Hannibal

Well obviously I don't write on here much, but since I had a pretty good day yesterday, I thought I'd share my excursion. I had a day off and the weather was great so of course I had to go riding. I went to the lovely hometown of Mark Twain - Hannibal.

In addition to seeing the usual sites, like his boyhood home and Riverboats, I discovered a couple new spots there I hadn't seen in previous ventures. Like...Lover's Leap. Does every town have one of these and do they all have the same story...a despondent Indian maiden flinging herself off a cliff (in this case WITH her boyfriend)? I don't know about the story's accuracy, but the view over the Mississippi is great!

I also went to Riverview Park, just north of the historical section of town. It's 456 acres and 99 years old. Why did I not know about it before? Hmmm. Anyway, more gorgeous overlooks of the river and a nice statue of Samuel Clemons. That's where I met a retired school teacher and his wife on an RV trip from Alaska. They've been on the road since September! He spent 20 minutes telling me about his trip to Africa. (I don't know why I mention that. It has nothing to do with Hannibal.) 

Of course, no trip is complete without a drive by the local PD (well maybe for most people that's not important).

Anyway, it was a beautiful day enjoying God's outdoors, seeing new places, and meeting new people. Sure wish everyday was a day off...

                                                

More of God's handiwork

This week is one of very few occasions when Mary & I take an actual vacation. We are in Las Vegas having a belated Christmas with Jeni & Dan. Yesterday we went to Hoover Dam.  It's a pretty amazing structure since it was built in 1931 and still going strong. However today we went to the Grand Canyon (I'd never seen it). It is awesome! Even man's best creations can not come close to touching the glory of God's artwork in nature. The canyon is just one example of something that can point to the immense power and size of our God. Not just the size of the Canyon (over 8 miles wide) or the beautfully colored layers of rock, but add the time dimension. God began carving this piece of art MILLIONS of years ago (so I'm told). God has a plan in place for this earth and He obviously has had for a very long time. Isn't it wonderful that He lets us be part of it?

Currently Listening Carried Me: The Worship Project By Jeremy Camp Beautiful One see related

God's handiwork

I went to the Science Center today and watched the Omnimax film "The Human Body" then went through the Body Worlds 3 exhibit. A double dose of human anatomy & biology. It was pretty interesting. Seeing these, you can not escape the intrical ways the body functions as a system... 206 bones (in adults); 26 just in your foot; over 600 muscles; systems working within systems; each working together to make a human being function. Don't even get me started about the fetal development part of the exhibit; how a child in the womb only a few weeks after its creation looks so obviously like...a PERSON, not a blob of tissue.

How anyone can say that any of this happens by some sort of accident or chance is beyond me. God's creations are breathtaking...amazing...wonderful...there just aren't words...

I woke yesterday and between the cobwebs in my head I heard "James 1". Admittedly, I do not have the most regular quiet time schedule, but I can take a hint when I get one. I turned on the computer (I have one of those programs with all the parallel Bible translations) and got a "My Utmost for His Highest" daily devotion pop-up window so I decided to read that before reading James 1. It just so happened that the "Utmost" devotion talked about "The Law of Opposition", discussing the struggles we have in our lives on several levels; Health - a balance between staying fit and the natural deterioration of the body; the Mental struggle to maintain a sharp mind; our internal fight to keep a Moral lifestyle ("anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue"); and of course our spiritual battle. It mentioned John 16:33 where the Bible makes it clear that we will have troubles in this world, but it also says to "be of good cheer" because Jesus has overcome the world. The piece ended with the reminder that we should "delight" in opposition because we work toward holiness by overcoming the struggles we come against. The writer described holiness as "the balance of [our] nature and the law of God expressed in Jesus Christ."

So then I read James 1, which as most of you who read this know, tells us that we should "consider it pure joy...whenever we face trials". Coincidence that these two go together...I don't think so! Anyway I thought I'd share a few verses that I liked from James 1:

2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

18: He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (firstfruits = the best)

22: Do not merely listen to the word ... Do what it says.

27: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: … keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Anyway God obviously put this on my mind for a reason so I thought I'd pass it on.