Truth

The trouble with our age is that all men speak the truth. How much better it might be to live in an age in which all men would lie but the stones would speak the truth.

Wild Basin

Our hike up to Ouzel Falls was in the Wild Basin area. We followed a hard packed trail on the snow for four miles up to the frozen falls. The ice was was in and a number of climbers were enjoying the sunny day.

I know it doesn't look very deep, but one step off the side of this trail and you're in the snow up to your knees! That doesn't leave you a lot of ground if you drink too much water! Where do you go? Anyway, we enjoyed the hike and look forward to more of them.

Obedience

Pascal says, "The reason it is so difficult to believe is that it is so difficult to obey."

It is obedience which has disappeared from the world, and this explains the absence of character. As a rule the relationship should be something like this; Man understands what God requires of him and obedience or obligation knocks on the door. Will you do this at once? And obedience does it, dares not do otherwise, and this is character.

In today's world this isn't the case. We understand very well what God is asking of us, we are somewhat well informed about the demands and the ideals, but it comes to nothing. We don't submit to God, because we are masters over our understanding, should we do it or not, does it make sense for me, and if so, how much? Instead of becoming a person of character, we're split in two: a kind of modern sophisticate and poet. Character takes the back seat.

Batter up!

What's taking so long? Get the season going all ready! I don't care how good or bad we are, I just need baseball. Okay, they need to be good. This photo was taken at Spring training at the Cactus League a few years ago. Back then, our team was so bad the players didn't have numbers. They had fractions! The team was in real trouble, even at practice. One afternoon, the pitching machine threw a no-hitter! Things will be much better this year. I'm sure of it.

Upcoming hike

In a few months I will be hiking 40 miles to this enchanting place. Craig, Ed, their boys and I will be visiting Peru and following the long trail of the Incas. I promise lots of photos for you.

In preparation, I bought new boots, Zamberlan's. I got their old style leather boots. I got them because they reminded me so much of my favorite Pivetta's, which has gone out of business. My old boots were just plain worn out and very tired. Now I'm in the process of breaking in the new ones and everything seems to be going well. I'm looking forward to the trip and my time with old friends on the trail. Hard to believe they would build a city and then farm on this high mountain ridge!

What good are rabbits?

Below, Nancy is holding a Cashmere rabbit. The fur is used for women's fine clothing. But not to worry, they are usually just "plucked" never killed. Some producers will shear them. We had attended the fur festival in Pagosa Springs and this was certainly the cutest thing we saw.

An examination of God's Grace

Le's reflect on the text from Hebrews 6:13 and 14: "For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying 'I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.'"

Notice the wording above. Historically, God swore for the benefit of Abraham to whom he had made an extremely a lavish promise. Who was Abraham to whom God would sware, "I will bless" and "I will multiply?" God, out of the fullness of His glorious grace, told Abraham who had no heir that he was to have an heir, and a seed as numerous as the stars of the heavens and as the sands of the sea.

None of this would come about by anything that Abraham in himself could do. To make sure that Abraham would have no part in it or in any way capable of fulfilling this promise, God withheld its fulfillment until Abraham and Sarah were as good as dead, and in this condition and wholly beyond the time of life when a child could be born, the promise was fulfilled. This is pure grace.

In Romans 4:19 and 20, referring to Abraham, you'll read; "Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and deadness of Sarah's womb, yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, and giving glory to God."

People often resort to the philosophy which says, "God helps those who help themselves," but this is exactly the reverse of what the Bible reveals. God helps those who cannot help themselves. What could Abraham and Sarah do to help themselves? Nothing! They could only wait on god to fulfill his promise. The same thing applies to our relationship to God. People think they must do something to merit the favor of God, or after having received salvation, they must do something to keep it. The most difficult truth to understand is that of pure Grace. Romans 11:6 says, "But it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

We should rejoice in this grace from God. It is our promise that God has better things in store for us and they're things which accompany our salvation. God forbid that we should receive this grace in vain. God swore by himself and now we have full assurance!

May I be patient

There's this quiet little road I know, high in the Colorado mountains. It leads where few have traveled and beautiful treasures await those patient enough to explore it. The ground is covered with snow now and the trees have lost their leaves, but if you're patient enough to wait until summer, the rewards are sweet.

Near the end you have to start hiking through the forest. It's dark in places and hard to see, even in broad daylight. Your legs get tired from going up and down the steep hill. The dense trees and undergrowth make the going a little tough, but if you're patient, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful site.

This little creek found the easiest path over a long granite slab. Carving its way through, the burbling water rose up almost magically, leaving small pools of clear refreshment. We stayed here and watched, amazed at what God had done through the course of time. I stand amazed at my little road to Him, rough as it may be at times. May I be patient Lord and keep you in my sight.

Ouzel Falls

I hiked up to Ouzel Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park yesterday with our little hiking group. Due to the snow levels, we had to park a mile from this sign which is at the Ranger station. So the hike ended up about 3.7 miles one way. We gained about 1,000 ft. in elevation.

Many of us brought our snowshoes for the hike but quickly realized that the trail was pretty hard packed and we could just walk up it in our hiking boots, which is what we did. You didn't want to step off the side of the trail however, because you'd post hole up to your knees!

When we started the hike it was pretty windy and very cold, but as we got higher and into the timber, it warmed up, the sun came out, and I took off my hood and unbuttoned my coat. Nothing like a winter hike in the high Colorado Rockies!

Along the way we crossed a series of beautiful bridges. We stopped to eat at this one right below the falls. If you go a few miles farther along the trail, you'll come to Ouzel Lake. I think I'll come back here in the summer this year if time permits. It's a two hour drive from Denver but really nice.

Just a few hundred yards past the falls we decided to pose for a group photo. That's Longs Peak behind us.

New Toy

I got a new toy. This is my new iPad 2 with iOS 5 and iCloud. And since I went to NAU and I'm officially a lumberjack, I chose a log as my background screen. Each day I'm adding a new app for this and a new app for that. It's amazing what's out there. It's actually like a politician and is perfect in every way. If it makes a mistake, it blames another computer! Anyway, I'm really glad I have this one. My other computer has been down so often it had canvas burns!

SK on Mohammedanism

SK writes the following about Mohammedanism in his journals: "In the words, I am who I am, the personal eternal consciousness has already taken precedence and therefore does not develop a fatalism as does the cold "unity." Furthermore, these words, "I am who I am," are an excellent answer to out-of-place questions."

Creation

"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of god.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it."

Romans 8:19-25

The Southwest

The Southwest is a wonderful place, filled with natural beauty and stunning vistas. Who is responsible? Who created it?

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some boast in chariots and some in horses,

But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.

Southwest art

I took this from SK's Journals. He writes, "All art is essentially involved in a dialectical self-contradiction. The truly eternal cannot be painted or drawn or carved in stone, for it is spirit. But neither can the temporal essentially be painted or drawn or carved in stone, for when it is presented in these ways, it is presented eternally; every picture expresses a fixation of that particular moment. If I paint a man who is lifting a spoon to his mouth or blowing his nose, it is immediately eternalized - the man continues to blow his nose this one time as long as the painting endures."

These ancient artists carved in stone what was on their mind and in their hearts at that time.

Dialectical self-contradictions aside, the dancers shown below presented a drama from the old age. In their ancestor's past, dramas and dancing were presented only once per year such as at harvest or the sowing of seed, etc. Now of course you pay for a special performance which is repeated over and over, sometimes daily when there's enough tourists.

In our time the presentation of a dance or drama very frequently illustrates (in contrast to the old days) that basically interest has passed from the poetry to other objects of attention: the staging, the dancers, the haunting music, and finally to the scene painter, the scenery, the seamstress, and so on.

These Zuni girls were happy to have their photo taken after their wonderful performance. I have a much higher regard for artists who go forward by going backward. It's sort of a reproduced retreat and a look at historical themes, already given, so to speak.

Art on the rock

I'm reminded of Bluff, UT these days since we're planning a return trip. These panels were about a 2 mile hike above the "booming metropolis" of Bluff. You can't see the art on the rock walls, but it's like wandering through an art gallery.

SK said, "The Christian must not lack the eye, in a human sense the illuminating light, which for me makes it easier to comprehend a painted landscape than nature; there and in history he meets God's eye."

Art in the forest

Last spring Chris, Nancy, and the rest of us found ourselves in an awkward situation. Hey, I know mountain lions are big, but you've got to be kidding! Exploring Roxborough Park South of Denver brings plenty of surprises. On closer inspection, you see that they're made of wood. These carved cats left a frightful impression on us. What's amazing to me is that someone has the imagination, not to mention time, to do something like this. We left the forest with a greater sense of art.

More on rock art

A good artist draws the line somewhere. I suppose 500 year old rock art done by native Americans had similar criticism as art does today. Everyone has their own idea of what's good and bad art. Today an artist can paint a canvas in a day and a half and thinks nothing of it. Nor does anyone else. A sculptor once explained his art form to me. "You take a block of marble, a hammer, and a chisel, then you knock off all the marble you don't want." Hmmm... I can do that.

Can anyone tell me what this is?

Rock art

500 to 1,000 year old rock art done by native Americans is an interesting study. Much of it is linked to the Fremont and Anasazi Indians. Some of it is older still in the Colorado Plateau and goes back to the Archaic period. A petroglyph is an image which is cut or carved into the rock. Pictographs are painted on the rock using things like animal fat and plant oils. The petroglyph below is from a well known rock in Albuquerque.

Exploring the Southwest is at its best when you're hiking through the canyons and discovering ancient rock art and remnants of old ruins.

Great is Thy faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning, new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,

Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me!

Morning after, the storm

Taken from my upstairs window, this photo of the neighborhood captures the beautiful blue sky after the weekend storm. The streets are beginning to clear and dry out and later this week it's supposed to be in the 40's! That will be nice, but where does all the water go? Nebraska, whoopee.

Shoeing on Green Mountain

Yesterday, we went shoeing with our friends up Green Mountain. The big storm had pretty much ended and the conditions were perfect for this. We had originally planned a trip up to Ouzel Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, but the roads were so bad we decided on this instead. We had a great morning and then we all went out to lunch afterward.

Snowstorm in Denver

Some of you have been asking about the snowstorm we are having here in Denver. It's still coming down, but not nearly as hard. So, Nancy and I got up this morning after a cup of coffee and some cookies, and walked around the neighborhood. We took a few photos to show you. Below, the keep off the grass sign is no longer relevant, unless you have a "bad back" or some other nonsense.

Shoveling the snow was fun because you can pile it really high! It's a good thing I don't have to do it, the association will shovel it if there is more than 3 inches. They've shoveled it twice during this storm, once yesterday morning and again at 4:30a today. It's really nice to have this done unless they take a break in your drive; cookie wrappers and yellow snow is usually the result. No such problems today.

Looking down our slippery streets is really lovely. We ran into Lou on this street. He was walking his son's dog and so we stopped and talked a while deciding that this storm was not as big as the '03 storm. Now it's calm with tiny little flakes coming down, a beautiful day and another winter wonderland in Colorado.

Snow predicted

This snow in front of my house is nearly melted now, after nearly 6 weeks. Now, we're facing a prediction of 12 to 24 new inches of snow later today and tomorrow! The big pile in front of the house was the result of an out of control snowplow. It turned to ice which I've been chipping away over the last week, because no one could park in front of the house. Then you come in the house and you have to take off your big boots, dry off, shake off, warm up, put your gloves away... Actually, I don't mind freezing sleet and snow, but I wish they'd come in the summer, when the weather is nice!

More on the new snowstorm later...

Lost Creek Wilderness

Someone in our hiking group was asking me about Lost Park. I told her it was a beautiful spot, although a longer drive from Denver than most people want to make. It's worth every minute of hassle on the drive, even when you include the 20 miles on a gravel road.