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)