos from the bridge over Tennessee River. Then, beginning at Ned McWherter Park, I rode the James White, Neyland and Second Creek Greenways past Volunteer Landing and across Neyland Drive to World’s Fair Park.
Altogether today I took more than 100 photographs. Most are of the World’s Fair site; a few are of the riverfront at Volunteer Landing; and several are sunrise views from James White Parkway bridge.
After returning home, I sorted through today’s photos and determined which to throw away, which several to edit, and which one to publish on InMyTreks.com.
Unable or unwilling to select only one, I chose these three images to publish in my Today’s Feature collection, all of them focused on the Sunsphere at the site of the 1982 World’s Fair.
Let it be known that on this date in history, I coined the term bikographer and made my debut ride in my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee.
All Seems Right With The World
June 23 2022
I am at Ijams Nature Center. It is just before 7am on Thursday, June 23, 2022. I am glad my desire to see a sunrise got me up and out of my house early this morning.
I have been at the nature center for an hour. I took several photographs of the eastern sky from an overlook along Tharp Trace, from the shore of Mead’s Quarry Lake, and from the boardwalk that overhangs the Tennessee River.
Although not my best sunrise photos, they are still worth viewing. I like this view from Tharp Trace best.
I wish to convey an attitude that stirred in me the last few days. It is a blend of gratitude and enthusiasm. The last few days have been good for me, whereas the three prior weeks were hard. Thankfully, my blues faded and sunny optimism returned.
At present all seems right with the world.
Perspective
May 29 2022
This morning before attending church in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, I drove east about fifteen minutes to a location where I saw this perspective of my hometown’s skyline.
Today, I chose to emphasize the acres of farmland in the foreground, and to minimize the city skyline in the distance.
Compare this image to photograph SMH02H in the My Hometown collection at InMyTreks.com. Which juxtaposition of farmland and city skyline do you like better?
A Glorious Sunrise
May 18 2022
I awoke this Wednesday morning, May 18 2022, around 5am. By 6am I exited my Falcon camping trailer, and I was soon ready to pursue a Roan Mountain Sunrise.
I drove TN route 143 south from Roan Mountain State Park toward Carver’s Gap. Before I reached the North Carolina state line, there were three pull offs on the right-hand side of the steep, curvy road.
At each pull off, I took several photographs. In some of the images, it appears the sun has not yet broken the horizon, although that was an imminent occurrence. At the third and highest pull off, the sun was ever so slightly above the horizon, and I took several more photographs there.
The quantity of images I captured this morning was so great it was almost impossible to choose a favorite. Eventually, I selected this view to add to my Today’s Feature collection at InMyTreks.com.
Sunrise at 6000 feet of elevation in the Roan Mountains. Trust me, it is a glorious sight!
Calm After the Storm
May 6 2022
It is exactly 6pm on Friday, May 6, 2022. I ventured away from home into my neighborhood after a severe thunderstorm blew through South Knoxville this afternoon. My quest is to learn how many of the magnificent Maple trees in Woodlawn Cemetery succumbed to high winds during the storm.
Already I have seen two trees badly damaged. One was completely blown over, the second split in half, and half of it lays on the ground.
The storm demanded my attention. As the tempest stormed past, I sheltered at home under a mighty Maple tree in my Little House Under the Maple. The wind was intermittently so severe that limbs visible through my picture window jostled furiously. “Is this the day my Maple loses some limbs?” I wondered.
The 100-year-old tree has survived a century of storms because of its root system. Thankfully, it survived another storm intact except for fallen twigs.
The frightful storm has passed over and moved on. Because light rain and moderate winds persist, I will stroll to the top of the hill and back home, and call that my walk for today.
Halfway up the hill, I see this image of our clearing sky. It soothes me. I will call it “Calm After the Storm.”
Grandfather Mountain Speaks
June 8 2020
Because I am typically an early riser, I have been able these three consecutive mornings to view distant mountains.
I notice that sometimes low clouds move east to west. Typically fog or clouds cover the highest peaks early in the day. Bright white clouds tend to form over the highest ridges late afternoon and evening. An unusually shaped, or distinctly shaped, hill will capture my attention, like the pyramid shaped hill close to where I am sitting.
None of the mountains I have seen these past three days has come close to fascinating me like the peak called Grandfather Mountain. It has mesmerized me. It has spoken to me. It has beckoned me.
After viewing Grandfather Mountain from afar these three days, today I will see him up close. Starting at noon, for three or four hours, I will view up close what I have seen from a distance while retreating here at Altitude Adjustment cabin in Vilas, North Carolina.
The higher you are, the more you can see, generally. There are exceptions, like High Point on Mount LeConte, where trees block the view. As a general rule, the higher you climb, the greater your ability to see what is around and below your location.
I perceive that God wants me to become familiar with Grandfather Mountain. I planned to become familiar with Boone, North Carolina, and I did so to a certain extent. Now I realize I am most interested in knowing Grandfather Mountain. I think God brought me here to show me the grandeur, the magnificence, the perfection of his creation.
If God’s creation is perfect, even a small, rounded hill is perfect. Even a stream that dries up in summer is perfect. But there are evidences among God’s creative works, like Grandfather Mountain, that speak to humans in a profound way. He conveys to me:
Keep looking for me, and at the right time, you will find me.
Sometimes I am obscured from your sight. But I am always here, and if you will be persistent to seek me, you will find me.
Keep looking up. You need to be reminded of God and his greatness.
Lift your eyes to the highest hills, where your help comes from. Your help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.
Climbing is hard work, but well worth it. If you are willing and able to put forth the effort, when you reach the summit you will be glad. And you will know what others fail to know.
With age comes wisdom. When one has withstood the test of storms and bitter seasons over eons, as Grandfather Mountain has, he speaks words of wisdom. Not words like humans speak, yet the messages are clear.
Come, let me show you what I know. Let me teach you what you do not yet know.
You have seen me from afar, now visit with me closely, intimately. I will show you great things, greater than you can even imagine.
And I will point you, always, as I have pointed others all down through time, to my Creator, God.