Hello!
It's so nice enjoying my days off fully--getting to get out and explore, rest, recreate, and find time of solitude in the midst of a busy work week. Even during workdays I get to enjoy my mornings before starting to work at 2:00 PM. I am so grateful for this period of time.
Because of the busy work schedule, my days off have been shifted to Saturday and Sundays now. I'm a bit disappointed about this because I don't get to spend any days off with KelLee and Jamie, and my Saturday is usually spent preparing for Sunday's services, so it doesn't fully feel like a day off. The nice thing about Saturday nights though is that KelLee has been singing while playing her guitar and ukulele at a coffee shop in town. She's gained quite a following of "Wahweapers" (employees of Wahweap) and the town. She is very talented and has a great singing voice.
In the midst of this, I was able to spend my days off exploring Lake Powell via kayak. A group of us got to cross Wahweap Bay to explore some finger canyons on the other side. One was Nate, a friend who lives down the hall in my dorm, and the other was Bethany, an ACMNP teammate from Bryce Canyon who came to visit KelLee and Jamie. We paddled leisurely across the open bay to where the 1,000' canyon rocks loomed over us as we explored.
The following day though, I went back out onto the lake by myself. I explored all of the finger canyons from Ice Cream Canyon to Castle Rock. It was such a magnificent experience...and unfortunately I realized too late that I forgot my camera. Though I didn't get to take any pictures, the experience was nevertheless superb. While out on the lake, I got to pray a lot about my time here, over the team as we finish our final few weeks of services.
When I came here, I was told that Castle Rock was the film location for Charlton Heston's movie, "The Ten Commandments". Castle Rock is Mt. Sinai. From the resort, I really cannot see that; however, I beached my kayak and started hiking to the far side of it, and I think I now see what angle they filmed it at. Of course, this was before Glen Canyon was flooded to become Lake Powell, so there is definitely a lot that has changed since that film was made. Hiking along the base of Castle Rock though, I tried to imagine Moses (as played by Charlton Heston) climbing up the side of that hill to discover a burning bush. After the experience, he climbs back down and reverently mutters, "I stood on holy ground!" What an incredible experience that must've been!
The rest of the afternoon on the water was spent lingering on that thought--what it must be like to stand on holy ground. I know that with the presence of God always near that every place can be made sacred and holy in His presence, but to have an experience where I do not have to muster up the recognition of the holiness of that site, but walk into it unknowingly only to discover that God's presence is there, as though He was waiting for me to show up...I'm so used to having to be the one to arrive early before services to set up and spend time in prayer over the place so that others can arrive and participate in God's presence, but to walk (or kayak) somewhere and discover God's Spirit so dense in the place that one cannot help but linger in utter awe, silenced by the stillness yet so full of astonishment that you feel that something must be said for you cannot contain the feeling. You stand knowing you are fully known, fully cleansed, and prepared to receive whatever God has for you.
I can look back in my life at numerous times when this has happened, and I am always filled with astonishment and praise for those incredible, intimate moments. I am so grateful that God would gift me with these moments.
Photos of the Week are posted. Enjoy your week!
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