Malachi

I took another trip this weekend. I was back in Texas, this time for a celebration of my friend Malachi. Mal was a roommate of mine while I lived in San Antonio. He's getting married at the end of April, so we put together a camping trip for him to serve as a time of blessing and encouragement as he prepares for marriage. We had a blast: hiking, grilling, laughing, throwing Mal in the lake, prayers, advice, encouragement, hilarious stories...it was an incredible time.



One of the things I so appreciate about Mal is his heart for God and for community. He wanted his house to be a place for that -- and that's what I found when I moved in. I still count the 915 as one of my homes and have countless memories tied to that place, memories that cannot be shared in this place due to space issues, among other things. :) I have an incredible circle of friends in San Antonio who I dearly love and miss -- and I owe a wealth of gratitude to Mal for his role in helping bring us together and always giving us a place to simply be together. So, thanks Mal, for that and so much more. You and Emily are an amazing fit and I couldn't be any more excited for the two of you.

Health, wealth, and prosperity?

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him, in the midst of loss not prosperity.

This picture was taken from the balcony of the condo I stayed at in Winter Park, Colorado last week. The sun hadn't yet set, but the moon was in full view. It would snow much of the following day, so I'm glad I stepped out for a minute or two to capture a couple of shots -- we couldn't even see these mountains the next day due to the falling snow. I've learned over the years that if I hesitate in taking a picture, I usually won't get another chance at the scene that I'm witnessing. Sure, sometimes it's better to wait for another shot or for the sun to go up or down a bit, but especially in situations with people and scenery like the one above, it's best to just take the picture. Which falls right in line with the "seize the day" DPS mentality.

I don't have anything profound today. Kind of wishing I was back on the slopes, dealing more with which trail to take instead of which assignment to complete. But, such is life.

Awareness

Try it out and see if you can guess the number of passes.



Yeah, I missed it. A reminder I definitely need.

Water falls

Much like water, I feel like I'm being thrown off a cliff sometimes. Things seem to be moving along peacefully, winding through enchanting scenery, full of life and fullness, wrapping through the beauty that is nature, until the bottom falls out. To observers, it's an intriguing view: water cascading down, filling the air with mist and a fullness of sound -- it's difficult to whisper around a waterfall and it's sometimes tough not to get wet; it may be just as difficult to not get caught up in the romance of the scene, too.

But for the water, it's a somewhat tragic and violent experience, moving from a free-flowing existence to an often-sharp decent onto awaiting rocks and boulders. Watching water splatter on those rocks or in pools, it doesn't appear to be a pleasant slice of life. Somehow, though, the water re-forms and gathers again, continuing its journey along and through the path set out for it, be it a river, a creek, a bay, or another type of body of water; it's quite resilient, possibly stubborn. Whatever happens, it continues on. It doesn't quit; it doesn't give up. There may be another waterfall ahead, another chance for destruction or pain or devastation -- or maybe another opportunity for beauty.

Water falls and so do I. And yet no matter how many times I shatter or break, God puts me back together and continues guiding me along his path, comforting with his faithfulness and understanding. I don't think he's the one tossing me about or sending me crashing into what feels like nothingness; I do believe, though, he's present in those times, stretching my faith, deepening my trust, and holding me together. It often feels tragic and violent; such is life, I guess. But from a different perspective, one that I don't like considering in the midst of falling, there's a great beauty in that falling and continuing on. The tragedy, violence, and beauty are part of the world into which we are born; they're part of the adventure we choose live. It's our story of faith; it's our story of journey.

Psalm 36:5-6

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths.