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Posts Tagged ‘Beauty’

A Wild Party

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photos on January 2, 2013| 1 Comment »

Yeh, it’s my birthday, and many kind people have wished me a happy one for which I am grateful. The best birthday present in a long time? My wife agreed to go on a hike with me to somewhere I’d never been. I assured her it was short and easy, but you’ve got to realize some history here. “How do you know if you haven’t been there?” “Well I don’t really, but it’s on top of the ridge and we’ll be on top of the ridge, and people have said it is easy, and it can’t be too far.” She went without complaining and we enjoyed the time. So I had a party in the wilderness, a wild party, just looking around and enjoying the presence of my wife and a cell phone call from my brother in Ukraine.

“When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur…..Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee: How great thou art! How great thou art!” Consider that the most beautiful scene you have ever seen is part of the tarnished creation- degraded by sin. And the God who made the originally un-degraded creation is far more beautiful than any part of His artwork here. He is unimaginably beautiful in purity, power, and presence. I desire to see His face one day and will because of what Jesus has done for me. I warm up for that day in the dim light of His awe inspiring beauty exhibited in His Creation. If you haven’t been to the Pinnacle off the side of Old NC 105 on the far side of Linville Gorge you should check it out. Enjoy the pictures of one more day He has given me.

Linville Gorge from the Pinnacle

My good wife of 31 years

Shortoff Mountain

Atop the rocks at Black Fork climbing area

Alexander Farm, End of Shortoff, and Lake James

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Wood Grain

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Photo, Random thoughts, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Random thoughts on January 1, 2013| 1 Comment »

Why do we copy wood grain in plastic? Is it because it is simply but wonderfully beautiful? We can only hope to copy and immulate the creativity and beauty the Creator has put into humble items like the pattern of tree growth. He is awesome.

See if you know any of the woodgrains pictured from a humble dwelling: Exhibits #1-8

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The Marriage Picture

Posted in Beauty, General, God's Word, Remembering, tagged Beauty, God's Word, salvation history, work of christ on April 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Following is a slightly expanded version of what I said at B and K’s wedding, mostly because I read only Matthew 22 since Ephesians 5 had been read before I got up to speak:

A Wedding is a day of celebration that has greater and deeper meaning than the happy couple, as significant as they are. God has designed and ordained the various types of human interaction to reflect His character and government within the Godhead and His interaction with His people: government, family, church, and marriage. In the Old Testament God refers to Himself as the One who rescued and loved a wife, Israel. But she was unfaithful and preferred harlotry (a picture of idolatry rather than worship of God). Many passages present this scenario. Among them, Psalm 45 is a positive one that seems to speak of a king and his queen and the King of kings and His wife. We learn that the wife is the people of God who are frequently unfaithful, as in Hosea and Ezekiel 16. Hosea 3:1 clearly communicates God’s persistence at loving His wife despite her waywardness.

In the New Testament God shows us another ordained allegory which is not a plan B or afterthought in the light of Israel’s unfaithfulness but a long pre-determined picture of what He is about in this time, that of Christ and His Church. The clearest pronouncement of this picture is given in Ephesians 5:22-33. “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”

To summarize the allegory, marriage between one man and one woman producing offspring and interacting through roles of leadership and submission by mutual commitment and sacrifice concretely demonstrates the relationship of Christ and His Church. This picture brings much glory to God.

Therefore, we should expect that the enemy, Satan, would like nothing better than to destroy this picture. By so doing he destroys people and a reflection of God’s glory. I think his tactic can be seen by an analogy: Even as the glare of the city lights obscure the beauty of Moon and stars, so the glitzy show of sexual perversion and marital unfaithfulness attempts to block the God glorifying purity of a man and wife faithfully and lovingly representing Christ and His Church through their marriage. How does this apply to you and me? Young men and old, I’m speaking to you. Have you made the covenant that Job did? “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (Job31:1) You must avert your eyes and work hard a being pure of eyes and heart. Young women and old, I’m speaking to you. Have you heeded the directions in I Timothy 2:9-11, “I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.”? Do you cover yourself? The passage does not just speak of modest dress, though. It also speaks of modesty in conduct. Do you flirt with your eyes? Do you manipulate with your speech? Men and women, give glory to God in how you act and speak.

So how does this picture of Christ and His Church work? The wife’s role is a responsive role. Why should she do this? “As the Church” (v.24), so the the wife is representative. I Peter 3:1-6 shows that her witness is foremost for her husband to win him over to doing what is right even when he is disobeying the word. And the epitome of this submission is seen in Sarah “calling him lord” (v.6). Because this relationship points to the relationship of God and His people, this degree of submission makes sense. Certainly the Church calls Christ Lord. Just now the world is speaking frequently of the leftovers of a “patriachal society”, referring to any degree of gender role, but the Bible clearly teaches it for the purpose of marital unity and glory to God. Consider the English word husband. It literally means manager. We accept managers in business because they bring order and profitability, so why do we reject them in God’s economy? The wife is responding to the husband’s headship role, representing how “Christ also is the head of the church” (v.23). How did Christ carry out His role as Head? First of all as Savior (v.23). “He gave Himself up for her” (v.25). I believe this refers to much more than committing His body to die on the cross. He took on the wrath of God which was our due, a much greater torture than physical pain and death. Why would He put Himself through this torture? That He set the Church apart for Himself, both cleansing and presenting her to Himself (v.26). He valued His people so much as to take God’s wrath. Having cleansed her from sin, He now continues setting her apart by His Word. Practically this is accomplished through Bible preaching, God-centered fellowship, Spirit-led praying, and Christ-centered evangelism. Then in the future at His wedding feast it shall be declared, “‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready’. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-9) The bride arrives dressed beautifully in white representing purity, the light of her husband’s eyes. She is glorious, spotless, without wrinkle, or blemish. Jesus has far more than just reversed death. The Church that the bride is representing is not rescued from hell and death to an ugly, scarred existence. The Church is called upon and must work with this pruifying work of Her Lord Jesus. He will present us to Himself cleansed, beautiful as this bride appears before you today.

The man is further to be a servant of his wife pursuant of the end of cleansing her. He accomplishes this role by loving her as himself (v.28-30). This is a difficult and daily role, who is sufficient for these things? And the relationship is intimate and permanent (v.31). To be sure that no one misunderstands that Paul is talking about the marriage relationship as representative of the Christ/Church relationship he interjects verse 32. Then he summarizes with verse 33. Why is there a different command for man and woman? Humanly speaking it is because each has different needs. The man’s greatest need is to be respected; the woman’s greatest need is to be loved. But again the picture of Christ and His Church is in full view. Christ did and is loving His Church. How can our response be anything other than respecting and reverencing and obeying our Lord?

One other passage that I would like to consider related to this picture is the Parable of the Wedding Feast found in Matthew 22:1-14: “Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” In this passage, Jesus assumes the picture we have been speaking of even before Paul had written about it. He goes further to deepen the meaning and change it slightly from what we have spoken of. The feast is initiated by the king who has a son getting married. But where is the bride? She is here, represented by the individuals. This idea is consistent with what we read in Revelation 19:9, “the fine linen [of the bride’s dress] is the righteous acts of the saints.” And verse 14 says these individuals are both chosen and called.

Not all of those called heed however. Some of those invited actively reject the invitation, refusing to come, scoffing, and beating and killing the king’s servants. Others more passively refuse, having other things to attend to which they evidently consider more important. The King, obviously God, is angry at all of this God-hating and destroys them. But there is another kind of person at the feast who is self-deceived. This person, representing many in the church today, has a more subtle problem. Unlike those who refused to come, he desires to be at the wedding feast. As revealed by the king’s question, he has a problem. He is not dressed in wedding clothes which those who attend must receive. Instead he is dressed in self-righteousness. If this represents you, you might be one who says, “I’m a church-goer. I’m a good family man. I’m a submissive wife. I’m a decent, upstanding citizen. I acknowledge God.” But God says of your good works, “All our righteous deeds are a filthy garment…” (Isaiah 64:6). The problem may be subtle but that does not make any less serious considering the results to the man. Hell is a real place.

The problem needs a bold solution. “For by grace have you been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is a gift from God, not as a result of works that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) The wedding clothes are a gift. You must repent of your dead works. This means that you must turn away from your own righteousness and declare with God that it is sin and turn to what Jesus has done on the cross to rescue you from sin. This is God’s grace: ‘God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.’ He gives those who trust in Him eternal life. Repent and receive the gift; you cannot buy it. I know that B and K would like nothing better than to know that someone came to receive the gift of eternal life from Jesus because of their wedding ceremony. May God bless B and K’s marriage and may He bless the Church’s purity and may He open your eyes to your need for the Savior so that you may be clothed and ready to come to the wedding feast that will be held one day.

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Costa Rica

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, Travel, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos, Travel on June 29, 2011| 2 Comments »

Five students, two parents, and I went on a tour of the natural beauty of Costa Rica from June 17-25. It was a very active tour walking, ziplining, horseback riding, walking, swimming in the ocean and in a lake, walking, swam in hot springs, and kayaking. The walks were never long but the destinations were great. We walked along a forest trail about 1 mile to get to a pristine beach where monkeys and raccoons stole food and backpacks. We walked perhaps 2 miles in the Cloud Forest above 5000′ where full sunlight rarely shines. We walked to town to eat or shop. We walked on the beach at the hotel. We walked and ran through airports. We walked down into a gorge to see a 150′ waterfall. We walked to the rim of an active volcano and looked at the cadera steaming. And we spent a good number of hours each day on a tour bus between events.

One of the many beauties of InBio Parque

Our Tour Director, Victor Carmona

We traveled with two other student groups, one from Nebraska and one from Lancaster, PA. The Pennsylvania group particularly was advanced in Spanish and could communicate or translate with little trouble.

Great Egret

One afternoon we took a boat ride on a river near its mouth at the ocean. We went upstream and saw massive crocodiles and went downstream and saw to a mangrove forest. During the 1 1/2 hour ride I saw 22 different species of birds.

Yellow-headed Caracara

Another day we hiked down hundreds of steps to a waterfall. The rain threatened and sprinkled but as was the case with all but one event, it didn’t rain on us while we were outside. The one event was the planting of trees on a preserve at a high school. For obvious reasons I don’t have pictures of that because it rained hard.

Teacher and students of Escuela Cabella

Kayaking in sight of the Arenal Volcano

The continuously steaming caldera of Poas Volcano

There is a continuous burning place where those who reject God’s provision for sin will go, but there is also a place of paradise where His beloved, those who humbly accept His provision will be in His presence forever. Beauty and peace and joy here are only vague shadows of an eternity in the presence of God. We were made for fellowship with Him.

600 meter zipline

Beach at Manuel Atonio National Park

The variety of what we saw and did made this a very enjoyable trip. Rather than sleep on the bus or just stare out the window, I took in the views but also journaled the events soon after they happened, some 30 pages. Victor was constantly conveying details of a cultural or biological or physical nature about Costa Rica. It is a landscape of tremendous natural resources: water, volcanic soil, tropical climate, a stable government, and people who seem happy and productive.

“Pura vida”, as they say in Costa Rica, or literally, “pure life”. It is there way of saying peace and contentment in all of life’s joys and struggles. May the light of God’s life be given unto you as I hope it might be for the people of Costa Rica.

La Fortuna Waterfall

Everywhere beautiful flowers, butterflies, birds, mountains, beaches

San Jose at night from a rustic resturant

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Colorful Treasure

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos on April 23, 2011| 1 Comment »

I can’t always get out to the woods for a hike so on the weekends I enjoy the more rugged parts of the greenway by the river in our town. I can’t say it is undisturbed because the environmental perturbation was and is causing far more briars, poison ivy, hedge, and honey suckle than ought to be. However, there are corners where the native species are returning, if only they can be ignored and let grow. And there were more flowers than my poor camera can focus on. I need a macrolense for the small ones…..

Trillium cuneatum, Sweet Betsy

Podophyllum peltatum, May Apple

…. you can barely see them. So small, so common,

so beautiful. The only difference in weeds and flowers is what you see in them. If you see something choking out your big, showy, bought, cared for flowers, it’s a weed. If it’s Spring and you are in the woods, it’s a wildflower.

I have some showy flowers in my yard and I enjoy them, but I like the wildflowers, too. God’s garden is beautiful in both places.

: Star Chickweed – Stellaria pubera

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In a neighborhood ditch near you

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, Random thoughts, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos, Random thoughts on January 20, 2011| 2 Comments »

I wanted to take a walk and others I usually walk with were occupied. So, I decided to be random and go off of the paved trail, take my camera, and see if there was anything worth seeing.

What might be seen or smelled after a snow melt?

A few others had a similar idea. Snow on the ground for a full week is rare here so we have a desire to get outdoors, even if it is muddy. Not really knowing where I was

Wonder who went along this field's edge?

going, I followed some tire tracks past a “Do not enter” sign, meant for vehicles I’m sure since it exited a parking lot. I was still wandering what I might find that really interested me. The sky was bright which hadn’t happened in several days, but my eye was caught by what was to the right of the path.

OK, in the title I exaggerated for effect. It was really a channeled creek because ditch is defined as “a long, narrow excavation made in the ground by digging, as for

Channeled Creek

draining or irrigating land; trench.” (dictionary.com) Webster’s also defines natural watercourses of the same general shape as ditches but that confuses things signficantly. It does make a difference and can cost money and headaches as many a contractor can tell you. Frequently creeks are channeled with bulldozers to drain wet areas or reduce the space the creek uses. In the link that follows a contractor has to follow costly rules because of history and definition, which are mentioned in the article. (http://http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/11/stream-or-ditch-county-says-phinney-creek-is-the/) How dominion of nature is to be practiced should be a subject for another time but it should matter to us all since it effects what we are responsible to steward and effects us directly as well. So here I am. Is there anything of beauty or interest?

Cat-tail

The cat-tail suggests abundant moisture in the summer, but looks a bit strange to my sight framed in snow.

Grass or water plants?

But if what was growing under the water was grass this is just a ditch that is flowing now because of snow melt rather than an all weather creek. Which is it? The evidence of continuous moisture suggests that it is no ordinary terrestrial grass. I tried taking pictures of several tadpoles and fish (ranging from small minnows to perhaps 4 inches), but alas they were fast.

Rabbit tracks?

Some things that are fast may be recorded by other means. The one at left was on snow above ice frozen on the water course. The one at right was more obvious as to its owner.

Raccoon track

At several places the small trees arched over the creek. Under one I thought as I approached that I saw blood. But alas my imagination got the best of me. They were berries from a vine in a tree overhead. Some will sprout where they lay and others will wash out during a storm event.

Place seeds in the freezer for better sprouting

There was far more evidence of human disturbance on the site than I am showing. Some were careless and even abusive of the land resource and others were management that allows nature and urban small town to co-exist.

Growth rings

How many rings do you count? The little star pattern at center of the wood is curious. The cutting must have been recent because there is no bleeding out of resin or darkening due to weathering. At about halfway down the water course I started seeing these anchors.

Anchorage= net force of zero

Just above the bones and brown bottle deposit was a five foot diameter sewer line that ran above ground for perhaps 200 feet. That’s the reason my pictures focus close at hand. I was looking for life and beauty and sometimes that takes focus. Speaking of focus, sometimes I almost want my analog camera (read “film camera”) back because this high end point and shoot digital focuses where it will and I missed a Tufted Titmouse taking a bath in the creek. He, yes feathers were bright blue, was quite frisky and twirpy (Hey, Shakespeare made up words and so do

Chicken and brew

Deposits of various colors

tweeters on Twitter.)

White Clay

There was evidence of exposed soils and leeching as in this iron deposit seep with a blue feather (Titmouse or Bluejay?) fallen in its middle. Further downstream I spied a deposit of Potter’s clay in the bank and under the ripples.

Polypodium- Resurrection Fern

This is an appropriate name for a fern

????

that is growing out of a bank and out of the snow. Oh, I wish I knew more plants. The red berries are on a plant that grows as hedge in many people’s yards. Red berries seem to be more abundant and bright on vine and holly and so forth this year. What causes that? Then the creek went under the paved path and there was life here, too, in the form of Mud Daubers’ nests. They paralyze prey to be eaten by immerging larvae.

Mud Dauber Nests

The other side of the pipe had a more natural watercourse winding with small sand bars and deeply cut banks down to the river.My commentary has gone too long but my short walk down the creek revealed much to see of beauty and life even in winter on a disturbed site.

After a look around at the river I crawled back up the bank to the paved path for a short walk back to the car. I was thankful that a small detour would bring such variety of things to feast the eyes and soul upon, because I know the Maker of all the little details Who delights to show us His creativity if we will but search for it.

Less disturbed mouth of the stream

May God teach us how to enjoy and utilize His Creation to His glory.

Ah!

: Observation Deck over the River

We may enjoy, utilize, and care for what the Wise Creator has given us to take dominion over. Dominion does not have to mean abuse and conservation does not have to mean locking away all that there is from use. There is a middle ground that I believe is both biblical and prudent.

Ouch!

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Hawk’s Bill Panorama

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos on December 28, 2010| 2 Comments »

I never get tired of mountain vistas, even if they are ones I’ve seen many times before. Today the snow and the atmosphere were exceptional.

Hawk's Bill Mountain

We had to stand off abit since the gravel road comes downhill, was snow covered, and I only have 2 wheel drive. That’s OK. We hiked in about a mile to the trailhead and then another 1+ to the top- quite pleasant. The hiking was pleasant and temperature just below freezing

Catch the Drift?

which is perfect when it’s sunny and the actvity level is high. The boys were acting crazy, running and wrestling and being random. I realized that they were literally running circles around me and I still couldn’t keep up. Did I used to do that? Have I slowed so much? Of course, yes, but I’m thankful to be able to get out at all. This is vacation for me, seeing the beauty of God’s Creation and putting forth effort to do it. Now for the views. The view of both guys is looking about 15 degrees west of north. The mountain just right of center is Roan and the very white one to the right is Hump Mtn.

View North from Hawk's Bill

The cliff they stand on has two levels, about 50 feet of drop to a ledge below which is a 200+ feet drop. The effect from a certain perspective suggests the open beak of a hawk, and thus the name.

Hump Mtn., Carter County, TN

Hump Mtn. is one of my favorite places. I’ve been on top of it in every conceivable condition over 25 times. I really don’t get bored of being in the mountains and would be in many others if time and money allowed.

Linville Gorge

The picture of Linville Gorge is due south from Hawk’s Bill. From left to right the mtns. are Table Rock, the Chimneys, and Shortoff (the flat-topped, blunt ended one).

I put this one in for perspective. This is a good sized gorge with cliffs along its entire length of 100-400 feet. When you get to the bottom of the cliffs through various steep draws you are not halfway to the bottom.

Grandfather Mtn.

I used to think that I could see the contour of a bearded old man lying in bed that was the grandfather. That’s OK if you can’t see it because that’s not how it got its name anyway. There is a rock, called profile rock where a “face” appears.

Upper Linville Gorge

Babel Tower is just to the right of this section. The tower has cliffs on all sides and the river so surrounds it that you can see upstream and down while looking in the same direction. There are some good swimming holes down there (see earlier blog) but it looks abit frozen over today. We saw some bear hunters coming out in their trucks. There is no road into the gorge but they get close and hike down one of the many steep trails in.

Downtown Charlotte, NC

I hope it shows up on the blog. It is faint, but hey, Chalotte is also 80 miles away line of sight. Look on the horizon just above center. I wish I had taken several other pictures because

Snow Art and Black Mtn.

our compass readings for several sites were right on when I checked at home. Besides downtown Charlotte we also saw Pilot Mtn. which is about 85 miles away. The picture at right shows Black Mtn., the ridge that Mt. Mitchell is on.

The Guys on an Outing

We didn’t get tired of looking and the boys jumping around and acting crazy, but we did have to walk back. It was time to go. You store up the memories for the more mundane days and for fodder to be creative, but most of all to be thankful.

The Mad Icycle Murderer

Serious Drift

Ice Chicken?

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White Snow

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photo, Remembering, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photos, Remembering on December 26, 2010| 3 Comments »

I’m happy that snow is white. In fact I don’t believe there is anything whiter. Paint store white, white white, ultrawhite don’t compare and everything else looks dingy.

Ibex sp.? (anyone know?)

“‘Come now, and let us reason together’, says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow…'” (Isaiah 1:18)

“Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.” Psalm 51:7

The wet Christmas snow comes down in the wind

The roadway with its sand and salt and slush is nasty but the snow reminds me that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

The White-headed elders guard town hall

Forgiven and reminded by snow and happy for its stilling and brightening effects I agree with the purpose of this messenger as with the one in the proverb: “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his master.” (Proverbs 25:13)

White Christmas

White Christmas is rare in these parts but not so rare and fine as the time when the Glorious One comes Whose “head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and HIs eyes were like a flame of fire…” (Revelation 1:14). This whiteness will have been dimmed; this joy trivialized, but as it reminds me of my freedom from sin and the sight the pure in heart will one day see, I enjoy it all the more.

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Gorging on Beauty

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos on October 31, 2010| 5 Comments »

Hawk's Bill in front of Table Rock

It is referred to as simply the Gorge around here. I’ve seen it from all angles in every imaginable weather with any number of people, though mostly my children. It is a miniture of some of the greater canyons of the world but it is a compact bit of beauty and extremity. Some of the best rockclimbing in this part of the country or anywhere is on the sides of this “draw”. Well, the day was unparalleled for temperature and better than average for clearness of sky, with no evidence of insects after a frosty night up high. I had the afternoon off and went with my fourth born to take a short hike, search out some climbing routes, take in the view and hang out with my youngin’. Here is but a little of what we saw.

Linville Gorge

The sun angle was not conducive to landscape shots from our vantage point, but it did remind me of how awesome are the cameras we carry in our heads. We had no problem discerning buildings and towers and people on adjacent ridges. The camera was also quite good on zoom.

See the 5 people on Hawk's Bill Mtn?

We also saw a large black bird in a tree near where we sat on the rock, but the brush was too thick for me to get any decent picture. Upon arriving home I determined that it was an American Coot which can occur at this latitude. But what in the world was this predominantly water bird doing sitting in a bush on top of a ridge at about 4000′ elevation? I have no explanation.

The last bit of Fall colors at elevation

Autumn colors were not so extremely gorgeous this year as the past two years, but they were just as beautiful in individual trees and clumps of trees. I certainly enjoyed these trees that I presume from this distance to be hickory trees.

The Sitting Bear

And I did find some new climbing along with seeing the starts on the Sitting Bear, a rock on top of the ridge that does indeed appear to be its name sake when far off at certain angles. I guess I have numerous excuses to come back. The stress of living is enough reason for me to keep coming, but there are challenges to rise to and beauty to see, and quiet to absorb, exercise to have, and long talks to be involved in. There is much here to gorge the mind and spirit and body upon. And I am privileged to know the Creator and Owner of it all Whom I can worship and thank for such blessings.

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Part of the Image in Us

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Photo, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Photos on October 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »

It totally makes sense and points to His glory that we should be creative. Since we are made in His image and He is the Creator, then we should be creative. We are not amazed at much these days because we think we’ve seen it all. Well, we haven’t. “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9). I can’t wait for glory! But since I am, I can enjoy His creativity expressed in the creativity of people. “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22:29) Maybe you’ve seen this and its a yawn to you but I was amazed. Check out the website: http://www.theeggshellsculptor.com/Gallery.html

Cranes

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Washed, Rinsed, Eternally Clean

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photo, Poem, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photos, Poems on September 12, 2010| 4 Comments »

I made a new aquaintence in church today. We exchanged interests and learned that one was classical music and another was potentially poetry. He wrote down a poem from memory and gave it to me at the end of church. At home I sat down to read the poem. I was really enjoying it, but then I got to the last three lines and felt disappointed. Perhaps the author did not know the good news that I know, or perhaps his focus was elsewhere. At any rate I include the poem here and two verses that I quickly added (in a different color) to, as they say in music, resolve the dissident chords, caused in me at any rate. In defense of both Dr. Stidger’s thoughts and mine, I remind you of what it says in John 13:10: “Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'” I believe Jesus means both that Judas was unclean and that His disciples can pick up dirt from this world, that though they are clean, “needs only to wash”. Oh, how glorious, I’m clean!

I saw God wash the world

by Dr. W. L. Stidger

Junco

I saw God wash the world last night

With His sweet showers on high

And then when Morning came

I saw Him hang it out to dry

He washed each tiny blade of grass

And every trembling tree

He flung His showers against the hill

And swept the billowing sea

The white rose is a cleaner white

The red is more red

Since God washed every fragrant face

And put them all to bed

There is not a bird, there is not a bee

That wings along the way

That was a cleaner bird or bee

Than it was yesterday

I saw God wash the world last night

Ah, would He had washed me

As clean of all my dust and dirt

As that old white birch tree!

But oh, He has and cleaner yet

But not with rain and wind

He washed me in the blood of Christ

And I’m completely cleansed

Yet I will have dirt settle on me

As indeed will flower and tree

But my soul is cleansed of all its sin

And could not cleaner be

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Gorge Swim

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos on August 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »

At least once a summer, the boys and I go to a great swimming hole and play until we are worn out or too cold to move. The weather has been plenty hot enough to preclude the latter.

Falls at the swimming hole

There are many jumps into foaming deep water from heights of 5, 20, and 25 feet. There are gentle rapids to float in and rocks to sun on. And usually there are no other people there since it is a steep mile and half walk in.

25 foot drop

I forgot my goggles this trip and didn’t get search the bottom for trout and “crawdads”, but the jumps and swimming up near the falls and sliding through the rapids and taking pictures of plants and spiders and sunning and eating snacks was quite enough for one trip.

The jump takes your breath and the foam ingulfs you and sweeps you away, but I’ve not found a way that it hurts (belly, back, face).

Forward Flip

I get dizzy trying to do a flip any more but some can still do it. I do advise that if you try what we are doing that you thoroughly explore what is under the water as we have. There are certainly places we don’t jump. The turbid water prevents seeing rocks that are less than a foot under. Other places are 8 to 12 feet deep right off the edge. The water was up for summer which makes it more turbid, more fun current and deeper pools. The only drawback of higher water is the turbidity that prevents seeing fish and formations under the water, but we couldn’t anyway.

I wander what caused the wilting of the blackberry leaves, a mildew, a smut, a rust. But the blackberries sure look good.

The grass spider builds a sheet with a funnel where it awaits prey. During windy times more prey falls but also more litter. The spider knows the “signature” of falling prey and ignores the litter. Unlike orb weavers, some of whom eat, reprocess, and re-weave an orb every day, or least every few days, the grass spider may go most of the season only repairing the web and tolerating “camoflouging” litter. If the site is good there is no reason to move other than another large spider running you off your web.

Grass Spider in the Entry-way

The lampshade spider is the hardest spider

Lampshade Spider

for me to take a picture of because it so well blends in with the rock it is on. Also, it is extremely difficult to show both the spider and the lampshade shape of the web though this picture is one of the better efforts.

Doghobble

The heat this summer has been accompanied by a substantial amount of rain in our area, so the vegetation has been quite green and much that the drought years had killed back is filled in. I include here but a few nice samples of what we saw.

Souther Shield Fern (Maiden Fern)?

A fern will not usually grow so tall and robust as this one on a rock shelf in full sunlight where this is located unless the rainfall and seepage supplies ample water as is true here. This sample was more than 3 feet tall. You naturalists can tell me if I identified it correctly.

Water spiders and their shadows

There was this pool at the side of the river at an incoming creek of spring that was relatively very cold. The boys and I had to dare each other to get in. While I was waiting for them to take their turns I noticed that water spiders

"Crawdad" exploring his domain

cast a shadow much larger than themselves. I guess I could to if I controlled the fringes (diffraction pattern at the edges of my person in the medium I’m in), but alas I am not supported on the surface tension of my medium or his. Yes, I did go into the pool and I was not the last one. I also jumped off the 25 foot jump several times but the picture of it was blurry. A few final pictures of my boys. One I couldn’t pass up because it’s classic:

"The Look"

Where are we?

Peaceful, contemplative moment

Cardinal Flower

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Energy Intertwined

Posted in Beauty, General, Poem, Science, tagged Beauty, Poems, Science on July 6, 2010| 1 Comment »

I am far from being a materialist but God has ordered a material world which is fascinating. It shouts of deep complexity and beautiful simplicity. He is intimately involved and yet He set it to work. Oh, what a wonderful Creator and Sustainer is He!

Sunlight on the grass and trees

Photosynthesis within the leaves

Glucose stored in chloroplast

In the food web first, but last

Consume producers all day

Cell respiration at work and play

Glucose energy that may

Be used to keep death at bay

Up the chain energy flows

‘Eat or be eaten’ the saying goes

Predator and prey each knows

Watchfulness precludes dire woes

Top dog on a nonstop binge

Top of the food chain has its challenge

On catching the food will hinge

Life and on offspring impinge

Death comes to all in their time

Decomposers recycle the grime

The world would be full of slime

Life’s web would lose all its rhyme

In and out energy goes

Though inefficient transfer, life grows

From sunlight to plants it flows

Animals, then decompose

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The Wonder of Knowledge

Posted in Beauty, General, Photo, Random thoughts, Science, tagged Beauty, Photos, Random thoughts, Science on May 30, 2010| 1 Comment »

The very idea of knowledge has many fascinating angles. Four examples are the wonder of discovery (Hey, just think, that old person with dementia that you feel so sorry for is really very happy because of their new discoveries each and every day, even if they are just old ones rediscovered), the satisfaction of knowing (This doesn’t have to be arrogance or pride but can be refamiliarization of an old friend, like when I eat a good peach knowing beforehand that it will be good and confirming afterwards that it was as it should be), the humility of not knowing, and the “need” to know (OK, desire to know). For example, the other day another teacher sent several students to me with a catch they had made behind the school assuming that I was the resident spider expert. They would only accept a quick answer so I gave one, “Wolf spider.” I said that I was interested in looking more closely at it and satisfied, they agreed to leave it with me. Lycosidae is indeed the family of “Wolf Spider” and I thought it would be interesting to key it down to genus or perhaps even species. So I got out my page-darkened “How to Know the Spiders” by BJ Kaston and began keying from the beginning. But I couldn’t get to Lycosidae. Oh well, thought I, I’m abit rusty. I’ll go straight to the Lycosidae family key and continue. Try as I might every attempt ran into a dead end. I Googled terms to get me back up to speed; I worked backwards from supposed possibilities. Perhaps this had been a bit longer ago than I thought. Then I thought to go back and read the family description. The eyes of Lycosidae are recurved and of two different sizes. Oops, this spider definitely had eight eyes of almost identical size in two straight rows. Now I was experiencing knowledge-based vertigo, disorientation. Oh well, the only other similar spider family is Pisauridae, “Nursery web spiders”. They are fequently hunters as the wolf spiders and therefore do not build webs, but I did not remember any of that family being so big. The females build a web around the egg sac and keep watch to protect it. Before this they carry the egg sac in their chelicerae (the projections that hold their fangs) whereas the wolf spiders carry their egg sacs with their spinerets (other end!). I promptly keyed the spider out to Dolomedes vittatus, Fishing Spider. I definitely had a female and probably pregnant. The males have a white band down the center of the carapace and around the margins of the same. This speciment was dark brown with tan spot on its abdomen. These live near streams and catch insects, spiders, and occaisional minnows! I enjoyed discovering the true identity of the spider. The realization of what I did know that enabled me to discover this and the use of a once well-worn key, the humility of having been wrong reminded me of how little I know compared to others and the many things only God knows, while the “need” to know drove me on to discovering the identity and habits of a backyard neighbor. Enjoy the pictures.

Dolomedes vittatus, Fishing Spider

Some people call it too much time on your hands, but being a good teacher involves a continued love of knowledge and a solid knowledge base. Modern educational theory rejects knowledge base as no more than a trivial side light, emphasizing the art and practice of teaching. Without diminishing these I submit that students want teachers that know something. It takes time and effort.

From the Kaston "Spider" Key, female on the right

The author of knowledge and wisdom must enjoy us obtaining it in whatever respectable form. To Him be the glory!

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Orange Dots

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Photos, Random thoughts, Science, Why?! on February 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

During the collection of insects last semester one of my students collected a moth. After a day in the ziplock there were small round dots in the container. “What are they?” We put them under a microscope and there appeared these translucent moth eggs. They contain an embryo you can see, looking almost like crystals, and ridges on the outer coat. A “hair” projects off to the left. There is little doubt that a knowledgeable scientist could identify the species of moth by these characteristics. My students and I were fascinated by the intricate design. And why shouldn’t we be considering the Infinite Designer? And in six short days; is it any wonder many try to deny such a mind boggling display of intelligence and power? “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11)

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9″ Snow

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, Random thoughts, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Random thoughts on December 19, 2009| Leave a Comment »

It was one of those “around the end” weather patterns that bring us the big snows. When we more typically get a front come over the mountains, because we are in the lee, most of the snow is shed on the Tennessee side and in the mountains. But when the cold comes over the mountains and the moisture comes from the Gulf by way of a low pressure moving around the southern end of the Appalachian chain then near to shore or across the coastal plain, watch out.

Catalpa Drift

I went out this morning to take pictures before the temperature began to rise and the foot and road traffic began to obscure the beauty. I discovered last evening while taking a 4 mile walk with two of my sons that they prefer frolicing while my disposition of years causes me to prefer soaking in the beauty. The storm, of course, reminds us of the ’93 blizzard, and from a localized perspective it may be apropos in places, but the snow is nowhere near as deep and the extent of the storm does not compare. Still it will be a snow to remember and my youngest son just saw his first 6+ inch snow of his young life. It may have caused me to start my school break 3 days early. If the temperature stays low enough to preserve some snow or cause icy spots on the road, we’ll stay home. I have no lack of reading, writing, and chores to keep me busy. Snow presents multiple opportunities for pursuits not otherwise available. It is one of the

The evidence

pleasures of snow days: Time spent with family, varied activity, exercise, rest, and memories. The mystique surrounding a snow may have more to do with what else happens because of the snow rather than the snow itself. But on the otherhand snow is refreshing to the soul and few there are that don’t get excited at its sight. I am thankful to God for the timing, its beauty, a warm dry house, and family to enjoy it with. I hope people are finding shelter and being prudent about travel. I think I’ll continue my snow day activities and hope yours are pleasant to you.

A Snowball Bush

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Room 417

Posted in Beauty, Cultural commentary, General, Poem, Random thoughts, tagged Beauty, Cultural commentary, Poems, Random thoughts on June 10, 2009| 4 Comments »

On the hallway wall next to the door is posted “Room 417 Storage”. In this fairly new facility it is used as an occasional office. The majority could not tell you where it is or for what purpose it is utilized. I was assigned to sit in silence in Room 417 with three other people for two and a half hours. I’m a teacher; you figure it out. Here are my impressions of the space, the activity, and our path.

In a claustrophobic room

Painted white no decor there

Neither flower nor mind could bloom

Though florescent lights and vented air

White noise from conditioned air

Abundant plastic, metal too

Nothing the senses would find fair

Though clean and bright and also new

Sanitized of all that harms

Disease, sharp corners, tanning rays

Not a thing the spirit alarms

Though emergency exits map ways

Thus the danger to our lives

All is well but dead inside

No awareness that life never thrives

Except in Sonshine and change of tide

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Bored to Death

Posted in Beauty, Cultural commentary, General, God Thoughts, tagged Beauty, Cultural commentary, God Thoughts on May 17, 2009| Leave a Comment »

On my classroom wall is posted the statement, “Bored is not a circumstance; it’s a state of mind.” From the frequency of gaming, surfing the web and channels, and various other vicarious pursuits of entertainment coupled with short attention spans and lack of excitement for anything short of amazing I would say it is a common state of mind. Other evidences may be harder to see: boredom with marriage, the job, the church, or life itself. As Thomas Dubay puts it in The Evidential Power of Beauty boredom is “an insipid tedium with existence itself. Reality [is] a colossal blah.” (p.73) What is the cause of this state of mind? Part of Dubay’s answer is as follows: “The personal inability to perceive truth and beauty is related as first cousin, if not sibling, to a lack of wonder, which in turn, often if not always, arises from jadedness, from a perduring and even disgusting boredom caused by excess and overindulging” (p.72) He is in fact repeating himself because jadedness means dullness brought on by excess. So many people are seeking out more amazing, more sensually beautiful, or more violent stimulation to stave off boredom but these things are causing it. In fact, “fully jaded men and women, old or young, marvel at nothing.” (p.73) One area where this dullness is resulting in a desire to ramp up the stimulation is the immodesty of dress in public and in every form of media. I think that the following statement relates to this idea: “It is one of the notable sadnesses of our time that so many are incapable of fascination with the deeper levels of human beauty, especially those rooted in the spirit, levels that far transcend physical attractiveness.” (Dubay, p.64) To summarize, boredom occurs because over stimulation dulls the mind so that it cannot in turn “perceive truth and beauty”.

But if over stimulation were the primary cause would it not be eventually self-correcting when the stupor of dullness persists? Would not the bored soul stop pushing forward into continued boredom? I believe the answers are no. The bored person is addicted to the stimulation of senses because he or she is trying to fill a great void, an emptiness in their soul brought on by their own sin or very frequently the hurt caused by someone else’s sin. Jeremiah 2:13 says that people “hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Obviously the answer is not pouring in more stimulation to relieve the boredom or hurt because the void can never be filled that way. As a friend of mine said recently, when people are so focused on themselves they cannot help but become bored. They need to focus on something outside themselves.

You may say, “What’s the big deal. Someone is bored. Get up and do something; get over it.” I am not referring to a momentary Tuesday afternoon lack of something to do. As I have observed it this boredom is a growing disease that is robbing people of purpose and happiness. To the unbeliever I would say, you need Jesus who can heal your sin and your hurts. As He has said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) God’s salvation is sufficient but that salvation will need to be worked into a person’s life through a growing relationship with God that will heal hurts. The believer who is bored has either given up ground or never taken it from the enemy. The first part of the verse above about broken cisterns says, “My people have committed two evils: The have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters”. Our primary focus must be God. Part of the solution for the believer may be to fast from mere entertainments and seek more profound beauty. “Cease striving and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) Seeking God will increase your thankfulness and erase the dullness of reaction to beauty and truth. The dullness of boredom can be erased by knowing and serving God rather than things or ideas or self.

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Finally!

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Beauty, Outdoors, Photos on March 2, 2009| 2 Comments »

To say that snow is uncommon in my little town would be an understatement. And when it does come it tends to fade quickly. We had three inches last night and cold enough to retain it half a day today. I am so thankful for its beauty and God’s creativity!