Fungus Among Us

Even a rainy hike yields beauty and photographic opportunities. I had to catch up with my companions several times after pausing to capture these huge fungal growths along the path. Some expert can tell me whether they should be called mushrooms.

Big as a Moose

When a mama moose looks at you like this, with her calf nearby, you silently give thanks for your 300mm lens--maybe even the presence of others who run more slowly than you.

I can't help but wonder, did Adam call it a moose because it was so big or did "big as a moose" come later? Another chicken-egg conundrum.

"And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." (Gen. 2:19)

30 Percent Club

The peak of Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) is often enshrouded by clouds. Visitors are told to expect that it is only visible 30% of the time--that only one in three get to see it on their Alaska trip.

So, when we caught this glimpse upon our arrival in Talkeetna--and gloried in the full extent of 20,310' from a near sea level vantage point--our shutters were clicking incessantly.

I'm more than slightly bemused by human nature, arriving as we do at the smugness of attributing to some superior aspect of our character the reason for our gaining access to such a limited group. Or that it "hardly rained at all" on our vacation. If that isn't the rooster taking credit for the sunrise, I don't know what is. God must smile. Knowingly. Maybe a little sadly.

Rather I should give Him glory for those little glimpses He affords of the marvels of His creative work on this earth; remembering it rains on the just and the unjust--and pray God my conduct may be that of the former.

"Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?...Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?" (Job 38:2, 28)

Treasures of Snow

As slowly as it moves, a glacier is fascinating to watch with its seemingly infinite textures and colors. This one is called Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.

 "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?" (Job 38:22)

On Eagle's Wings

We were blessed to visit Alaska this past July and were told that 80% of the American Bald Eagles live there.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Eclipse

Returning to a favorite subject after quite a hiatus. Evidently last evening's eclipse won't be seen again until sometime in 2033. And it was a full moon, a super moon, a harvest moon, and a blood moon all in one.

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Ps. 8:3&4).

Dale Allen Eisenmann 4.25.2015

"Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." (Prov. 17:6)

Dale Richard Eisenmann

Bradley Dale Eisenmann

Ryan Dale Eisenmann

Dale Allen Eisenmann

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." (Psalm 127:3)

So blessed am I!

Julie & Michael

"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD." (Prov. 18:22).

And in this case, this young man found our precious daughter! Michael (Luthi) and Julie have been engaged for several months now but we finally got some engagement pictures taken this past weekend.

Burnside Bridge

It's an idyllic setting that belies the violence that occurred there when 450 rebel soldiers held off 14,000 Union troops for several important hours during the Battle of Antietam. There are many leadership lessons to be drawn from this conflict but I'm struck mostly by the way the land has healed from the insult it received back in September of '62 (1862, that is).

Without any thought that God was on either side, the numeric imbalance still evokes the promise, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).

41: A Portrait of My Father

41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reading two "5 Star" books in a row is a rarity and this one touched a tender place in my heart. It truly is a father-son love story and offers a unique glimpse into the shared experiences of the men who hold the 41 and 43 slot in the presidential lineup. Always an admirer of the Bush family and a lover of history, especially presidential history, I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter. But it was the closing thoughts which moved me to tears: the legacy of unconditional father-son love and the forever bond of shared passion and common experiences. Made me miss my dad and give thanks for my own love story.



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