Images of Wonder!!!

As I begin this final leg of Sabbatical I have two main interests.  One:  To spend good quality time with the family deepening our relationships and building memories.  Two:  To explore the use of natural images in regards to proclaiming spiritual or theological truths.  What do I mean by that?  Often we use images of the natural world (Beach, mountains, sunsets etc...) to solicit an emotional response.  I wonder if we can find and use nature images to bring about theological musings as well?   So I have set out to explore and photograph in some of the most stunning places in America.  Grand Canyon; Zion National Park; Arches National Park; Canyonlands National Park, Grand Tetons National Park; Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park.  

So far we have the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Zion under our belt.  What have I discovered?  Awe!  How awesome is our God!  We have to be careful because God is not IN the creation.  God is not in the canyons or in the trees--but God has left God's fingerprints all over the natural world.   I have felt humbled and insignificant by being in such beauty.  But I also renumber the words of Psalm 8....that we ourselves are a marvel of creation.   Here are a sample of some photos I have taken.  Can you see any theological truths or spiritual ideas expressed in them?   More to come...

PS....What a wonderful "God moment" we had today in Zion National Park as we totally on accident ran into our dear friends from Silverdale Washington who were likewise touring the park.   It was a reminder that even in the midst of natural beauty it is the love and power of relationships that still soothes the human heart!

PSS.  On the family side of things we have had a great adventure thus far and more to come.  Today the highlight was watching Aaron try to swim upstream in the Virgin river running through Zion National Park.  The hiking is fantastic and the scenary so beautiful that it can even compete with a DS Gameboy!!  And that's saying something.  Keep us in your prayers for a safe and memory building time together!