Tag: nature

and He is love

the beautiful sadness of fall
colors singing proudly
before cascading to the earth
creating a carpet
of emerald crimson and lemon
to welcome the solace and solitude of winter

the humility of each season
is the common theme of the songs they sing
each season happily surrenders its beauty
to the charm and grace of the next
and so all creation sings to the Creator

let us do the same
welcome the constant change
that this life brings
and be alive
to all that must die within us
and be willing to surrender
to all that must be reborn
through confession
forgiveness
and the grace and mercy
of our Lord

"Yes, grass withers and flowers fade,
but the word of our God endures forever." *

and
He
is
light

and
He
is
love

* Isaiah 40:8

matthiessen moments

Spent about 3 1/2 hours hiking at beautiful Matthiessen State Park, in Utica IL. Winter here has been a bit strange: lots of unusually warm days, and not much snow. The park was especially beautiful, with a mix of winter, and a way too early for Spring vibe. The park is named for Frederick William Matthiessen. This was his estate and private park!

joshua tree national park

I was going through some images from our trip out west last Fall and, thought I would share these taken at Joshua Tree National Park. 

We entered the park just east of Indio, CA, on the south side. Honestly, my first impression could be summed up like this, “So….. why is this a national park?”

After a short time, I changed my mind. The splendor and beauty of the stark, rugged, “not-of-this-planet” terrain became apparent, and, I was amazed at the minimalist, harsh, glory all around me.

If you are able, it would definitely be worth the trip. Thanks for stopping by.

fall is great

This was taken during our annual staff advance at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin. We had a great two days of training, planning, and dreaming. I work with a fantastic team of friends who are also my colleagues. Late October in Wisconsin can be cold, rainy, and harsh, but this day was an absolute gift!