Temps reached into the 40s as Mother Nature granted a brief reprieve from winter’s arrival. Snow melt transformed to translucent droplets exhuming a colorful re-birth of leaves carpeting the forest floor . . . reminiscent of the tears Jesus shed to offer all who claim Him as their own a glorious, forever rebirth.
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” – 1 Corinthians 15:55
Flight School needs to start soon if these cygnets are going to accompany their parents south before freeze-up. This young Trumpeter swan pair hatched their cygnets the end of June , much later than previous Trumpeter parents . . . Frosty Eagle’s watching.
“Love to Live, Live to Love” – Amy Carmichael + ^ Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
While our birth days are 5 decades apart, wilderness wanderings with my son helps me forget my age and live life young again . . . undeservedly blessed . . . living each day as though it’s my last . . . grateful yesterday wasn’t . . . knowing His best forever young is yet to come.
This after-the-storm picture of Winter invading Fall had me contemplating my mortality. From first to final breath, much like the changing of the seasons, life is a continuum of seasons.
The Spring of my life witnessed a carefree childhood morph into an adolescence of uncertainty and tentative teens before yielding to the Summer of adulthood, running the gamut of experiences and emotions from gain to loss; joy to sorrow; trial to triumph; happiness to heartbreak. Fall followed suit, but with slightly more intensity, enhanced by increased awareness of both life’s responsibly and appreciation.
Gazing on this scene today, I realized, albeit somewhat reluctantly, my life’s journey has entered Winter. Spanning nearly eight decades, my journey lies somewhere below life’s summit in Winter’s snows, above Fall’s fading colors. Given the genre of my life’s journey, I suspect my current location resides in that fog below the mountain’s summit 😊
Regrets? . . . many, most self-attributable. Blessings? . . . many more, attributable to God’s unfathomable Grace alone. And so, I gratefully journey on towards the summit, uncertain of my arrival time, but assured of a forever room at the top is waiting for me . . . Hope to see you there.
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2
TCD – Tire Changeover Day – the official first day Alaskans are permitted to mount their winter studded tires on their vehicles . . . perfect timing . . . on the trip home from town along the Matanuska River, cold, blustery winds heralded an impending storm . . . and now it’s sn😊wing!
Here’s a minuscule glimpse of the Last Frontier’s raw, wild, rugged beauty along each of the 25 miles to town . . . a drive through an ever changing postcard of creationscapes. Its vastness never ceases to instill me with a sense of infinitesimal smallness, while its grandeur paradoxically soothes my soul.
Matanuska River – Chickaloon, Alaska
“He who forms the mountains, who creates the winds, and who revels His thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth – the Lord God Almighty is His name“.
Amos 4:13
Storm Brewing
I M Blessed . . . May U B 2 + ^ Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
A solo kayaker, bathed in the rising golden mists of a sunrise, bid us adieu as we left Denali National Park this morning. Lord willing, we’ll return again someday to this spectacular corner of creation.
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship“. – Psalm 19:1 + ^ Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
Clouds are dominating the skies, concealing North America’s highest mountain, majestic 20,320 ft. Denali. However, they can’t obscure Denali National Park’s epic display of fall splendor.
Here’s a few glimpses of what was ours to behold. Wish y’all could be here to take it all in for yourselves.
“Love to Live, Live to Love” – Amy Carmichael + ^ Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!