Hello!
Six months ago, I finished packing my final things into the Subaru and started away from Newberg on this summer adventure. Today, six months later, I am preparing for my final few days here at Lake Powell. It's hard to believe this half-year has passed already, yet I have been anticipating this with great excitement. So many memories created during the summer, so many friendships made, the ministry team did so well in starting the ministry here at Lake Powell, yet so many things to look forward to.
As one of my final adventures, I got to take a Hummer Adventure tour to a slot canyon. It is an exclusive slot canyon in which there were only six of us exploring and photographing the canyon for over two hours. I felt so spoiled as this canyon held so many beautiful features, light beams, and array of colors. Usually when I am photographing these slot canyons, the colors lean towards the warm colors of red, orange, and yellow. Occasionally I'll get some purple in the picture, but this time, I got some blue! This took me by surprise how rich this color was, but as my cover photo shows, it was a wondrous moment.
As our tour guide took us to the canyon, he described the nature of Navajo Sandstone. Imagine a desert larger than the Sahara desert with sand dunes rising several thousand feet. It would be sand so incredibly thick that it compressed itself into layers of rock. The entire Colorado Plateau consists almost entirely of various layers of sandstone.
Sandstone has a strange characteristic to it. Around Page, it usually takes centuries, even thousands of years, to erode and shape Navajo Sandstone into the beautiful, yet seemingly delicate shapes of these slot canyons. While sandstone holds resilience in its durability, also has a soft side, allowing water to permeate its layers. Breaking off a chunk of sandstone, you can crumble it in your hands and it turns back into sand. During this summer I think I've come up with the perfect description of sandstone: petrified sand--it lasts for thousands of years, but is fragile like an antique.
We had a reminder of this dual nature of sandstone this past week when our recent rains caused a flash flood in Bridge Canyon--the canyon where Rainbow Bridge is located. This flash flood ripped out the hiking trail, leaving a 21-foot vertical cliff. The runoff from the flash flood was deposited in the lake at the boat docks, compromising the docks. Where the dock areas was in deep water, silt, mud, and sand filled the area.
As the driver took the Hummer by mesas, spires, and cliffs, I considered Jesus' words that whoever takes His words and does them is like a man who built his house on the rock--when the rains came and floods rose, the house stood firm. The one who didn't heed His words was like a man who built his house on sand. The rains came, the floods rose, and the house collapsed. This parable makes a lot of sense coming from Oregon, where sand is loose and unstable and rock is solid and unmovable. Surrounded by a petrified sandbox where sand and various sandstone layers vary from loose to solid, it has made me consider what it takes to build a house on a firm foundation in this area.
Near the entrance of the canyon, we were met with immediate evidence of a recent flood--areas where sand dunes sloped gently down to from the cliffs were not abrupt edges where the river carried away the bottom ten feet of these hills. Entering the canyon, a mud line marked the walls over thirty feet above our heads. We tried to imagine an instant river of water trying to pass through this narrow canyon at forty miles per hour, carrying sand and debris away and carving the canyon even further. The guide pointed to a log over 25 feet above us that once stood alone. Now, this solitary log was surrounded with weeds, grass, mud, and debris jammed into this narrow space between the canyon walls.
After the tour, I crossed the Colorado River back towards Lake Powell. Next to the bridge is the Glen Canyon Dam which took clearing an extra 125 feet away from the riverbed before reaching a bedrock hard enough to hold the structure. Along the sides, stability poles were drilled into the sandstone walls to prevent the sandstone from eroding from the backed up reservoir. Many of these poles were drilled over 75 feet deep. While the sandstone walls have demonstrated exceptional resilience, it is a bit difficult to conceive of drilling into sand to secure such an enormous structure.
It is here that I consider what it means to follow the words of Christ--so much so that my life is anchored against all rain and any flash flood that threatens to sweep both sand, and sandstone, away. I must be so secure in Him that even when the foundations are threatened, the house of my faith remains secure. As I head back home this upcoming week, I'll be bringing this reminder with me.
Photos of the Week are available for you. I hope that your week is blessed.
Pump Geyser
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Day 174: Online Experience
Hello!
School is now in its full swing. My mornings are spent reading school books, responding to discussion posts, and preparing for deadlines. In the midst of the work, I'm making sure I still get out exploring.
On my days off, I went to Mesa Verde National Park. This was my second time visiting the park, but it's still incredible to stand surrounded by 800-2,000 year-old ruins hearing the stories of how the Ancient Puebloans lived in this region, farming the mesa tops for food, gathering water in reservoirs (one of which could hold about 800 million gallons!), and surviving the arid region around here. There are over 2,000 separate archeological sites here in the park, and 600 of them are cliff dwellings. The artistry of the architecture is incredible to explore. This is the only national park in the United States dedicated to preserve human artifacts instead of a natural landscape. While the early days of white exploration of Mesa Verde stripped many of the artifacts of this place, to see the walls, watchtowers, kivas, and homes still standing is an awesome sight. On the inside of a watchtower of Cliff Palace, there is even an original painting made over 800 years ago! Having visited several ruins and archeological areas in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico and across the nation of Israel, it's amazing to see similar ruins here within the United States.
In the midst of guided tours through the ruins, probably one of my best moments was sitting on a balcony watching a thunderstorm roll in while studying. In the canyon below I could hear elk bugling during their migration off the mesa, the smell of freshly fallen rain wafted across the breeze, and the rumble of ongoing lightning strikes continued to engage me in the midst of studying about the rise of the Google Age and how to minister within the virtual world. One of my new classes is called Communication in Ministry, exploring how to minister in a world that meets more people online than personally. No matter how much information the Internet or printed books can provide, there still isn't anything like the experience itself. This week has brought a good challenge to me: how do you take experience and put that into a blog? I say that sort-of tongue-in-cheek, because I've been doing it for two years with this blog, but something about this week's reading while being surrounded by ancient ruins really brought this to the forefront.
I first started this blog out of the demand of family wanting to keep updated on my adventures and because individual emails, and group emails later on, were becoming too much of a hassle. Attaching photos took so long in these areas with little Internet strength, and once summer ministry started, my time slimmed even further. This blog helped me stay in contact with people, giving me the chance to share my adventures vicariously with my readers. In response to this though, this week has caused me to really question the impact this blog has had. I've had to consider how many readers have gone out and had an adventure of their own, and whether readers now get out and away to spend quiet time listening to God in wilderness areas. While I recognize that not everyone can live the life I live, there isn't a substitute for experience. We read books, ebooks, and emails to learn and connect, but there will always be a threshold between those who are the recipients of another's journeys and those who step up and step out into something new. I don't necessarily have an answer to all my pondering for this week, but it's nice to step back for a moment and consider the reason why we do the things we do. As I seek to better understand how to connect with online readers, I'm challenged to lean more on God to show me in the weeks and months ahead.
Photos of the Week are included. My challenge for you this week is to intentionally spend some time outdoors in solitude and quietness. See what happens. Blessings on your week!
School is now in its full swing. My mornings are spent reading school books, responding to discussion posts, and preparing for deadlines. In the midst of the work, I'm making sure I still get out exploring.
On my days off, I went to Mesa Verde National Park. This was my second time visiting the park, but it's still incredible to stand surrounded by 800-2,000 year-old ruins hearing the stories of how the Ancient Puebloans lived in this region, farming the mesa tops for food, gathering water in reservoirs (one of which could hold about 800 million gallons!), and surviving the arid region around here. There are over 2,000 separate archeological sites here in the park, and 600 of them are cliff dwellings. The artistry of the architecture is incredible to explore. This is the only national park in the United States dedicated to preserve human artifacts instead of a natural landscape. While the early days of white exploration of Mesa Verde stripped many of the artifacts of this place, to see the walls, watchtowers, kivas, and homes still standing is an awesome sight. On the inside of a watchtower of Cliff Palace, there is even an original painting made over 800 years ago! Having visited several ruins and archeological areas in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico and across the nation of Israel, it's amazing to see similar ruins here within the United States.
In the midst of guided tours through the ruins, probably one of my best moments was sitting on a balcony watching a thunderstorm roll in while studying. In the canyon below I could hear elk bugling during their migration off the mesa, the smell of freshly fallen rain wafted across the breeze, and the rumble of ongoing lightning strikes continued to engage me in the midst of studying about the rise of the Google Age and how to minister within the virtual world. One of my new classes is called Communication in Ministry, exploring how to minister in a world that meets more people online than personally. No matter how much information the Internet or printed books can provide, there still isn't anything like the experience itself. This week has brought a good challenge to me: how do you take experience and put that into a blog? I say that sort-of tongue-in-cheek, because I've been doing it for two years with this blog, but something about this week's reading while being surrounded by ancient ruins really brought this to the forefront.
I first started this blog out of the demand of family wanting to keep updated on my adventures and because individual emails, and group emails later on, were becoming too much of a hassle. Attaching photos took so long in these areas with little Internet strength, and once summer ministry started, my time slimmed even further. This blog helped me stay in contact with people, giving me the chance to share my adventures vicariously with my readers. In response to this though, this week has caused me to really question the impact this blog has had. I've had to consider how many readers have gone out and had an adventure of their own, and whether readers now get out and away to spend quiet time listening to God in wilderness areas. While I recognize that not everyone can live the life I live, there isn't a substitute for experience. We read books, ebooks, and emails to learn and connect, but there will always be a threshold between those who are the recipients of another's journeys and those who step up and step out into something new. I don't necessarily have an answer to all my pondering for this week, but it's nice to step back for a moment and consider the reason why we do the things we do. As I seek to better understand how to connect with online readers, I'm challenged to lean more on God to show me in the weeks and months ahead.
Photos of the Week are included. My challenge for you this week is to intentionally spend some time outdoors in solitude and quietness. See what happens. Blessings on your week!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Day 167: Focal Point
Hello!
Though the storms from last week have continued into this week, there has been a lot more sunshine, making way for more time to explore.
With some good sunlight during the morning, I was able to get onto a photo tour of the most-popular slot canyon in the area. It's one that I've been avoiding due to the summer crowds, but as the season is slowing down, I decided it was a good time to go.
What an incredible experience! The first time I ever went on this tour, it was a rushed tour through the canyon, but this time, our tour had two hours to explore the canyon. The sunbeams were beginning to reach the bottom of the canyon in long, slender lines. The colors of the canyons themselves were filled with yellows, oranges, and reds towards the bottom-end of the canyon where the chambers are large, but then the canyon becomes darker towards the back as the canyon narrows, allowing for only a little bit of light at the very top of the canyon walls. Photographing the canyon was a little bit of a challenge due to the number of people still visiting the canyon. It was the most crowded I had ever seen that canyon, but still our tour guide was good at making space for us to take the photographs we wanted.
Sunday was our last Sunday. KelLee and I had the great joy of having eleven people attend the service! It was awesome to experience, as most Sundays this year has been only one or two other people joining us for service. To have so many people attend the service was a really great experience!
As a final treat before school starts, I got to make an overnight dash to the Grand Canyon. Since my visit during the Spring was spent in the main section of the canyon, I focused my time on the east rim of the canyon, where the flat desert ascends to the peaks of the Palisades, then instantly drop to the depths of the canyon. While the upper end of the Grand Canyon is shallower than the main part, it was beautiful to see. I found one point that had some great vantages to photographing both sunset and sunrise. This section of the rim is where the Colorado makes a drastic turn from the north, flowing from Lake Powell, towards the west, heading through the main section of the canyon towards Lake Mead. Standing at this vantage point, I could see for over fifty miles north and west. While the point was popular during sunset, I had the entire point to myself during sunrise. I felt so spoiled to enjoy the beauty of the canyon all by myself.
After capturing the first light over the canyon, I spent some time sitting quietly and praying. As I did, Ephesians 3:18-19 came to mind: "I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon, it is easy to visualize the meaning of this verse as the canyon spreads into depths, heights, and distances away from my vantage point. Like so many others, there is a feeling of smallness and inadequacy to comprehend the extent of this canyon, much less the love of God which extends beyond any imagination!
When people cannot grasp the incredible size of the Grand Canyon, it is common for people to minimize it in order to take it all in. It just becomes another landscape amongst so many other sights to see along the canyon rim and the rest of the Colorado Plateau. My grandpa once commented that the Grand Canyon was just "a big hole in the ground". Sitting here at the rim, while he was right, he was also quite wrong--it's not just a big hole in the ground, but probably one of the most beautiful and intricate "holes in the ground" across the entire planet! But, "if you've seen one 'hole in the ground', you've seen them all".
How often am I a culprit of continuing this mentality towards the love of God! It's the love of God...it's everywhere. It's unescapable. The love of the most Beautiful One is so common that the unescapable becomes escapable. It becomes common and ordinary. In trying to grasp the great extent God's love reaches, how often do I minimize its reach or great intricacies. Having to wrestle with both the great extent of the Grand Canyon, one trick I learned is to find a focal point. It could be a spot on the Colorado River, a particular rock, spire, or butte, but find something in the midst of the entire canyon that captures your attention. As you focus upon that one point--it's beauty, it's mammoth size (or smallness), and all the details upon that one point, then the rest of the canyon falls into place--in seeing this one point, I can see the rest of the canyon in context to this one point, and the Grand Canyon becomes all that more grand.
In comprehending the love of God, I need to do the same thing. In focusing on one particular point in God's love, I am drawn to see the intricate and incredible essence of that one facet of God's love, and while focusing upon that one point, my periphery starts setting that one focal point into a context of the grander scheme of God's love. I can start to see and appreciate His limitlessness.
That was such a good reminder as I sat in the silence of such a massive canyon.
Photos of the Week are available. Blessings to you!
Though the storms from last week have continued into this week, there has been a lot more sunshine, making way for more time to explore.
With some good sunlight during the morning, I was able to get onto a photo tour of the most-popular slot canyon in the area. It's one that I've been avoiding due to the summer crowds, but as the season is slowing down, I decided it was a good time to go.
What an incredible experience! The first time I ever went on this tour, it was a rushed tour through the canyon, but this time, our tour had two hours to explore the canyon. The sunbeams were beginning to reach the bottom of the canyon in long, slender lines. The colors of the canyons themselves were filled with yellows, oranges, and reds towards the bottom-end of the canyon where the chambers are large, but then the canyon becomes darker towards the back as the canyon narrows, allowing for only a little bit of light at the very top of the canyon walls. Photographing the canyon was a little bit of a challenge due to the number of people still visiting the canyon. It was the most crowded I had ever seen that canyon, but still our tour guide was good at making space for us to take the photographs we wanted.
Sunday was our last Sunday. KelLee and I had the great joy of having eleven people attend the service! It was awesome to experience, as most Sundays this year has been only one or two other people joining us for service. To have so many people attend the service was a really great experience!
As a final treat before school starts, I got to make an overnight dash to the Grand Canyon. Since my visit during the Spring was spent in the main section of the canyon, I focused my time on the east rim of the canyon, where the flat desert ascends to the peaks of the Palisades, then instantly drop to the depths of the canyon. While the upper end of the Grand Canyon is shallower than the main part, it was beautiful to see. I found one point that had some great vantages to photographing both sunset and sunrise. This section of the rim is where the Colorado makes a drastic turn from the north, flowing from Lake Powell, towards the west, heading through the main section of the canyon towards Lake Mead. Standing at this vantage point, I could see for over fifty miles north and west. While the point was popular during sunset, I had the entire point to myself during sunrise. I felt so spoiled to enjoy the beauty of the canyon all by myself.
After capturing the first light over the canyon, I spent some time sitting quietly and praying. As I did, Ephesians 3:18-19 came to mind: "I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon, it is easy to visualize the meaning of this verse as the canyon spreads into depths, heights, and distances away from my vantage point. Like so many others, there is a feeling of smallness and inadequacy to comprehend the extent of this canyon, much less the love of God which extends beyond any imagination!
When people cannot grasp the incredible size of the Grand Canyon, it is common for people to minimize it in order to take it all in. It just becomes another landscape amongst so many other sights to see along the canyon rim and the rest of the Colorado Plateau. My grandpa once commented that the Grand Canyon was just "a big hole in the ground". Sitting here at the rim, while he was right, he was also quite wrong--it's not just a big hole in the ground, but probably one of the most beautiful and intricate "holes in the ground" across the entire planet! But, "if you've seen one 'hole in the ground', you've seen them all".
How often am I a culprit of continuing this mentality towards the love of God! It's the love of God...it's everywhere. It's unescapable. The love of the most Beautiful One is so common that the unescapable becomes escapable. It becomes common and ordinary. In trying to grasp the great extent God's love reaches, how often do I minimize its reach or great intricacies. Having to wrestle with both the great extent of the Grand Canyon, one trick I learned is to find a focal point. It could be a spot on the Colorado River, a particular rock, spire, or butte, but find something in the midst of the entire canyon that captures your attention. As you focus upon that one point--it's beauty, it's mammoth size (or smallness), and all the details upon that one point, then the rest of the canyon falls into place--in seeing this one point, I can see the rest of the canyon in context to this one point, and the Grand Canyon becomes all that more grand.
In comprehending the love of God, I need to do the same thing. In focusing on one particular point in God's love, I am drawn to see the intricate and incredible essence of that one facet of God's love, and while focusing upon that one point, my periphery starts setting that one focal point into a context of the grander scheme of God's love. I can start to see and appreciate His limitlessness.
That was such a good reminder as I sat in the silence of such a massive canyon.
Photos of the Week are available. Blessings to you!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Day 161: Storms and Rest
Hello!
I don't have much to write about over the past two weeks, so I don't expect this post to be very long.
The summer rush is over for the summer! Even with Labor Day weekend approaching, it still appears to be a quiet weekend here at Lake Powell. There is another rush lingering on the horizon as September's tour season begins, but for now, I'm enjoying the blessing of a slower pace of work at the front desk. My research paper submitted last week concluded my summer semester, which has left this week open to rest and enjoyment. I have been able to leave work early several times, which has been greatly appreciated. Once my fall semester begins, I'll be doing a full load of college courses along with full-time work. It'll be fine, I'm sure, but for now I'm enjoying the breathing space.
These past two weeks have held some notable storms. Around 3:00 on morning, I awoke to flashes of lightning. I instantly grabbed my camera and tripod. The storm was slowly moving over the town of Page with large bolts of lightning. I was able to take some photos, some of which turned out more spectacular than I could've imagined! The next day, I showed the photo to my colleagues at work, and my boss requested that photo. Within a few days, that photo was posted on the company's Facebook page, receiving quite a lot of positive reviews. I was thrilled over the response--over 2,000 people "liked" this photo!
This week has been a different kind of storm...the kind with overcast grey and drizzling rain that lasts for multiple days. Fortunately for me, this happened on a Sunday. I spent my entire day sitting close to a window listening to the rain, taking naps, and missing Oregon's ongoing rain. With all of the homesickness I have been experiencing lately, the rain was a wonderful gift. The sunshine is back for now, bringing a smile to the guests at the resort.
Last Sunday was Jamie's last Sunday with the ACMNP team. Though no one attended our service, KelLee, Jamie, and I sat on wet benches singing songs, praying, reading Scriptures, and listening to Jamie's final sermon of the season. She spoke on desiring God's approval above people's approval. A good reminder to me...and everyone else who works in an industry based upon customer service.
Less than one month remains before I will begin the drive home. I am so very excited to return to Oregon, but for now I'm making my final "bucket list" of things I want to see and do before I depart.
Blessings to you this week! I only had one more photo to add to my Photos of the Week. Check it out!
I don't have much to write about over the past two weeks, so I don't expect this post to be very long.
The summer rush is over for the summer! Even with Labor Day weekend approaching, it still appears to be a quiet weekend here at Lake Powell. There is another rush lingering on the horizon as September's tour season begins, but for now, I'm enjoying the blessing of a slower pace of work at the front desk. My research paper submitted last week concluded my summer semester, which has left this week open to rest and enjoyment. I have been able to leave work early several times, which has been greatly appreciated. Once my fall semester begins, I'll be doing a full load of college courses along with full-time work. It'll be fine, I'm sure, but for now I'm enjoying the breathing space.
These past two weeks have held some notable storms. Around 3:00 on morning, I awoke to flashes of lightning. I instantly grabbed my camera and tripod. The storm was slowly moving over the town of Page with large bolts of lightning. I was able to take some photos, some of which turned out more spectacular than I could've imagined! The next day, I showed the photo to my colleagues at work, and my boss requested that photo. Within a few days, that photo was posted on the company's Facebook page, receiving quite a lot of positive reviews. I was thrilled over the response--over 2,000 people "liked" this photo!
This week has been a different kind of storm...the kind with overcast grey and drizzling rain that lasts for multiple days. Fortunately for me, this happened on a Sunday. I spent my entire day sitting close to a window listening to the rain, taking naps, and missing Oregon's ongoing rain. With all of the homesickness I have been experiencing lately, the rain was a wonderful gift. The sunshine is back for now, bringing a smile to the guests at the resort.
Last Sunday was Jamie's last Sunday with the ACMNP team. Though no one attended our service, KelLee, Jamie, and I sat on wet benches singing songs, praying, reading Scriptures, and listening to Jamie's final sermon of the season. She spoke on desiring God's approval above people's approval. A good reminder to me...and everyone else who works in an industry based upon customer service.
Less than one month remains before I will begin the drive home. I am so very excited to return to Oregon, but for now I'm making my final "bucket list" of things I want to see and do before I depart.
Blessings to you this week! I only had one more photo to add to my Photos of the Week. Check it out!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Day 147: Incredible!
Hello!
This week has been interesting. Over the past week in Page, we've received over four inches of rain! This rain came in the form of some incredible flash floods that dramatically changed the area. A flash flood covered part of highway 89 as water raced through Page, breaking up the highway. In two of the famous slot canyons nearby, one is now about 10' deeper than it was before the flooding, while many areas within the other has been filled with sand that the guides are still trying to dig out! This has impacted a lot of the tourism in the area. The storms themselves have affected our Internet here, knocking out our signal repeatedly. But at the same time, it's been incredible to watch this dramatic power unleashed while at the same time seeing the incredible beauty it holds at the same time. It quite a humbling experience!
This last weekend, my roommate from Oregon got to visit me. When John and I were traveling through this area, we didn't get to explore much of the region, so this was my chance to show this area off to him. However, both he and I caught colds days before our time together, so in the midst of trying to explore the area, we both spent a lot of time simply resting and nursing our colds. Since his departure, I've been back at work, but my throat is still raspy as I'm trying to recover.
On a brighter note, during his stay, the two of us took two guided trips. One of them was to an exclusive slot canyon. I was expecting it to be similar to the famous slot canyons near Page, but was a bit disappointed when the dramatic "slot" part of the canyon was less than 45' in length. Still, the rest of the slot canyon was beautiful, especially since we were the only ones there--just our guide, and two Romanians. Our guide has been frequenting this canyon for over two years, and was showing us how much deeper the canyon was before last week's flooding. In one area, there was over 8' feet of new sand within the canyon!
Though the one tour was a bit underwhelming, our other guided trip astounded us beyond what we could've imagined! We were originally suppose to visit an area called White Pocket, but due to the recent rain and another threatening thunderstorm, the road was too hazardous to go. Instead, our tour guide took us to an area called The Water Pocket. The Water Pocket is a ridge that overlooks an area I only dream about visiting called "The Wave". From this ridge, I could look down at The Wave area, but the rock in the area was far more fascinating. There, among other things, we saw an area of white rocks called "Brain Rock"...it looked much like it too! The other were multiple areas of rock fins that intersected, criss-crossed, and rose above the rest of the Navajo sandstone to resemble tubes, boxes, spider-webs, and draperies. What was most astonishing was how thin this rock was--some of this rock was less than 1/4" thick: it was completely delicate, standing there above the regular rock against the wind and storms that strike against it. The more we spent time amidst this "boxwork", the more astonished and in awe we became at the delicacy of these rocks and the beauty of them. I once heard that the Southwest is "God's Sandbox", where He got to play around making things with sand like a child does. Out here, it is manifest. Such creativity and stunning beauty at the same time!
I first came across "boxwork" last year when I was exploring Wind Cave National Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. As the limestone layers of rock fragmented, their cracks were filled with an even harder rock compound that sort-of adhered these layers together. As water eroded the caverns away, the limestone would erode faster than this compound, exposing this compound as paper-thin rock layers that came in the shape of small boxes, revealing the cavity where a limestone rock once held to the cavern ceiling. Here at The Water Pocket, it was like the same thing, except the "boxwork" was being exposed along the ground instead of along a cave ceiling. It was quite incredible to see this and note its similarities. The ranger at Wind Cave said that "Boxwork" is rare to find inside a cave, and our Water Pocket Guide said that he only knows of two places where he's ever seen this occur. I think it's incredible to have seen it in two very different places and rock formations.
As I'm recovering from my cold, I'm taking extra time reviewing the photos I took of this past weekend. I am left in silent awe and fascination.
I hope you enjoy your week. Photos of the Week are posted for you.
This week has been interesting. Over the past week in Page, we've received over four inches of rain! This rain came in the form of some incredible flash floods that dramatically changed the area. A flash flood covered part of highway 89 as water raced through Page, breaking up the highway. In two of the famous slot canyons nearby, one is now about 10' deeper than it was before the flooding, while many areas within the other has been filled with sand that the guides are still trying to dig out! This has impacted a lot of the tourism in the area. The storms themselves have affected our Internet here, knocking out our signal repeatedly. But at the same time, it's been incredible to watch this dramatic power unleashed while at the same time seeing the incredible beauty it holds at the same time. It quite a humbling experience!
This last weekend, my roommate from Oregon got to visit me. When John and I were traveling through this area, we didn't get to explore much of the region, so this was my chance to show this area off to him. However, both he and I caught colds days before our time together, so in the midst of trying to explore the area, we both spent a lot of time simply resting and nursing our colds. Since his departure, I've been back at work, but my throat is still raspy as I'm trying to recover.
On a brighter note, during his stay, the two of us took two guided trips. One of them was to an exclusive slot canyon. I was expecting it to be similar to the famous slot canyons near Page, but was a bit disappointed when the dramatic "slot" part of the canyon was less than 45' in length. Still, the rest of the slot canyon was beautiful, especially since we were the only ones there--just our guide, and two Romanians. Our guide has been frequenting this canyon for over two years, and was showing us how much deeper the canyon was before last week's flooding. In one area, there was over 8' feet of new sand within the canyon!
Though the one tour was a bit underwhelming, our other guided trip astounded us beyond what we could've imagined! We were originally suppose to visit an area called White Pocket, but due to the recent rain and another threatening thunderstorm, the road was too hazardous to go. Instead, our tour guide took us to an area called The Water Pocket. The Water Pocket is a ridge that overlooks an area I only dream about visiting called "The Wave". From this ridge, I could look down at The Wave area, but the rock in the area was far more fascinating. There, among other things, we saw an area of white rocks called "Brain Rock"...it looked much like it too! The other were multiple areas of rock fins that intersected, criss-crossed, and rose above the rest of the Navajo sandstone to resemble tubes, boxes, spider-webs, and draperies. What was most astonishing was how thin this rock was--some of this rock was less than 1/4" thick: it was completely delicate, standing there above the regular rock against the wind and storms that strike against it. The more we spent time amidst this "boxwork", the more astonished and in awe we became at the delicacy of these rocks and the beauty of them. I once heard that the Southwest is "God's Sandbox", where He got to play around making things with sand like a child does. Out here, it is manifest. Such creativity and stunning beauty at the same time!
I first came across "boxwork" last year when I was exploring Wind Cave National Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. As the limestone layers of rock fragmented, their cracks were filled with an even harder rock compound that sort-of adhered these layers together. As water eroded the caverns away, the limestone would erode faster than this compound, exposing this compound as paper-thin rock layers that came in the shape of small boxes, revealing the cavity where a limestone rock once held to the cavern ceiling. Here at The Water Pocket, it was like the same thing, except the "boxwork" was being exposed along the ground instead of along a cave ceiling. It was quite incredible to see this and note its similarities. The ranger at Wind Cave said that "Boxwork" is rare to find inside a cave, and our Water Pocket Guide said that he only knows of two places where he's ever seen this occur. I think it's incredible to have seen it in two very different places and rock formations.
As I'm recovering from my cold, I'm taking extra time reviewing the photos I took of this past weekend. I am left in silent awe and fascination.
I hope you enjoy your week. Photos of the Week are posted for you.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Day 142: Beside Still Waters
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!
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!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Day 134: Excursions and Friendship
Hello!
These past two weeks have been incredible. The chance to relax and enjoy Southern Utah is just incredible. It couldn't have happened at a better time. We are now in our peak season at the resort and have been sold out nearly each night. Along with registering over 150 rooms each night, this past week was marked with a washing machine breaking down in the laundry department, slowing housekeeping down. Some evenings, guests could not check into their rooms until after 5:00 p.m.! It was a crazy experience. Throughout August we are expecting it to remain just as busy.
In the midst of the craziness though, I have been blessed to have a slower study pace and the ability to enjoy my days off while exploring the area. My friends, Ron and Richard, got to visit from Portland during their recent trip around Southern Utah. They joined Jamie, Andrea, Kevin, and I as we got to explore Monument Valley. It was such a perfect day as we drove through the valley, stopping at all the sights and sharing time together.
The following week, Jamie, Andrea, Stephanie and I got to walk in the Zion Narrows, an area within Zion Canyon where the canyon walls come so close together that the river touches both walls while the canyon reaches over 1,000 feet above the river. There was a thunderstorm the previous day with heavy rain, leaving the Virgin River muddy for our hike. The adventurous part to this hike was carrying camera equipment while making sure it remained dry. Hikers in the Narrows frequently slip on rocks--especially when they cannot see the river bottom. I had to walk slow to make sure that didn't happen to me. I carried a dry bag in case the water became too deep, but the water level never exceeded my waist.
Along the Narrows, there is a side canyon called Orderville, which is a narrower slot canyon that leads to a couple waterfalls. In some areas, the canyon walls were still towered 800 feet above us, with the walls only 8 feet apart. It was so magnificent. This was my third time hiking in Orderville and the Narrows, but this was just as spectacular as my first visit. Jamie, Andrea, and Stephanie were all amazed.
In the midst of both Monument Valley and the Zion Narrows, Jamie took a small amount of time aside to sit in silence and pray. This was so inspiring to see as Jamie made sure to seek God in the midst of these beautiful places. I can testify to the challenge of the wilderness--there is so much that is awe-inspiring that enraptures you that it is hard to stop looking. Being in such beautiful places draws an element of transcendence to you, but just as the wilderness can bring you into something bigger than yourself, it can also prevent you from going even further to look up and commune with the Creator in the midst of His creation. Watching Jamie intentionally step aside from exploring these places for a time of silent prayer was so good to watch. When I'm by myself, it is much easier for me to take time out to do this, but when I am the "tour guide" of the group, helping everyone explore the area, I realized that I sometimes miss out on this opportunity to seek God in the midst of the exploration.
--------------
It's been a while since I've posted any updates regarding the ministry team. Things are still going well for us. We greatly appreciate your prayers as we are approaching the end of our season. Only five Sundays remain. Doors have been opening with the National Park Service and the park concessioner so that we are able to put up signs to advertise our Sunday services, as well as start campground walking on Saturday evenings. The challenge for our Saturday evenings is that we get off work around 6 (if we are so lucky), then have only a short while to walk the campground before the sun sets. Hopefully, with the signs posted, we'll be able to spread the word better.
Please pray for Jamie especially, as she is at her one-month marker before she heads home. She still has a lot she wants to do, but there is also the lingering transition back to school for her. KelLee is taking a semester off, so she'll be working later into the season, as I will also do.
As for me, I have three more weeks before my fall semester begins. This is a "final lap" for me, as I'll be starting my final year of school before I graduate. There's a lot that is upcoming....starting a more permanent career, using my connections in order to hopefully find way to continue ministry in the parks while engaging in ministry. There are a few prospects, so I'm doing a lot of praying as I try to follow God's call for the next steps after all this school subsides.
Blessings to you! I have posted my Photos of the Week. Enjoy!
These past two weeks have been incredible. The chance to relax and enjoy Southern Utah is just incredible. It couldn't have happened at a better time. We are now in our peak season at the resort and have been sold out nearly each night. Along with registering over 150 rooms each night, this past week was marked with a washing machine breaking down in the laundry department, slowing housekeeping down. Some evenings, guests could not check into their rooms until after 5:00 p.m.! It was a crazy experience. Throughout August we are expecting it to remain just as busy.
In the midst of the craziness though, I have been blessed to have a slower study pace and the ability to enjoy my days off while exploring the area. My friends, Ron and Richard, got to visit from Portland during their recent trip around Southern Utah. They joined Jamie, Andrea, Kevin, and I as we got to explore Monument Valley. It was such a perfect day as we drove through the valley, stopping at all the sights and sharing time together.
The following week, Jamie, Andrea, Stephanie and I got to walk in the Zion Narrows, an area within Zion Canyon where the canyon walls come so close together that the river touches both walls while the canyon reaches over 1,000 feet above the river. There was a thunderstorm the previous day with heavy rain, leaving the Virgin River muddy for our hike. The adventurous part to this hike was carrying camera equipment while making sure it remained dry. Hikers in the Narrows frequently slip on rocks--especially when they cannot see the river bottom. I had to walk slow to make sure that didn't happen to me. I carried a dry bag in case the water became too deep, but the water level never exceeded my waist.
Along the Narrows, there is a side canyon called Orderville, which is a narrower slot canyon that leads to a couple waterfalls. In some areas, the canyon walls were still towered 800 feet above us, with the walls only 8 feet apart. It was so magnificent. This was my third time hiking in Orderville and the Narrows, but this was just as spectacular as my first visit. Jamie, Andrea, and Stephanie were all amazed.
In the midst of both Monument Valley and the Zion Narrows, Jamie took a small amount of time aside to sit in silence and pray. This was so inspiring to see as Jamie made sure to seek God in the midst of these beautiful places. I can testify to the challenge of the wilderness--there is so much that is awe-inspiring that enraptures you that it is hard to stop looking. Being in such beautiful places draws an element of transcendence to you, but just as the wilderness can bring you into something bigger than yourself, it can also prevent you from going even further to look up and commune with the Creator in the midst of His creation. Watching Jamie intentionally step aside from exploring these places for a time of silent prayer was so good to watch. When I'm by myself, it is much easier for me to take time out to do this, but when I am the "tour guide" of the group, helping everyone explore the area, I realized that I sometimes miss out on this opportunity to seek God in the midst of the exploration.
--------------
It's been a while since I've posted any updates regarding the ministry team. Things are still going well for us. We greatly appreciate your prayers as we are approaching the end of our season. Only five Sundays remain. Doors have been opening with the National Park Service and the park concessioner so that we are able to put up signs to advertise our Sunday services, as well as start campground walking on Saturday evenings. The challenge for our Saturday evenings is that we get off work around 6 (if we are so lucky), then have only a short while to walk the campground before the sun sets. Hopefully, with the signs posted, we'll be able to spread the word better.
Please pray for Jamie especially, as she is at her one-month marker before she heads home. She still has a lot she wants to do, but there is also the lingering transition back to school for her. KelLee is taking a semester off, so she'll be working later into the season, as I will also do.
As for me, I have three more weeks before my fall semester begins. This is a "final lap" for me, as I'll be starting my final year of school before I graduate. There's a lot that is upcoming....starting a more permanent career, using my connections in order to hopefully find way to continue ministry in the parks while engaging in ministry. There are a few prospects, so I'm doing a lot of praying as I try to follow God's call for the next steps after all this school subsides.
Blessings to you! I have posted my Photos of the Week. Enjoy!
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