When I Consider

 A cursory review of this blog will illuminate my love for this subject and Psalm 8:3&4.  When I posted this to Facebook recently, a friend commented, "God's Thumbnail!"

Just how big is God, anyway?

For me, though, it's the "what is man?" question and the praise in "that thou visitest him" that is truly humbling and awe-inspiring.  Surely the "heavens declare!"

Faith's Victory

Some dear friends from Connecticut are saying goodbye to this precious soul, "Gram Webb" to them, this week.  We rejoice in victory won.  What a delight to have known her!

The soldier won the battle, (She's) in gloryland somewhere.
The soldier won the battle, no more aging there.
Living now with Jesus, waiting 'til I come
Busy for the Master, forever always young.

"Soldier Won the Battle" (unknown)

Christ, The Foundation

"I now have found the firm foundation
Where evermore my anchor grounds!
It lay there ere the world's creation,
Where else, but in my Saviour's wounds?
Foundation which un-mov'd shall stay,
When earth and heaven pass away."

Truth is, most foundations aren't seen.  Only what we build upon them can be observed.  I was drawn to this wall by its being made of slate.  So much variation yet a wall nevertheless.  And obviously built on top of something sturdy.

"On this foundation I, unshrinking,
Will stand, while I on earth remain;
This shall engage my acting, thinking,
While I the breath of life retain.
Then I will sing eternally
Unfathomed Mercy, still of Thee!"

(Zion's Harp #221, v. 1, 6)

Ryan & Sarah 8.18.13

"Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth." (Prov. 5:18)

We continue to marvel at God's goodness to us.  So blessed to find love multiplied, not divided, as we welcome our daughter Sarah.

On the Rocks

Sometime in some national park somewhere we heard a ranger say, "Annie Algae and Freddie Fungus took a lichen to each other but now their relationship is on the rocks!"

Cue the teenage groan.  Works every time on any trail anywhere.  Most recently in Vermont, climbing Mt. Pico.  Abundant rain made for lush ferns and all kinds of things growing on the rocks and trees.

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Col. 1:17-18).

Self-Correcting Tree

So reads the sign along the trail by this interesting specimen. I suppose it's true as far as it goes but I suspect the location of the sun was more than a little influential in the so called 'correcting'.  This is probably similar to the "train" in "train up a child" (Prov. 22:6).  Herein is great hope for we who start out parallel to the ground, seemingly making no progress. Then the strong influence of the source of light and growth reveals that the Master was there all along, drawing unto Himself.

"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:" (John 6:44).

More Ryan & Sarah

I'm not sure engagement pictures ever look "natural".  But it seems as if our second session with these two yielded better results than the first.  Or maybe the dad/photographer was more relaxed.

In any case, it's been a joy watching these two begin to blend their lives together.  And in that blending, we have again been blessed to "gain a daughter" whose life is now blending with our family as well.

"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;" (Mark 10:7)

Life's Shadows

This image struck me as how life feels at times.  Some days are "dark", some are "light". As we walk along the "corridor of time", we transition between these stages, as it were.  It can be easy to forget one while experiencing the other.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

Guapa Chica!

My blogging hiatus after Dad died has me reaching back a few months.  Most of my posts are not "time sensitive" as this is not really a diary or any kind of attempt to chronicle the events of our lives in an organized fashion.  That said, our Julie spent the spring semester studying in Spain and we were blessed to visit her in late March.

Spain is amazing and I look forward to dribbling out some images from the trip over time.  The highlight was our long weekend in Granada, Julie's "home" for almost five months.  The Alhambra is an amazing icon of that once Moorish city.

If you're so inclined, you can read some of her exploits here.

Ryan & Sarah

"Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth." (Prov. 5:18.).

I'm way overdue to post and especially on this topic.  Right in the middle of Dad's illness and passing we were blessed with the arrival of a new family member in the form of Sarah Drake whose engagement to our son Ryan was announced.  The smile on Ryan's face is pretty typical of how he seems to feel having her at his side! 

For our part, we feel blessed beyond measure as God continues to reveal Himself in the lives of our children.  An August 18th wedding is being planned.